In This Issue

• Impact of Children's Futures
  • Congressman Holt Praises Trenton's Reach Out and Read Accomplishments
  • Henry J. Austin Shares One "SWEET" Program with South Ward Families at CHS
  • CF Seeks Vice President for Program Management and Development
• Links to Print/Web Articles
  • Kids With Health Insurance Get Needed Care, While Uninsured Kids Go Without
  • Many Hispanics Shut Out of U.S. Health Care System
  • Virus May Cause Meningitis
• Upcoming Community Events Calendar
  • Grace Cathedral Fellowship Ministries Annual Back to School Event
  • Trenton Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Consumer Coalition Celebration
  • Community Health Fair Set for St. Francis Medical Center
• Ongoing Community Activities
  • Free CF Neighborhood-Based Center Programs Available Throughout the Year
  • Pre-School Registration for 2008-2009 School Year
  • Mom's Quit Connection Training Available to Clinicians

Impact Of Children's Futures

Congressman Holt Praises Accomplishments of Trenton's Reach Out and Read Program

During a National Health Center Week celebration Tuesday at the Henry J. Austin Health (HJA) Health Center, U.S. Congressman Rush Holt praised the combined efforts of Children's Futures, the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ), Camp Fire USA, Reach Out and Read and Trenton physician practices (including HJA) for focusing on child and family achievement through literacy. During an interview with Weekly Briefing, Congressman Holt recounted his past visits to view CF's ROR program at the Trenton Lotus Medical Group office of Dr. Vedat Obuz as well as his time spent with CF families attending programs at the South Ward Parent Child Center at Catholic Charities on Home Avenue.

Through CF's ROR program (at eight pediatric practices that participate in the New Jersey Pediatric Council on Research and Education program), age-appropriate books are given to children from 6 months to 5 years during their medical check-ups. The participating medical providers advise parents about the importance of reading aloud to their children. Community volunteers model reading for parents in the waiting rooms of these physician practices. CF engages Camp Fire USA to organize Trenton physicians, conduct community volunteer training, distribute books and promote awareness of the program.

HINJ, the trade association for the research-based pharmaceutical and medical technology industry in New Jersey, highlighted its donation of thousands of new books to Children's Futures' eight ROR physician practice program sites and other locations in New Jersey during the event. Children's Futures' successful city-wide ROR program has been cited as one reason for HINJ's support of ROR statewide. Led by former Congressman Bob Franks, HINJ has pledged $100,000 per year for three years to support book distribution at participating sites in Trenton and throughout New Jersey.

U.S. Congressman Rush Holt reads to children and parents during the National Health Center Week celebration at Henry J. Austin Health Center on Tuesday. At the event, Congressman Holt acknowledged the contributions of Reach Out and Read, Children's Futures, Campfire USA and the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey in promoting literacy in Trenton.

CF's Director of Family Support Interventions June Gray poses with Congressman Holt (center) and Brian Gallagher from Reach Out and Read's national headquarters in Massachusetts.

Henry J. Austin Shares One "SWEET" Program with South Ward Families at CHS

During August, the South Ward Family Success/Parent Child Center at Children's Home Society (CHS) is partnering with the Henry J. Austin (HJA) Health Center to offer a "SWEET" program for families. The SWEET program (Successful Weight Loss by Eating and Exercising Together) consists of interactive sessions presented by HJA registered dietician and nutritionist Kimberly Altman and exercise instructor and trainer Catherine Taeffner. The sessions provide parents with information about practicing good family eating habits and incorporating exercise as a regular part of their young children's lives. Children at SWEET actively participate with their parents in fun exercise activities, food demonstrations and learn ways to make healthy food choices. In addition, each child's weight is monitored and both an exercise and an individualized nutrition plan are developed for families. In addition to opportunities to bond with each other, families in this program have also received exercise equipment, additional incentives, and healthy meals. . Please visit henryjaustin.org/health_sweet.html to learn more about the SWEET program. For more information about this and other offerings at the South Ward Family Success/Parent Child Center at CHS, please contact Maritza Raimundi Petroski at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 609-695-6274 (ext. 160).

