FALL 2017 ISSUE

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You helped comfort our young hurricane evacuees

Gifts of food and clothing helped youth arriving at ACH with nothing more than the still damp clothes on their back. (See page 2.)

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BOARD OF DIRECTORSRobert BendaSarah BennettAngela CaddellTed Crofford, MDVivian Ferguson

Our mission: Protecting children and preserving families since 1915.

Joe GreensladeKatie Hand, JLFWBrad HickmanKelly KellerJack Larson

Valerie MallickMeto MiteffCheryl MooreLynn NewmanMattie Parker

Peter PhilpottEsequiel “Zeke” Sanchez, IIIC.W. “Dub” Stocker, III, ChairMalcolm StreetKyle Whitaker

Emergency preparedness is always a priority at ACH

ALL CHURCH HOME FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERSFrank AndersonRobert BendaKelly KellerFred Moore

Susan RoseRobert Simpson, Chair

3 Christmas Concert Event

4 Creating Connections

6 Improved Child Welfare: It’s the Law in Texas

8 Making New Friends

10 Something Greater

11 Making Wishes Come True Holiday Planner

15 Hoot `n Holler Sponsor Thank You

16 Ties that Bind

18 A Super Day

20 Transforming Spaces, Transforming Lives

21 Donor Recognition

23 Hire Me ACH

24 Year-end Giving

Editorial Staff | Lindsay Ray, Editor Chuck Burton, Director of Marketing

Fall 2017 ISSUE

We deal with emergencies on a daily basis. When a child is removed from his or her home because of abuse or neglect, our team essentially serves as a first-responder. We know they feel alone and scared. We understand they’re filled with uncertainty and doubt about their future. And we are trained to help with the pain and despair that they bring from these past experiences.

Fortunately, we’re prepared and ready. We have the only Youth Emergency Shelter in Fort Worth. And in this issue, you’ll read about TBRI®, a technique based on trust that helps children cope with difficult emotions.

Still, when disaster strikes, we step up our efforts. When Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast with epic flooding, a residential treatment center in Houston reached out to Our Community, Our Kids (see page 6) for help. OCOK is responsible for the well-being of foster children throughout seven counties in North Texas, and these were our kids. They were receiving specialized therapeutic care in Houston, and it was up to us to get them to safety.

When they arrived, their clothes were still damp from wading through knee-deep water. Since we had already put out a call for help from our many caring donors, we were immediately able to take them shopping for new clothes. They came with nothing, so getting to pick out their own clothes was a nice welcome. Your donations helped feed and comfort them, too.

We are grateful to everyone who helps with our “routine” emergencies and especially want to thank all of the heroes who helped in so many ways during and after one of the worst natural disasters in Texas history.

Wayne Carson, Ph.D. Chief Executive Officer

W nderland

ROCkIN ,

IN A WINTEr

Making wishes come true

SaturdayDecember 9, 2017

1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

ACH CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES CAMPUS3712 WICHITA ST., FT. WORTH, TX 76119

Questions? Call 682.432.1112

TOYLAND SPONSORED BY

Christmas Concert with former The Voice contestant and Texas native

PHOTOS WITH

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RAFFLES & PRIZES

MAKE YOUR OWN STOCKINGS & O R N A M E N T S

GAMES, CRAFTS & FAMILY ACTIVITIES

WRITE A LETTER TO

SANTA

LUKE WADE

COOKIES & COCOA

admission with an unwrapped toy to help make a child’s wish come true!

FrEE

JASPER

LUKE WADE CONCERT SPONSORED BY

ROGER WILLIAMS CHRYSLER, DODGE,

JEEP, RAMSponsors as of 9.22.2017

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: ACHSERVICES.ORG/WINTER-WONDERLAND

CO-PRESENTING SPONSORS

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ACH: How would you describe TBRI camp to someone who doesn’t know what it’s about?

TG: TBRI camp at ACH is a five-day camp where students or professionals who are trained in TBRI get the opportunity to work one-on-one with children with relationship-based traumas, such as abuse and neglect.

Camp provides kids with important skills

At ACH, we believe that “relationships get results.” This is why, each year, we have a TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) camp, where volunteers from TCU’s Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development* spend a week building relationships and teaching coping skills to kids in our Behavioral Care Home.

To learn more about the experience, we asked Taylor Gregg, two-time volunteer and ACH staff member, to tell us about her camp experience.

We teach a child new coping skills to process their traumatic emotions and to be able to communicate their needs in healthy ways.

ACH: Why is TBRI camp important?

TG: Often with children from hard places, they have learned inappropriate coping skills, meaning they have learned to get their needs

met through violence, aggression, or simply shutting down completely. TBRI is based on creating a safe and real connection with the kids, and through that connection, the child is able to heal. It is about focusing on the child who has been hurt, not the behaviors that are a result of being broken. One consistent phrase we use in Behavioral Care is: “Find the

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need behind the behavior.” Behind every behavior, no matter what it is, the child is desperately seeking care in the only way he or she knows how.

So over the course of camp, we begin to teach them new coping skills, such as using their words or showing respect.

I believe that TBRI camp is important because children need to learn that their voice matters and that they deserve to be loved and treated with respect. The one-on-one care that they receive during camp is something that many of them initially are not used to getting, but they get used to the positive attention.

ACH: What would you want people to take away about TBRI?

TG: If there is one thing that I can communicate to people, it is that kids from hard places, although their behaviors can be violent and aggressive, are not bad kids. They just need people like those at ACH who are willing to stop looking at them like bad kids and who will look at them like the kids they are—kids who deserve to be loved and cared for.

Five Short Days, Big Impact ACH: What was TBRI camp like this year?

TG: The kids at Behavioral Care are hurting and do not have many skills to cope with those intense emotions. It may not have looked impressive from the outside, but when I get back to the house with the kids and see them using the new skills that they learned at camp, I see a benefit from the experience. Yes, there were bumps and rough spots, but at the end of the day, camp is about the kids and building a relationship with them. I have personally seen changes in the Behavioral Care kids, and that, to me, made camp successful.

