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Let’s Run the World!
The 13th Runners Club is now in full swing in its 4th week at Southmountain Estates with a record number of participants. This group, with 15 runners in all, includes children, foster parents, a therapist, and our support staff. This Runners Club will culminate in a 5k on March 10 to support a local Christian camp.
Staff Complete Internationally Recognized Forensic Interviewing Training
Three staff members from Southmountain’s Children’s Advocacy Centers recently completed the Forensic Interviewing of Children Training sponsored by the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC). This is one of the premier trainings that our staff attend. During this five-day, interactive training held in Huntsville, Alabama, participants learn the internationally-recognized NCAC Child Forensic Interview Structure. This interview structure is used by Forensic Interviewers at our Children’s Advocacy Centers in Burke, McDowell, Yancey/Mitchell and Watauga/Avery counties. All Southmountain staff who conduct forensic interviews must complete Forensic Interview Trainings that are approved by the National Children's Alliance.
Southmountain Holiday Wheeled Escape
The children at Southmountain Estates enjoyed their seasonal escape from the schoolhouse with a wheeled foray on the Fonta Flora state trail. The children also enjoyed a leisurely ride on Morganton's greenway. We want to shout out a big holiday Thank You to all of those who donated bikes for our children as well as Michael Lowther's Overmountain Cycles for letting us use the awesome Orbea mountain bikes, free of charge.
Thank You to Toys for Tots
Southmountain Children and Family Services would like to say a big “THANK YOU” to Toys for Tots and to the Marine Corp League for their donation to Southmountain Estates. The Marine Corp League and Toys for Tots recently donated an abundance of Christmas toys and has done so for many years. Dennis Brockland, of First Brockland Insurance Agency and Bill Dowdle, Toys for Tots Coordinator, made the drive out to Southmountain Estates to deliver the gifts. We appreciate so much their generous support of our programs and our children!
Support our Children at Christmas Time!
Southmountain Children and Family Services' Christmas Appeal is now in full swing! Every year in December we ask the community to support the children at our Foster Community. Southmountain gives our Foster Parents $250 to spend on each child in their home and we ask the the community to make a donation towards this cause. Your donation of any amount is greatly appreciated. Donations may also be conveniently and securely made through our website at www.southmountain.org
Thank You for supporting Southmountain Children and Family Services at this magical time of year!
Announcing the 2017 Christmas Parade and Open House
This coming Saturday, December 2nd from 1:45 - 5:00 p.m. Southmountain Children and Family Services will be hosting our Annual Christmas Parade and Open House. The Parade will begin at 1:45 and the Open House will follow until 5:00 p.m. Open to the public, we welcome all community members to spend an afternoon at Southmountain Estates, our Foster Community located near Lake James. Come enjoy our parade followed by an open house of all of our family homes.
The address for Southmountain Estates is 7330 Myrtle Drive, Nebo.
HoHoHo!
Thank You Grace Episcopal Foundation!
Southmountain Children and Family Services would like to express a heart felt Thank You to the Grace Episcopal Foundation for awarding Southmountain a grant for $1,000. The grant will be used to replace carpeting at the Gingerbread House, the Burke County Children's Advocacy Center.
The Grace Episcopal Foundation has faithfully supported Southmountain over many years and we are very grateful for their continued support.
Community Foundation of Burke County Awards Grant
Southmountain Children and Family Services is the proud recipient of a $7,900 grant from the Community Foundation of Burke County. The grant will be used to make needed improvement to the exterior of the Burke County Children’s Advocacy Center, also known as the Gingerbread House.
The Gingerbread House provides services to child abuse and neglect victims, and children who have witnessed violent crime. The primary function of the Center is to provide a warm, friendly place where child victims can be interviewed and examined by professional forensic interviewers and medical providers. Southmountain assists Law Enforcement, Social Services, and the District Attorney's Office by gathering the appropriate forensic information and evidence with the least amount of additional trauma to the child victim.
Southmountain is very grateful to the Community Foundation of Burke County and the Camp Lake James Stewardship Fund for this generous grant and for their continued support of our programs.
