Children’s Mental Health Week is coming – May 7 – 13th. This is an important week where we are able to bring awareness to mental health issues for children and youth, promote wellness for families, and recognize the dedication of those supporting families in the mental health industry.

Carizon partners this week with others in the mental health field to present some events and activities during the week to celebrate and is also joining in a social media campaign to inspire conversation during the week about mental health and wellness.

Events:
Saturday, May 5 – PCMH Family Engagement Conference
Sunday, May 6 – Lutherwood Steps for Kids
Tuesday, May 8 – Carizon and Grand River Hospital’s Mindful Mornings Event
Tuesday, May 8 – OK2BME LGBTQ+ Youth Group Real Talk
Wednesday, May 9 – SafeTalk, Grand River Collegiate
Thursday, May 10 – SafeTalk, KCI
Saturday, May 12 – Positive Parenting Fun in the Mud Family Play

Join the Conversation Throughout the Week Using These Hashtags:
Monday, May 7 – #MindfulMonday
Tuesday, May 8 – #TalkTuesday
Wednesday, May 9 – #WearItWednesday
Thursday, May 10 – #ThankfulThursday
Friday, May 11 – #FunFriday

Wellbeing includes such things as: feeling safe, feeling connected to your community, being able to participate fully in the activities you love, and access to quality food and shelter, public transportation, the Internet, parks and the natural environment, clean water and healthcare.

The community is being asked to help determine priorities by participating in a community-wide wellbeing survey. The goal is to help with future planning and, ultimately, improve wellbeing in our community. This Waterloo Region Survey, funded by the Waterloo Region LHIN, Regional and local governments and community agencies, is requesting that one person (16 years of age or older) from households in Waterloo Region take the survey.

Please participate and complete a survey. Promote this survey with your family and friends in The Region. The more voices heard from, the better! There are also prizes to be won from participating!

The wellbeing survey is voluntary and anonymous.

Kick start your morning and recognize Mental Health Week at Mindful Mornings, a collaboration between Grand River Hospital Foundation and Carizon. The breakfast event features guest speaker Steven Page, co-founder of The Barenaked Ladies, who now boasts an impressive solo career. With wit and passion, Steven speaks about mental health challenges and ending the stigma associated with mental illness. Proceeds will support both organizations and the greatest needs in their mental health programs.

Mindful Mornings
May 8, 2018
Catalyst137
137 Glasgow St, Kitchener, ON

Sponsorships for Mindful Mornings are now available.

Individual tickets on sale April 10th.

Carizon offers a wide range of group programs for men, women, children and youth. Spring 2018 group times are now scheduled. Registration is required for all groups, including groups with no fee. For more information on any group, please contact us at 519-743-6333. Unless otherwise indicated, group programs are based on a sliding fee scale. Course material charges may apply to some groups.

Carizon is offering a series of four workshops to help individuals manage life transitions. Workshops have no fee, but registration is required.

Dealing with Difficult People
The world is full of difficult people…co-workers, customers, neighbours, family and ourselves. They cannot always be avoided. It’s easy to over-react to difficult people, which leads to a stressful and conflicted situation. This workshop will help you develop strategies in dealing with difficult people..
Thursday, April 12 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Register Now.

A Fresh Start: Setting Goals & Making Changes
Whether you want to break old habits, start something new, or make a positive change in your life, this workshop is for you. Together we’ll learn how to set positive, empowering, realistic goals, and gather the tools we need to achieve them. Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we will learn how to turn New Year’s resolutions into healthy, long-term changes.
Monday, April 16, 5:30 -8:30 pm
Register Now.

Money Matters
This workshop helps participants to learn about budgeting and financial literacy as individuals move through life’s many stages.
Monday, April 30, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Register Now.

Work/Life Balance
When life gets complicated, and it does when we play many different roles – workers, parents, spouses, friends and caregivers – we need to make room in our lives for taking care of our own physical and mental well-being. Not surprisingly, achieving balance among all those competing priorities is difficult. This workshop will help you develop strategies to find greater balance..
Tuesday, May 8, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Register Now.

Last Fall, Carizon established a new way of delivering mental health services to young children and their families. This evolution led to the transition from our residential model for children, age 12 and under, to an in-home and community-based model.

We are pleased to announce that Carizon has officially branded the new model the “Polaris Program.” The name was selected through a series of focus groups and with the input of parents. The team liked the symbolism behind “Polaris” – a bright central star that seems to have other stars rotating around it – emulating wrapping services around the family. They also liked that Polaris has a smaller star beside it, representing the adult and the child within the families we support. This symbol speaks to our placing the family at the centre of all that we do at Carizon.

Social Work week in Ontario is being celebrated March 5th – 11th. Carizon recognizes and celebrates the amazing contribution of our Social Workers and the difference they make in the lives of children, youth, adults and families!

The theme for Social Work week is “Social Workers on the Front Line of Real Issues.”

Happy #SocialWorkWeek to all of our Carizon Social Workers who help turn issues into answers every day!

Family Compass (FamilyCompassWR.ca) launched February 12! Offering a one-stop website to guide families and youth to local services that meet their needs, Family Compass includes a brand new tool, the first of its kind in Waterloo Region. This website will be a new go-to site for finding community-based services and supports for parents, youth and children in Waterloo Region. Visitors to Family Compass will have 3 “doors” to choose from when they visit the site: Search for Services, I Have a Concern, and Resources for Parents, families will be able to connect to information and resources, any time, anywhere.

We know that February can be a tough month for feeling the winter blahs. At Carizon, we want to help counter those winter blahs by promoting activities of self-care. Check out this blog for some tips on activities that you can incorporate in the month of February – and all year long – for your emotional, physical, social and financial well-being.

We’ve also designated Wednesday, February 21st as “Me Day.” We’re proposing that members of our community do at least one thing on February 21st that is dedicated to their self-care and to share it with us on Twitter @carizon and use the hashtag #MEdayWR. We all know that we cannot take care of others if we do not take care of ourselves. So on February 21st, let’s walk that talk.

Family Day is a day when we celebrate families and spend time together as we cherish our relationships with the people that mean the most to us. Many families, however, face difficult struggles and need professional help to overcome or address these challenges. On Family Day, please consider helping families by donating to Carizon’s programs and services. You can make a difference.

January 31st is Bell Let’s Talk Day. Every time you talk, text, and join in on social media on January 31st, Bell will donate 5 cents more to mental health initiatives. This includes Retweets. Carizon has a series of tweets on mental health that we are sending out on Bell Let’s Talk day. Please watch for them and retweet away! @carizon #BellLetsTalk

Carizon’s CEO, Tracy Elop, was one of the presenters at the January 19th all-party committee of MPPs. MPPs heard the budget wishes of groups representing diverse interests, such as education, health care, agriculture, transportation, labour and business. Tracy spoke about the need to provide sustainable funding for children’s mental health so we can meet the demand for services, respond to diverse and complex circumstances, reduce wait times and retain highly-skilled professionals.