ACH: What do you enjoy most about TBRI camp?

TG: I love watching the kids grow. I may be more biased because I now work in the house with the kids, but seeing the progress they make in just five short days is very encouraging. Sometimes, the progress isn’t much, but seeing

each kid get individual attention that they desperately need and deserve makes it all worth it.

ACH: Since you volunteered at TBRI camp, you’ve joined the ACH staff. What led you to that decision and how has your experience been?

TG: I love working with the children at the Behavioral Care Home. It has been an incredible opportunity to grow and learn. I have learned more in the year that I have been working with ACH in direct care than I ever could have learned in the classroom. The kids in Behavioral Care, although challenging, have become family to me. They are not just broken kids who need help; they deserve to be cared for, and any part that I can play to give them their best chance in life is something I am willing to be a part of. I believe in TBRI and what it does for both families and kids, and I love that I have the opportunity to put it into practice as a daily job.

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Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross of Texas Christian University.

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Ahead of the CurveSix years ago, ACH began assembling a diverse team of experts to discover best practices. They included medical professionals, mental health providers, educators, court-appointed advocates and other representatives of the legal system. The findings enabled ACH to address problems that have plagued foster care for decades.

Approaches taken by other states indicated a local approach to decision-making is preferable to a statewide, one-size-fits-all approach. A panel of local leaders was

The problems associated with child abuse, child neglect and family separation have been with us for decades. In 2011, Children’s Rights, Inc., a New York-based advocacy group, filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all Texas children in long-term foster care. In 2015, a U.S. District Judge ruled that Texas’ foster care system violated children’s constitutional right to be “free from an unreasonable risk of harm.”

Now, there is a beacon of hope. ACH first set out to address the issue in 2011, and the work that ensued has led to significant change to a broken system. In 2017, the system designed to protect our state’s most vulnerable citizens is poised for a major overhaul.

IMPROVED CHILD WELFARE: It’s the Law in Texas

ACH created “Our Community, Our Kids” to pioneer Community-Based Care in Texas. By focusing on children and families, the foster care system has changed…for the better.

“ If other parts of the state see results half as

good as those we’ve seen in Fort Worth,

this legislation will be a great success.” ~ Fort Worth Star-Telegram May 2017

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Kids nowsafe in care:

99.9%

"Our Community, Our Kids"

serves the seven counties of

Texas Department of Family and

Protective Services Region 3b:

· Erath

· Hood

· Johnson

· Palo Pinto

In just three years, OCOK has delivered solid results in Region 3b• The practice

of children sleeping in offices or hotels has ended.

• The number of foster homes has increased 20% in the last year.

• 30% more high-needs kids are being placed in homes, not treatment centers.

• Texas DFPS caseworkers report they have more time to spend with children and keep up with their documentation.

“Being able to push down

the decision-making to the lowest possible

level will revolutionize the process and result in significant

improvement to the system.”~ Gary Buff President, OCOK

assembled to advise on how to best engage the community.

This comprehensive planning resulted in ACH receiving the state contract in 2013 as the Single-Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC) for Foster Care Redesign. “Our Community, Our Kids” (OCOK) was formed as a division of ACH to manage oversight and accountability for foster care providers in seven counties in North Texas. Dr. Wayne Carson, ACH’s CEO, envisioned the philosophy behind OCOK. “We believe that abused and neglected children who live in our community,” he says, “belong in our community.”

The outcomes OCOK is delivering are based on partnering with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to enable local decision-making, enhanced accountability and innovative thinking. This approach of Community-Based Care serves as a model for the state and was praised by the editorial board of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “Texas must not lose the help it is getting from ACH, and courts should make sure of it.”

Presenting a Proof-of-ConceptOver the past several years, Dr. Carson and team have worked

closely with Texas lawmakers to raise awareness about the positive effects of Foster Care Redesign. In January 2016, Governor Abbott named the state's child welfare crisis as one of

four emergency items during his State of the State address. Carson went before editorial boards, testified before the legislature and remains steadfast in advocating for additional resources for an underfunded system.

On May 31, 2017, the State of Texas passed Senate Bill 11 and renamed Foster Care Redesign as Community-Based Care, thanks in part to the pioneering efforts of OCOK. OCOK delivered significant, positive change and proved that nonprofit organizations could take responsibility for managing foster care at the local level.

Advocacy. Care. Hope.The groundbreaking work that ACH achieved through OCOK is especially important to Tarrant County, which has the second highest rate of child abuse of all counties in Texas. “By integrating the work being done for the child with the work being done for the family,” says Dr. Carson, “we believe we will be better able to heal the biological family and reunite

more kids in a stable family. We know our community is counting on ACH to get it right—and we will.”

· Parker

· Somervell

· Tarrant

Gary Buff

Wayne Carson

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When Kolby and Jessica meet up, their

easygoing, warm connection is easy to see.

Over lunch, they talk about what’s going on

in their lives—Jessica getting ready to start

school, Kolby’s recent wedding. And they

discuss Jessica’s future plans, with Kolby

encouraging and cheering her on.

The two might not have met if not for the

Circle of Caring, ACH’s mentoring project

with the Junior League of Fort Worth (JLFW).

Relationships are built in the Junior League of Fort Worth’s Circle of Caring

Making

NEWFriends

Launched just last year, the JLFW provided

resources and volunteers to help the young

women in ACH’s LIFE Project gain life skills

and build positive relationships with other

women. LIFE promotes self-confidence and

self-sufficiency by providing independent living

housing options and skills development for

young men and women aging out of the foster

care system as well as homeless young adults,

18-21. The Circle of Caring goes hand-in-hand

with that mission and provides another avenue

for the young women in LIFE to build positive

relationships and self-sufficiency.

