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Free, round-the-clock help for children, teens and parents
Since its founding in 1978, Kids in Crisis has helped more than 80,000 Connecticut children and families; in
2007 more than 8,100 children and families received assistance from the organization.
Based in Cos Cob, Kids in Crisis provides services to children of all socio- economic conditions in
Fairfield County, including those in Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford,
Weston, Westport and Wilton.
For community programs call 203-622-6556
For Help call
203-327-KIDS
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Kids in Crisis - Insight Issue 30
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Handling World Events Here at
Home
The proliferation of 24-hour cable networks
and growing influence of tabloid journalism mean that world disasters vividly
impact the lives of every family, seemingly as soon as they strike. Almost
immediately, children begin to ask "why" and seek reassurance; parents struggle
to understand and interpret events appropriately. The deadly tsunami is
the most recent example of a tragedy we all look to understand and explain.
World events such as this reach deep into Kids in Crisis in ways most of
us don't even consider. Studies show that seeing media coverage of world
tragedies can create stress for children, even those not directly impasted by
the disaster. For children whose lives are already filled with
uncertainty, trying to grapple with and process the chaos of a disaster can
significantly heighten anxiety. In most homes, parents are the source
of comfort, but what about those children whose parents are not with
them?
Trained extensively in dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) as well as a wide range of crisis situations, the clinical staff of Kids
in Crisis knows that children staying at our two homes, particularly those at
the Teen House, require additional attention and sensitivity during the
aftermath of major disasters. "Because of what they have already been
through, our kids need extra assuance about their safety. For the younger
kids, whose media exposure is more limited, we work to expand their feelings of
safety, asknowledging their reactions and explaining why a disaster here is more
of a remote possibility," notes Denise Qualey, Managing Director, Crisis
Services. "With our older kids, they often need someone to talk to about
why calamities of such magnitude can happen, more of the theological aspects of
a disaster. In both cases, we know we need to be here, to be able to
listen effectively and comfort them in an age-appropriate
manner." |
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Therapeutic Programs
Expand
Pilot Programs Start at the Teen
House
Weekends have a different feel at the Teen and
Crisis Nursery homes at Kids in Crisis. While weekdays are like most
homes, with children rushing to and from activities, handling chores and getting
ready for dinner, hours on the weekends often stretch longer. On Saturdays
and Sundays, our counseling staff works hard to offer a more creative routine,
focusing more on fun and personal interests.
That's where two new
therapeutic recreation programs are coming into play - literally - at the Kids
in Crisis Teen House. In January, two new leisure programs were introduced
to the kids: art therapy and pet therapy. Already, the two programs
are a huge hit; Kids in Crisis will seek funding to continue this experience for
the teens and to expand it to include the children at the Crisis Nursery later
this year.
The Brooklyn-based Good Dog Foundation uses
professionally trained volunteers and animals to aid the healing process in
humans and improve their quality of life. Volunteer teams of owners and
dogs visit KIC on Saturday mornings, allowing kids to regularly play with and
care for dogs. "It's amazing to see what impact the dogs have on our
kids," says Craig Haen, the Clinical Program Director who worked with the Good
Dog team in a previous position and introduced the program to KIC. "While
the cuddling and caring is a huge element of the process, kids often use the
time with the pets to begin to open up about relationships and loss in a way we
don't see otherwise. It allows us to talk about these critical issues
differently. It's just and inspiring program. Our goal with these
programs - and others we have on the drawing board - is to give kids another
outlet for their emotions and have fun in the process," says
Haen.
Creative expression moves from faces to fingers when the bi-weekly
art therapy program gets underway at the Teen House on Sundays.
Facilitated by artist Mandy Weil, a recent graduate of the therapy program at
the Art Institute of Chicago, the 12-week Open Studio Art Therapy program is
providing KIC children ages 12 and up with the opportunity to express difficult
emotions and find a way to tap into their creative energies. Three-hour
sessions, supervised by Mandy and KIC staff, teach simple art making techniques
and encourage kids to cultivate a sense of ownership and responsibility.