Long and McQuade held another successful fundraising drive this year during the holiday season, locally raising $1725 to advance music therapy at Carizon.  This was part of a cross-country Long & McQuade Music Therapy Fundraising initiative that continues to raise funds annually to support numerous charities. This year, Long and McQuade surpassed the $1 million mark in fundraising for music therapy at children’s hospitals and centres across the country.

In music therapy, children use improvisation and song-writing as tools to connect with and communicate their feelings. Sharing musical experiences with another person builds a powerful therapeutic relationship that highlights the strengths of the child. These experiences alone build personal confidence and develop the child’s capacity to manage challenges.

Carizon is so grateful to Long &McQuade for leading this initiative and to their customers that have so generously supported the children in our programs that benefit from music therapy.

Do you have a child or youth who is not moving past a difficult situation? Do you have questions about how to help your child or youth cope with their feelings after difficult situations?

Front Door offers an educational workshop for parents/caregivers of children and youth who have experienced trauma. The purpose for this workshop is to assist parents/caregivers with understanding trauma and what it means to parent their child from a trauma-informed perspective.

Upcoming Workshop Dates:

Thursday, January 18; 6 – 8 pm
Location: Carizon Family and Community Services, 645 Westmount Rd. E., Kitchener N2E 3S3
Register Online

Thursday, March 1; 6 – 8 pm
Centennial Public School, 100 Weaver St., Cambridge N3C 1W4
Register Online

Interpreters provided upon request.

For More Information or To Register for One of the Above Dates: Contact 519-749-2932 and press 2 to speak with reception.

The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation recently issued their latest edition of their annual Community Impact Report. Learn more about the numbers they collected, the voices they heard and a small sampling of the stories their grantees shared this year, including a story about Carizon’s hosting of Connectivity KW4. Carizon is proud to host Connectivity KW4, a collaboration of 30 local agencies that support at-risk individuals in our community.

Derek Vollebregt interviews Carizon CEO Tracy Elop. Learn more about Tracy’s passion for community service and her family’s year of travelling the world.

Thank you to all of our supporters for Giving Tuesday donations! If you missed participating in Giving Tuesday, you can still support Carizon’s holiday campaign. Check our Donation page and support kids, parents and families! Together, we can build strong communities.

As we enter the holiday season, in the spirit of giving, Carizon is launching its holiday campaign, highlighting our community services programs in vulnerable neighbourhoods. You can help children, youth and families to be successful in all aspects of life and strengthen families and communities.

The campaign will be launched in celebration of Giving Tuesday and the holiday season. We all have a role to play in making life a safe, happy and healthy experience for all children and youth. Donations mean that Carizon can support children, youth and families.

Giving Tuesday is coming on November 28th. Join the Global Giving Movement that showcases how much Canada cares and how we all can make a difference.  Carizon will be celebrating Giving Tuesday as we launch our holiday campaign, highlighting our supportive programs in vulnerable communities. You can support our Waterloo Region neighbourhoods by donating to Carizon. Jump on the giving bandwagon and donate to Carizon.

As you move through all of life’s stages, your financial needs and responsibilities evolve. This workshop will help individuals to learn about the importance of budgeting and financial literacy through life’s many transitions.

Attend this free two-hour session to learn:

• How to set financial goals
• How to track your finances
• Budgeting tips and advice
• Choosing the right type of credit
• Understanding your credit score

Workshop: 
Monday, November 20, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Carizon Family and Community Services, 400 Queen Street South, Kitchener
Register: 519-743-6333

Sponsored by: Hoyes, Michalos and Associates

Workshop on November 20th

CMHA Waterloo Wellington (through Here 24/7) is launching Big White Wall (BWW) to offer support to Waterloo Wellington residents outside of a clinical setting. Open to anyone aged 16 years and older, BWW provides safe, anonymous, online support at all hours of the day, with a supportive community, information and self-help resources, and trained counsellors online at all times.This initiative complements existing services for people already connected to services and supports people waiting to be connected in order to make mental health support and treatment more readily available to the people of Waterloo Wellington. The non-crisis service  helps residents get support, take control, and feel better – no matter where they are. BWW provides 24/7 peer and professional support (with trained counsellors online at all times), plus a range of wellbeing tools to help people self-manage – from guided therapeutic groups to self-directed workshops. This service is safe and anonymous, offering users the security to work on recovery in a private, discreet setting.

On September 29, 2017, Kitchener Pathways students had the honour of attending Canada 2020’s luncheon event with President Obama today at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Pathways Canada has partnered with Canada 2020 to provide 50 Pathways students from Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener and Kingston with this amazing opportunity to hear from one of the most inspiring leaders of our generation.

Graduating from secondary school can be a challenging time for teens and their families because of the “big decisions” which need to be made. Carizon offers two concurrent workshops – one for the upcoming graduates and one for parents – to help them navigate this confusing transition period.

After Graduation Workshop
Guiding Your Graduate Workshop
Tuesday, November 7, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Carizon Family and Community Services, 400 Queen Street S., Kitchener
Register: 519-743-6333

A group of Guelph kids baked cookies and raised $171 at their goodies stand in support of Carizon and mental health. These kids are awesome and inspiring in their desire to help others. Thank you from Carizon!!!

Our MATCHING DONOR Removed the Ceiling and will Match ALL Donations over $30,000.

Last Friday, we announced that we had a matching donor for the next $10,000 we raised over $30,000! Our matching donor was so impressed that we raised $8000 additional dollars in just one weekend, that they removed the $10,000 ceiling and will match every dollar raised over $30,000!!!

Today we are at $39,000, but the sky is the limit. Once we pass $40,000, we still double all donations thanks to our generous matching donor!

What a great investment and a great incentive to encourage our donors to give!

We have 4 days until the ride! How far can we climb???!!!

WE HAVE A MATCHING DONOR FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE RAISE OVER $30,000.

Today we hit a milestone of raising $30,000 in our Ride for Refuge campaign. As added incentive to raise even more dollars to help us deliver our programs and services to this community, a matching donor has stepped up to the plate and said they will match every dollar raised above $30,000 to a maximum of $10,000! So, if we get to $40,000 in dollars raised through our Ride for Refuge campaign – we really will have raised $50,000!

What a great investment and a great incentive to encourage our donors to give!

We can do it together!!! Let’s show everyone that we have it in us and get to $40,000!!!