Creating a FamilyFrom August to May, the group gathers to have dinner, get to know each other better and often participate in an activity.

For Kolby and Jessica, the group setting really helped them to forge genuine connections.

“I like group settings like that,” Jessica says. “I think it’s easier to be more open and talk than if you were just one-on-one with someone.”

Kolby adds, “I think the time we spent as a group was really successful because everyone did a really good job with getting to know everyone. When I think about the first meeting, I think it was a little bit intimidating for everyone. Then it was so cool that by the third meeting we were all a part of it. It was like we were a big, happy family.”

The group participated in a variety of activities, often with a JLFW member lending their expertise. One night, they each painted a canvas; another night they had a shopping excursion to Kohl’s. And another time they focused on finances to make sure bills were covered. These get-togethers also provided the girls with experiences they might not have otherwise had—trying new foods, seeing a play, being open to new ideas.

“My favorite session was the ‘Treat Yo’self’ session,” says Jessica. “It was just really fun ’cause that’s what I struggle with, and I know I have a problem with being too giving all the time. I just don’t think about myself; I think about other people. So I liked that—every once in a while just sit down and give yourself something or do something for yourself.”

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Finding Common GroundAll of the activities and topics were designed to help build relationships and were chosen to be relatable to both the young women in the LIFE Project as well as the JLFW volunteers. Everyone shared “life hacks” and told stories about lessons learned as they found common ground by being open about their struggles, wisdom and experience. A “big sister” feel grew out of the sessions.

“It was so fun to see how relatable everyone was,” Kolby says. “Even though everyone’s situations are so different, there’s still so much in common.”

The women spent a year building lasting relationships and making a positive impact on each other’s lives. Some of them, like Jessica and Kolby, even matched up for one-on-one mentoring for the last few months. And while the JLFW volunteers commit a year of their time to the Circle of Caring, a new crew of volunteers will pick up the mantle this year.

Having an Impact“It was really sad at the end, knowing that not everybody would be there,” says Jessica.

But the girls wanted to let the JLFW volunteers know how much they meant to them and share their many positive thoughts about the experience with them. So Jessica had the idea to create shadow boxes for each member, featuring a photo, their many memories and affirmations. The girls presented the boxes to the women during their farewell dinner.

“Mine is hanging on my wall,” Kolby says with a smile.

And while the formal gatherings might have come to an end and not everyone will be back for the next round of the Circle of Caring, their time spent together has made a lasting impact.

“I think having those connections and building those relationships, it’s just as important for me and as cool for me to have them as friends as I would hope that it is for the girls as well,” Kolby says. “So yeah, we’re giving back to our community, but we’re also getting a lot, too.”

“I’m learning hOw to beter myself and hOw to take time and

just breathe.”

“I'm learning hOw to manage

stress.”

“I lOve the way people care abOut me.”

“I’ve learned skiss to help in interviews.”

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Lathisa is only 21, but she knows where she wants to go with her life.

“Long-term or 5 years from now, I definitely see myself with an MSW [Master of Social Work],” she says. “More than likely working with CPS because I definitely want to have experience in that field. I do want to eventually have my own child-placing agency later on in the future, so I think that would be a great place to start.”

Lathisa is well on her way to accomplishing her goals: she just earned her Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Studies from the University of North Texas.

This is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself but is an outstanding achievement considering only 50 percent of youth who have been in foster care, like Lathisa, receive a high school diploma. Only 10 percent of those graduating go on to attend college, and only 3 percent of those who age out of care will graduate from college.

This year, ACH had a record 14 graduates from high school and an extra special reason to celebrate with Lathisa’s college graduation.

Lathisa first came to ACH through the LIFE Project, which provides supervised independent living for homeless youth and young adults who age out of the foster care system, ages 18 to 21.

Lathisa says she knew she wanted to go to college when her time in foster care came to an end.

“I just knew I wanted to do something greater with my life instead of working at a regular job like McDonald’s or something,” she says.

She originally considered going into the medical field but changed her major to social work after she became pregnant. Through one of her professors, she eventually found out about rehabilitation studies. She became interested in focusing on disabilities because it correlates with the future work she’d like to do with foster children since many of them have some form of disability.

“I know so many of my peers didn’t make it to where I am today, and I just want more to succeed,” she says.

And while she did well educationally, “I literally did spend hours and hours in the library in order to make that ‘A,’” she says, it was

Something Greater

difficult for her socially. As a nontraditional student who juggled a job, a baby and school, she couldn’t always connect with her peers.

“Making friends and talking about my story would be hard because it’s not all happy and fairytales. It’s trauma, reoccurring trauma. So it’s always sad just to think about it,” she says.

But Lathisa joined a foster care alumni group at UNT called PUSH, which she says helped her to maintain relationships. She also relies on them to help her

A former participant in ACH’s LIFE Project graduates from college

“I know so many of my peers didn’t make it to where I

am today, and I just want more to succeed.”

Lathisa started the Masters of Social Work program at The University of Texas at Arlington this fall.

navigate problems because they’ve been there, too.

Lathisa knows it’ll be challenging for other foster care alumni as they enter college, but she offers these encouraging words: “They should find something that motivates them and continue with college, no matter how hard it gets. Because you’re going to get there. If they just keep going, they will succeed.”

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Your ACH Holiday Checklist: Become Santa for a day.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but for many of the children and families whom ACH serves, past holidays haven’t

always been so wonderful.

YOU can make a child’s wish come true today! Start planning now how you want to create

happy holiday memories for children.

Give a gift of your time – include family and friends.

Make a child’s wish come true!

Your Holiday Guide to making

Wishes Come True!

Rockin’ in a Winter Wonderland

December 9 Join us as we celebrate Christmas

with our children, friends and family. Volunteers will help set up for the event, man event stations, help direct event participants to the concert and family activities

and assist with clean-up.

Open to individuals or groups.

Volunteers must be 16 years or older.

