FAMEStaff

Upcoming fameKids groups

2011-09-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

For children the start of the new school year marks the beginning of a new journey and the opportunity for endless possibilities. Whether its new classmates, teachers, school, or experiences...it is definitely an exciting time.

It is also an exciting time for the fameKids program, we are currently starting our fall groups in the Toronto and Peel area. Our Etobicoke group starts on September 22 at The George Hull Centre for Children and Families. We are excited to continue our partnership with the George Hull Centre in providing support to children who have a family member with a mental health issue.

In Peel, we are starting our fall fameKids group on October 18 at our Mississauga Office within the Community Door (50 Burhamthorpe Road West).

As well, the fameKids program will the held for the first time at the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre-Jarvis Site (440 Jarvis Street) starting November 24. This is an opportunity for FAME to support families and children within the Toronto core.

The fameKids program is currently in the process of establishing partnerships within your community to support families that are affected by mental health issues. I will keep you informed of upcoming fameKids groups in the Toronto and Peel area and current developments within our program.

If you would like to register for support or fameKids groups that are starting in your area, please contact:

David Cho, fameKids coordinator (Toronto), children's outreach worker
416-207-5032 x 26 email: davidc@fameforfamilies.com

or

Safra Faroque, fameKids facilitator (Peel Region)
416-207-5032 x.25 email: safraf@fameforfamilies.com

Kids are Amazing! Let's make this the best year yet.

David Cho
fameKids coordinator, children's outreach worker

OACP Approves Sealing of Mental Health Records

2011-08-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Great news for people with mental health issues and their families! The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP)is adopting a new guideline which will protect the privacy of people with mental health issues when conducting a routine background check. This guideline will prevent police from releasing non-criminal mental health information.
Check out the media release provided by the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office in the following link, http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mohltc/ppao/en/default.aspx.

This demonstrates that with determination, persistence and colloboration, advocacy can lead to change which protects peoples' rights.

Mary

05 July 2011 Scarborough Social

2011-06-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

05 July 2011 Scarborough Summer Social
F.A.M.E.‘s Scarborough Summer Social is happening on Tuesday 05 July 2011, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. near Sheppard Ave. East /Midland Ave.

The cake won't look exactly like this:

Enjoy a free social event for families and friends of F.A.M.E.

All family members are welcome.

We offer a relaxing space with beverages, berries, cake & songs

Please confirm your attendance
with Paul O’Donnell at 416-913-2144
or by email at: paulo@fameforfamilies.com

Greetings!

2011-06-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

My name is Safra Farouque and I am the new addition to the F.A.M.E family, as the Peel fameKids Facilitator. I am so excited to be a part of F.A.M.E. and look forward to working with many families. I believe that we can all learn so much from children and their families which brings a new light to understanding ourselves and our society. As a long time resident of Peel Region, I am so thrilled to serve the community which I call my home.
I would like to thank all the staff at F.A.M.E for all their support to date and I already feel at home.

With warm regards,

Safra

2011-06-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

It's been a bit of a news worthy week with respect to mental health and our communities, although it is long overdue. I would encourage you to take a few minutes out and check out a couple of news columns that were released this week.

The first is from the National Post and it speaks to the problems of putting people, who have mental health issues, in to the prison system and there being literally no access to support or treatment.

The other article appeared in the Toronto Star and it is about the TTC's efforts to address the issue of subways being used as suicide hot spots. This has been a problem for the TTC for many years and I would suspect has been on the increase since in the installation of the suicide veil along the Bloor St. viaduct. Check it out at

Respectfully,
Christine

South Etobicoke Community Mental Health Meeting

2011-04-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

FAME is part of SEMHAP(South Etobicoke Mental Health and Addiction Planning Group)and this committee is involved in trying to improve mental health services in South Etobicoke.

The closure of the Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital in 1979 and the more recent closure of an outpatient clinic run by CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), marked the end of 120 years of specialized mental health services on the Lakeshore.

SEMHAP is inviting the local community to a forum to discuss and provide feedback on a proposal to improve mental health services in this area. I encourage you to join us in advocating for easily accessible services to be provided in the community.

The meeting will be held on MONDAY MAY 16, 2011. There will be 2 meetings:
1st meeting will run from 3-5pm and 2nd meeting will run from 7-9pm.

Location: ST. DEMETRIUS UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
3338 Lakeshore Boulevard West
(www.stdemetriusuoc.ca)
Lakeshore and 27th St.

RSVP: Deb Quiggin at 416-251-8666
Among Friends Program
LAMP Community Health Centre

Hope to see you there!
Mary

North York Mental Health Fair on Friday May 6

2011-04-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

In recognition of Mental Health Week (May 1-7) and celebrating its' 60th Anniversary, FAME is involved with other mental health agencies in organizing a mental health fair. The event is called "Celebrating Wellness Together: Embracing Health Minds in Our Community". Mental health agencies that provide services in North York will have information booths; and there will be games, speakers on mental health, entertainment (drumming sessions, a women's seniors dance group), plus meditation and yoga sessions. We'll also have some refreshments and food!

Please come and check it out on Friday May 6 from 11:30am to 4:00pm at Yorkgate Mall
near Jane/Finch intersection.
Mary

The Best Way to Deal with a Disability

2011-03-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Just a quick sharing. I was listening to a fellow speak on a radio program regarding disabilities. He said something that I found rather provocative but also profound. He said the best way to deal with a disability is to embrace it. This was not a flippant remark but rather his believe that in order to work towards recovery one must accept their condition and do everything possible to strive towards maintaining a healthy and productive life and the beginning of this process was to accept or embrace the disability/illness.
All the best,
Frank

come on down to the Community Door

2011-03-24T12:25:00.002-07:00

Hi All,
After much construction delays, a couple years of planning meetings, it has finally happened: the Brampton Community Door has opened and the FAME office has moved in! Although some constructions and repairs are still underway and dust and dirty floors continue, it is a beautiful, new facility. It is very exciting! Dave Cho was very generous in helping me move the office, in the rain no less, on March 10th. On March 29th, Dave and I will be helping Stephanie move her office, temporarily, to the Brampton office until the Mississauga Community Door facility is available to move in(the Mississauga phone # will remain the same).