Carizon is offering a new clinical group called “Healing through Yoga and Mindfulness.”  Through simple postures, breathing and mindfulness-based practices, this experiential group will help participants to cultivate greater overall awareness of the mind and body connection and practices that support emotional healing. Individuals will gain new tools and skills to better manage their mood, regulate their emotions, reduce stress and build emotional resilience.

This fall group is held on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 – 7 p.m. beginning on September 27 and running until December 6, 2017. Call 519-743-6333 for information or registration. Fees are based on a sliding scale.

Support Carizon by starting, joining or sponsoring a team in this year’s Ride for Refuge. The ride takes place on September 30th. Check out this video and join us for a beautiful fall day in Waterloo County while helping us to strengthen our community! Register today at: https://rideforrefuge.org/register.

Carizon was honoured and excited to be part of the @LibroKW Roadshow where they delivered more than $450k in community grants across #swOnt #prosperhere

The $20,000 grant for Carizon will help us to deliver credit counselling and money management support in our community neighbourhoods that need it the most. Thank you Libro for all you do to strengthen individuals, families and community!

Cambridge Times and Kitchener Post recently published an article on Carizon’s pilot project that established a multidisciplinary approach to helping children in our Encompass Learning program. An Ontario Trillium Foundation grant allowed us to deliver a comprehensive system of assessment that included professionals like occupational therapists, psychologists and speech and language therapists.

Bob Wilson, a clinical counsellor at Carizon, was interviewed by Kathryn Storring for an article entitled “Beyond Stress” in the July/August issue of Grand Magazine.

You can learn more about managing anxiety in this feature.

Carizon is participating in the 2017 Ride for Refuge on September 30th. We are encouraging as many folks as possible to sign up for this Fall event! You will not only have a great day of camaraderie cycling in our glorious Region, but you will also support Carizon and the children, youth and families we help every day!

You can learn more by visiting the Ride for Refuge website and, specifically our Carizon page, to either start your own team in support of Carizon, join an existing team, or sponsor a rider. If you would prefer not to cycle, but would still like to get involved, you can participate in the walking option on event day. We hope to see you on September 30th!

On Friday, June 30th at 12 noon, Jonatan Ulloa, Student Support Worker and Alison Valencia, Pathways Alumna, visited Mike Farwell at 570 News. Listen to the podcast and learn more about the impact of this successful program offered in Kitchener in partnership with Carizon.

Carizon shares the story of one child, Natalie, in this two-minute video that relates the impact of a multi-disciplinary approach to helping children that face mental health challenges.

Today, Carizon shared the results of a pilot project that established a multidisciplinary team approach to helping children with mental health challenges. An Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant allowed for the delivery of a comprehensive system of assessment that included professionals like occupational therapists, psychologists and speech and language therapists, to share their expertise so that the children could experience greater success in their learning environment. Local MPP Mike Harris’ representative, Meghan Martin, and OTF Grant Review Team member Gebre Berihun were on hand to congratulate Carizon’s staff on this project and learn more about how it made a difference in the lives of the children.

We know that the summer break can be a challenge for families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, so the Encompass Program at Carizon created a camp that supports the kids and helps the parents to relax, knowing that their children are in good hands. Our trained professionals have the skills, experience and expertise to provide a specialized camp that is safe, therapeutic and fun.

The camp provides opportunities for children ages 8-12 to experience indoor and outdoor play, creativity, and skill development.

The camp will run August 21-25.

For more information, parents can check out the camp flyer via the link below.

Notice: Due to Road Construction, access to our parking lot at our Front Door and Community Services offices at 1770 King Street may be blocked. Alternative access can be found through the plaza parking lot at the corner of Weber St and Montgomery Rd.

Children’s Mental Health Week is being celebrated the week of May 1 – 7, 2017. Carizon is partnering with Lutherwood, KW Counselling, CMHA, Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council, the Waterloo Region District School Board and Waterloo Catholic District School Board to deliver a number of events during the week.

SAFETALK WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
Tuesday, May 2, 5:30-9:00 pm
Lutherwood, 285 Benjamin Road, Waterloo
Shawna Percy leads a half-day suicide-awareness workshop that prepares participants to notice signs where suicide thoughts might be present, respond to invitations for help and connect people with local resources. Suitable for parents, friends and caregivers, this workshop is offered at a discounted rate of $25 by Lutherwood and Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council. Limit of 30.
Register at: www.shawnapercy.com

CLINT MALARCHUK: THE CRAZY GAME
Wednesday, May 3, 7:00-8:30 pm
Bingemans Embassy Room, 425 Bingemans Centre Dr, Kitchener
Former NHL goalie turned mental health advocate, Clint Malarchuk shares his extraordinary and heart wrenching life story – which includes his long battle with alcoholism and his attempt to end his life – in his relentless effort to end the stigma around mental illness and offer hope to others! His devoted wife Joanie shares her perspective as his rock and caregiver through some very difficult years. Sponsored by Carizon, Lutherwood and Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council.
$10 per ticket.
Register at: Eventbrite

ROOM TO BREATHE: MINDFULNESS MOVIE AND PANEL DISCUSSION
Thursday May 4, 7:00-8:30 pm
Kitchener Public Library, 85 Queen St N, Kitchener
Room To Breathe is a movie about using mindfulness in a challenging school environment. With a backdrop of high stress and anxiety levels, limited student focus and increasing suspensions and dropouts, overwhelmed administrators introduce mindfulness to provide students with the social, emotional and attentional skills that they need to succeed. Following the movie screening, a panel will discuss their experiences with mindfulness and introduce participants to mindfulness practices that parents/caregivers can try at home. Free admission. Limited seating.
Register at: Eventbrite

Carizon is looking for Board Directors with a passion for community service and a willingness to increase Carizon’s profile in the Region of Waterloo. Interested candidates with expertise in fund development, marketing and branding, risk management, or board governance are welcome to apply.

Interested candidates are encouraged to attend Carizon information sessions to be held at the following times at the Carizon head office at 400 Queen Street South in Kitchener:

• Thursday, March 30th from 4:30pm to 6pm in Room 119
• Wednesday, April 19th from 4:30 to 6pm in the Sehl Room

March 6 – 12, 2017 Ontario celebrates Social Workers’ Week. This year’s theme is “Social Workers: Real Expertise. Real Life. Real Impact.”

We recognize the amazing outcomes for children, individuals and families thanks to the work and dedication of our fabulous social workers at Carizon.

Check out the Ontario Association of Social Worker’s latest video that celebrates social workers:

Carizon Family and Community Services has launched a new tagline – “Inspiring Hope and Wellness in Our Community.”

Since a 2013 amalgamation process that resulted in the formation of Carizon, many have asked, “what exactly does Carizon do?” As a multi-service organization that provides therapeutic, supportive and preventative programs, this question doesn’t summon a simple answer. By establishing a tagline,

Carizon hopes to spark further conversation about how we inspire hope and wellness in our community.