Santa’s Workshop

December 6-9Help our kids experience the joy of giving to their immediate family.

Decorate Santa’s Workshop, arrange gifts, help children create gifts or select and

wrap family gifts. Afterwards, Santa needs a

crew to clean up.

Volunteers must be 16 years or older.

Santa’s Helpers

December 18-21Assist ACH staff with filling their Holiday Wish List orders, help keep toy shelves well-stocked

and arranged, and assist with wrapping gifts.

Open to groups and individuals of all ages.

Deck the Halls

November 29- December 1

Decorate the administrative buildings for Christmas!

Volunteers can use available decorations or donate

new items.

Open to groups or individual volunteers of all ages.

To schedule your volunteer time or for more information, contact Becky Rasbeary at 682.432.1131 or becky.rasbeary@ACHservices.org.

Give a Gift of Your Time

Christmas Store Set-Up

December 14-15 Set up and organize the Christmas store where

ACH staff select gifts for children in their care.

Volunteers must be 16 years or older and able to

lift large items.

Un-Deck the Halls

December 28-29Help return the administrative

buildings to order by clearing trash and vacuuming

or removing, packing and safely storing decorations.

Climbing ladders and lifting may be required.

Open to groups and individuals of all ages.

Three $100 Walmart gift cards provide Christmas

dinner for the children in one of our

residential homes.

Organize a Toy or Gift Card

Drive

Make an outright donation or a gift in honor or memory

of a loved one, and we’ll mail a special holiday card notifying them of your generosity.

For more information or to make your holiday tribute, go to

ACHservices.org/wish-come-true or contact Tina Casey at

tina.casey@ACHservices.org or 682.432.1120.

Your Generosity Celebrates the

Season

Two $25 QuikTrip gift cards allow families

to spend time with loved ones when they otherwise could not.

Donate a Holiday Meal

Share your holiday spirit with those who won’t

be with family.

Bring a purchased or home-cooked dinner

(the latter requires a food handler’s license) or make a gift designated

to purchase a meal.

For more information about donating toys or gift cards, contact Stephanie Atkinson at 682.432.1068 or stephanie.atkinson@ACHservices.org.

One $50 Target gift card provides a new outfit or

personal music player for a teen in our Youth Emergency

Shelter.

Gather family, friends or coworkers to collect toys

on our Wish List—or gift cards, which allow ACH flexibility

in meeting the holiday gift and year-round needs of the children

and families we help.

Deliver items to ACH by December 13.

Five $10 movie theater or

skating rink gift cards provide an outing

for youth in residential care.

Be Santa for a Day

Doing a toy drive? Let us know!

Themed toy items: Shopkins, Disney,

Star Wars, Superheroes,

Pokémon, Minions, Paw Patrol,

Transformers

Play Sets

Play-Doh

Legos

Sports Balls

Hot Wheels with Race Tracks

College and Sports Teams Clothing

Scented Lotions and Soaps

Perfumes and Colognes

Makeup

Backpacks

Small Purses and Wallets

Journals

Hair Accessories

Watches and Jewelry

Bluetooth Speakers

Headphones

Radios

Young Adult ClothesT-shirts, Jeans,

Polos, Belts

Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.ACH Paul E. Andrews Welcome Center • 3712 Wichita Street, Fort Worth, TX 76119

Learning Toys (such as VTech &

LeapFrog)

Fisher-Price toys

Cradle Swings and Car Seats

Little People Play Sets

Clothing (sizes newborn-5T)

Diapers

Wipes

Holiday Wish List

Little Ones

All Ages

Gift Cards

Youth & Young Adults

School-Age Children

Increments of $10-$25 work best

Walmart

Target

Game Stop

Fast Food Restaurants

Clothing Stores

Movie Theaters

Gas Stations

Hair and Nail Salons

Bus Passes

Board Games

Craft and Art Kits

Movies (G and PG only)

Bikes and Helmets

Fun Pillows

Twin Bedding

Blankets

Undergarments and Socks

Coats, Hats, Scarves, Gloves

Christmas Gift Wrapping Supplies

(Bags, Paper, Tissue, Ribbon)

Tickets (Ice Skating,

Six Flags, Holiday in the Park,

The Nutcracker, ICE at Gaylord)

For more information, please contact the Development team at 682.432.1054 All your donations go to support the ACH mission.

Deliver new, unwrapped items by December 13

G R A C E777 Main Street, Fort Worth

Cocktails with Friends at 6 p.m. followed by Dinner

Business or Cocktail Attire Complimentary Valet Parking

For more information, call 682.432.1086 or visit ACHservices.org/hoot-n-holler

*Sponsor listing as of 9.8.2017

Benefit ing the Residential Services of ACH Child and Family Services

EVENT CHAIRS Macy Hill

and Mattie Parker

HONORARY CHAIRS Leanne Huff

and Anne Green

Wistrand

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017 | 6 - 10 PMJ O I N U S !

T H A N K YO U TO O U R A M A Z I N G

S P O N S O R S *

YOUTH EMERGENCY SHELTER Glenn and Julie Davidson

LIFE PROJECT

Jerry and Melinda JohnstonFred and Cheryl MooreDub and Valerie Stocker

BEHAVIORAL CARE

Bank of TexasBrian and Tamara CookJack and Leanne Huff

James and Wendy HunsakerMichael and Valerie Mallick

Meto and Virginia MiteffCam and Lynn Newman

Stockyards HeritageTexas Capital Bank

FAMILIES TOGETHER

Barlow Garsek & Simon, LLPBNSF Railway

Bob and Joani BendaAlan and Sarah Bennett

Greg and Laura BirdSally Brumbaugh

Ted and DeLynn CroffordDavid and Catherine Fankhauser

Vivian Ferguson, Charles and Carol McCluer & Richard and Anne WistrandBrad and Cynthia HickmanGeneral Motors FinancialDoug and Hillary Jennings

