Family Care Network, Inc.

Happy #ThankYourMentor Day! An entire day to show gratitude for your mentor. Reach out to someone who mentored you by phone, text, email, or post on social media; and thank them for the impact they’ve made in your life! - : MENTOR

This #thankfulthursday we are feeling extremely grateful for one of our tutors, Sarah! - Here’s what Sarah has to say about her experience tutoring It has been amazing tutoring for FCNI and being able to have a positive impact on the kids. It is so rewarding to see the excitement light up their faces when they’re proud of themselves and their schoolwork. - Thank you Sarah, for providing local children and youth with the skills they need to take control of their future!

Say hello to Matt one of our extraordinary mentors! Matt works as a local attorney and has witnessed the positive impact mentors can have on a young person’s life from a young age. - Matt says, these experiences with mentorship have inspired me to give back my time to someone else in order to make a positive change in their life. Read more about Matt’s experience mentoring youth at FCNI by reading his blog post! Click here https://bit.ly/3t68SqO

FCNI staff members have been busy handing out gift cards to our youth and families--purchased with YOUR donated funds--to help them have a positive and healing experience this year. One of our single dads with two kids shared these powerful and heartfelt words when he received his. - Your donations continue to make a difference in the lives of our children and families. We wouldn't be able to Give Joy without you! To donate and help more families like Dan’s, visit FCNI.org/givejoy

Bernie Sanders has good taste in mittens and nonprofits! - Although the pandemic has stopped us from meeting in person for now, our children & youth are still in need of mentors. Luckily, we are still able to offer mentoring VIRTUALLY. (we won’t make you wait outside of our office like Bernie) - Please call or email us to get started on your mentoring journey, and help youth discover their potential today [email protected] 805-503-6223.

Happy #MentalHealthMonday! As the holidays are upon us, we want to send love to those who are struggling right now. This holiday season is looking different for everyone this year, and you are not alone if you are feeling overwhelmed! - REPOST: @crazyheadcomics

NASA recognizes the importance of mentors and so should you! Mentors are an essential part of helping children and youth discover their passions, and an incredible way to provide them with a consistent, supportive adult figure. - Are you interested in helping local children & youth discover their potential? Become a mentor by emailing us at [email protected] today. Our kids need you! - NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

This #SundaySpotlight we are celebrating one of our amazing Case Managers, Margaux! - Within her role Margaux supports current and former foster and probation youth working towards independence, self-sufficiency, and permanency. She helps them identify and reach their goals involving lifeskills, career exploration, education, finances, and more! - Margaux says her favorite parts of her job are helping youth identify their goals and find their own path to adulthood.... Every person has their own journey and different hopes for the future. Working with them to discover what they want and how they can get there is so rewarding. The skills we teach can continue to help them throughout their life, from building healthy relationships to learning how to keep a budget. It's a privilege to work with our clients and support them in learning ways to take ownership of their futures. - Thanks Margaux for everything you’ve done for our youth on the Central Coast! See more

COVID-19 has significantly impacted all of our lives, and at FCNI, we’ve seen our families hit hardestlosing wages, jobs, housing and security. Right now, our families need your help in spreading the word that they are in need this holiday season. - We’ve created a media toolkit just for you, complete with social media posts, captions, and ways you can raise funds for children & families in need. To access the full toolkit, click here http://ow.ly/CXiL50CPS7y - By utilizing your personal networks for good, you can help make a huge impact in our community!

You deserve healthy relationships! That voice that tells us that we deserve the mistreatment that we get from others is wrong. As domestic violence awareness month comes to a close remind yourself that you are deserving of love, honesty, trust, and respect. - REPOST: @iamempwr

Meet Mikael, one of our Mentee's! For almost an entire year, Mikael's mentor, Andrew, has been one of the few consistent, positive role models in Mikael's life. Together, they hang out over zoom, text, talk on the phone, and over time have built a strong friendship. - Be the Difference--like Andrew has by mentoring a young person in your community, and be the reason a youth stays engaged. Become a mentor today! To get started, email us at [email protected] or call 805-503-6223.

Feeling at a loss for words when a friend shares some heavy information? This guide has you covered! - REPOST @feministsexed

This #thankfulthursday we are SO thankful for our central coast community!! Three local businesses Avalon Foundation Mechanics Bank and Coastal Communities Physician Network collectively donated $11,000 for the children, youth, and families in our care! - We couldn’t be more grateful for your support in providing our community’s most vulnerable with a special and positive holiday experience this year.