According to Mandy, the Open Studio Program, created in 1991 works for
three key reasons. "First, adults work alongside the children. There
is no forced participation. Second, kids can choose to share their work,
or not. They decide how much to reveal and that freedom of choice brings a
greater sense of safety and confidence. Finally," adds Mandy, "no
criticism is allowed. No one is allowed to comment in any way on the art
shared in the group. When the atmosphere is safe, the kids can go deeply
into emotional territories where they otherwise might not go and face them in
ways that far surpass their verbal abilities. They almost always
surprise themselves. And when they don't comment, they are surprised at
what they learn to hear." Following the program's end in late spring,
Mandy and KIC staff plan to host an exhibition of the kids' work in the living
areas of the Teen House. "The excitement and validation that comes from
seeing your work displayed can't be underestimated," says Mandy. "I know
that people who see the art will be struck by the insightful sense of hope and
resiliency that many of us fail to recognize."
Creative Ways To Give
It's
universal: time is at a premium. Kids in Crisis knows that there are
many people in our communities who want to volunteer to help with our programs
but, because of family and work obligations, aren't able to make a regular,
long-term commitment.
There's no guilt trip here. We can put your
volunteer aspirations to work in a way that works for you. There are
plenty of creative possibilities for volunteering at Kids in Crisis - one time
or many times. We're happy to team with you to develop a meaningful
volunteer opportunity that fits your schedule. Consider the
following ideas or use them to spur your own thinking:
Pizza and movie night. We'd love a
volunteer or family to drop off pizzas and age-appropriate movies on a Friday or
Saturday night once a month...once a quarter...once a year...take your
pick.
Food for thought. Would you cook an easy
dinner for one of our two homes? Our counselors can always use a break
from cooking (more time for homework help). Think about coming in and
preparing dinner for the children or, if it's easier, pre-arrange to drop off
dinner for those staying at the Nursery or Teen House.
Organize a
"drive." Have your church, school or office help collect art
supplies or toiletry items for our residents.
Do you have new
tote bags or duffle bags going unused at your house? We need new
bags so children leaving Kids in Crisis have something to carry their clothes
and personal items in.
Are you the birthday fairy?
A few volunteers are needed to provide the makings of a birthday party for the
kids in the Nursery. Funny hats, paper goods and a cake is all it takes
when one of the children staying with us has a birthday.
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How about a night out? Like all kids,
ours love to bowl, go to the movies or have a meal out. Accompanied by our
counselors, you could treat a group to a favorite
activity.
Of course, even these things take time. But you can be a part of
Kids in Crisis through creative donations, as well. For
example:
*Tickets. Do you have tickets to area
theatres or a sporting event that you can't use? Think about donating them
to KIC for use by our kids. It's a huge treat for them.
*Gift
cards. Gift cards to area bookstores or clothing stores mean our
kids can shop - to celebrate a birthday, a special occasion or simply to be
like every other kid.
*Job Search. Do you own an area
business? We're always on the lookout for work opportunities for KIC
kids. A part-time or summer job can help instill a sense of
responsibility and boost self-esteem for our teens.
An hour...an
evening...an event. All can make a difference for a child at Kids in
Crisis. If you are interested in any of these ideas or want help creating
your own plan, please call Jamie Dorman at 203-622-6556 or email Jdorman@kidsincrisis.org.
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I Want to Be a
Counselor
by Jessica Bilhuber, Age 7
When I grow up, I want to be a counselor at Kids in Crisis. At
Christmas, my dad wanted to bring toys to Kids in Crisis, so I went with
him. A man had all the other people's bags of gifts in his car. He
said we could go inside and look. So, we listened to him and went
inside. On the porch outside, I saw my uncle's name on the wall, because
he used to work there a long time ago. When I got older, he died, so it
was nice to see his name on the wall because he was on e of the best
helpers. Then we went inside, and we saw all the toys and the Christmas
tree and a big, long table with lots of chairs. It was dirty on the table
because the children had made cookies or played with play-doh. I went
upstairs and there were painted hands on the wall and words that told all about
life at Kids in Crisis. Then we went all the way upstairs and saw the
bedrooms. The boys' bedrooms looked boyish, and the girls' bedrooms looked
better. I don't know why.
I remember that long table and that it
looked like so much fun and the bedrooms and the couch with all the toys on it,
and they looked fun. I want to help teenagers. If I help babies they
might pee on me, and I don't want that. Teenagers are already trained, so
they don't wear diapers. The kids are there because their mom or dad might
be mean to them. The teenagers might have lived on the street and didn't
have a home before.
I like kids in Crisis because it
makes me happy. I would like to have fun helping teenagers. I think
that teenagers might need help with listening more. I would watch them all
the time just in case they don't listen, and I would remind them that I'm
watching them.