The Carizon tagline came out of an engagement process with stakeholders, including staff, Board and community members.

So why this tagline?

• The tagline includes words from the Carizon vision: Hope, Wellness, Community.
• The word “Inspiring” adds an action that reflects how Carizon works alongside people to help them find the strength, skills and resilience to achieve wellness.
• The tagline also highlights “Our Community” expressing Carizon’s commitment to serving our neighbours in this Region.

Carizon celebrated the opening of our new operating location at 645 Westmount Road East at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, February 23rd.We were pleased to highlight our Pathways to Education program that is delivered from this site. As part of the celebration, we heard from two of our Pathways students, Idman Burhaan and Asia Maria Masengesho, who both shared their inspiring stories and experiences with the Pathways program. In addition, Chair Ken Seiling brought greetings from the Region. Amanda Hostler from MPP Kathryn McGarry’s office and Carly Pettinger from MPP Catherine Fife’s office joined in the celebration as well.  At the event, Carizon also unveiled its new tagline: Inspiring Hope and Wellness in our Community. The Record was present and shared our story community-wide.

Thanks to a new opportunity funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, Front Door is making children’s mental health services more accessible to rural communities in North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Front Door works with children and youth to build, strengthen and sustain mental wellness.

Rural appointments are available as follows:

Mondays:

• The North Dumfries Community Health Centre, a satellite of Langs, Ayr

Tuesdays:

• Wellesley Township Community Health Centre

Thursdays:

• Interfaith Counselling Centre, New Hamburg
• Woolwich Counselling Centre, Elmira

This single session consultation and access service will be offered in the heart of our rural communities by simply calling Front Door at 519-749-2932 to arrange an appointment on the scheduled day. Experienced counsellors can help identify issues and equip families with tools and strategies to address concerns such as behaviour, emotional state, self-harm, unsafe activities, conflicts at home, troubles at school, struggles with peers or a mental health diagnosis. Counsellors can also provide access to more intensive mental health services if needed.

Carizon is now offering Tuesday Walk-in Counselling at 400 Queen Street South. From 12 – 6 p.m. These 90 minute walk-in sessions will help individuals address a wide range of life’s challenges.

The goal is to respond to individuals with a plan on how they can begin to work toward practical solutions and establish a wider range of coping skills.

Like our counselling fees, walk-in sessions will be delivered on a sliding scale basis dependent on household income. Clients may have coverage for services through employment, insurance or a funding source.

Thank you to all who supported our Carizon holiday campaign. Your gift helps us make a difference in the lives of kids, parents and families in our community. As we strengthen each individual and family, we build communities of wellness!

The KW Chamber of Commerce holds an Annual Business Excellence Awards Gala recognizing Chamber members who have made exceptional contributions through their involvement and leadership in the community. Carizon has been nominated in the Non-Profit/Charitable Awards category. Learn more about the Gala by clicking on the link below.

Please support Carizon as part of your holiday giving.

We are in the final stretch of our holiday campaign – but we still need your help! When you donate to Carizon, you strengthen families in your community! Read Carizon’s stories on how our programs and services have made a difference.

CTV News Reporter Nicole Lampa is featuring a series on Children’s Mental Health. The first of the series was aired on Thursday, December 8th and highlighted Front Door. Check out the link below.

Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario) recently announced the election of 59 members as Fellows, including Carizon’s CEO Tracy Elop. This considerable achievement recognizes leading accountants for their professional accomplishments and contribution to their community. Fellows are bestowed with the right to use the prestigious FCPA designation, the profession’s highest distinction.

“We are extremely proud to count these Fellows as members of the accounting profession,” said Carol Wilding, FCPA, FCA, President and CEO of CPA Ontario. “Each and every one of them have made a valuable contribution to their companies and their communities and their achievements reflect the depth and diversity of the profession and the opportunity it affords to make a difference.”

“It is a unique privilege for members of our profession to receive the FCPA distinction,” said Johanne Charbonneau, FCPA, FCGA, Chair of CPA Ontario’s Council. “Fellows are nominated and elected by their peers in recognition of their outstanding achievements, and this year’s exceptional cohort reflects the breadth and talent of our profession as well as the esteem with which they are held.”

Congratulations, Tracy, on receiving this honour!

Why is a health and social service initiative featured in a magazine that is touted as the voice of Canada’s environmental community? The most recent issue of AJ (Alternatives Journal) shares the story of The Connectivity Table, “a groundbreaking new solution that asks agencies to pool their expertise to provide innovative responses to high-risk situations.” The article is included among a slate of features about community development. This special issue was developed in collaboration with The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation (The KWCF) in a shared journey of exploring the concept of “belonging.” AJ’s team wondered if the community-building stories about enhancing a sense of belonging could be transferable to the Canadian environmental community. “Nearly a half century young,” says AJ Publisher David McConnachie, “our movement is only beginning to understand the importance of collective impacts and unified voices.”

Carizon is pleased to announce that The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation has awarded the agency a Smart and Caring Community Grant to assist us in furthering the working of Connectivity Kitchener, serving Kitchener, Waterloo, Wilmot, Woolwich and Wellesley. Connectivity brings health and social service agencies and Waterloo Region Police Service to a weekly meeting to proactively address situations of elevated risk and mobilize supports in a timely and collaborative approach.

Connectivity aligns with The KWCF’s commitment to build our sense of belonging through collaboration. Connectivity is helping to strengthen families’ and individuals’ sense of belonging by connecting them to treatment and supports they need.

September 9^th is FASD Awareness Day – a time to remind everyone that there is no safe time, and no safe amount of alcohol consumption in pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the term used to describe the range of birth defects caused by alcohol use in pregnancy. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol it crosses the placenta and can affect the developing brain and organs of the unborn baby. 50% of pregnancies are unplanned so it is critical that anyone who might get pregnant goes alcohol free. If you drink alcohol, always use a reliable form of birth control to prevent an alcohol exposed pregnancy.

Organizations and individuals from across Waterloo Region have developed an integrated strategy to address FASD. Check it out on September 9^th at www.FASDWaterlooRegion.ca. This strategy lays the framework for FASD prevention, assessment, intervention and support.

Changing schools can be a stressful and anxiety provoking experience for some students. The Leader in Me is a unique group that helps students to prepare for transitioning into a new school environment. Through fun, cooperative, indoor/ outdoor games and confidence building activities, students will develop leadership skills, improve their self esteem,and gain communication skills in order to build new relationships. Students will also learn effective strategies to decrease stress and to help them cope through new situations.

For Students Going into Grade 7 – August 8 – 12, 1 – 4 p.m.

For Students Going into Grade 9 – August 15 – 19, 1-4 p.m.