Robert and Kelly KellerRuss and Ann Morton

Walter and Sheila OwenQuikTrip

WEDGWOOD RESIDENTIAL

Smith and Teresa Brownlie &Steven and Phyllis BeckmanBenton and Emily Cantey &Hunter and Nancy Herren

CliftonLarsonAllen LLPMark and Sherrie CyrierKevin and Linda Ford

LhoistLinbeck

Bob and Judy McNamaraPier 1

Radiology Associates of North Texas

Burch and Lisa WaldronLloyd and Rhonda Walsh

Kyle and Stephani Whitaker Williams Trew Real Estate

FOSTER CARE & ADOPTIONOncor

David and Mattie ParkerGary and Rozi Stone

GIFT IN-KIND SPONSOR

Fort Worth Texas MagazineKendra Scott

Neiman Marcus Fort Worth

2 0 1 7

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An aunt opens her home to her nieces and nephews

Heather was 29, single and a nurse on the neurological floor at Harris Hospital when her life changed.

Her five nieces and nephews were removed from their home and placed in foster care after the situation at home deteriorated following her brother’s return from deployment. Caseworkers had a difficult time placing the children while they worked to keep the siblings together. After the trauma of experiencing abuse and neglect at home, the children began acting out during their initial placement.

When Heather found out what had happened, she immediately stepped up.

“I took it upon myself to put myself in a situation where I could get the kids,” she says. “I reached out to CPS and was like, ‘What do I need to do?’”

Heather moved out of her one-bedroom apartment and into a house that would be big enough for the entire family. She completed a home study and petitioned the court for the kids to stay with her. In August of 2015, the four oldest siblings, Courtney, Hailey, Evan and Levi, came to live with Heather with just the clothes on their backs and a few things they had received in foster care.

Tough TimesAlthough Heather had known the kids their entire lives and they had stayed

with her during summers, she was not prepared for the trauma the kids had experienced or their response to it.

“They were difficult because they were hurt, and they were acting out,” she says. “And I didn’t know how to

help them.”

The kids would act out in a variety of ways—breaking items in the

home, getting suspended from school or running away.

Levi would get so stressed out that he would scratch his face or hit his head

against a wall.

“He couldn’t handle his parents being

TieszBindT h at

Tarrant County Adoption DayNovember 17National Adoption DayNovember 18National Adoption Day

is a national effort to

raise awareness of the

more than 110,000

children in foster care

waiting to find a forever

home. Learn more at

NationalAdoptionDay.org.

T h E

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inconsistent,” Heather says. “He couldn’t handle the emotions it caused. He didn’t know how to do that.”

“They were extremely aggressive,” she adds. “Evan in particular would act out so much. He would throw tables at school, and he would run down the street. I did not know how to handle a kid who’s aggressive.”

Moreover, the kids still had contact with their parents at the time for visitation. Hailey especially would wait at the window for them.

“They would show up one out of three times, so she would stare at every car that passed,” Heather says.

Because she was providing kinship care, a term used for when a relative provides full-time care for a child, Heather wasn’t required to be licensed. So she struggled on her own for six months before she decided to connect with ACH and began the process to become a licensed foster parent. Joining with ACH and meeting her case manager, Claudia, was a turning point for Heather.

A Whole New World“You get support, and you get help, and you have this whole community of resources that you are completely detached from when you don’t have an agency behind you,” she explains. “It’s amazing. It was like a whole new world.”

Claudia was able to teach Heather

different therapies for the children and helped her make a good plan for the kids.

“She helped me to say the right things to get what I needed done,” Heather says. “She helped me to get on the right path. She was like my shining light.”

With Claudia’s help, Heather was able to get Evan into a behavioral program at school. And while he’s still in the program, he doesn’t need as much support as he did when he started. He can be in a regular classroom now with no behavioral issues, and he even received a citizenship award at the end of the most recent schoolyear.

When Levi first came to Heather’s home, she was concerned because she couldn’t understand him when he talked. They saw a speech therapist and did other therapies, including parent-child interaction therapy, to help Levi process his emotions.

“It helped us grow closer,” Heather says. “And it just helped him behaviorally, where he’s not really aggressive anymore. Really none of the kids are.”

Now, Levi is a smart, curious little boy who likes to explore and bring back the rocks he finds, which he describes in detail to Heather. Or he points out different areas of the body in an anatomy textbook.

And while all the kids are doing well in the two years since they’ve come to

Heather, they’re still working through their trauma.

“It takes a long time to recover,” Heather says. “Even now, we’re still processing.”

Better TogetherBut the family keeps busy and keeps moving forward. They enjoy going to museums and walking their dog, Buddy, together. They’ve been to visit their oldest sister, who has since moved to Colorado to live with her dad. The boys are learning karate, and all the kids are in swim lessons. And they enjoyed summer camp this year, which they were able to stay at the whole time and participate in all the activities, an improvement over last year.

In May, Heather was granted a permanent managing conservatorship of the kids, making her their legal guardian.

And while kinship care has been difficult, Heather would do it all again, even if she wishes she had started with a little more knowledge.

“Kinship is great because you can keep kids with people they know; you can keep them with family,” Heather says. “I think they were in a better place to develop and improve so much because they do know me and they do have that background with me. So I think it’s great for kids to be with people who know them and love them. You’re still connected within the family.”

Words to KnowKINSHIP CARE: A relative or an adult who has a close relationship with a child (fictive kin) provides full-time care for the child when their parents are unable to do so. Informal kinship care means the child is not placed in the foster care system. Formal kinship care means the child has been removed from the parents by Child Protective Services, and the person providing kinship care can be formally trained and licensed through a child-placing agency. ACH assists with formal kinship care.

PERMANENT MANAGING CONSERVATORSHIP (PMC): A judge appoints someone other than a parent to be legally responsible for a child without adoption. PMC can only be given by a judge.

