It’s Your Birthday!

NMFFC launches a new program

Birthdays matter to all of us – but especially to children. So, with a little bit of magic, and a whole lot of sprinkles, kids in foster care are going to have help celebrating their day.

The board and staff of NMFFC are thrilled to announce our new program – It’s Your Birthday!

Birthdays may be a time of mixed emotions for children and youth in the foster care system who may not be used to feeling acknowledged or special. We want to share love with kids who do not smile and laugh enough by creating positive memories for their birthdays and by making sure that their birthdays are celebrated.

A pilot program serving 30 children and youth has begun. Each child will receive a birthday gift, a specially selected book, and a personalized birthday card. Each youth will receive a gift card of their choosing, a book focusing on life skills, and a personalized birthday card. Our long-term goal is to offer It’s Your Birthday! to all children and youth in care in New Mexico.

Do you know a child or youth with a birthday in April, May or June? Please contact Barbara Cotton, the program administrator for It’s Your Birthday! at [email protected] (505) 595-7467 or request a birthday box on our website.

If you would like to contribute to It’s Your Birthday!, you may do so on our website or by talking with Barbara to discover all the ways you may help.

Our first It’s Your Birthday! package!

IMPORTANT PROGRAMS
AND DATES HAPPENING SOON 

Scholarship applications will be available in April

Help sessions (via zoom) will be offered this year; check our website in April for details. We will accept applications at any time; the scholarship committee will meet in June, September, and December to review applications. The submission deadline for the June review will be June 1.

Summer Fun applications will be available starting in May.

Apply for a fun summer activity – day camp, family trip, museum/zoo visit, games, etc., to make the summer more fun.

OUR GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO ARE DEDICATED

TO HELPING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

including recent gifts from these organizations:

Nusenda Credit Union Foundation

Dion’s Pizza

McCune Charitable Foundation

Carl C. Anderson & Marie Jo Anderson Charitable Foundation

and gifts from these individuals and groups: 

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 44 (Elephant Butte), Randi Buck, Julia Clarke, Denise Coleman, Mary Ann Copas, Pamela G. Daves, Linda and Rex Davis, Susan and Jimmy Leung, Linda McCormick, Natalie, Erica Roesch, Mary Shaening, Target Corporation (Cybergrants), Los Alamos National Lab (Cybergrants), and Network for Good.

We appreciate their willingness to help improve the lives of children in care!

It’s our happy day at NMFFC!

Updates on How We’re Growing 

We have two phenomenal new staff members who are bringing NMFFC out of the pandemic lockdown and into the post-pandemic light.

Susan Leung is our new Program Director. Susan is responsible for the daily management of Expanding Horizons (formerly General Awards), Summer Fun, Scholarships, and Style and Fit. She will also work on grant development, social media, and outreach. As a mom, a teacher, a scout leader, and an early interventionist, Susan has worked and played with kids her entire career. After serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, she wants to devote her time and energy to supporting more children in foster care and is looking forward to her role with NMFFC. She said, “I think all kids should get to be kids and learn and play and grow. I’m looking forward to helping kids do those things through my work with NMFFC.”

Barbara Cotton is our new Program Administrator responsible for the pilot program It’s Your Birthday! and volunteer engagement. Barbara comes to NMFFC with extensive experience in legal and administrative assignments, just the type of attention to detail needed to be sure birthday surprises are chosen carefully and delivered on time. She also volunteers as a Bereavement Facilitator for the Children’s Grief Center of New Mexico, as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, and as a mentor with NMCAN. Barbara is perfect for this position because she believes “All children in foster care need to feel valued and celebrated. My long-term goal is to make that happen – to help all children in foster care celebrate their birthdays and discover even more joy in their world.”

With these changes comes the appointment of our long-time Program Manager, Mary Ann Copas, to Executive Director. Mary Ann will oversee our program expansion, development, and outreach efforts as we strive to grow the programs and resources necessary for NMFFC to be an even more valuable member of the community supporting children in foster care.

Please feel welcome to contact our staff by email or phone at:

Susan: [email protected]; (505) 596-0519

Barbara: [email protected]; (505) 595-7467

Mary Ann: [email protected]; (505) 596-0591

They would love to hear from you with questions and suggestions.

We hope you will partner with us as we move into new spaces and places to support children in foster care.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!!!

And, please share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues or invite them to sign up at: www.nmffc.org/news-events/subscribe/

NMFFC is a 501(c)(3) organization.
Your donation is tax deductible. EIN 27-0363331