On Thursday, June 9th, two of our senior volunteers, Helen Wikki and Elaine McNeil, were honoured at the Salute to Seniors event at Kitchener City Hall. In addition, we were pleased to see a former long-time volunteer, Marnie Wharnsby recognized at this event. Kitchener Mayor Dave Jaworsky presented them with certificates.

Helen Wikki has been volunteering with Busy Babies since 2006 helping out our child minding staff with the preschool children. She is the first one at Knox every week. Her energy and compassion is inspirational! Three Carizon staff were present to honour Helen’s dedication to our program: Judy Hurst, CAPC/CPNP Coordinator, Linnea Walter, facilitator, Michelle Hirtle, Childcare Supervisor.

Elaine McNeil has been volunteering as a tutor in the Pathways to Education Program at Carizon for the past 3 ½ years. The students with whom she works, have come to love her patience and understanding as she helps them to gain confidence in their academics and their English skills. Corrie-Ann Snow was also present to honour her commitment to the Pathways program.

Marnie Wharnsby has been a long-time Carizon volunteer, playing a key role in many past fundraising events for over 12 years, and is a friend of both Helen and Elaine. Elaine, Helen and Marnie are pictured here.

Breanna Sweers has been a volunteer at Carizon in our Growing Healthy Two-gether Program over the past couple years. GHT is a community services program dedicated to helping pregnant women have healthy babies. They provide nutritional information, support from health care professionals and community connections. Breanna was a volunteer in the Cambridge program at Langs (1 of 4 locations where Carizon delivers this program).

Breanna also works at The Keg. She discovered that working evenings allowed her day-time hours where she could dedicate some time and make a difference in her community. “My biggest motivation for volunteering was my belief in the cause. Being a child of a young and single mother, I see the power in reaching out to the women in our community to strengthen and support them, promoting healthy development of children.”

The Keg also values volunteerism and community involvement. Across the company they look for “Keggers” that give back to their communities. The Keg selects 4 Chairman Award winners who demonstrate this quality and then The Keg donates to their charity of choice. While Breanna was not one of the four, she did win an Honourable Mention, chose Carizon as her charity of choice and The Keg has donated $1000 towards our GHT program.

“We have chosen to use the funds to print copies of our recently updated cookbook “Cooking Healthy Two-gether” for our prenatal participants,” says Program Coordinator Judy Hurst. “This way our participants have copies of the snacks we serve at our program and it also encourages them to eat healthily during their pregnancy and beyond.”

Carizon congratulates Breanna on her Honourable Mention and thanks her for both volunteering and choosing Carizon as her charity of choice!

Pathways 6th Annual Graduation was held on Wednesday, June 1st at the Victoria Park Pavilion. With approximately 200 people in attendance, the night celebrated the many achievements and accomplishments of this year’s 124 graduates. The highlight of the night was when each graduate took the stage to share their future plans and receive their Pathways diploma!

During his congratulatory address to the students on behalf of the volunteers, Bharat Patel shared the following heartfelt message about why he volunteers:

“I think the most frequent question students ask me, other than ‘Can you help me with my homework?’ is ‘Why do you volunteer?’ So much of the answer is the feeling I have right here, right now. Why do I volunteer? To walk alongside incredible students as they march toward their future. Why do I volunteer? To see them blossom into stand-up contributors to society. Why do I volunteer? To slowly chip away at students’ outer guards, and get to know more about them as people. Why do I volunteer? Because what I get back from it is priceless. You may think all this great help with your homework is an incredibly valuable gift. In truth the irreplaceable gift is watching you achieve what you truly thought was impossible, and even more.”

As the evening drew to a close, two of our graduates shared these inspirational messages with their peers:

“Of course, I’m still learning and I’m definitely not perfect. Don’t forget that. All of us are still learning. It takes time. University. College. The workplace. Whichever path we follow, we can be sure that it will get hectic, it will get busy, and it will get stressful; but if we seek out a support system and use the right strategies, we can get through it all!”

“We have all worked to reach this point, however, let’s not pretend that this is the end. The hard work really begins now. Some of the most challenging yet rewarding times still await us. Let us take our youthful exuberance and use it to accomplish great things. The key to a better future lies within us and let us not take that responsibility lightly.”

Carizon is very pleased to announce that it has been awarded a four year accreditation by the Canadian Centre for Accreditation (CCA). The programs included in this accreditation are: Child and Youth Mental Health Services, Family Counselling and Groups, and Credit Counselling.

Carizon Family and Community Services is proud to be accredited through the Canadian Centre for Accreditation, in affiliation with the Canadian/Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services. The CCA provides a third-party review based on accepted organizational practices that promote ongoing quality improvement and responsive, effective community services. The review includes an extensive written and on-site evaluation that addresses all aspects of the organization, including governance, management, programs and services.

“There are many benefits that result from undergoing the accreditation process,” says Carizon Board Chair Vivian Zochowski, “including strengthening our organization, building a culture of continuous learning, demonstrating our accountability and implementing evidence-based services and leading practices.”

Carizon attributes its successful accreditation to great teamwork. “Engaging and including our key stakeholders throughout the accreditation process has been critical to our success,” says CEO Tracy Elop. “Our site reviewers also applauded the commitment and dedication of our staff, Board, volunteers and students to serving our clients, to striving for quality improvement, to living the Mission, Vision and Values of the organization and to treating our clients with respect and understanding the vulnerability of the population we serve.”

Carizon expresses thanks to the group of staff from Rogers who came to our St. Agatha site as part of the United Way Day of Caring. They beautified our flower beds, contributing to an attractive and natural environment for both our staff and the kids we serve. Kudos to United Way for this initiative and many thanks to the individuals and organizations that participate! You are awesome!

Carizon Family and Community Services will be at Conestoga Mall in Waterloo this Saturday, May 7th from 9:30 am – 6 pm. We will be one of 12 local agencies that will be sharing information at a Children’s Mental Health Services Expo. This event wraps-up Children’s Mental Health week, which is being celebrated May 1 – 7th.

The theme of the week, “aha! Wellness Works” – is about awareness, help and access to children and youth mental health services. At the mall you will learn about:

• being well
• local community services
• how to get help
• how to help friends
• new supportive apps for you smart phone.

In addition, local 570 News Reporter, Martin Bauman, will be there on his bike trainer, as he prepares to cycle across Canada this summer in supportive of mental health.

JOIN US THIS SATURDAY!

Over the past three years, Manulife has been supporting Pathways to Education Canada. Pathways operates 17 locations nationally, including our Kitchener site at Carizon, supporting more than 5,000 students and 4,000 alumni.

