Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, FL

Support Group Meetings for October 2012

Tuesday, October 9th

– Titusville Support Group Meeting

805 Century Medical Dr, Building B, Titusville. This group is partnered with

Parrish Senior Solutions. 10:00 – 11:30 am

Thursday, October 11th

– Club Esteem Support Group Meeting

10:00 – 11:30 am. Grant Street Community Center (see notice below)

Tuesday, October 16th

– Central Brevard Support Group

GRG of Brevard Office, NEW OFFICE– 123 Barton Blvd., Rockledge 09:30 –

11:00 am

Thursday, October 25th

– Beach Side Support Group.

Memaw’s Restaurant, Indian Harbour Beach, 9:30 – 11:30 am (Breakfast is

available at member's expense) A Representative from Express LCL who will

provide information on how Express LCL can assistance us in obtaining

guardianship and adoption.

South Brevard Support Group Meeting

This support group is suspended at this time until further interest. Please contact

the office if you are interested in restarting the Palm Bay evening meeting the fall

321-631-7776

***Club Esteem Meeting Location Change***

Due to the fire at Lipscomb Street Recreation Center, the GRG group that meets

at Club Esteem will now hold their meetings at Grant Street Community Center

(the gym), Grant Street in Melbourne. The date and time of the meetings did not

change. The meetings are the 2nd Thursday at 10:00 A.M. This will be our

temporary location until the damage has been repaired to the Lipscomb Street

Recreation Center.

Have a Safe & Happy Halloween!

A NEWSLETTER FOR GRANDPARENTS AND OTHER RELATIVES IN A PARENTING ROLE.

DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO?

CALL THE WARM-LINE!

321.631.7776

ISSUE #137

123 Barton Blvd.

Rockledge, FL 32955

321.631.7776 office • 321.848.8006 cell

www.grg-brevard.org

GRG OF BREVARD

OCTOBER 2012

WELCOME to the new

edition of our newsletter! I

hope that you find it to be

informative, educational and

entertaining.

Mary Ann Sterling,

Executive Director

Fundraiser at Chick-fil-a

Get answers to questions on custody,

guardianship, adoption issues, public

benefits, legal services, support with

groups and other community services.

When you call, be prepared to leave a

message and contact number.

E-NEWSLETTER

Help us Go Green and be

environmentally responsible.

The newsletter can be delivered to you

each month via email. This new

capability could enable GRG to save up

to $4,000 each year in paper and printing

costs. If you would like to receive your

newsletter via Email, send your name,

current mailing address and the email

address where you would like to receive

the newsletter to

grg.brevard@gmail.com

On September 13th

the White House honored grandparents' many

contributions to society and called on older adults to continue to share

their knowledge, wisdom and talents. The White House event kicked

off with a written proclamation by President Obama.

Speakers discussed the importance of intergenerational service

opportunities to solve our nation's problems; the ways grandparents

contribute as caregivers, mentors and civic leaders; and ways the

Administration can strengthen intergenerational collaboration.

Mary Ann Sterling and Lou Ann Hawes attended the event; they were

the only relative caregivers from the State of Florida in attendance.

And A Special Thanks To: Memaw’s Restaurants, Parrish

Senior Center and Club Esteem

who provide meeting space for

our monthly support meetings.

Our community partners who

work by side with us to create a

better world for children and

families. Thanks too to our

faithful volunteers and donors

across the county.

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK

THE FOLLOWING

ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR

CONTRIBUTION TO

GRG OF BREVARD!

ISSUE #137 OCTOBER 2012

PAGE 2

THE CHILD FIRST PROGRAM

Mary Ann Sterling, Executive

Director of GRG of Brevard

with Donna Butts, Executive

Director of Generations United

at the White House

Pictured below is the discussion

panel of National Leaders on

Service & Education

“Big voices for little voices” Halloween Happenings Saturday, Oct 27

th

Frightfully Good Time: Downtown Melbourne. 11

a.m. to 2 p.m., trick or treating for preschoolers

through grade six, with parents. Wear costume; bring a

bag. Crossing guards on duty. 40-plus businesses

participate. (321) 8698 or (321) 724-2201.

Harvest Festival: 1-5 p.m., Central Park, The Avenue

Viera. 1-4 p.m.: Face painting, Halloween photos,

crafts. 2:30-3 p.m.: Spooky Story Time. 3-3:30 p.m.:

Littlest Pumpkin Costume Contest, ages 1-6. 3:30-4

p.m., Family Costume Contest, minimum of three

individuals, includes pets. 4-5 p.m.: Trick or Treating.