Please feel free to drop by to visit and I can give you a tour!

Frank

come on down to the

2011-03-24T12:25:00.001-07:00

Etobicoke Educational Speaker Series for April and May 2011

2011-03-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

An update in regards to our Etobicoke Educational Speaker Series.

On Tuesday April 19, Dr. Sean Kidd, Ph.D., C.Psych.,CPRP,Psychologist, and Mamode Burtally, R.N. of the CAMH Schizophrenia Program will be presenting an overview of medical and psycho-social treatments for schizophrenia.

On Tuesday May 17, staff, from CRCT, Community Resource Connections of Toronto will provide an overview of Cognitive Behavioural Strategies to cope with hearing voices.

These events will be held at Fairfield Seniors Centre, 80 Lothian Ave. from 7:00-8:30p.m, and will assist families in learning the tools that are available for mental health recovery.

Please contact Mary at 416-207-5032 ext. 29 for further information and to register.

Spring is here! Well almost.

2011-03-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

As i look out the window of my office it seems that spring is just around the corner, the snow is finally melting and we can finally see the ground that lies underneath somewhat. Maybe the memories of back breaking snow shovelling and hazardous road conditions are a thing of the past. Whether or not there will be birds chirping and flowers blooming in the near future, only time will tell. One thing is for sure, the seasons they are a changin'....hopefully.

Following this sense of change, this spring season will also bring the beginning of the Toronto fameKids group that will be starting on May 10, 2011 at the Hincks Dellcrest Centre. As the new fameKids coordinator and children's outreach worker, this is an exciting time. We are in the process of finishing the fameKids program in Peel, which has been a massive success. The new spring season will bring about new partnerships for the fameKids program, where we will be able to work with new agencies and provide the superlative support to families that FAME is known for.

We believe that children are amazing!, and every fameKids group that we run reaffirms this in our minds and hearts. Say bye to winter and enjoy the weather...if it ever gets here. There will be more to come...until then.

David Cho

Hey....it's the new guy in town!

2010-11-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

Meet Dave Cho! Dave is our newest FAME team member and will be joining us as our interim fameKids Coordinator during Anie Najarian's maternity leave. Although we went though an extensive interview process we knew almost immediately upon meeting Dave that he was a contender for the job. The kids are gonna love Dave! Dave has a background in Art Therapy and has worked in some pretty tough 'hoods about the big smoke. We consider ourselves lucky to have snagged him here at FAME.

So welcome aboard Dave! We are looking forward to working with you and getting to know you over the next year. Like I said....the kids are gonna love you!

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

2010-06-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

It has long been proposed that when one is physically healthy, one's overall mental and emotional health is also improved. Here's a recent study to add to the list. I was listening to CBC Radio's "Metro Morning" this week and host Matt Galloway was speaking with health columnist Dr. Peter Lin. Dr. Lin pointed to a recent study on the connection between treatment of depression and exercise. Dr. Lin was not suggesting to replace medication with exercise, but was reporting that exercise in conjunction with medication resulted in overall improvement in patients' mental health. Low energy and motivation for individuals with depression could make it difficult for them to engage in exercise. However, Dr. Lin suggested starting slow - walking 3 minutes a day (not much!), then adding an extra minute a day until 30 minutes was achieved. In addition, exercise need not be physically strenuous; when Tai Chi (a slow-movement Chinese martial art form) was practiced, an increase in quality of life was reported.

And if that wasn't enough, I was reading today in CMHA's Mental Health Notes, on another study that reported mental health benefits of exercise therapy for people with schizophrenia. Authors Paul Gorczynksy and Guy Faulkner from the University of Toronto discuss their findings on the following audio podcast: http://www.cochrane.org/podcasts/issue-4-5-april-may-2010/exercise-therapy-schizophrenia. And for the link to the abstract, go to: http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD004412/pdf_abstract_fs.html

Happy exercising, everyone!

Lynds....you'll be missed....

2010-05-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Just a quick word....our gal from the Mississauga office is leaving us. Of course if you've read the previous post you'll have already met Stephanie. I did want to take this opportunity to say thank you to Lyndsay for all her hard work and commitment to FAME over the past couple of years. She will be missed. Good luck on your next adventure. Be well!

Greetings!

2010-05-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

My name is Stephanie Kerr and i am extremely excited to join the F.A.M.E family, and to be working with the families in the Mississauga area.

Working with Families has always been a dream of mine because that bond that lies within a family is so important. Caring for oneself and each other is the foundation of what a family means; and i am looking forward to learning about the experiences of the Families in Mississauga and doing anything i can to lend a hand.

Thank you for the support from everyone here at F.A.M.E. I already feel like I am at home here, and i am looking forward to meeting all of you great families in the area! See you soon!

Sincerely,

Stephanie

UPCOMING EVENTS

2010-04-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

TAKING BACK YOUR LIFE:

THE SUCCESS OF RECOVERY

FREE PANEL SPEAKER EVENT-APRIL 27, 2010 FROM 6:30-9PM

LOCATION: 1WORLD DRIVE (WORLD VISION BUILDING), Mississauga L5T 2Y4(Hurontario / 401)

FAME IS PLEASE TO PRESENT:

Peter Andruski, Family Member
Kim Van Maren, Consumer Survivor
ACCESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SYSTEMS: Christina Jabalee, Early Intervention Community Worker, Schizophrenia Society of Ontario, Phoenix Program

Please RSVP to this free event by contacting Frank Logue at
905-488-7716 or frankl@fameforfamilies.com by Monday, April 19
R.S.V.P.