Manulife employees have raised more than $300,000 to date in support of Pathways programs nationally.To further their support, 34 Manulife runners from across Canada are participating in the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 18th. 8 of those runners are from Waterloo Region, including Matt Andrews. These runners are required to raise a minimum of $1700 each to support Pathways, but collectively across Canada have raised about $100,000 this year! Matt alone has raised more than $13,000 for Pathways! Matt was featured on the Local Heroes segment of the 6 pm evening news on CTV, along with our Director of Pathways, Amy Tupling. A shout out to Matt and our local Manulife Boston Marathon runners! Thank you for your dedication and support!!!

Carizon is celebrating our volunteers this week who have contributed over 16,000 hours each year to Carizon clients, programs and services. One such volunteer is Bharat Patel.

Bharat has been volunteering in our Pathways Kitchener program since September 2014. A software engineer by profession, Bharat volunteers multiple nights each week as a volunteer tutor. “I have a pretty good life overall,” says Bharat, “but I felt that something was missing. I figured I’d volunteer to try to fill that void. I always had a passion for learning, and I was always good in academics. So I said to myself, ‘Why not tutoring?’ and tutoring with Pathways has been everything I expected, and so much more!”

Pathways to Education helps youth in low-income communities graduate from high school and successfully transition to post-secondary education or training. Pathways addresses systemic barriers to education by providing leadership, expertise and a community-based program proven to lower dropout rates. Its success is built on the dedication of its volunteer tutors and mentors.

“Bharat has a strong desire to see Pathways students succeed at school and in life and he goes out of his way to ensure that students and other volunteers are comfortable in the tutoring environment,” says Carizon Volunteer Coordinator Dale Gellatly. “He is often the first one to arrive and stays with staff until the last student goes home.”

Bharat recognizes the rewards that come with volunteering. “If you take anything from my tutor experience, know that tutoring is truly life-changing,” says Bharat. “You’ll learn so much more about yourself than you “teach” the students. Most importantly, you’ll see first-hand what difference you can make by helping others.”

To celebrate children’s mental health week (May 1-7), Carizon is joining with other other mental health providers, the Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board to let families know about mental health services in our community. We are hosting two mall displays that bookend children’s mental health week.

• Saturday, April 30th, 9:30 am – 6:00 pm, Cambridge Centre Mall, 355 Hespeler Rd, Cambridge
• Saturday, May 7th, 9:30 am – 6:00 pm, Conestoga Mall, 550 King St N, Waterloo

The theme is “AHA! Wellness Works,” promoting Awareness, Help and Access.#ahaww

At the mall, people can learn about being well, services in our community, how to get help, how to help others and apps for mental health for young people. They will also have the opportunity to meet local 570News reporter Martin Bauman, who is cycling across Canada this summer to support mental health!

Carizon offers a unique group that teaches children to identify signs and triggers of anxiety. Taming Your Worry Dragon helps children to develop effective strategies and feel empowered to take control over their worries so that they can cope through difficult situations. The group if for children ages 9 – 12, and runs Tuesdays from 4:30 – 6 p.m. for 8 weeks beginning April 26th. Registration required.

As of April 9th, Front Door will be providing our Walk-in Service for children and youth on Saturdays instead of Mondays at our Kitchener location at 1770 King Street East. This will give families easier access during times that are less likely to conflict with work and school.

Front Door provides walk-in counselling, helping children and teens with the first step to strengthen and sustain mental health. Through a single family counselling session, our experienced counsellors help identify issues and equip families with tools and strategies to address their concerns. A single free counselling session can help with: behaviour, emotional state, self-harm, unsafe activities, conflicts at home, troubles at school, struggles with peers or a mental health diagnosis. These sessions also provide access to more intensive mental health services.

Front Door is a joint initiative of Lutherwood and Carizon Family and Community Services.

FRONT DOOR POSTER

The Family Violence Project of Waterloo Region is celebrating their 10th anniversary. To celebrate, the FVP is hosting a one-day event at Bingemans Conference Centre on April 14th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The day includes:

• an insightful panel discussion outlining the collaborative response to domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse
• keynote speaker, Dr. William J. Lucas, Regional Supervising Coroner and Chair of the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee
• presentations from experienced practitioners from across the province
• a powerful story of a client’s journey from victim to recovery through the Family Violence Project

Lunch is included in the day’s conference, and a reception, hosted by Chief Bryan Larkin follows at 4:30 p.m.

Carizon thanks the Healthy Kids Community Challenge for supporting children served in our Encompass and Community Services programs. The goal of this Challenge is to help create communities where it’s easy for children to lead healthier lives. 45 communities across Ontario are participating and receive resources from the province to promote healthy eating, physical activity and healthy behaviours. Carizon’s Community Services will be using their funds to purchase sports equipment (mainly soccer balls and basketballs) for our program that runs in the Erb West neighbourhood at Keatsway Public School on Friday evenings.

We know that March break can be a challenge for families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, so we’ve created a camp that supports the kids and helps the parents to relax, knowing that their children are in good hands. Our trained professionals have the skills, experience and expertise to provide a specialized camp that is safe, therapeutic and fun. The camp provides opportunities for indoor and outdoor play, creativity, and skill development. The camp is for children living with FASD, ages 8 – 12, and runs from March 14 – 19th.

Monday, February 15th is Family Day. It is a day when we celebrate families and spend time together as we cherish our relationships with the people that mean the most to us. Many families, however, face difficult struggles and need professional help to overcome or address these challenges. Learn about how Carizon helps families. On Family Day, please consider helping families by donating to Carizon’s programs and services. You can make a difference.

An eight week program designed for seniors in our community to connect with other seniors and experience support is being offered on Thursday mornings from February 11 – March 31 at Carizon Family and Community Services. Topics include: elder rights, safety planning and setting boundaries, resolving conflicts, Power of Attorney and future planning, community resources and supports, financial awareness and potential fraud. Registration required.

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time once again to think of those who will be struggling at a time of year that should be joyful.  With generous donations from the Annual Larry Kelly Toy Drive, The Kitchener Westmount Rotary Club  and individual donors and sponsors, the Carizon Spirit of Giving volunteer team prepared Christmas packages for 31 families this year who do not have other means of support. This included single working moms, isolated individuals and families who have hit hard times due to job loss or illness.  Members of the Kitchener Westmount Rotary Club delivered the packages on Monday, making Christmas brighter and sharing the true spirit of Christmas in our community.

Every year, the focus of the holiday season is on consumerism and the need to spend money on the perfect gifts, the perfect decorations and creating the perfect dinner. And every year, Canadians end up spending too much money, putting them at risk for financial difficulties once the holiday season is over.

Heather Cudmore, Manager of Credit Counselling at Carizon spoke with Doug Hoyes, Hoyes, Michalos & Associates Inc. on limiting Christmas spending, budgeting, and establishing new holiday traditions that don’t break the bank.