Southmountain Estates Children are “Giving Back”
A group of 12 NYPUM students on Saturday, September 30th participated in a service project with Grace Church in Marion, North Carolina. Southmountain joined 150 other volunteers at Pleasant Gardens Elementary School and packed 106,000 meals (that's correct ~ 106,000 meals were prepared) for Servants with a Heart, an organization committed to serving underprivileged communities overseas. We joined their incredibly efficient assembly line process and measured out ingredients, weighed, sealed and boxed fortified rice meals to ship to Nicaragua. Our kids served with joy and lots of laughs. They are always eager to give back!
The National Youth Project Using Mini-Bikes (NYPUM) is a national character education program that uses mini-bike activities as rewards for teens to meet individual character goals.
It’s Back to School Time!
With the 2017-2018 school year now upon us, many of our children are heading back to school. This year, we have 19 students attending Glen Alpine Elementary; 11 attending Table Rock Middle School; and 8 attending Freedom High School. We hope this will be the best school year ever for our students and wish them all success in the school year ahead!
Agency Back to School Picnic Planned
Southmountain Children and Family Services on August 24th will host a Back to School picnic to kick off the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year. The event will take place at the picnic shelter at Southmountain Estates, our Foster Community. The principals and teachers from Glen Alpine Elementary, Table Rock Middle School and Freedom High School as well as Burke County School Administrators are invited to attend. We hope to have a great turnout to celebrate "Back To School!"
Thank You to the High Country United Way!
Southmountain Children and Family Services was recently awarded a grant for $445.60 by the High Country United Way. The grant will benefit clients served at the Watauga and Avery County Center of Excellence who are receiving Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy in order to overcome trauma symptoms resulting from abuse, neglect, or other loss. The grant will be used to purchase gas cards for families who are struggling financially so they can attend all of the 22-24 therapy sessions. Southmountain is very grateful for this grant from the High Country United Way that will help our clients in need.
BYOP Awards Grant to Southmountain
A special group of high school students in Burke County has been working hard to make our community a better place. The Burke Youth Organized Philanthropists or BYOP recently awarded 4 grants to non-profits in Burke County, and Southmountain Children and Family Services is the proud recipient of a BYOP grant. The youth hosted a warm reception on June 22 to acknowledge the grant recipients and also gave the recipients the opportunity to meet the BYOP youth. This $1,000 grant will be used to purchase a defibrillator for our Burke Children’s Advocacy Center. Thank you to the outstanding youth of the BYOP for this wonderful gift!
Summer-Time fun!
Southmountain Children and Family Services kicked off the beginning of the summer break with our first outing. Every Wednesday during the summer, the Southmountain recreation department and Southmountain staff, led by Adam Scott takes children on a trip to enjoy time together and give parents a break. The first outing on June 21 was to Hidden Creek Camping Resort in Marion, NC where the children enjoyed a 300-foot waterslide, a junior Olympic pool, a kiddie pool, paddleboats, canoes and kayaks —that all helped to beat the summer heat! Our kids also had fun playing 9 holes of miniature golf. Southmountain children and staff look forward to many more fun-filled activities this summer.
NYPUM Finishes Its Twelfth Class
Southmountain Children and Family Services is currently finishing up its 12th class of The National Youth Project Using Minibikes (NYPUM). Nearly every child 10 and older at Southmountain completes this comprehensive course in minibike riding and safety practices. The program was developed by NYPUM - a charity of Honda Motors, Inc., in collaboration with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Our children spend 9 - 12 hours in the classroom before heading to the riding range to begin their minibike training where they learn about protective gear, responsible riding practices, care for the environment, local laws and regulations pertaining to riding, defensive riding strategies, and care for the equipment. However, the most important part of NYPUM is that personal goals are set for each child that are aimed at self-improvement in a variety of areas. Once children meet their goals they earn more time to ride the minibikes! Children also benefit tremendously from a mentoring relationship with their instructors and support staff, and graduate the class with important skills related to responsible riding; that also are transferable to many areas of productive citizenship. This program is a definite favorite among our youth, and is also available to select kids from the community.