As the election grows closer and your time to VOTE your CHOICE runs out our CEO implores you to take a much more critical look at what makes an effective leader before you cast your vote! The future of America is in YOUR hands! - To help you, here are 4 attributes of what an effective leader looks like... And to read more about how NOW is the time to vote FOR Democracy and real leadership, read this week’s blog here https://bit.ly/2HJefZM

Meet one of our long time foster parents, Maureen, and FCNI social worker, Jamie! Maureen has cared for over 90 foster kids during her time with FCNI, and has played a pivotal role in helping local children and youth heal and stablize. Listen to Maureen’s interview on @920KVEC to learn more about her story http://ow.ly/Ua3H50CONis - Lastly, if you are interested in fostering or adopting, please email us at [email protected]. They need you!

This week on News Talk 920 KVEC we hear from FCNI foster parent specialist Jacob who shares what foster parenting is really like, and what kind of person it takes to foster. To listen to the full interview and to learn more about foster parenting, click here https://bit.ly/34wD6ZG

Let’s talk about something that more and more people are facing as we have shifted to a primarily virtual world. Burnout is real, ya’ll. But, you need to make sure you understand what it is before you consider yourself burnt out. Being burnt out doesn’t always mean you don't love your job. - Burnout can happen for multiple reasons your job is not your passion; you don’t have the best job environment or support; you love your job too much and always put it first; o...r, you feel like you are always on because of the primarily virtual environment. - Being burnt out doesn’t make you any less of a great employee. But, you don’t have to be stuck in it. Here are some tips on how you can become more aware of what Burn Out is, how to acknowledge it, and begin the process to overcome it. - REPOST: The Lettering Lane See more

This #SundaySpotlight we are celebrating Dylan, one of our program supervisors! - Within his role, Dylan supports staff who serve local families in need. He helps determine the most appropriate treatment for clients, brainstorm with staff to create solutions to barriers, and check in with staff to support their emotional wellness while working within challenging circumstances. - Dylan’s favorite parts of his job is watching staff challenge themselves and grow ...their skills in working with others. [And] as it is for many of us at FCNI, the most gratifying part of our work is seeing the positive steps and growth of the families we serve in the community. - Thanks Dylan or everything you do for the families in need here on the central coast. See more

Knowing how to help a friend in an abusive situation is hard. Non-survivors might not know what to say or do. And sometimes, us survivors feel lost. We might try to give out too much advice. Or we might feel triggered. - The key here is to make sure your friend feels empowered to make a decision themselves. You shouldn’t force a friend to leave an abusive relationship. And I know it’s so hard-- even as a survivor-- to understand the dynamics of someone else’s relationshi...p, but your job as a friend is to acknowledge their feelings and listen. - Even if you feel like you don’t know what to say- if your friend knows you care about them, you’re already making a huge difference. - REPOST: @wearehernetwork See more

This week, our youth working towards adult independence attended FCNI’s first VIRTUAL College and Career Fair! - During the career fair our youth had the opportunity to learn about local colleges, meet local employers and explore career interests. - Thank you to the incredible local businesses and colleges who supported our youth and helped them find their path! This is what enhancing the wellbeing of youth in partnership with our community is really all about!

Happy #thankfulthursday! We are thankful for Trader Joe's for donating pumpkins for our children and families in our care! These pumpkins will help provide normalcy for our kiddos during Halloween 2020, as well as a fun activity to get festive! Thanks #traderjoes for supporting local kids in need!

Staying in a traumatizing environment enhances the development and intensity of PTSD. There is simply no way to truly heal while remaining in an abusive environment. - Not sure where to start? Think of one thing to do to change your situation. For example, if you’re financially dependent upon an abusive person, what can you do to change that situation? You may not be able to change your situation overnight, but getting started on a plan could help you feel hopeful for a new beginning! - REPOST Kim Saeed

There are several ways someone can experience domestic violence/intimate partner violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing DV or IPV, please reach out to any of the resources listed below

Happy #MentalHealthMonday! There are so many ways to promote good mental health. Here are four activities for you to try out. Comment which activities you do for your mental health so the community can see what has been helpful for you too. - REPOST: healingfromptsd

Happy birthday to the one behind our hearts to serve, our remarkable leader, and the founder of our community commitment-- our CEO Jim Roberts! Thank you for all that you do for #FCNI. We wouldn’t be here without your dedication and passion to helping those in need!

Don’t make excuses for people’s bad behavior! If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence call 1-800-799-7233 for help! - REPOST @themindgeek