FamilyForward

We’re thrilled to share that Foster Care Case Manager Jeri Teixeira received an award at the Stepping Up for Kids Luncheon, hosted by Vision For Children At Risk! 🎉 This honor recognizes Jeri for her unwavering commitment to stepping up for kids—something she does every day in the most inspiring ways. The touching moment captured in this photo includes Elizabeth Eisenhauer, who nominated her for this well-deserved recognition. The luncheon celebrates individuals who go above and beyond in foster, adoptive, and kinship care. Join us in congratulating Jeri for her tremendous dedication to making a difference in the lives of children! 🌟 (Second photo, left to right: Elizabeth Eisenhauer, Jeri Teixeira)

Throughout October, FamilyForward team members came together to participate in United Way of Greater St. Louis’ community campaign. 🤝 For two weeks, we united across all sites with fun activities like delicious meals, pumpkin painting, a family pumpkin patch day, donut day, guessing games, candy grams, and more! Thanks to everyone’s enthusiasm and generosity, we surpassed last year’s fundraising goal. A special thank you to our campaign committee and all team members who made this two-week celebration so joyful. 😁 We’re honored to be a United Way safety net agency, helping to provide hope and support to vulnerable children and families across the region. 💙

"There are no extra pieces of the universe. Everyone is here because they have a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle of life." – Deepak Chopra When clients and their family members walk through the hallways of the Developmental Trauma Center, they can find a display of vibrant artwork created by our talented clients during this summer's Art Group! 🎨 The top line of art was a byproduct of an artist study on Kandinsky's Color Study. The second line has unique puzzle pieces created by group members. What a wonderful way to highlight the creativity of our clients! 💙

9Line wholeheartedly supports FamilyForward, a nonprofit that uses trauma-informed therapeutic services to help children heal, empower families, and strengthen the communities around them. We are thrilled to support FamilyForward at their 2025 Rocket Ball as a Bronze Sponsor where we will be Imagining Futures for biological, foster, and adoptive families in the St. Louis region. Join us on February 8, 2025, at the historic Union Station in downtown St. Louis for a night of celebration! #FamilyForward #RocketBall

Shoutout to the MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LOUIS students who made a difference during Maryville Reaches Out, their annual community service day! They rolled up their sleeves and transformed several rooms at our Foster Care building in Hillsboro, moving furniture, painting walls, and cleaning up to create a brighter, more welcoming space for children and families. 🖌️✨ Thank you to Team Lead Evan and volunteers Abby, Zeina, Macie, Avery, Anna, Enzley, Sydney, and Jennifer! Your hard work brought new life to our space. 💙 Want to make a meaningful impact too? Gather your group and support our mission! Learn how you can volunteer at https://lnkd.in/gjAh34A7

Just like every day, World Mental Health Day is a day to prioritize our mental wellbeing, break the stigma surrounding it, and exchange resources that can support you and your family. 🧠 At FamilyForward, we specialize in services for foster, adoptive, biological, and kinship families such as 👇 ✅Trauma assessments and psychological evaluations (https://lnkd.in/dJ_4tY6V) ✅Caregiver training and programming (https://lnkd.in/dpqFYKga) ✅Family-focused therapy (https://lnkd.in/d-y8mcQQ) ✅Trauma-informed occupational therapy (https://lnkd.in/dva66xBs) ✅And more! Everyone deserves equitable access to mental health resources, and we are committed to walking alongside families on their journey to healing. 🤝 Share the resources above with someone who may benefit from it so we can all contribute to a healthier community. 💙

We are counting down the days (124 to be exact!) until the 2025 Rocket Ball, FamilyForward’s signature event at Union Station in downtown St. Louis! 🚀 Join us on Saturday, February 8th, for an evening of Imagining Futures for biological, foster, and adoptive families in the St. Louis region. Your attendance supports kids and families as they imagine and create brighter futures full of possibility. 💭💙 Learn more about the event, purchase tickets, and explore sponsorship opportunities at https://lnkd.in/ebaRN5av Questions? Contact Maggie Kloppenberg, Donor Relations Manager at maggie.kloppenberg@familyforwardmo.org

Celebrate International Podcast Day by supporting our podcast, Out Front with FamilyForward! Created as a resource for you, this podcast brings forward candid conversations that bridge the gap between research and real-world parenting. Here’s how you can support Out Front with FamilyForward: 🎧 Catch up on season 1 & 2 on your favorite streaming platforms 📲 Follow our podcast page ✍️ Leave a rating and review 💬 Share the podcast with three friends who may find the discussion insightful Enjoy International Podcast Day the FamilyForward way: https://lnkd.in/gr8yxjnH

This month, Theresa Beckles celebrated a milestone of five years at FamilyForward! 👏 As a therapist, Theresa works daily to nurture growth and resilience in the clients we support. She says that “The children and families that I have met through this work have made an undeniable impact on me. I admire their bravery, grit, and resilience as well as their humanity, playfulness, and softness.” Theresa understands the importance of using her clinical skills to foster safety, trust, connection and joy between the caregiver and child, and dedicates her time to doing just that. We are honored to have team members like Theresa that embody our values of being out front, rock solid, and whole hearted. Please join us in congratulating Theresa on her milestone anniversary! 💙

The countdown is on - we are less than one week away from our training event on October 3rd and 4th! The Healing Trauma-Related Dissociation training event led by Fran Waters, DCSW, LMSW, LMFT will: 📊 Explore a comprehensive model for assessing and treating youth with dissociation 🧠 Investigate the intersection of attachment, child development, neurobiology, and family theories 📝 Provide 11 hours of Continuing Education Units for social workers 🤝 Connect you with like-minded child-serving and social services professionals in the region 🛠️ Empower you with the tools and skills to support youth and their families on their journey of healing. We hope you choose to join us for this one-of-a-kind training next week! Reserve your seat today: https://lnkd.in/geHGApCh