Tag: family

THE KIDS DASH

The 8th annual Kids Dash is June 8th, 2019 at the Grants Pass High School track. Gate opens st 8AM. Entry fee is $10/child.

The Kids Dash was founded by Dr. Nate Tanner. It has been a KidZone Community Foundation event since 2014.

The Kids Dash includes runs for children ages two through middle school as well as relay races for the whole family, a 1600 meter run for middle school and advanced runners, a foam dart javelin throw, standing long jump, a giant slingshot game and the Hue-man race, our version of events like The Color Run(TM).

 

The Kids Dash will also have a full carnival which is free to all  and is sponsored by Asante Physician Partners.

 

New this year will be an opportunity to participate in games with student-athletes from the University of Oregon presented by the Oregon Athlete Foundation.

The event also feature a Wellness Midway with presentations by many local fitness and health-related organizations.

Please visit www.kidzonefoundation.org/kids-dash/ for more information.

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211info Connects People with Resources

Did you know that information on local health and social services is now accessible by calling 211? Just like calling 911 for an emergency, people can call 211 to identify, navigate, and connect with the local resources they need.
The statewide nonprofit 211info is part of the nationwide 211 phone system. Staff are available to answer calls from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact can also be made by emailing help@211info.org, texting your zip code to 898211, visiting 211info.org, or using the mobile app.
The program lists over 35,000 services varying from assistance programs to recreational activities, according to Carrie Prechtel, Community Engagement Coordinator for Jackson and Josephine Counties. Food, energy assistance, shelter, health, and dental assistance are among the top needs in Southern Oregon.
A caller gives the 211info information specialist their zip code and that’s the only information actually required. It is the caller’s choice to proceed with more personal information. After a short discussion of what the caller is looking for, 211info will refer the caller to a number of local agencies that can help and explain about the suggested services.
Staff at 211 also screen callers for qualification for programs. For example, if someone calls in about help with their energy bill, the staff might ask if they have enough food to eat and if they might need assistance with SNAP (food stamps). They will also inform them of any documents or paperwork that would be helpful to bring with them to their appointment. All information is anonymous and confidential, and there are bilingual staff ready to help.
Expanded services in Oregon include a 24/7 hotline for foster parents, giving them help and support with their foster children, and child care referrals, during extended hours including weekends, for anybody looking for any type of child care services.
For more information, go online to 211info.org — or call 211.

 

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Ashland Emergency Food Bank

Serving the community

Since 1972, Ashland Emergency Food Bank (AEFB) has provided food to residents of Ashland, Talent and surrounding rural communities. Each month, 500-600 families representing approximately 1,500 individuals come to us for food. Our customers include the unemployed and under-employed, the working poor, students, seniors and homeless. About twenty five percent are children under the age of 18.

Your support matters

AEFB is supported by a coalition of faith-based organizations, along with the community at large. Church members, school children, local residents and neighborhood businesses donate food to us directly and volunteer their labor. Ashland Food Project’s green bag collections comprise about a forty percent of our total contributions.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we are able to provide each individual or family who visits us with enough groceries to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for two to three days.

http://ashlandemergencyfoodbank.org/

541-488-9544

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ACCESS Building Community

ACCESS Builds Community

We provide food, housing, warmth and other essential services to Jackson County’s low income children, families, seniors and people with disabilities.

As the Community Action Agency of Jackson County, OREGON, ACCESS has been helping Jackson County residents break the cycle of poverty since 1976. With a focus on education, ACCESS helps people through economic crisis by guiding them through changes in habits to help them become self-sustaining. ACCESS currently serves local residents through 15 programs designed to address problems from one-time emergencies to longer-term issues.

541-779-691

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Women, Infants and Children WIC – Jackson County

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a free nutrition education program that helps families identify healthy nutrition choices that work for them.

Why WIC?
WIC debit

Women on WIC eat a healthier diet, have healthier babies and receive early prenatal care.

Infants born to WIC mothers weigh more and have improved growth and development rates.

Children on WIC eat foods with more iron and vitamin C, and visit their doctors regularly.

Eligibility

You are eligible for WIC if you meet all of the following criteria:

  • Live in Oregon
  • Are a pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding woman, an infant or a child under 5 years old
  • Have a nutritional need
  • Have a household income that meets the current income guidelines.

*Fathers, grandparents, foster parents or other guardians may apply for WIC for their children.

541-774-8203

http://jacksoncountyor.org/hhs/public-health/women-infants-and-children

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Roc Food Pantry in Grants Pass

Reaching Our Community

ROC is a rapidly growing food distribution center in Grants Pass, Oregon serving low and no income families as well as working families who, for whatever reason, are trying to make ends meet. We provide delivery service to our homebound seniors and disabled clients, a first in Josephine County, as well as supplemental Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to help families during the holidays.

For more information please call 541-476-3344 or visit http://rochome.org

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Guarding Against Online Predators

Are your children safe online? It seems like the online world is harmless right?

Most of the time your children are online in home and sometimes under your watchful eyes.
Did you know that one out of every five youth online is solicited? Did you know that one in four received an unwanted exposure in the past year to pictures of naked people or people having sex?

