Mission Statement
The mission of Parents Anonymous of New Jersey, Inc. is to protect children by stengthening families through mutual support and parent leadership. |
Parenting Tip 
During this prom season, help your teen make this night special and safe.
Before the big night, have a frank talk with your teen about things you will not tolerate, like alcohol and drugs. Give them permission to blame you by saying something like, "My mom is so mean. She'll ground me for life if she finds out."
On the big night, know who is driving , where the "hot spot" destinations are, and tell your teen to report whenever they change locations.
Communicate with other parents and let your teen know that you will be checking up to ensure that they are where they say they are.
Sounds like a lot of work, but you know you weren't going to sleep until they came home anyway. | |
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| Dear Friend,
Welcome to the first Parents Anonymous of New Jersey e-newsletter.
Whether you are a parent raising children in these tough times, a professional working with families, or a caring community member looking for ways to help keep families strong, we hope you will find something of value here. |
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Child Welfare Forum
 Parents Anonymous Cosponsors Special Roundtable Forum, "Strengthening Child Welfare Reform through Parent Advocacy" On April 29th, Parents Anonymous and the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network joined with ACNJ, the Nicholson Foundation, and Janus Solutions to host an interactive forum to discuss how to strengthen the New Jersey child welfare system by developing supporting and funding initiatives that provide meaningful roles for families as leaders at the community, casework and policy levels. David Tobis, Executive Director of the Fund for Social Change, moderated the forum. Representatives from New York City's child welfare agency, ACF (Administration for Children and Families, the Casey Family Programs, the Child Welfare Organizing Project (CWOP) and the Fund for Social Change came to share their experiences with recruiting, training and using Parent Advocates in CPS cases. Two Parent Advocates, Carlos Boyet from CWOP and Jackelle Pension form ACF shared their personal stories of moving from CPS client to Parent Advocate. Hosted by the Nicholson Foundation in Newark, over 30 key statewide leaders from DCF and private foundations were invited to participate in this important Roundtable. |
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Parents Anonymous Volunteers Recognized Nationally and Statewide
Two Parents Anonymous Volunteers Bill Voorhees and Victoria Faux were given special recognition recently for their outstanding service, dedication and commitment to strengthening families.
Bill Voorhees is a Parents Anonymous Stressline Volunteer and received the statewide Child Assault Prevention (CAP) Volunteer of the Year award on April 3rd at the Trenton Marriott. A Stressline Volunteer for over 19 years, Bill was honored for serving families reaching out for help on the Parents Anonymous Stressline. Executive Director Kathleen Roe described Bill as a man with a heart of gold, committed to ending the cycle of child abuse by providing help and support to parents. Over 300 people attended the event honoring 13 of the state's finest advocates for children and families.
Victoria Faux, a stressline volunteer since 2005, was honored with the American Correctional Association's prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Award. The criteria for this award are a commitment to education and an embodiment of the beliefs of Dr. King's moral principles. Victoria was presented with this award at the 2009 ACA Winter Conference in Kissimmee, Florida in front of an audience of 3,000. According to Victoria's supervisor, who encouraged her to apply, it is the combination of her work in corrections, her academics and her volunteer work in helping families that won Victoria this honor.
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Parent Leaders & Volunteers Honored
Small Change,
Big Difference
Parents Anonymous Honors Parent Leaders and Volunteers
Parents Anonymous joined with other statewide partners to celebrate February as National Parent Leadership Month by hosting two Regional Breakfast events. At the Maplewood Diner in Essex County, over 100 Parent Leaders and Parents Anonymous Volunteers joined together to celebrate the strength and commitment of parents and volunteers working in their communities to help families and protect children. Board President Paul Waters welcomed and thanked everyone and reflected on the theme, "Small Change, Big Differences". He recognized that volunteers often don't see big changes, but their combined contributions are enormous. SPAN Executive Director Diana Autin also congratulated and thanked Parent Leaders for their courage, commitment and willingness to work to change the system. Volunteer Director Laurie Komajti gave special thanks and presented certificates to Parents Anonymous Volunteers, Bill Voorhees, Odette Taft, Tracy Silver, Iva Chow, Rene Street. Janet Lester, Catherine Rutledge, Cathy Eckert, Sherry Featherstone, and Donna Alston.
In South Jersey the Breakfast event was held in Vineland and cosponsored by the Bridgeton Municipal Alliance. Executive Director Kathy Roe and Municipal Alliance Director Karen Barnett, welcomed and thanked the Parent Leaders and Volunteers for all of their hard work. Volunteer Director Laurie Komajti presented special certificates to Parents Anonymous Volunteers: Nancy Burk, Tina Camp, Shemise Finch, Lisa Gates, Sherri Offredo, Maureen Nicolai, Cora Santiago and Bryan Smith.
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Spring Stressline Training
Parents Anonymous Needs Volunteers!
Spring Stressline Training on Saturday, May 9, 16 and 23, 2009, Parents Anonymous of New Jersey, Inc., will be holding a free training for volunteers to staff the 24- hour Family Helpline, 1-800-THE KIDS. Training will be held at the Parents Anonymous Parents Anonymous Trenton Office 127 Route 206 South, Suite 10 Trenton, NJ 08016.
Trained volunteers take a weekly 4-hour shift answering phone calls from callers seeking an empathetic ear or needing information and referral to community resources. The only requirement to become a stressline volunteer, is empathy. Calls are taken from home or any dedicated phone line. Individuals or community groups are invited to partner with other caring volunteers to help parents and save children.
For community groups of five or more, Parents Anonymous staff will come to you to provide training on site. Participants must attend all three days and will receive training in active listening, crisis intervention and referral skills. A statewide resource manual will be provided to each volunteer. Join us to provide 24 hour telephone support for the hardest job in the world, parenting!
For more information or to register, please call Laurie at Parents Anonymous of New Jersey at (609) 585-7666.
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A mother is someone who when she sees four slices of pie for five people gladly gives up her slice by saying that she never cared for pie anyway.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY |
Very truly yours, 
Kathleen Roe Executive Director Parents Anonymous of New Jersey |
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