__________________________________________________________

The Schizophrenia Society of Ontario Halton/Peel Region

The SSO’s Halton Peel Region’s annual Walk of Hope is calling upon our community to come together and join our walk as a team.
We are looking for friends and family teams, agency/organization teams, hospital teams, business teams…any kind of team!

We will announce two teams as winners. The team that raises the most money will win a Mental Wellness catered lunch by the Halton/Peel Region staff.
We will also be announcing the Spirit Award, selected by the participants at the walk, for the team that brought the most spirit to the Walk of Hope day.

Sign up and/or donate on line at http://www.walkofhope.ca/ and start creating your team today!

Contact the Halton/Peel Region with any questions or ideas! 905-338-2112.

Financial Planning for the Future

2010-03-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

“What Happens to my Loved One When I Die?”This workshop is designed for parents/siblings/caregivers of individuals living with a disability including schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

Saturday April 10, 2010
9:30 am — 12:30 pm
Christ Church Anglican
4 Elizabeth St. North, Brampton ON
Suggested Donation: $10.00
Please contact Marina Sue-Ping to RSVP, (905) 338-2112 or
msue-ping@schizophrenia.on.ca
PLEASE RSVP ASAP, SPACE IS LIMITED!

There will be a presentation given by an investment advisor and a lawyer followed by a
question period dealing with the following topics: will writing and estate
considerations, basics of RDSP, different types of trusts, and tax free rollover of
RRSP’s and RRIF’s.
This workshop aims to address some of the more complicated concerns related to the above
mentioned topics by having the following individuals on site to field questions from the group:
Robin-Lee Norris, Partner Miller Thomson LLP and
Dan Matwey, Investment Advisor with BMO Nesbitt Burns

Upcoming Events

2010-03-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

There are some really exciting events coming up in the Peel-Mississauga area over the next couple of months that are open to all community which just might be of interest to you:

March 26th 2010 8am-4pm
Robert M. Solomon LL.B, LL.M Discusses Legal Issues in Mental Health and Addictions
Although this workshop is primarily directed to frontline workers it is also open to family members at a reduced cost. If you have the time and are able to come out for a day event please email me (Lyndsay) at lyndsayw@fameforfamilies.com for more details.

April 27th 2010 6-9pm (FREE)
FAME presents Taking Back Your Life-The Success of Recovery
Come out and hear how families and individuals living with mental illness are embracing the concept of recovery and are experiencing success; Recovery is possible!
Registration details will be released in the next couple of weeks. For more information on the event please contact me at lyndsayw@fameforfamilies.com or Frank Logue at frankl@fameforfamilies.com.

Mississuaga Halton LHIN-Education and Implementation Working Group (i know, it's a mouthful!!) will be out in our community this Spring/Summer facilitating road shows on how you can navigate system. The first road show will take place at our FAME event April 27, 2010. One of the first steps in recovery for you and your loved one is figuring out how you can work through this system. Don’t miss out on this event!!

For more information on any of these events please feel free to contact me by email or phone 905-276-8316.

Be Well

Etobicoke Speaker Series

2010-02-17T11:03:00.000-08:00

February 17, 2010
The Etobicoke Speaker Event for February on ODSP Employment supports went very well: great attendance and the speaker, Sayonara Mairena, community legal worker for South Etobicoke Legal Services did an excellent job! It's always good to hear what people with disabilities are entitled to receive in regards to support.

Future topics will include the Toronto Mental Health and Addictions Supportive Housing Network (March 16), Disability Tax Credit (April 20) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (May 18). Check our website for more details.

Looking forward to your attendance at these events!
Mary

New Year, New Group!

2010-02-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

It's my pleasure to announce that the fameKids Scarborough group has now started! We have a wonderful group of 8 children who will spend the next 8 weeks learning about mental illness, expressing their feelings, and developing healthy coping skills. Each group is different, but one thing is always the same - kids are amazing. It never ceases to amaze me how resilient kids can be... I'm looking forward to seeing this group learn and grow together...

2010-01-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hi all you FAME tab U lous People,

it is truly a great opportunity to join an organization that makes you say proudly" This is altruism at it's finest."

As a single parent, and a family member of a loved one with a diagnosed mental health issue I know the power in family support!

In my role as Admin Coordinator I support each of your families, our staff and board members by administering the funds available to keep our programs running, and when you call or send an email make sure your looked after.

As we move into 2010 we move towards and exciting era.
To those who I met over the course of our holiday parties it has been a pleasure. To those who I will meet I look forward to it.

Happy New Year....Happy Birthday!

2010-01-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

Happy new year! It's a brand new year and there is lots of activity going on over here at FAME. Let's start by extending best wishes for happy, happy, happy birthdays to a couple of our staff members. Lyndsay Wright, our Mississauga Family Outreach Worker and Marcia Reid our Admin chick and Spreadsheet Queen extraordinaire are the birthday babies this month at FAME.

I say let them have cake and eat it too! It's all about the chocolate for these girls. Best wishes to them both.

Ok....moving right along. Just wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of Mary Jursinic's ongoing speaker's series for Jan, Feb & March....don't miss it. It's all great information and as always at FAME we continue to work hard to support, educate and help families.

A new year always brings with it a renewed sense of hope and good health. So here's hoping that your new year is a great one!

Keep the faith!