HJA's registered dietician and nutritionist Kimberly Altman teaches families about portion size. Later, she explained nutritional information like the amount of fat a hamburger contains and how much sugar is found in a 12 oz. soda.

Children display plates with healthy food selections.

CF Seeks Vice President for Program Management and Development

Today is the deadline for CF to receive resumes for the Vice President for Program Management and Development position. Candidates should have an advanced degree (Master's or higher), 10 years of senior leadership with 5 years of management experience in: early childhood health and development; strategic planning; fiscal analysis; project management; grant writing; and contract development/monitoring. Candidates must also possess strong written, verbal and group facilitation skills with ability to represent CF in health, policy, legislative, community and philanthropic settings. Knowledge of federal, state and local public/private funding sources is essential.

The VP position, which reports to the CF President, offers a competitive salary and benefits. Interested parties may email a cover letter with a resume/CV and references to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .'; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text2145 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Report: Kids with Health Insurance Get Needed Care, While Uninsured Kids Go Without
A study released this week by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation says children without any type of health insurance are less likely to be treated for chronic conditions, such as asthma or diabetes.

Many Hispanics Shut Out of U.S. Health Care System
HealthDay News reports in the Washington Post that an estimated 25 percent of Hispanics in the United States don't have a regular health care provider to treat their medical needs. And these individuals tend to be the newest documented and undocumented immigrants and those without health insurance, according to a new survey, conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Virus May Cause Meningitis
Children's Futures' Board Member Dr. Kendall Sprott writes about children's health and development issues in his weekly column for the Star Ledger.

Upcoming Community Events Calendar

August 2008

Thursday, August 21:

Understanding Perinatal Mood Disorders free (children are welcome); 10-11:30 a.m. (first and thirds Thursdays of each month); FSO of Burlington/Mercer Counties; IBIS Plaza Office Suites 400; 3535 Quakerbridge Road; Hamilton, NJ. For information, please call 609-586-1200 (ext 223).

Saturday, August 23:

Community Fest, Back to School Event and Health Fair: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m..; Grace Cathedral Fellowship Ministries, 1217 Calhoun Street in Trenton; featuring food, games, school supplies. Please call Coreen Grooms for more information at 609.658.3682.

Monday, August 25:

4th Anniversary Celebration of Trenton's Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Consumer Coalition: free (includes dinner); 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Princeton Deliverance Center, 301 Southard Street in Trenton. Please RSVP by August 20th by calling Shardae Morris at 732-937-5437.

September 2008

Saturday, September 6:

Community Health Fair: free; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Francis Medical Center School of Nursing/Crean Hall on St. Francis Place. Event features physical examinations and immunizations for Trenton School students as well as screenings for everyone. For more information, please call 1-877-452-5333.

Thursday, September 11:

Explosive Child: free (includes free child care); 6-8 p.m.; FSO of Burlington/Mercer Counties; IBIS Plaza Office Suites 400; 3535 Quakerbridge Road; Hamilton, NJ. Sessions on consecutive Tuesdays will teach a sensitive approach to understanding and helping an easily frustrated and explosive child. For information, please call 609-586-1200.

Saturday, September 13:

3rd Annual Latino Parenting Conference-"Safety in the Latino Community": free; 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Children's Home Society of New Jersey, 635 South Clinton Avenue in Trenton. Organizations interested in reserving a community resource table or if you have any families who may be interested in attending, please call Maritza Raimundi Petroski at 609-695-6274 (ext. 160). Space is limited to 150 individuals and 25 community organizations.

Monday, September 22:

No I Won't and You Can't Make Me: free; 10 a.m-2 p.m.; FSO of Burlington/Mercer Counties; IBIS Plaza Office Suites 400; 3535 Quakerbridge Road; Hamilton, NJ.; Session on preventing power struggles and effective disciplining. For information, please call 609-586-1200.