Wednesday, Oct 31st

Pumpkin Spooktacular: 6-8 p.m., Kiwanis Island Park,

951 Kiwanis Island Park Road, Merritt Island. Ages 12

and younger. Free. Brevard County Parks and

Recreation. (321) 455-1380.

OLD FOOD ASSISTANCE CARDS TO BE

DEACTIVATED IN SEPTEMBER The Department of Children and Families wants to remind clients who receive food

assistance, Temporary Cash Assistance, Refugee Assistance, and Food Assistance

Employment and Training payments that their old Electronic Benefits Transfer

(EBT) cards with the flag design will be deactivated on September 21, 2012.

Changing the cards allows for increased security and durability. Any client who still

has the old card needs to call 1-888-356-3281 to receive a new ACCESS card,

which has a lighthouse design.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR

GRANDCHILDREN

If your grandchild has had a special event

or done something you would like to

share please write an article. Send a

picture along with the article as

grandchildren like seeing themselves in

print. Email: grg.brevard@gmail.com

COMING SOON

Planning is underway for the annual GRG of Brevard Children’s Christmas Celebration please call the office if you

would like to volunteer. 321-631-7776 or email grg.brevard@gmail.com. More information will be available at the fall

support group meetings.

Reminder you will need to attend at least 2 support group meetings within 2012 to be eligible to apply for holiday

assistance.

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING WITH GRG OF BREVARD? CONTACT MARY ANN STERLING AT 321-631-7776 OR EMAIL: GRG.BREVARD@GMAIL.COM

ISSUE #137 OCTOBER 2012

PAGE 3

SAVE THE DATE

Parenting in Today's World FREE Parenting Workshop!

Saturday, October 6, 2012 8:00AM -

12:00 PM Brevard County School

Board, Viera

http://middleschoolprograms.brevar

dschools.org/parents/Lists/Announce

ments/Attachments/139/Parenting%2

0Poster%207x11.pdf or contact Ginny

Gleason, (321) 633-1000, ext. 389 or e-

mail:

Gleason.Ginny@brevardschools.org

7th Annual Walk for Love In recognition of National Adoption

Month and to raise awareness of the

many children in Brevard County

available for adoption, Brevard

Family Partnership will host the 7th

Annual Walk for Love and NEW this

year, the inaugural Run for Love

5K, on Saturday, November 17th at

the Church at Viera.

We invite you to join us for a day of

love and fun for the whole family!

The Run for Love starts at 7:30AM

(registration fees apply). Every

registered runner will receive a race

t-shirt and goodie bag. Be sure to

register early to avoid missing out!

For more information:

http://www.brevardfp.org/

CHILD PROTECTION SUMMIT 2012

On September 5

th, Mary Sterling and Lou Ann Hawes joined 2300 attendees at the

annual statewide child protection summit in Orlando to improve their skills in the

protection of children and strengthening families and communities. The 2012 theme

was “Realizing Change.”

This was an opportunity for GRG of Brevard to participate on a state and community

level with caseworkers, investigators, attorneys, judges and magistrates.

David Wilkins, the State of Florida Secretary of DCF was a keynote speaker.

We will disseminate the information from the three days of workshops and

discussion panels throughout the coming months in support group meetings.

Mary Ann chats with attendees at summit.

Please make your check payable to:

Grandparents Raising

Grandchildren of Brevard

Members of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, FL, Inc. receive

our newsletter and invitations to events where they can meet others in similar situations

Name

Date:

Address:

City/State:

Zip:

Phone:

Email:

[ ] Annual Membership $20 [ ] Annual Corporate Membership $500

I want to be a friend of the GRG of Brevard and enclose an additional donation of:

[ ] $25 [ ] $50 [ ] $75 [ ] $100 Other: $

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

of Brevard County, FL, Inc.

123 Barton Blvd.

Rockledge, FL 32955

ADDRESS LABEL

I am raising children who

are not my own I am their: [ ] Grandparent [ ] Aunt / Uncle

[ ] Sister / Brother

[ ] Other (please specify)

[ ] I am not in this situation but I want to join GRG of Brevard because I am interested in what you do.

HELP THE GRANDPARENTS AND CHILDREN OF GRG OF BREVARD

BECOME A MEMBER AND/OR FRIEND Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County FL, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.

All gifts are deductible on corporate, foundation and individual tax returns to the extent provided by state and federal laws.

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