Coop (also known as Christine the executive director and chief cook at the holiday parties :)

Tis the season to be jolly!

2009-12-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

Last evening we completed the last of the FAME holiday parties! What a smashing success this year as the staff and volunteers managed to put on five holiday celebrations for the friends and families of FAME. I took the helm in my usual spot at the stove because it gives me a chance to do what I do best....which is to feed the spirit of the friends and families who join us. This year we hosted events in Mississauga, Brampton, Etobicoke & Scarborough and the finale was our second fameKids party! Oh what fun.

On a personal note I'd like to extend my best wishes for good health, much happiness and a renewed sense of hope that a new year brings to all of us here.

Enjoy the pictures!

Another Year, Another 5 Parties!

2009-12-18T08:17:00.000-08:00

Here at FAME we certainly know how to roll out the year with a bang. Last evening was our fifth and final Holiday party which would not have been possible without the ongoing support of our amazing staff and would not have been enjoyable without the participation of our amazing families and young ones.

It is such a pleasure for all of us to invite families out each year to enjoy some delicious food, desserts, ornament decorating and sing-a-longs. It is the laughter and energy that families bring with them that make each party a success of its own.

Hard to top last years gingerbread house's, but we came close this year with families decorating ornaments to hang around the house for the Holidays. I certainly never underestimate the creativity and artistic abilities of all of our families; it truly is incredible to see what a person can do with a little glitter and a lot of imagination!

This year we celebrating the upcoming Holiday with about 250 people and I don't think we would have it any other way.

Thanks to everyone that came out to make this year one for the books.

Happy Holidays to all and may 2010 bring healing, health, joy, and peace.

Meeting basic needs first

2009-11-30T07:54:00.000-08:00

You may have already heard about the project being launched by the Mental Health Commission of Canada that aims to study the link between mental illness and homelessness (see Toronto Star article here).

In this research study (which is the largest project in Canada's history to study this link), over 1300 people nationally will be given a place to live and receive social services. Participants will have weekly access to psychiatrists and front-line staff to receive medical and emotional help. And they'll be given choices - after they're housed - about how to cope with their mental health or addiction problems.

Traditionally, people had to be quite stable (clean and sober) before being offered housing. Dr. Jayne Barker, project director of the At Home initiative, very appropriately asks, "How can people who have to worry about where they will sleep tonight or where their next meal is going to come from...start to think about their depression or anxiety or schizophrenia?" The philosphy behind this study is quite ingenius, really - provide people with housing first and the rehabilitation will follow. It's too bad that American psychologist Abraham Maslow first proposed his "Hierarchy of Needs" in 1943. According to him, basic physiological needs must first be met (like food, water, shelter) before other higher needs (such as safety, employment, love, self-esteem) can be attained. Makes you wonder what they've been thinking all this time...

2009-09-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

ODSP Adjudication of Addictions
Sep 9, 2009News source:

Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)People with addictions to drugs and/or alcohol may now be eligible for benefits from the Ontario Disability Support Program, reports the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC). Until now, people who have disabling conditions caused only by drug and/or alcohol addictions have not been eligible for ODSP benefits. A recent court decision has changed this. The court decided that the government was violating the Ontario Human Rights Code by not allowing addictions to be considered when ODSP is deciding whether or not a person meets their test of being "a person with a disability".The provincial government is appealing the court's decision. But for now, people with addictions may be able to get ODSP benefits, if they meet the disability test. ODSP is currently developing a way to make decisions on whether or not people with addictions will meet their definition of disability. This decision-making process will be in place starting this fall. ODSP will start reviewing the applications of people with addictions at that time.

Family and Consumer Focus Group

2009-09-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

FAMILIES AND CONSUMERS- LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD

Thursday September 24, 2009 from 6:30-7:30
Location: 2600 Edenhurst Drive Suite 101, Mississauga Ontario (Hurontario and Dundas)

The Mental Health and Addictions Education and Training Task Team is looking for your help to participate in a focus group which will allow them to further develop educational opportunities for individuals and families.

They want to learn:
· How you accessed information/education in the beginning?
· What education/ resources do you feel would be beneficial to families and consumer?
· What type of education would you like to see in the future?

Do not hesitate; we need the expertise of individuals and families to help create more effective resources for the mental health and addictions services in Mississauga.

Please RSVP to Lyndsay Wright at 905-276-8316

**The Mississauga Halton LHIN (Local Health Integration Network) SIGMHA (System Integration for Mental Health and Additions) team has been busy over the last couple of years trying to improve the Mental Health and Addictions services here within our city. Our LHIN is one of 14 throughout the province of Ontario and is responsible for the planning, funding, integration and evaluation of all health services**.

2009-08-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

July 20, 2009

The FAME Etobicoke Speaker Series for Autumn 2009 has been organized.

We will have lawyers presenting on Henson Trust and the RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan).

The RDSP allows persons with disabilities and their families to contribute to this plan without it affecting their ODSP.

It's about time that persons receiving ODSP income support are given the validation by society that they deserve. They are citizens and should be entitled to the same rights. If you work, you are allowed to save for your future, without it affecting your income; in fact you are encouraged to save by being given tax credits. Just because you are unable to work because of a health issue, should not exclude you from this "right to save". This is a positive step forward in recognizing people with disabilities as valued members of society.

Check out the FAME website for details of these FREE educational events!
Enjoy the rest of the summer and see you in the fall!

Mary

Families Speak Out...

2009-07-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here in Mississauga we run our monthly support group meeting on the third Monday of the month; last night four ladies joined me for our July meeting. A common topic that seems to come up during discussions month to month is the system or lack thereof. Families have first hand experience in dealing with the shortfalls of our Mental Health System and are often left picking up the slack. They really do provide all of the same community based services with little to no training, financial support, or respite care.