New Staff, New
Perspectives
A Fresh Look Inside
KIC
In recent months, four new
professionals have joined the clinical staff at Kids in Crisis, working directly
with the families and children who turn to the agency for crisis counseling and
temporary shelter. After they settled in, we visited with the team to get
their take on the issues facing Connecticut's children, Kids in Crisis and their
goals for the agency and its children
Craig Haen, Clinical Program
Director of the Teen House, joined KIC following three years at Cornell Medical
Center in Westchester, where he coordinated group therapy programs for a
psychiatric inpatient unit. During his time there, Craig co-authored a
just-published book, "Clinical Applications of Drama Therapy in Child and
Adolescent Treatment."
His counter part in the Crisis Nursery, Kristen
VanderStucken, came to KIC via Boston, bringing diverse experiences in positions
with residential and trauma programs at a leading Boston area hospital.
Additionally, Kristen served as Youth Services Counselor for Westwood Youth and
Family Services. Her initial challenge at KIC? "Settling in amongst
Yankee fans...I still cheer for the Red Sox."
Working with Craig and
Kristen are two new social workers, Elizabeth Murdoch, M.S.W. and Lorna Benton,
M.S.W. Elizabeth is a longtime area resident who signed on at KIC following
graduation from New York University. Lorna, originally from Westchester,
joined following stints in shelter care in Oregon and in child advocacy and
community mental health in Colorado. "I have a propensity for Moving east
with each job I take," she says.
Big Doings for Kids in
Crisis
Strap on your dancing
shoes for two big fundraising events this spring, both
benefitting Kids in Crisis. On Saturday, April 30, KIC supporters will meet in
Ridgefield for "Have a Heart," a bi-annual affair held at the Ridgefield
Community Center. This year's festivities, expected to draw more than 200
area residents, will be centered around a Kentucky Derby theme, with music, mint
juleps, and a first-time-event: a night at the
races.
And when the night is over, don't put away those
boogie shoes yet. Two weeks later, on Saturday, May 14, is the annual Kids
in Crisis "hoedown" celebration, this year entitled "Hoedown goes to the
Orient." With the tents awash in luscious silks, rich lacquers, flickering
lanterns and bamboo groves, it's a night that will transport one and all to the
tantalizing world of the Far East...right here in Greenwich.
For ticket
information on both events, contact Cheryl Colucci at Kids in Crisis at
203-6226556 or via e-mail at ccolucci@kidsincrisis.org.
The Givers Will
Receive
April 1 kicks off the call for applications for the
second annual Kids in Crisis "Tony Award," recognizing an individual or group
that has shown unparalleled vision, passion and unselfish commitment to the
children of Southwestern Connecticut.
The Kids in Crisis "Tony
Award" in named in honor of community leader E.H. "Tony" Brown, whose
tireless work for more than two decades supported the diverse needs of
Connecticut's children. A former Chairman of the Board of Kids in Crisis,
Mr. Brown helped direct the agency's growth and expansion, including the
development of the Teen House and Crisis Nursery. Tony was an avid
supporter of Kids in Crisis from its founding in 1978 until his death in April,
2002.
"We were truly blessed to have had the support and
involvement of Tony Brown," says Shari Shapiro. "Fortunately there are
many other 'Tonys' out there. They are the people who are tireless
volunteers, with incredible dedication, who show the world that to build strong
communities we must make time for and support all of our neighbors in
need."
Ann Martin, the first recipient of the Tony Award, said that the
award has special significance because of Tony's commitment. "All of us
involved with KIC - and volunteers in general - don't look for glory. It's
not what drives us. What does drive us is a passion for the work we are
doing and a fundamental belief in the work. Nobody embodied this spirit
more than Tony Brown. To be recognized for that level of passion is an
honor."
Kids in Crisis Tony Award nominations are limited to 500 words and asp
sponsors to:
- Describe the nominee's accomplishments/achievements in helping Connecticut's
children and how the nominee reflects passion, vision, unselfish commitment and
leadership qualities;
- Explain how the nominee shows creativity in surmounting obstacles;
- Provide an anecdote that illustrates the nominee's leadership
style.
Applications must be received by June 1, 2005 and will be judged by a
committee including Tony's three children and Ms. Martin, as well as members of
the Kids in Crisis Board of Directors and staff. The winner of the Kids in
Crisis Tony Award will be presented with his or her award at the annual meeting
of Kids in Crisis, to be held this Fall.
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