The holidays are known for being a time of happiness and joy. But for those struggling with depression, anxiety or loss, the holidays can be a difficult time. Theresa Karn, Carizon’s Manager of Clinical Services, spoke with Doug Hoyes, Hoyes, Michalos & Associates Inc., on this topic on a Podcast. You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link below.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) awarded the 2015 IACP/Motorola Solutions Webber Seavey Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement to the Waterloo Regional Police Service in partnership with Langs Health and Wellness Centre and Carizon Family and Community Services. The award recognizes a collaborative, community-based initiative called “Connectivity.”

Connectivity brings health and social service agencies to a weekly meeting to collaboratively and proactively address situations of elevated risk and support individuals to access the services they need. There are currently two situation response tables – one in Cambridge hosted by Langs Health and Wellness Centre, and the other in Kitchener, hosted by Carizon Family and Community Services. The partner organizations, which support the discussions and identify the response, come from areas such as health, education, justice, mental health assistance, family supports, police, and community services.

The Board of Directors at Carizon Family and Community Services proudly announces the appointment of Tracy Elop as CEO, effective January 4, 2016. “The Board of Directors is thrilled to have Tracy taking the helm at Carizon as we embark on a new year,” says Vivian Zochowski, President, Carizon Board of Directors. “Tracy’s expertise in developing and executing collaborative, innovative strategies and her strength in building strong partnerships will increase the capacity of Carizon to serve our community.”

Lesley Barraball, Carizon’s Director of Children’s Mental Health, and Theresa Karn, Manager of Clinical Services, spoke with Dave Callander at 570 News about Trauma on the show “Ask the Experts.” Lesley and Theresa shared their insights about trauma: what it is, its impact on the lives of children and adults, and when and how to get help. You can hear the Podcast by clicking on the link below.

In an effort to help people know where to turn when facing life’s challenges, Carizon has placed an ad on CHYM radio this fall to create awareness about our counselling services. The ad highlights Carizon’s expertise in helping people manage stress, relationships, anxiety, depression and traumatic events.

We are very pleased to announce that Carizon and the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) will be providing the community with a FASD classroom for students grades 8-12 beginning in the 2015-16 school year.

The program name is Temenos.* Temenos will provide a specialized classroom environment designed to meet the needs of youth living with FASD. It will be uniquely equipped and structured to meet the social/emotional, sensory and learning needs of the youth in the program.

The classroom will be designed based on the successful FASD classroom (The Fort) which has been in operation for the past two years by the Waterloo Region District School Board and Carizon.

A multi-professional team will support the youth and their families through various aspects of the program; including a teacher, child and youth workers, and a child and family therapist and an occupational therapist.

The program will start in the fall with a group of pre-selected students from our local school boards. In the future, referrals for this program will be accepted through Front Door. We will keep you informed as these details emerge.

*Temenos – sacred enclosure or precinct

Your Children’s Mental Health Week

One in five Canadian children and youth have a treatable mental health issue. The stigma forces many to suffer in silence. Join us as we talk about mental health and break that silence. The free children’s mental health series is presented by Carizon, KW Counselling, Langs and Lutherwood. Also, join more than 15 Waterloo Region agencies to learn more about the variety of services for children, youth and parents struggling with mental health.

As part of the #UWCommunity National Volunteer week series, the University of Waterloo is profiling its members who give their time and talent by volunteering in our community. Cristy Aponte, a Carizon volunteer is one of those students. Cristy is incredibly inspiring. She is currently gearing up to start her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) this September at Waterloo’s Renison University College after just completing her honors undergraduate degree in the Social Development Studies program last Saturday. Cristy came to Canada 7 years ago from Colombia as a refugee and uses her background to help mentor, support, and teach a range of skills to new immigrants in our Waterloo Region community.

The Wellesley Community Food Cupboard opens in less than a month, thanks to the collaboration of local foodbanks, a committee of people from local churches, businesses and organizations, and Carizon’s own Sue Martin, Family Outreach Worker. This food cupboard will be an emergency stopgap for people who need groceries, but can’t get to the bigger food banks in Elmira or New Hamburg. The cupboard’s hours will be every Monday from 10 a.m. to noon and every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. People who need support are able to call the Wellesley Community Food Cupboard directly at 519-616-3663 (Food). Learn more about this venture by reading the article featured in the New Hamburg Independent.

Front Door is supporting a Youth Coffee House called “Ignite the Light” in partnership with the City of Kitchener and the Kitchener Youth Action Council. This event is a performing opportunity for youth that is designed to shatter the stigma around mental health. Ignite the Light will take place on Saturday, March 28, from 6 -8 p.m. at the Queen Street Commons, 43 Queen Street South in Kitchener. It is a free event. If youth would like to perform, they are asked to RSVP to youth@kitchener.ca.

On February 27th, the United Way of Kitchener Waterloo & Area announced the Community Spirit Awards. These awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made a difference in our community through their involvement with United Way KW. This year Carizon Family and Community Services and the City of Kitchener received the Community Impact Award that recognizes organizations that demonstrate exceptional support of United Way KW by helping to change community conditions for the better.

Operated in partnership with the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB), The Fort is a program for students ages 8-12 with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) diagnosis. We are very pleased to share that as a result of a successful two-year pilot project, Carizon and the WRDSB are moving forward and will provide The Fort program to the community on an ongoing basis.

“I am thrilled,” says a  parent of a Fort Student, “that (my child) is receiving the care and supervision he needs and is staying in school, developing positive relationships and is fully engaged in his education.”

For additional information about the Fort, including eligibility criteria and how to make a referral, please see the Fort Fact Sheet below.

Carizon sends a shout-out to Conestoga Mall. Over the years, Conestoga Mall has been committed to supporting the community and has raised funds for numerous charities. This year, they dedicated the money raised at their Santa Set to support children’s mental health programs at Carizon Family and Community Services. Through their endeavours, the campaign generated $15,000 to provide children with programs and services related to mental health, youth engagement and development and family wellness. Carizon thanks the team at Conestoga Mall including Marketing Director Rhonda Richmond, General Manager Sandra Stone, the Gemini models whose enthusiasm encouraged donations, and all the parents and individuals that donated to the program when visiting Santa at the Mall. We truly are grateful for your support. These funds will go a long way in providing direct support and services to children, youth and their families.

(L to R): Lesley Barraball, Carizon Director of Children’s Mental Health, Sue Gillespie, Carizon CEO, Rhonda Richmond, Conestoga Mall Marketing Director, Leah Hall, Gemini Model, Sandra Stone, Conestoga Mall General Manager

Come join us for an evening of fashion, food and fun and assist the Relocation Program supported by Family Violence Project of Waterloo Region and Carizon Family and Community Services. This event includes a 3-course dinner, fashion show, silent auction, door prizes and VIP shopping at La Creme. The event will be held on Monday, March 30th (doors open at 5 p.m; dinner is at 6 p.m.) at St. George Banquet Hall, King Street North, Waterloo. Tickets are $75/person.

