We regularly host, sponsor and support a variety of events that provide community outreach, increase awareness of our program, help recruit new volunteers, raise funds and furnish training to our volunteer guardians ad litem. The following event was recently added to our calendar.

• Working with Victims from a Trauma: Informed Approach
  Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Autumn is just around the corner and before you know it, the holiday season will be upon us.

That typically joyous time of year can be especially difficult for the abused, neglected or abandoned children represented by the Second Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program, many of whom are in foster care and separated from their families.

Every year, non-profit volunteer support organization Child Advocates II, Inc. (CAII) works with local businesses, community organizations and individuals to ensure that every child represented by our program receives gifts for the holidays.

The CAII Holiday Wish List Drive, now kicking off for the 2014 season, allows individuals and businesses to sponsor children and purchase items on their wish lists. Financial contributions are also accepted, allowing CAII to purchase gifts for unsponsored children.

Whether representing a company or supporting individually, we appreciate any assistance that you can offer. All donations to CAII are tax deductible.

Visit gal2.org/wishes to learn more, register as a sponsor and donate money.

We regularly host, sponsor and support a variety of events that provide community outreach, increase awareness of our program, help recruit new volunteers, raise funds and furnish training to our volunteer guardians ad litem. The following events were recently added to our calendar.

• Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders
  of Infancy and Early Childhood
  Tuesday, September 16, 2014

• Foundational Infant Mental Health 101: What is it?
  Thursday, September 18, 2014

• Using an Infant Mental Health Approach with Young Children in Child Welfare
  and the Court System
  Thursday, September 18 and Friday, September 19, 2014

• Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation to Childcare
  Monday, September 22 and Tuesday, September 23, 2014

In addition, the following four items were added to the Continuing Education resource center.

• The Dependency Outlook: Summer 2014 — an issue of the Florida Supreme Court Office of the State Courts Administrator's Office of Court Improvement newsletter

• Disabilities Training Conference Workshop Videos — videos and handouts from the 2014 Florida Guardian ad Litem Disabilities Training Conference held in Orlando

• The Impact of Mental Illness on Family Functioning and Child Well-Being — a two-part continuing education video presented by April Lott, Directions for Living

• Tuition Exemption for Students in, Formerly in Nonrelative Custody — information on the 2014 amendment to § 1009.25, Florida Statutes, expanding tuition fee exemptions to students who are or were in the custody of a nonrelative when they turned eighteen

Last year on July 19, 2013, we wrote about the Tampa Bay Rays' Guardian ad Litem Night and the naming of Rays first baseman James Loney and his wife Nadia as honorary guardians ad litem.

The Loneys had established a partnership with the Guardian ad Litem Foundation of Tampa Bay supporting the Sixth Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program. Since that night, the Loneys have been very busy advocating for the those programs and Florida's children, even appearing in several public service announcements on television.

In a follow-up to the 2013 event, the Rays once again hosted the Guardian ad Litem Foundation on Sunday, August 3, 2014. As the Loneys were honored for their efforts as honorary guardians ad litem, they surprised Executive Director Alan Abramowitz with a $70,000 check for the Foundation.

You can see a photograph of the big surprise and read Abramowitz's press release below.

GAL Program thanks Tampa Bay Rays Organization for GAL Day at Tropicana and for a $70,000 donation to GAL Foundation of Tampa Bay
by Alan Abramowitz

Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Press Release

James and Nadia Loney were honored as an "Honorary Guardian ad Litem" on Sunday, August 3, 2014. James and his wife Nadia are featured in public service announcements to recruit volunteer guardians to advocate for children and Nadia has been very involved with the Program this past year.

"Each day, GAL volunteers help shape the future and create hope for the children of Florida who have been abused and neglected. Their work is a pursuit of the heart. There are many people in the community who work tirelessly for Florida's children; James and Nadia's work for children is also a pursuit of the heart. The Guardian ad Litem Program recognizes James and Nadia as an Honorary Guardian ad Litem with gratitude for their contribution to children," stated Executive Director, Alan Abramowitz.

In a surprise pre-game ceremony, Rays first baseman James Loney and his wife Nadia presented a check for $70,000 to the Guardian ad Litem Foundation of Tampa Bay. The funds have been awarded by the Rays Baseball Foundation through the Loneys' yearly contribution to the Rays official charity.

The Guardian ad Litem Foundation of Tampa Bay provides financial assistance to the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program. Guardian ad Litem is a partnership of community advocates and professional staff who provide a powerful voice on behalf of abused and neglected children. The state now has over 10,000 volunteers with over 9,200 whom give abused and neglected children a voice.

The $70,000 donation is the largest ever received by the Guardian ad Litem Foundation of Tampa Bay.

"The Guardian ad Litem Foundation is so thankful to James and Nadia Loney and the Rays for all they do to help abused children who have been removed from their homes," said Sue Neville, Master Guardian ad Litem and Interim Board President of the Guardian ad Litem Foundation of Tampa Bay. "This generous gift from the Loneys will help us to meet their social, emotional, educational and health needs."

Since joining the Rays in 2013, the Loneys have been supporters of Guardian ad Litem. "It's great for everybody," said James Loney. "Nadia was very involved in the Program last year and saw firsthand what they really needed. I hope that this will make a real impact on the organization."

For additional information about Florida's Guardian ad Litem Program, visit www.guardianadlitem.org.

A local community supporter is on a mission to ensure that children represented by the Second Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program have the school supplies that they need.

The annual Farmers and Merchants Bank school supply drive collects notebooks, paper, pencils, erasers, crayons, backpacks and other items suitable for elementary, middle and high school students.

Contributions are then picked up by Child Advocates II volunteers, delivered to our office and then distributed to children and families.

To participate, bring your new items to one of four Farmers and Merchants Bank branches in Tallahassee and leave them in the decorated box in the lobby.

Donations for this year's drive are being accepted through Friday, August 8, 2014.

If you still need to buy supplies, today is the last day to take advantage of Florida's back to school sales tax holiday. No state or local tax will be collected on qualifying school supplies, clothing and computer items purchased through 11:59 PM tonight.

Farmers and Merchants Bank is not the only community supporter getting in the school spirit on behalf of our program's children.

Child Advocates II recently kicked off the Beyond the Basics drive to fund activities and provide items that enrich a child's school experience.

Cash and gift card donations made to Beyond the Basics will support things like athletics, band, cheerleading, field trips and other school activities.

For more information about Beyond the Basics, visit gal2.org/beyond.

Thank you to Farmers and Merchants Bank, Child Advocates II and all of our generous contributors!