FA M I LY F U N F E S TSUPER HERO

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A fun-filled day for kids of all ages and a chance to honor foster families—

our superheroesOn a beautiful Saturday in May, ACH held its first Super Hero Family Fun Fest. Free and open to the public, kids were invited to come to the ACH campus in costume, or they could make their own masks and capes and get their face painted by a few of our many volunteers.

We honored some of life’s real heroes—our outstanding foster families—including the Hamills, the Millords, the Hesslers, the Clinkscales, and Julie LaGrone (posthumously).

We are grateful to all of our sponsors and volunteers who helped kids’ imaginations run free with games, bounce houses, food, drink and professional superheroes who led a parade filled with smiling faces.

Never fear—we’ll be back next year! Be sure to save the date and join us Saturday, May 12, 2018!

A Super Day!

We couldn’t have done it without the super effort of our volunteers.

Kids loved meeting their superheroes.

Melissa Opheim, ACH COO, helps present the foster family awards.

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ACH CEO Dr. Wayne Carson braved the dunk tank…and lost. Many times!

Ice-cold refreshments were welcomed by all.

ACH’s Amber Baker (left) congratulates DeEdra and Steven Clinkscales on winning both Foster Family of the Year and Advocates for Foster Children awards. Ph

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“ …it reminded me of why our team does what we do when we work with organizations like ACH.”

~ Adam Sammons, Account Executive and

Team Lead at Marsh & McLennan Agency-Southwest

Adam Sammons, Account Executive and Team Lead at Marsh & McLennan Agency-Southwest, and his wife, Kiley, served as event co-chairs while Austin jewelry maker Kendra Scott was one of many sponsors. “Kids would run up to the Kendra Scott Color Wheel,” says Adam, “spin it as hard as they could and wait anxiously to see what they won. The smiles on their faces when they turned around to give the gifts to their moms are the types of images that stick with you in your mind because for some of the kids, it was their first opportunity to give something like that to their mother(s). To have the opportunity to see those kids and interact with their families was incredibly special because it reminded me of why our team does what we do when we work with organizations like ACH.”

Event co-chairs (from left) Derek and Jennifer Moffatt and Kiley and Adam Sammons.

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On a bright, sunny day in August, almost 50 volunteers from Pier 1 Imports eagerly set forth to pull weeds, pour new mulch, plant new flowers, deep clean kitchens, redecorate rooms and essentially transform several of the houses at ACH’s Wedgwood Campus.

This major makeover is just the most recent project Pier 1 and ACH have worked on together. A dedicated member of the community that loves to give back, Pier 1 has generously supported ACH for more than 15 years.

Their most recent efforts have completely changed the residential living areas of many of ACH’s clients into warm and welcoming homes.

“Sometimes when you’re in a hard place and having a tough time, your surroundings and those little comforting details make a huge difference,” says Alex Martin, Community Relations and Associate Engagement Specialist with Pier 1. “It’s more than just a rug or a new couch or a piece of artwork. It can completely change someone’s point of view for that day and how they feel about themselves and that space. We felt like we were able to help create a beautiful space for these kids.”

Their commitment to the women and children in the community runs so deep, they even special ordered 14-person tables and special seating for some of ACH’s homes that serve a larger number of clients.

Furthermore, each summer, Pier 1 commits to a Day of Action, where they dedicate a day to volunteering with a United Way partner organization. This year, Pier 1 teamed up with ACH.

“It’s important to all of us at Pier 1 that we give back in our local community where our associates live and work,” Martin explains. “And we’re really excited to be able to share what we love and our passion for home furnishing and décor with some great organizations.”

ACH is grateful to be the recipient of Pier 1’s time, talent and treasure to help create wonderful spaces and brighten the days of the children in our programs.

A true community partner, Pier 1 Imports makes a difference in kids’ livesTransforming

spaces,Transformingǩves

Thnk You,a

Before

After

“It’s important to all of us at Pier 1 that

we give back in our local

community where our

associates live and work.”~ Alex Martin Pier 1 Imports

Photo courtesy of Pier 1 Imports

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About ACH’sCommunity PartnersAn ACH Community Partnership offers opportunities for your company, business or organization to help further the mission of ACH through donation of time, talent and resources, while offering opportunities to enhance your brand image, foster non-financial contributions, engage volunteers and recognize the importance of our relationship both privately and publicly.

If you or your organization is interested in learning more about ACH’s Community Partners, please contact:

Stephanie Canfield at 214.336.2843 or stephanie.canfield@ACHservices.org.

Thank You to our Generous Donors

Corporations, Organizations and FoundationsAccel Imaging SystemsAlbertson’s/Tom Thumb CompaniesAlliance for ChildrenAmazonSmile FoundationAmerica’s CharitiesAnonymousAT&T Employee Giving CampaignBank of America Charitable

Foundation, Inc.Bank of TexasBolen Luecker Wealth Management

Grp of Wells Fargo AdvisorsBruckner Truck SalesCane RossoCartwright-Sells FundChipotle Mexican GrillCook Children’s Health Care SystemCowtown BowlingDon and Barbara Kirk Endowment

Fund in the North Texas Community Foundation

First Christian ChurchThe Fort Worth FoundationFunkyTown DonutsGladney Center for AdoptionGeneral Motors FinancialGraceHagseth Family Charitable FundHahnfeld Hoffer Stanford Architects/

Planners/InteriorsHeim BarbequeHickman InvestmentsHigginbotham Community Fund

in the North Texas Community Foundation

Hillwood, A Perot CompanyThe Holloway Family FoundationJ. Burke & Associates, Inc.Legacy Texas BankL’hoist North AmericaLINBECK Group, LLCLMEPAC Charity ProgramMain Event EntertainmentMary Kathryn Anderson Charitable

TrustMasonic Home Ex-Students

AssociationMatejek Family FoundationMental Health Mental Retardation of

Tarrant CountyMesa SpringsMillerCoors, LLCMiteff Family PartnershipModo NetworksMuseum of Science and HistoryNationwide Mutual Insurance