Very few of these incidents are reported to police and while many did not find these incidents disturbing, they were distressing to a good number of the youth involved. Of the people who participated in the research funded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, only 17% of the youth and 11% of the parents could even name a specific authority or internet service provider to which they could even report an internet crime. This is
staggering. Do you know what to do if your child reports to you that he or she was sent pornographic materials on line? These crimes are widely under reported which means that we can’t fully understand the impact these crimes have on the children and families involved.

There are some signs that might be red flags that indicate your child may be connecting with an online predator. None of these signs are definitive but indicate that it may be time to talk to your child to further understand what
is going on. If your child becomes withdrawn or isolated from their friends and family you may want to check in with them. Other red flags include, finding inappropriate or disturbing material on the computer, your child
receives gifts, money, mail or phone contact from people that are not known to you or you see charges on your phone bill from numbers or people that you do not recognize.

If you think that your child is a victim of an on line predator you should reassure your child that it is not their fault. You should save the evidence.
Evidence might be emails, instant messages, or any pictures that might have been sent. You should contact your local law enforcement agency and make a report.

You can also make a report to the CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com or 1-800-THE-LOST and include all information available, even if you do not feel it is important information.
Guarding Against Online Predators

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Celebrate Meal Time With Your Family!

Celebrate Meal Time With Your Family!

By Elycia Bechard, LPC

Therapist at The Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County

 

As families gather together for the holidays it can be a great opportunity to step back and remember the importance of connection.  If you are fortunate enough to have positive memories from your childhood experience of family meals, try to remember how those moments of learning, connection, or modeled behaviors affected you or shaped who you are today.   I frequently hear from parents their difficulties in trying to juggle their many responsibilities: children, partner, family, work, etc., so here are some fun, exciting ideas you can use while eating together as a family to develop or re-establish deeper connection with your child.

The goal is to get away from the TV and make dinner time fun for the whole family. If children choose not to participate, that is okay.  Parents modeling smiling, laughing and having fun can motivate children to participate!

  1. The Microphone Game — Give everyone a chance to share about their day by passing around an object that serves as a microphone.  When someone has the microphone, they have the floor – meaning all others are listening! This technique can be a great opportunity to slow things down and make time to listen to one another.  It provides a space where children who might have difficulties trying to get out their thoughts and words have the time and space to share.
  2. Play with your food! — I know, I know. This goes against everything we have been taught growing up.  Play at the table, however, can assist in making a comfortable atmosphere where your children feel they can share about their day.

 

  1. Food Shapes — Make ordinary meals into fun shapes, faces, or designs, such as the smiley pancake, funny faces spaghetti, or an all time favorite – ants on a log. There are tons of ideas on-line if you need inspiration!

 

  1. Themed Dinners – Pick a type of cuisine (Italian, Mexican, etc.) and imaginatively travel to the country with music, dress or décor. Perhaps your son loves Spiderman.  Plan a meal for Spidey and bring Spiderman toys to the table as décor.   You could do something similar themes like the “Frozen” movie, dinosaur adventures, and Minecraft explorations.

 

  1. New Ideas — Ask your children if they have an idea or favorite game they learned from school to try at the dinner table!

 

  1. Celebration Meals — Celebrations need not just be held for holidays. Have a celebratory meal for getting a good report card, passing a test, taking off training wheels on a bike, or having a successful work week.  Celebratory meals do not need to be expensive either, but can be about making that family member’s favorite meal.

 

  1. Book-Inspired Meals — Choose a recipe from your favorite book or movie – Green Eggs and Ham, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Harry Potter’s Pumpkin Juice, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, James and The Giant Peach, The Stinky Cheese Man, Ratatouille, etc. Read from the story during dinner!

 

  1. Kids in the Kitchen — Have your child choose a meal they would like to try and have them help you pick out the ingredients at the grocery store as well as in the kitchen. This can be helpful for children with persnickety eating habits to feel a sense of control and value.

 

  1. Create a story together. – One person starts a story with one sentence. (Once upon a time….)  Each family member then adds one additional sentence until the story has gone around the table.  You can write down the story and read it aloud at the end of dinner for a great laugh.

 

  1. Set the Mood — Play music, light candles, dress up a bit – all these changes can suddenly make dinner a special event.

 

  1. The Dinner Guest – have each family member share one person from any time period that they would like to invite to dinner and then share why. This can be fun for parents to hear about what their children are learning in school and who their child shows interest in.

 

  1. Telephone Around The Table – Keep those cell phones on vibrate! I’m talking about the classic game where one family member thinks of a phrase and whispers it to their neighbor until it has travelled around the table to see how close the phrase got!

 

  1. Family Game Night — Pretend your family is on a Food Network TV show like Iron Chef, Chopped, etc.

 

  1. Eat the Alphabet – Try to eat something that starts with every letter of the alphabet: Apple, Banana, Carrot, etc.

 

A wonderful starting place is to sit down and figure out how often you could potentially incorporate one of these fun, new ideas into mealtime, and most importantly be consistent. If you can plan to do it once a week, once a month, or any other amount of time, that is terrific. Create a schedule where your children have something fun to look forward to. Overall, enjoy each other and have FUN!

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