https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/ Caring Connections- inbox Serving the communities of Bellflower and Lakewood since 1992

January 2016 Holidays May Be Over But

Mission Statement: Gratitude Never Is Our commitment is to be a bridge to a healthy and The holiday season has come to an end and while we are all thinking of the New Year successful future for children and families ahead, Caring Connections wants to thank all of the schools, organizations, service clubs, of the Bellflower Unified churches, and volunteers for making the holidays a little bit brighter for families. School District November and December can be some of the busiest times of the year for case managers. In addition to their normal workload they are helping hundreds of families with the special events that are sponsored by so many in the community. Thank you to the 2015-2016 following for working with Caring Connections to serve the students and families of the Executive Board Bellflower Unified School District: Members • Bellflower Volunteer Center • Warrior Center Church Nichole McGahey • Rotary Club of Bellflower Encounter Church • Lakewood Project Shepherd • Bellflower Noon Lions Club • Supervisor Don Knabe Doug Easer • Bellflower Masonic Lodge Bellflower Rotary Club • Bellflower Family Lions Club • Hollywood Sports Park • Rosewood Church Jeanette Gosden • Kingdom Causes Consultant • Bellflower Kiwanis Club • Bellflower Elks Club • BUSD district office, schools Cindy VanMeeveren and PTA’s Bellflower Volunteer • Encounter Church

Center Whether it was a Christmas event, donation, or adopting a family, it all makes a

Chrissy Padilla Birkey difference and we are extremely grateful for the generosity. Caring Connections wishes Kingdom Causes you all a happy, prosperous, and fun-filled new year ahead, and we look forward to working on future partnerships and programs to serve our students and families! Renett Banagas Community Services Coordinator

John J. Gunther Blue Ribbon Practices in Community Development Award

Association of School Administrators Partners in Education Excellence Award

Greater LA Federal Executive Board Partnership Award

California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award for Partnerships & Collaboratives

Caring Connections is a non- profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to serving the needs of children and families of the Bellflower Unified School District. For more information contact Caring Connections at (562) 866-9011 ext. 2092. JANUARY 2016 www.caringconnectionsonline.com PAGE 2

Special thanks to the Covered CA Enrollment Event BUSD Case Managers for the generous Congresswoman Linda Sánchez donations of refreshments at this in collaboration with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard month’s meeting. invite you to attend a Covered CA Enrollment Event on:

Saturday, January 16, 2016 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. We appreciate At John S. Simms Park Auditorium Starbucks located at 14301 Bellflower Blvd. 16614 S. Clark Avenue for the donation of Bellflower, CA 90706 delicious coffee! Come and learn about health care coverage (including Medi-Cal) and speak to a certified enrollment counselor to find out what services you may qualify for. Admission is FREE 2015- 2016 Case Managers but an RSVP is necessary. Please RSVP at http://RepLindaSanchez.eventbrite.com or by calling (562) 860-5050. The deadline for open enrollment is January 31. For more Myra Rodriguez information on Covered CA please visit www.coveredca.com. Albert Baxter Elementary (562) 531-1602 ext.6358 Walgreens will be providing FREE flu shots at this event Edna Amezcua Craig Williams Elementary for those who are uninsured/underinsured. (562) 804-6540 ext. 7120

Sailly Grkinich Ernie Pyle Elementary City of Bellflower (562) 804-6528 ext. 6865 Spring Basket Program Eileen Velasquez Stephen Foster Elementary (562) 804-6518 ext. 6460 Cindy VanMeeveren at the Bellflower Volunteer Center is Intensive Learning Center reaching out to community agencies, churches and service (562) 633-2096 ext.7010 clubs to provide Easter baskets for children from low-income Lupe Valdivia-Gomez families. This is the eighth year Cindy has coordinated this Frank E. Woodruff Elementary program. Last year Cindy put together over 466 baskets from (562) 804-6545 ext. 7297 the family referrals that case managers provided to her. Caring Ana Perez Connections is helping in this effort by raising funds to Ramona Elementary (562) 804-6532 ext. 6996 purchase books and school supplies to be included in these baskets. If you are interested in donating items or would like Estella Delgado more information, please contact Cindy at (562) 925-9003. Thomas Jefferson Elementary (562) 804-6521 ext. 6501 Donation items may include: school supplies, books, toiletries, socks, games, puzzles, toys and candy. All donations must be Norma Montes Washington Elementary received by March 11. (562) 804-6535 ext. 5007

Jeanine Williams Esther Lindstrom Elementary Community Events (562) 804-6525 ext. 6767 • Cesar Rangel Woodruff Well-Child Clinic The Clinic will be held on Wednesday, January 20, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. for students enrolled in BUSD (562) 920-1801 ext. 3044 who have no insurance coverage and are in need of a physical or have a minor illness. Please call to make an appointment at (562) 866-9011 ext. 2092.

Myra Rodriguez • Mayfair Middle School City of Bellflower BRAVO Awards (562) 925-9981 ext. 4442 The City invites you to attend the Bellflower BRAVO awards that will be held on Thursday, February 4, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Jane Bristol Auditorium located inside Bellflower City Hall. These awards Socorro Melgarejo recognize individuals in the community who performed outstanding acts of valor, heroism, and Mayfair High School community service to support public safety. For more information please call (562) 804-1424 (562) 925-9981 ext. 4441 ext. 2267.

Eileen Velasquez • C.M. Brakensiek Library Royalty Tea Party Somerset High School On Saturday, January 16, at 2:00 p.m., Miss Bellflower and her court will be having tea time and (562) 804-6548 ext. 6252 storytime for little princesses and princes. Come dressed up and enjoy treats. For more information, contact (562) 925-5543. Mary Ball BAE Center

(562) 356-9904 ext. 7496 https://facebook.com/caringconnectionsbellflower https://twitter.com/ccbellflower

Our next Caring Connections meeting is Tuesday, February 9, 2016