We try to stay away from "system venting" as much as possible in our support groups as it often is not constructive, but last night I offered the group 6 minutes of 'system venting' which was enthusiastically received. The catch to our system venting period was that the families had to end their venting with constructive suggestions to improve our Mental Health system here in Ontario. Leave it up to the experts to identify what is missing; here were some of the suggestions...

· Community-based Mental Health Emergency rooms-people can receive the respect and dignity they deserve while they are unwell without having to be escorted in front of others by police, or having to sit in an emergency room with other people presenting physical injuries, etc; a place where individuals do not have to be locked into rooms with little to no support. A place where consumers and families can come in and talk to crisis workers; a place where people can talk face to face and others can listen.

· Follow up, follow up, follow up. Families want to see a system that has a follow up process. When you need to see a specialist someone makes that appointment for you as soon as possible and then they call to remind you of your appointment. Families do not go out and try to find their own Cardiologist, Urologists, Oncologists, etc. the system finds it for them. Let's have an effective system that supports families in finding mental health support.

· Family-centered care-this means including the family in the process, listening to what the family has to say, taking their observations into account. "Families don't just go out and Form their loved one for fun" Family centered care within ER settings as well.

· Family education-many families figured this system out on their own; "help us help our loved ones" Not much to ask for.

So the 6 minutes of 'system venting' turned into 15 but what a great way to spend 15 minutes. Families really do know what is needed, they know because they are the ones that are actually working within the system.

Families are looking for and needing changes. They will continue to wait.

A Life Altering Event

2009-07-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

I ran into Tom Regehr of Cast Canada at the grocery store the other day. At first I didn't recognise him as he had lost so much weight. It turns out that Tom had been diagnosed with throat cancer, had gone through chemo and radiation and had been fed a liquid diet through a tube for several weeks. What a thing to go through! As usual Tom had an acute observation and taken something positive from his life altering event. Tom pointed out that while the medical procedure treatments that he had received were top notch there was a glaring lack of emotional support or recognition of how this affected him as a person. The only slight recognition was a half-hearted offer for him to speak to a Hospital Social Worker. Tom explained that there was the emotion impact of receiving the initial diagnosis and contemplating that he may die, the incredible and unrelenting pain involved with the treatments and finally the message that he was now cancer free. One might think that this announcement of being cancer free would be a cause for celebration and allow the forgetting of the previous emotional turmoil but no - Tom says he was in the "fighting" mode to deal with the cancer and it's emotional impact and not yet ready for this news, welcome as it may be.

Tom feels very strongly that our health care system and society in general are not recognising the whole person and the emotional impact of such events. I think Tom has a very good point.

On behalf of Frank...

2009-07-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

There is no denying that Frank is a busy bee out in Brampton working 3 days a week, so I thought I would take it upon myself to write a bit about the wonderful Brampton summer social that took place on June 30. It was again a pleasure to be out in Brampton working with colleagues and seeing the wonderful Brampton/Bolton families that I have gotten to know over the last year. A great turn out of 15 plus joined us that evening for delicious sandwiches, salads and desserts. Again a special thanks to Christine who drove down some homemade salads to munch on for dinner. Even when you are not there the families know your many contributions!!!

We spent a good chunk of the night playing a Guess Who game where each person had to answer 6 questions about themselves and the rest of the group had to guess who the person was. Even though many of us did not know each other very well this activity was a hit and resulted in a coin toss for first place winner. Some of the best responses came from the questions asking about what the worst thing people did as a kid was and what made them different from the rest of the group.

Many thanks again to the families that make events like this so much fun and worth while. Special thanks to Nicole who organized the food and Frank for his amazing talent at getting families out to enjoy an evening with us.

Enjoy your summer Brampton/Bolton families.

Lyndsay

Keeping in Touch

2009-06-22T08:27:00.001-07:00

I thought I would just post a little to do here about the importance of keeping connected even during difficult times. We all know the benefits of keeping in touch and having a 'network of support' blah, blah; but we're busy, work, life, family, etc. etc.. However I feel that sometimes we forget how simply sharing or connecting has the incredible ability to restore our lost energy.

Here at FAME we believe in the importance of connecting daily, weekly and even monthly with each other to check in, see how things are going and to provide support. This time we spend together is not all business. Sometimes we share a joke, or talk a bit about our personal lives. Sometimes we need help from our team about next steps to take or how best to support a family that might be going through a tough time themselves. No matter what we are sharing the end result is always a re-investment of energy, so that we may to go back to our offices and provide the best support in our communities.

Sometimes we might feel kind of lonely or isolated in our tough times; this can happen. But it is quite remarkable what a little sharing can do; you might be surprised to see how many people rally around you with a little bit of energy to offer.

Thanks for rallying around me....

Lyndsay

I've been meaning to blog...

2009-06-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

A little while ago I attended Child Psychiatry Day at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. This year’s topic was on “Preventive Interventions in Children’s Mental Health.”