Annual Sonshine Saturday Sponsored by Enon Baptist Church
On Saturday May 20, 2017 Enon Baptist Church in Drexel hosted “Sonshine Saturday” for children, parents and staff that live and work at our Foster Community, in Nebo, North Carolina. For over 25 years, Enon Baptist Church has held the event on the church grounds and this year, over 100 people enjoyed this exciting day! Our children had lots of fun participating in a watermelon eating contest, sack race, waterslide, obstacle course, dunking booth and a wheel barrow race. Other fun activities included an egg carrying contest, 100 yard dash, a relay race and a football throwing contest and ribbons were given to the winners. Church members served a delicious lunch and everyone had a wonderful feast! Southmountain is so grateful to Enon Baptist Church and their volunteers for hosting this event for so many years!
Southmountain Children and Family Services Receives Grant from the Community Foundation of Burke County
Children at Southmountain Estates, a Foster Community operated by Southmountain Children and Family Services, now have the opportunity to participate in an art program, made possible by a $5,080 grant from the Community Foundation of Burke County. The Foster Community is a one-of-a-kind program serving children in out of home care as a result of abuse, neglect or other loss and is currently home to 48 children. Located in Western Burke County, the program serves children from across Western North Carolina, primarily Burke and surrounding counties.
The grant from the Community Foundation has allowed Southmountain to hire an art teacher as well as repair two pottery kilns and purchase art supplies.
The art program is an important part of the activities offered for children at Southmountain Estates. The expressive arts are known to facilitate emotional and creative expression for children who have experienced the trauma of child abuse. Art activities also can reduce stress and offer a great opportunity for children to pursue their interests and talents. Along with the art program, Southmountain recently began a music program that adds to the academic enrichment, recreation, and self-esteem building activities offered for the children living at Soutmountain Estates.
Southmountain’s Foster Community is a unique program and the only one of its kind in North Carolina, combining the best aspects of foster care and group home care. In addition to the Foster Community, Southmountain Children and Family Services operates four Children’s Advocacy Centers serving Burke, McDowell, Watauga, Avery, Yancey and Mitchell Counties. The purpose of the Children’s Advocacy Centers is to coordinate child abuse investigations with the agencies involved in the process including law enforcement, the District Attorney’s office, the Department of Social Services, medical and mental health services. Southmountain staff conducts forensic interviews and child medical exams on site at the Children’s Advocacy Centers; key components of the child abuse investigation.
Southmountain also operates the Center of Excellence serving Western North Carolina. The Center of Excellence provides evidence-based therapy for children and their non-offending parents who are suffering trauma symptoms as a result of abuse, neglect or other loss.
Southmountain would like to thank the Community Foundation of Burke County for the current grant and for their continued support of Southmountain Children and Family Services.
Southmountain Participates in Couch to 5K Race
Eleven runners from the Southmountain Runner’s Club on April 29th participated in the Camp Cedar Cliff 5K race near Asheville. These eleven runners, ages 7- 52, including children and staff, set a record for the number of participants from Southmountain that ran in this race. The children and staff worked their way up to being able to run three miles through the “Couch to 5K” program, making huge progress! Congratulations to all the runners who participated!
Southmountain receives COA re-accreditation
The Council on Accreditation (COA) has chosen to expedite and re-accredit Southmountain Children and Family Services. Our agency for decades has been accredited by COA and has officially completed this process again which is repeated every four years.
COA is a non-profit accrediting body that since 1977 has created a means for both governmental and non-governmental entities to strive and do better by strengthening services through delivery standards and practices. COA is an internationally recognized human service organization that currently accredits over 2,200 entities world-wide. We began our partnership with COA before it was required by North Carolina state law in order to be licensed to operate; we will continue to target excellence in service.
We thank all of our Governing Board members who endeavor to promote positive change and service as well as our community stakeholders that collaborate with us to help those in need.