Open House to Explore MercerResource.net: free; 2. to 5 p.m. Capitol County Children's Collaborative, 3535 Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton. MercerResourceNet.Org is a complimentary web tool providing a wide range of information about support, resources and services for families in Mercer County. To RSVP or for more information, please call 609-584-0888 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tuesday, September 23:

Open House to Explore MercerResource.net: free; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Capitol County Children's Collaborative, 3535 Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton. MercerResourceNet.Org is a complimentary web tool providing a wide range of information about support, resources and services for families in Mercer County. To RSVP or for more information, please call 609-584-0888 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Wednesday, September 24:

Open House to Explore MercerResource.net: free; 4 to 7 p.m. Capitol County Children's Collaborative, 3535 Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton. MercerResourceNet.Org is a complimentary web tool providing a wide range of information about support, resources and services for families in Mercer County. To RSVP or for more information, please call 609-584-0888 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Trenton Board of Education, Office of Early Childhood 2nd Pre-K Fair: free; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trenton Board of Education, Ellis Auditorium, 108 North Clinton Avenue in Trenton. Parents will also be able to register each child for school on the day of the Pre-K Fair if proper documentation is presented. To sign up. please call Denise Holguin@609 656 4900x5669 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Thursday, September 25:

Open House to Explore MercerResource.net: free; 2. to 5 p.m. Capitol County Children's Collaborative, 3535 Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton. MercerResourceNet.Org is a complimentary web tool providing a wide range of information about support, resources and services for families in Mercer County. To RSVP or for more information, please call 609-584-0888 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Explosive Child: free (includes free child care); 6-8 p.m.; FSO of Burlington/Mercer Counties; IBIS Plaza Office Suites 400; 3535 Quakerbridge Road; Hamilton, NJ. Sessions on consecutive Tuesdays will teach a sensitive approach to understanding and helping an easily frustrated and explosive child. For information, please call 609-586-1200.

December 2008

Thursday, December 11

HOLD THE DATE: Children's Futures' 8th Annual Holiday Toy & Book Drive Party in association with the Mercer County Regional Chamber of Commerce Young Business Leaders Council, the City Of Trenton and Capital City Entertainment; 6 p.m. to midnight; Trenton Marriot at Lafayette Yard. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, please contact Spencer Lester ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Bill Rovner ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at Children's Futures or call 609-695-1977. You may also contact Janell Petrocelli ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at the Mercer Chamber or call 609.689.9960 x18.

Ongoing Community Activities

CF Center-Based Programs for Parents and Children: Free programs at Children's Futures' centers provide families with the support they need to be empowered to succeed in life. Children's Futures' partners offer sessions to improve literacy, enhance employment opportunities, promote health, safety and good nutrition, address behavioral health issues, and encourage parent/child bonding and educational achievement. For more information on July, 2008 programs, please call Tonya Bellamy at 609-695-1977 (ext. 109) or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Pre-School Registration for 2008-2009 School Year: Beginning July 1, 2008, the Trenton Public Schools' Early Childhood Department will begin registering children every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning from 8:30am-11:00am. Children are eligible for free preschool if they turn three or four by September 30th and are Trenton residents. An appointment is needed in order for parents to complete the registration process for each eligible child. For appointments, please call 609 656-5667. Documents needed for registration: Child's Birth Certificate, Vaccination Record, 2 Current Proofs of Address (within 30days of registration date) utility bill, lease, home telephone, or cable bill will be accepted.

CitySmiles Offers Information About Programs Throughout the Year for Children and Families: For more information about fun and educational programs for children and parents contact CitySmiles at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or link to CitySmiles.org

Isles, Inc. is providing dust sampling in 115 homes to determine if hazardous lead levels are present. If high levels are found, Isles will counsel parents about next steps including---protecting their children, speaking to a landlord, working with a city housing inspector, and applying for loans or grants to make a home lead safe. For more information, please call 609 341-4703.