CompanyNeiman Marcus Group Associate

Giving ProgramNew Birth Missionary Baptist ChurchNorth Texas Community FoundationOnce Upon A Time FoundationONCORThe Gary Patterson FoundationPaving the WayPepsiCo Foundation Matching Gifts

ProgramPGA Tour, Inc.Philanthropy Lab Program at Trinity

Valley School Pier 1 ImportsPurdy-McGuire, IncPutt-Putt Fun CenterQuikTrip CorporationR4 FoundationSid W. Richardson FoundationThe Roach Foundation, Inc.The Ryan FoundationSendera TitleSmoothie KingNancy and John Snyder Fund

in the North Texas Community Foundation

Texas Capital BankTexas Health Gives CampaignThe Capital GrilleThe Malcolm B. Street Donor

Advised FundTrinity Episcopal ChurchTrinity Valley SchoolUnited Way of Central and

Northeastern ConnecticutUnited Way of Denton CountyUnited Way of Greater Philadelphia

and Southern New JerseyUnited Way of Greater PortlandUnited Way of Metropolitan Dallas,

Inc.United Way of Tarrant CountyUTC Aerospace SystemsWalmart Store #3044Williams Trew Real EstateThe Women’s Center

Young Chef’s Academy

IndividualsRafael AcostaTony and Jennifer AdamsJarrell AdayaSean and Bridget AllenFrank and Tasa AndersonJames and Virginia AndersonNorma AndersonAnonymousNathaniel and Olivia ArandaLorenzo and Methinee ArtamiJohn and Leatrice BaileyKaren BarlowGreg and Caroline BarnesSharon BartellsLavelle and Marie BeeneJay BelcherBob and Joani BendaAlan and Sarah BennettRhett BennettGreg and Laura BirdSusan BlairRobyn BlakeScott and Duffy BloemendalSusan Blue, MDCrystal BoltRobert and Marcelle BorgersPat BradleyKaren BranchDonna BrandonHarry BrantsAmy BrennerJennifer BrobergLisa BrockSteve and Peggy BrothertonJulie BrownVanessa BrownleeSmith and Teresa BrownlieTodd and Carie BurnetteToni Busby-PetersLeith and Angela CaddellElizabeth CalvinRichard CamachoDavid and Stephanie CanfieldTim and Nancy CarterLouise CarveyGlen and Tina CaseyRobert ChapmanGeorge ChristieLee ChristieMarie ClarkJenny Clevenger

March 1– July 31, 2017Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list. If an error has occurred, please accept our sincerest apologies and let us know of our mistake by contacting Tina Casey at tina.casey@ACHservices.org or 682.432.1120.

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Patricia ColeTommie CollinsMattie Peterson ComptonBrian and Tamara CookPaul and Deb CornellDerrick CoulonBrad and Michelle CowdenTed and Delynn CroffordBetty CrowWes and Deirdre CunninghamCamille CurryMichael CurtisMark and Sherrie CyrierTamerria DansbyPamela DavenportGlenn and Julie DavidsonNoah DennisRichard DidierDanielle DornbierMaureen DossCourtney DowlingNancy DozierAnn DuclosDoris EmersonWayne and Anne EnglishAlex EstradaNatalie EverettJay and Michelle EwingMichael and Kate Fagella-LubyTonya FalzettDavid and Catherine FankhauserSheri FausettMarisol Febles-SanchezKevin and Linda FordCorey FoulonWalie and Holly FrancksElizabeth GaleJanice GaleCharlie Galupi and Barbara Clark-GalupiLydia GarciaAndrew GeesbreghtPete and Beckie GerenSheila GerraldAllison GilesMark and Kathleen GilesNathan and Jessica GradyTrevor and Jennifer GrahamAlbert and Leann GreenleafJoe and Lillian GreensladeBreionna GregoryThomas GumulauskisKara GurleyTom and Pat HaleJennifer HamantClaudia HedgesO.Z. and Brenda HelmerGregory and Leanne HendersonCarol HendrixBrad and Cynthia HickmanKay HigginsLee HillJames and Macy HillJames Hines

Maura HintonPatrick and Molly HoganAndrew HollandAnne HollandAmaya HopperSusan HotardKuan Wei HuangJack and Leanne HuffKennon and Jennifer HughensNatasha HullKaren HumphriesJames and Wendy HunsakerJean HunterZaira IbarraTom and Susan IdlemanScott IsferdingGeorge and Vickie JacksonTroy and Amy JacksonShane and Kourtney JenkeGeorge and Missy JohnsReverend Kay JohnsonKristie JohnsonJerry and Melinda JohnstonKari JordanMelinda KallmeyerChad KeeneyJohn and Annette KellerRobert and Kelly KellerHannah KimGeorge King Jr.Shari KingTracy KingOwen KinserScott KirkStephanie KleinLorraine KohlsAmanda KruseAnnelise KutzlerBea KutzlerLucas LairdApril LambertRosemary LaQueyJoseph and Catherine LeeTom LeeRoger and Sondra LehmanCara LemasterRichard and Cindy LevelBob and Margie LillyLynn LongKorina LongoriaKathy LowerDan LowranceLaura LozanoBrad and Barbara LundgrenPaula LundgrenMyrna MalaveMichael and Valerie MallickMelissa MarkeyRefugio MarronCrystal MartinJohn and Janice MarutWilliam MasseyMisty Mathis-MartinezAndrew Matson