A presentation particularly relevant to my work here at FAME was by Dr. Tatyana Barankin, co-author of the CAMH publication “Growing up resilient: Ways to build resilience in children and youth.” Dr. Barankin presented on “Opportunities for Prevention in Children of Mentally Ill.” She pointed to a number of studies that showed that children who have a parent with mental illness are at an increased risk of developing mental illness themselves. Many of us already know this, as a genetic factor has long been identified. But did you know the stats? It seems that when a parent has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, 74% of children may develop a mental illness. Where parental mood disorders are concerned, 25-50% of children may develop a mental illness (and not necessarily the one their parent has). The Nature vs. Nurture debate really should be referred to as the Nature AND Nurture debate, for both genetics and environmental factors are key components to one’s development and overall mental health. Dr. Barankin pointed out that 54% of children who have a parent with mental illness actually cope very well. So what separates the vulnerable child from the resilient one? Without getting too much into it here, Dr. Barankin shares that the child who is less vulnerable (and thus more resilient) develops a level of knowledge about the illness, is not engulfed nor intimidated by the illness, and sees it as something to be understood. In addition, Dr. Barankin identifies risk factors as well as protective factors in her book, and also distinguishes among individual, family, and environmental factors in enhancing resilience. Resilient families are identified as being flexible, focus on their strengths to address adversity, communicate well, etc. I’d like to write more about resilience later on.

A theme I found that ran throughout the day was the importance of the family in children’s mental health. I’d like to take this one step further and suggest that the family is important in each member’s mental health. One of Dr. Barankin’s conclusions was that the family should be included as part of the treatment. She highlighted to be particularly helpful psycho-educational cognitive approaches. So isn’t it great that we have fameKids?! The fameKids program is specifically designed based on characteristics of resilience and is an educational support group for children. And if part of prevention is education and helping to enhance resilience, then we are certainly on the right track!

Anie

And the Winner Is FAME!!!!!!!!

2009-05-08T14:54:00.001-07:00

Last week I posted about two young fellas from Lakeshore Collegiate, Terence Francois and Ryan Rahman. They came up to the FAME offices to interview me about the organization so that they could make a presentation about us at school. As it turns out there is a bit more to this than what we realized. There was a small pot of gold at the end of this presentation rainbow for one of the organizations. The students were competing to win a donation of $5,000 to the charity that they were making their presentations on. When they told me about this possibility I never put much thought into it. I was just happy that a couple of really smart young men had made the effort to come up to our offices and learn about who we are and what we do.

Early this afternoon I got a call from Terence. He told me that him & Ryan had made their presentation in front of a panel that included business people, community people, other students etc. He was really excited because the panel chose FAME as the recipient of the prize!!!!! How amazing is that!!!! That just rocks!!!! Congratulations to Terence & Ryan for this wonderful effort on their part. They must have just rocked that presentation. We are so proud of their hard work and their commitment.

Terence & Ryan will be joining us at "simply divas" for a special nod of recognition. C'mon out and celebrate with us! What a special day for everyone.

Respectfully,
the E.D. Christine

Out of the mouths of the babes....

2009-05-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

Meet Ryan & Terence. These days most youth seem to get a bit of a bad rap which perhaps isn't really fair. Anyway, a couple of days ago I was contacted by Terence asking for an interview for a school project. Ryan & Terence attend Lakeshore CI and they are working on a project for their Civics class on Philanthropy & Community organizations. I welcomed them in to the FAME office and I met with them late today(Friday May 1st). I have to say I really like these guys. In the middle of this interiew they realized how little they really new about mental illness and the issues around it. Out of this, I found myself saying to them "well....how about you help us (FAME) understand how much youth really understand about mental heatlh....". They were total gamers and by 6 p.m. today we worked together and have put up a survey on line, directed specifically to youth between 13-24 years of age. It was just a small list of really basic questions.....hey, it doesn't have to be complicated does it? We just have to ask the questions, right? The goal is to get 1,000 responses by the end of May. So if you are between the ages of 13-24 years....we want to hear from you! What you have to say is important to us. So if you'd like to particpate in this survey click on this link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=dKnhwxzkS8esBQPb6rozLw_3d_3d

What youth think is important to us. We need to hear from you.

Thanks,
Christine, Ryan & Terence
Posted by From the desk of the FAME E.D. at 8:09 PM

Shortest Walk for the Biggest Cause

2009-04-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

I was recently approached by the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario (SSO) about helping to spread the word regarding their annual Walk of Hope for schizophrenia fundraiser. They actually came to my office and dropped off their impressive posters which say: " shortest walk for the biggest cause " - I like it! Shortly after this I was talking to Marina Sue-Ping at SSO regarding another matter and got to talking about their Walk which happens to be exactly one week before the FAME divas fundraiser. Marina shared how much her and her kids enjoy this outdoor walk each year which is being held in Coronation Park in Oakville. I lightly mentioned that maybe I could bring my kids and join in. For the next week or two after this conversation I found myself revisiting this idea and whether or not I could find the time. Whether it was the close feeling I have to the SSO because of the similarity they have to FAME in being a small, low funded organization or because of the fact that, like divas, this is such a good cause I decided I HAVE TO GO!

So if anyone wants to join us or to sponsor me or just pat me on the back(lol) then feel free.

In sunshine solidarity,

Frank

Thanks to the Partnership

2009-04-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
Just wanted to share a really nice outcome that came out of the partnership FAME has with Rapport Youth and Family Services. As some of you may know, the Brampton FAME office is located within Rapport's ECLYPSE youth drop-in centre. For some time now, I have been looking for a place to store extra boxes and supplies that I felt were unsightly in my office. My wife happened to have a tall wardrobe container that she no longer had room for in her Toronto clinic and she was willing to donate it to FAME. However, the piece was a dull colour and really needed a paint job. After talking the situation over with Everton, Eclypse youth staff member, and discovering we still had paint left over from when I painted the office when moving in, Everton came up with an idea. How about having one of the youth that do their community service hours at Eclypse do the painting.

Well the wardrobe container got painted the 2 matching wall colours, holds all my extra office and group supplies and looks great! There you go, just one example of how partnerships work!

Frank

An old friend says hello!