Many teen girls who have been exposed to abuse, neglect or witness to family and community violence subsequently experience a range of emotional and behaviour mental health difficulties, including engaging in behaviours that place them at risk of experiencing or re-experiencing sexual assault, exploitation and/or unhealthy relationships. Many girls are not ready or willing to engage in treatment focusing on their earlier experience, but are willing to participate in a group to discuss issues of relevance to them. It’s a Girl Thing is a group for teen girls (ages 13 – 17) that often serves as an introduction for many girls to get further individual treatment.

This group aims to:

• Enhance future safety
• Enhance recovery and coping skills by focusing on skill building such as self-protection, self-soothing, affect regulation, creating and maintaining boundaries and developing healthy sexuality and relationships
• Strengthen girls overall functioning
• Engage girls into future trauma treatment where applicable.

Topics include: Mindfulness, Coping and Relaxation Techniques, Substance Use, Bullying, Body Image and self-worth, Self-care, Feelings Identification, Healthy Sexuality, Internet Safety, Connections Between Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviours, Healthy Relationships, Problem Solving, Assertiveness and Self-Esteem, Enhancing Future Safety.

The group is scheduled to begin at Carizon, 400 Queen Street South, on March 4, 2015, running for 12 weeks on Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5 p.m., and is co-led by facilitators from The Sexual Abuse Treatment Program at Family and Children’s Services and Carizon Family and Community Services. While the group is free, participants must be referred to It’s a Girl Thing and participate in an initial needs assessment to determine their treatment needs and fit for the group.

Operated in partnership with Waterloo Region District School Board, The Fort is a pilot Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder class for students ages 8—12 years that has been operating since September 2013. The name “The Fort” was recently created to reflect a classroom that is a safe place, guided by the needs of the students where students can learn and have fun together because they are understood and supported. The name also echoes its French derivative “forte” – meaning strong point.

Lesley Barraball, Carizon Family and Community Services’ Director of Children’s Mental Health, talks to Gary Doyle on 570 News about troubled youth.

Carizon Director of Clinical Services, Theresa Karn, speaks with CBC about The Empty Nest Syndrome. and why empty-nester parents need to focus on themselves once children leave for university, or they run the risk of missing out on an exciting time in their lives.

A new year is here, and with it comes a new chance to do things right when it comes to your finances. For many of us, a few pointers on budgeting couldn’t come at a better time. According to Statistics Canada, the ratio of Canadians’ household credit debt to disposable income reached an all-time high: 163.7 per cent. CBC Kitchener-Waterloo spoke to Heather Cudmore, the Manager of Mosaic Credit Counselling, a program of Carizon Family and Community Services in Kitchener. Click the box below to read a synopsis of some of her tips to keep your budget on track in 2014.

This past Saturday at Conestoga Mall in Waterloo, eleven Pathways to Education students met to complete the fire pit made from cans that they had spent months designing. The students were incredibly hard working, patient and easy going. They had a blast building all afternoon!

Their hard work paid off as their build was awarded “Best Use of Labels” by the Canstruction judges.

Take a look at the video summary of the day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct9kO1K1aK4&feature=youtu.be

If you’d like to vote for their structure by making a donation to the Food Bank. Go to: http://www.thefoodbank.ca/en/donate/donateonline.aspx?o=34 or visit the build in the mall and make a donation in person.

All of the Canstruction builds will stay standing in the mall until next Sunday, March 16^th, so feel free to check them out yourself.

The City of Kitchener recognizes the great passion of active older citizens and their role as community champions. As such, the City hosts a special Salute to Seniors awards presentation to honour seniors for being role models through active involvement and contributing to a healthy community. Two of the individuals being recognized at this year’s ceremony on June 13th are Abdullah and Farida Mohibuddin. Abdullah and Farida are both tutors in the Pathways to Education program at Mosaic Counselling. The couple emigrated from Bangladesh two years ago to be with their 3 children, all of whom came to Canada for University and decided to stay. Abdullah and Farida, both in their 60s, are making a difference by bridging the generation gap and contributing to the success of students. Only four months after arriving in Canada, they began exploring ways to volunteer in their new community. Pathways to Education drew their attention because the program involves youth and education. Farida was a teacher in two English schools in Bangladesh, so she is able to draw from her own experience when working with Pathways students. For Abdullah, however, it is something new. He was a commercial pilot prior to coming to Canada. They share a passion for working with the students, and have many stories to impart.They will soon have been with the program for two years. When asked what keeps them going, the answer is simple says the Mohibuddins: “To be with the students, as we love children. Tutoring the students is interesting and brings pleasure for us, especially when we find the students are eagerly waiting for us.” It is a rewarding experience. Farida shares a story of a Grade 10 student who was struggling with Geography. The student said she didn’t like it and found the homework, assignments and tests really hard. At that point, she wasn’t passing and was disheartened. Farida started working with her once per week for three hours and used many encouraging techniques. After only one month, the student came back and told Farida happily that she had improved her mark so much that she passed Geography!Farida and Abdullah strongly believe they are making a difference and are happy to share their experience with the students. They say it all comes down to patience, love and affection.

CTV anchor Rosie Del Campo looks at the warning signs of financial trouble in the first part of a three part series exploring Canada’s rising household debt to income ratio. Carizon’s Credit Counselling Manager Heather Cudmore shares her insights.

Listen to the Gary Doyle Show on 570 News as Gary and Theresa talk about a study about Couples and Chores.

Mosaic Counselling and Family Services and kidsLINK (Notre Dame of St. Agatha Inc.) are pleased to announce today the amalgamation of these two long-standing and successful social and mental health service leaders. The Ministry of Government Services has approved the incorporation of the new organization that will operate as Carizon Family and Community Services as of April 1st, 2013. “Both kidsLINK and Mosaic are recognized for their leadership in providing a multitude of services that strengthen individuals, families and neighbourhoods,” says Carizon’s President of the Board of Directors, Rich Steinmann. “This merger will allow these two agencies to enhance their ability to contribute positively to the well-being of children, youth, adults, families and communities.” CEO Sue Gillespie, who will lead Carizon, identifies the ability of the new organization to provide a continuum of care that meets the changing needs of our community. “Combined, kidsLINK and Mosaic have the experience of providing services to our community for more than 216 years. As a leader in social and mental health service delivery,” says Gillespie, “we will draw on that expertise to leverage complementary strengths and proactively pursue an even more impactful future.” The name Carizon, a combination of the words care and horizon, was designed to capture the nature of the services provided by the agency, as well as its hope and vision for the future of this community.