Jerry McCulloughRaquel McFaddenKristi McFarlandW.R. and Opal McGuireKeeli McNairBob and Judy McNamaraJessica McSpaddenTommy and Erin MillerBillye MillerCandice MillerMark and Molly MilnerMeto and Virginia MiteffFred and Cheryl MooreLuke and Kara MoreyMatt MorganRuss and Ann MortonJane MouhotKris NaylorCam and Lynn NewmanChance NewmanLynn and Melissa OpheimKaren OstranderBrian OwensErin OwensWalter and Sheila OwenJanice PadenDavid and Mattie ParkerJoy PattonDanny PectolJoe and Barbara PenshornDonald and Rosemary PentecostGeorge and Betsy PepperJohn and Kay PetersenDavid and Sarah ProctorDan PullenDanny and Becky RasbearyLindsay RayRandy and Marian RayElsa RiveraTroy and Amber RobertsonJennifer RobyJames RodgersDania RodriguezMadeline RodriguezBill and Susan RoseKarl RosenblumTom and Rande RossAdam and Kiley SammonsSandra SammonsMatt and Adry SandersKerry and Gayle SandifarChristin SawyerSteve and Melisa SchultzWilliam SchweitzerPaula ScottKatie SempleRyan and Heather SenterTerry ShawBill and Barbara SheltonMary SheldonSandra ShoemakerErin ShookHayne and Katie ShumateCarol Siddons

John and Jennifer SiehlingJason SimpsonCarolyn SingerDicey SmithJoe SmithSusan SmithFredricka SpillerNancy StanleyDana StaytonEthel SteeleLindsey StewartC.W. “Dub” and Val StockerGary and Rozi StoneCarla StoreyLoretta StoreyDonna StoweMalcolm and Lou StreetJoseph SullivanAngela SwientonCharlotte SwordsWally and Darla TateBelinda TaylorLynnice TaylorDavid and Melinda TeitelbaumJennifer TerryDovie ThomasJohn and Nadia ThomasBert and Brigit ThompsonKatie TilleyMaggie TracyKim TrickettJohn and Suzanne TuckerFrances TysonBo and Jana UnderwoodJim and Cindy VaszauskasSid and Brandee VincentBurch and Lisa WaldronSuzanne WallRachel WernerV.L. WesterlundAutumn WhiteMeagan WhitwellBrian WillettBobbi WilliamsDavid WilliamsRoy WilliamsonLyn WillisGreg and Sandi WilsonJeff WilsonJoe and Jean WrightAllison XepoleasAdrian Zaporozan

Gifts in KindFaustina AnkomahAnonymousNathaniel and Olivia ArandaLaurie AsakowiczJanae BairdSteven and Phyllis BeckmanTim BordelonClark and Kay BriggsKatherine BrownlieSmith and Teresa Brownlie

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Carter Metropolitan CME ChurchSam and Bliss CaverCentral Market HEBChildren’s Charities of Fort WorthEmily CollinsBrian and Tamara CookAmanda CubitMark and Sherrie CyrierDean and Deluca InvitationalSara DeanDaniel DemareeRich and Emily DotsonFastenalFC DallasFMKC KidsKevin and Linda FordFort Worth Harley-DavidsonFort Worth ZooDavid and Jan FraseShauna FrazierFrisco Rough RidersFort Worth LDS Young Single AdultsGateway Church

Dawn GordonSteve GreggBrad and Cynthia HickmanJames and Wendy HunsakerHyena’s Comedy ClubIn-N-Out BurgerJackson ConstructionScott JohnsonChad KeeneyKeller High SchoolKendra Scott LLCTeri KramerLiberty Elementary SchoolMain Event EntertainmentMayfest, Inc.Kristine MellgrenMission Possible KidsMeto and Virginia MiteffMontessori School of Fort WorthFred and Cheryl MooreMuseum of Science and HistoryCam and Lynn NewmanNorth Side High School HOSA

Nothing Bundt CakesLinda PatstonJohn and Kay PetersenPier 1 ImportsProject Linus - Tarrant CountyQueen EsthersReal Hero PartiesDale RobertsonAnna RoeTom and Rande RossDonna RyckaertBill and Barbara SheltonShoppa’s Material HandlingSnap Kitchen - Fort WorthSparkling IceC.W. “Dub” and Val StockerGary and Rozi StoneCommunity Outreach CommitteeWally and Darla TateTCU Athletics DepartmentTCU Children in the Global

Community ClassThe Welman Project

Tina’s CocinaUniversity United Methodist ChurchUrban Air Trampoline ParkJudy VanamanDe’Aundela Weekly-BlackwellFlora WhitesGreg and Sandi WilsonRichard and Anne WistrandYoung Chef’s Academy

ACH Leadership Giving CircleBob and Joani BendaAlan and Sarah BennettTed and DeLynn CroffordJerry and Melinda JohnstonRobert and Kelly KellerLINBECKMichael and Valerie MallickFred and Cheryl MooreDavid and Mattie ParkerMalcolm and Lou Street

For those who want to make a difference in a child’s life and in our community, a career at ACH could be a great fit. Whether your passion is advocacy or providing support to children and families, check out our job offerings online. We offer competitive benefits in an environment filled with caring people who work together to further the ACH mission of protecting children and preserving families.

The work can be challenging, but knowing you’re truly making life better for abused and neglected children is incredibly rewarding.

Visit our website today: HireMeACH.org

If you or someone you know is saying… “Hire me”

A great answer is ACH Child and Family Services

3712 Wichita Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76119

ACHservices.org

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDFort Worth, TXPermit No. 156

Community Partner

/ACHchildandfamily /ACHchildfamily /achchildandfamily

F O L L O W U S

Make your year-end gift to help ACH kids on or before Sunday, December 31.

If you make your donation before the end of the year, you’ll receive a charitable deduction on

your income taxes when you itemize. Donations sent by mail must be postmarked on or before December 31

to qualify for a 2017 deduction or go online to ACHservices.org.

Gifts of stock, life insurance, real estate, and tangible personal property, as well as life income gifts,

may need to be executed in advance of December 31 to qualify.

Time to plan now for

Year-End Giving

We’re here to help you—contact Barbara Shelton, CFRE, at 817.886.7115 or barbara.shelton@ACHservices.org.