2009-04-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Many of our Mississauga families will remember Melissa Judd our Family Outreach Worker who left us to move to Bermuda with her husband Charlie who is teaching at a school in Bermuda. We were really sorry to see Melissa leave us but we understand that sometime you just can't pass up certain opportunities. Of course this led us to meeting and hiring our beloved Lyndsay! Regardless, a couple of weeks ago Melissa and her family were back in the metro area visiting family and we took some time to meet up for lunch. First thing out of her mouth was....."how are the families doing!". We miss Melissa and her devotion to the families that FAME served and it was great getting a chance to visit with her. Safe journey home Melissa....so great to see you....and Charlie and your two beautiful daughters! After all, it is all about the families. :)

Christine

Looking for a Sound Bite!!!!

2009-04-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

I know that FAME has made the difference in the lives of so many families all across the GTA. Now we need to hear from you! We are making a small 3-4 minute clip, directed and edited by Andrew Brown, the incredible volunteer who helped up put our "simply divas" clip together.
We can't do this clip without you! We can film you right in our office, in our newly renovated family intake room (we've got a comfy couch with your name on it!) and we've got a couple of questions we can send to you ahead of time so you can think about what it is that you want to say. All in all, while we may film about 20 minutes, in actuality about 15-20 seconds is what will end up in the final cut. What you have to say though is important and can help so many other family members understand who FAME is and what we do.

If you are interested, please give Michelle Bake here at the office a call. We'd love to hear from you.

thanks,
Christine

Scarborough Office

2009-04-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

It's damp and draughty in Scarborough today and I will soon share news of another date in the Scarborough Speakers Series. Meanwhile, we're preparing for 'simply divas' so keep the afternoon of 31 May 2009 open for food, fun and music.

paulo

The Real Diva in the office celebrates her 40th!

2009-03-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday Afrooz! We just couldn't let the day pass without some sort of surprise. :) It's always nice to have your cake and eat it too.

All the best to you on this very special occasion.

We here at the office are very grateful for all of your hard work and your support for all of the staff.

On behalf of everyone here at FAME, the families and the board of directors.....happy 40th birthday!

big hugs, the E.D.

My surprise BD in office

2009-03-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

I'd just came back from a one week training holding on behalf of Ministry of Health and Long-Term care and I noticed I was disconnected from the server. Nothing worked on my station, not even the Internet. As I have a little knowledge about computers, I was testing everything to reconnect myself, from testing all the cabling to giving different IP addresses to my computer. But nothing worked. Being frustrated by not functioning and the freezing weather in our office; yesterday we had another cold alert in Toronto and our office amazingly adjusts its temperature to outside; I was thinking to myself "what else should I have to challenge today?" After having my lunch and stepping out for a short time, I've found the office door locked and not being able to go inside the office. As we have recently added another room to our office in Etobicoke building, I went to the other room to see who locked the door and why. What do you think I found there? Our staff with a little chocolate cake and a bouquet of flowers for my 40th birthday. Thank you everyone for making my day and reminding me how great you are.

Tell us your Story!

2009-02-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note....we are busy here at FAME working with film editor, Andrew Brown of Digi-Realm (he's the wonderful volunteer who helped us put together our divas clip), on developing a 4 minute reel on who FAME is and how we work with families. It's an important project for us because it will enable us to reach out to the community and show them first hand who we are what what we do and what a difference we make for families all across the GTA.

It is our goal to "premiere" our film clip at the upcoming spring event "simply divas" on Sunday, May 31st at the Berkeley Church Event Venue. After that the film clip will become a part of outreach materials and tools to educate the public and help us to develop new partnerships and supporters throughout the community.

We need you! We need to hear your voice! We need to hear your story and we are looking for families and individuals to share what role FAME has played in their lives and in the lives of their families. Help us to share with the community this story. It's an important project and what you have to say needs to be heard.

If you are interested in participating in this amazing little project then please contact Michelle Bake, Director of Marketing & Community Development here at the FAME offices at (416) 207-5032 ext. 25 or through her email at michelleb@fameforfamilies.com

We look forward to hearing from you.

It's a new look newsletter....

2009-02-24T05:48:00.000-08:00

Just a quick heads up to our family, friends, members, associates....
For the first time ever we've decided to print our newsletter in colour! You'll also notice a bit of an expanded newsletter as well. For the past year we've struggled with different ideas of how to improve this publication and e-zine version of it. The newsletter is a popular item with our families and its important for us to remember that even while the world goes "viral" that many families and friends enjoy getting that newsletter from us in their mailboxes. So keep an eye out, the newsletter is days away from getting tossed into the mailbox. Have a look. Give us your feedback. What you think is important to us. For us, at the end of the day, it is all about our families.

Stay warm this frosty February morning!

Christine the ED

Mississauga Halton LHIN Community Meetings

2009-01-08T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hello to All;
I wanted to pass on this invite for families to attend an information session detailing what is happening in the Mental Health and Addictions field here in Mississauga Halton LHIN (Local Health Integration Network). In Ontario there are 14 LHIN's all together and they were developed to better meet the health needs of our communities; they engage in research, planning, funding, and integration of service. In the last year or so Mississauga Halton LHIN has developed a Detailed Planning and Action Team to outline barriers that exist within the system and to begin serious discussion about what changes need to be implemented to deal with some of the larger systematic issues. This report, along with additional valuable information was released earlier this year and can be found on the Mississauga Halton LHIN website: http://www.mississaugahaltonlhin.on.ca/home.aspx.

Having the preliminary work done this task group is now organizing 3 community meetings. This is ‘the’ opportunity for community members to find out valuable information regarding the Mental Health and Addiction field here in Mississauga Halton LHIN and relay important family and consumer messages back to the task groups.