Moms Quit Connection provides free training to clinicians to help them help families provide smoke-free homes to growing children. This is a statewide program of the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative funded by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. For more information, please contact Cathy Butler, BSW, CSW at 856-665-6000 (ext. 229) or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Swim Classes at the YMCA: The Greater Trenton Area Y.M.C.A. is now offering Adult and Youth swim lessons. Lessons are available every Saturday until August 30, 2008. Youth class- 9am to 10:30 (starting at 3years old) Adult class- 10:30 to 12:00 noon

Location-Greater Trenton Area YMCA 431Pennington Ave. Trenton, NJ Fee: $40.00 plus Associate Membership $25.00 total -$65. Pre-registration is required. Please call 609-599-9622 for more information.

Pre-School Center Openings still available at Greater Trenton YMCA for September: The Pre-School Center serves children living in the City of Trenton 3-5 years of age and is an all-day program. Please call 609-599-9622 for more information

The New Jersey State Parent and Information Resource Center, a program of Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, has valuable services available for schools and community agencies (including FREE workshops for parents to support parental involvement efforts) Workshops are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis with priority given to schools/agencies that can gather more than 30 parents per session. For more information please call 732-246-8060 ext. 110. To receive workshop application forms, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Camp Fire USA of New Jersey: All Six Flags Great Adventure Tickets Available Through Camp Fire USA of New Jersey Have Been Reduced to $20 Each. The $20 ticket is good for any one day admission to the theme park for adult or child. Camp Fire USA New Jersey Council, Children's Futures' Community partner in the Trenton Reach Out and Read program, is selling the discounted tickets for Six Flags Great Adventure as a fundraiser. All proceeds benefit Camp Fire programs for the prevention of violence, child abuse, abduction and substance abuse To order tickets: Send check or money order made payable to Camp Fire USA ($20 per ticket and $3 per order for postage and handling) to Camp Fire USA New Jersey Council, 535 East Franklin Street, Trenton, NJ 08610. Tickets may also be picked up at the Camp Fire office. For more information, please call: (609) 695-8410.

Womanspace: Womanspace is seeking volunteers to join the Domestic Violence Victim Response Team (DVVRT) & Sexual Assault Support Services Advocate Team (SASS). Team members respond to local police stations or hospitals and meet with victims, providing them with support, information and referral. In the past ten years the teams have gone on 3,785 call-outs and served over 5,000 residents of Mercer County. DVVRT and SASS volunteers support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault when they need it most. Qualifications include the ability to communicate well with others and be a good listener, ability to maintain confidentiality, 18 years of age and resident of or employed in the Mercer County area, valid driver's license and available transportation, no criminal history or prior history as a defendant in a domestic violence or sexual assault related matter, and availability to attend classes and meetings. Volunteers will receive 80+ hours of extensive, specialized training on topics including the law, sensitivity to the needs of victims and their children, and how to provide appropriate responses at a very critical time. Trained volunteers need to be "on call" (available to respond to call-outs) for two to four shifts a month. Training begins on Tuesday, September 9, 2008. Interested persons must submit to a background investigation, including fingerprinting. Bilingual individuals (especially those fluent in Spanish, Polish, and American Sign Language) are encouraged to apply. Applications must be received by Monday, August 4, 2008. For more information, please contact Heidi Mueller at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and Alison Daks at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (609) 394-0136.

Mercer County Office of the Youth Advocacy Programs, Inc. will partner with Macy's this year for the annual Shop For A Cause, to be held on September 20, 2008. For a $5 donation to YAP, people will be able to shop all day, at any Macy's of their choosing, and receive 20% off their purchases for most items, and 10% for many others. For more information, please contact Dan Winter, Lisa Wojtczuk, or Christina White at 609-637-0896.