If you have the time I encourage all to step out and find out what is happening in our community and to understand that we have a collective group of talented individuals working on improving the system for consumers and families.**That's right families, your voices are being presented on this committee by a family member**

MILTON: Tuesday, January 13-7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Community Room, Halton Regional Police Station
490 Child’s Drive, Milton

MISSISSAUGA: Wednesday, January 28 -7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Classroom 3-Mississauga Central Library
301 Burhamthorpe Road W.,Mississauga

OAKVILLE: Wednesday, January 21 -6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Dorval Site – 6th fl: Mental Health Outpatient Program Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital 700 Dorval Drive,Oakville

Please RSVP by January 9, 2009 to Mississauga Halton LHIN –
Call: (905) 337-7131, ext 200 or E-mail: mississaugahalton@lhins.on.ca

IF YOU ARE READING THIS AFTER JAN. 9, 09, PLEASE STILL TRY TO RSVP TO THE MEETING.

It really was home sweet homes.....

2008-12-11T11:43:00.001-08:00

They came, they laughed, they ate, they built home sweet homes! We've got one more holiday party to serve up (this coming Monday night out in Scarborough) and I have to say that we are on course for setting record attendances at all the parties we have hosted for families this holiday season!

What an amazing turnout! It has really caught us by surprise and what's even more surprising is how our families embraced and absolutely revelled in the building of their own home sweet gingerbread homes. Talk about a blast! I have had nothing but kudos and exaltations of joy and fun from those who were there to enjoy. As Lyndsay noted in the previous blog families ate, they sang, they laughed, they shared and they completely got wrapped up in creating those gingerbread houses. Talk about tons 'o fun!

Stay tuned as we begin to post the pictures (like the one you see here) of the different houses and the families who built them. In the meantime, we've got one more party to prepare for so it's back to the kitchen for me!

Happy sweet holidays!

Christine

"Oh What a Night"

2008-12-05T06:46:00.000-08:00

And oh what a night it was!!! On Dec. 3rd Mississauga families and FAME celebrated the 2008 Holiday season with a 'Home Sweet Home' party.

The gingerbread houses were nothing short of a spectacular idea and as the families settle down and started building away the candy and icing was flying. For many families this was their first experience building a gingerbread and they all did a remarkable job. Christine was a busy bee in the kitchen all evening and prepared for us a lovely meal of lasagna, pizza, salad, and meatballs; the families filled there belly's with nothing but the best. As the evening continued Paul and the newly developed FAME choir belted out 13 fantastic holiday jams; there was more then just singing, feet were a moving. A very special thanks goes out to Michelle, Mary, Paul and Christine for making the Mississauga holiday party the place to be. In our thoughts, Frank, Anie, Afrooz and Nicole who could not be with us.

And to the Mississauga families: Many thanks to you for your voices, hearts and warm thoughts. The 2008 celebration is one for the books.

Happy Holidays,Lynds

Jack, Steph and the Harpooners

2008-12-04T07:24:00.000-08:00

Hello All,
OK, I have to admit all this turmoil surrounding our Parliment has got me stimulated and excited! Perhaps, Steven Harper and his arrogant party members are going to get their just desserts. Maybe this process will be similar to a family that has a crisis which brings the family closer together. I don't want to get too "political" but this excitement has stimulated me to put together a little poem:

Jack, Steph and Gil went to Parliment Hill bringing their own agendas
Stephen got cocky, made Parliment a mockery and his government came tumbling after

Frank

Never underestimate the power of donations

2008-11-26T07:48:00.000-08:00

hi all,
I know your thinking " oh, Frank is out to get some more stuff, that is why he is blogging again". Well the Petro-Can gift sure was nice and maybe it has inspired me or twigged my imagination because something else has come to mind to share - but I am not expecting any stuff - just wanted to share an experience that affected me.

Recently, I was at a local musical event and ran into a couple that had come to one of my first Family Support Groups in Brampton. Although this couple did not use FAME services much afterwards they did come to the holiday party. At the party, the husband had won a door prize of a haircut that had been donated. I asked if he had ever gotten the haircut, suspecting that he may have had his own stylist and not bothered using the gift. He emphatically informed me that he had gone and has been going ever since and that he is very committed to stick with him because of the kind donation that the stylist had shown to FAME.

This experience opened my eyes to the fact that when a business person makes a donation to a worthy cause it can really reaps benefits back to their business. This is probably why I am again out soliciting businesses for donations to the holiday party. Also, I have a number of businesses that give donations each year, which makes it easier. I sometimes find myself emotionally panicking when I am about to go into a business to ask for a donation but afterwards I usually feel good even if I didn't get the donation.

That is all I had to say. These are my musings.

ciao,

Frank

Blog,Blah,blah

2008-11-18T13:07:00.000-08:00

Hi,
All out there in cyberspace. Things are just zipping along out here in the far reaches of Peel. There are lots of families in need. The family support groups in Brampton and Bolton continue to be well attended.

I recently attended a one day workshop by Dr. Jonathon Prousky on treating mental illness through OrthoMolecular medicine, for professionals. There were many psychiatrists, MD's and Naturopathic doctors. The discussion was quite technical as you can imagine and often a bit beyond my understanding. Having an absessed tooth at the time also added to the challenge. However, I left the workshop believing that this method of treatment can be very helpful in many instances. My biggest challenge is being able to help family members get connected to Dr. P. or other professionals using the methods. Dr. P. did point out that if the consumer is on ODSP that each appointment is only $14. at the Naturopathic College. This was good to know.

So long for now,

Frank

Building A Home Sweet Home!

2008-11-11T10:50:00.001-08:00

There is nothing quite home sweet home! C'mon out to the FAME annual holiday parties, bring along your family and you can build your own home sweet home! This year we are having a gingerbread building activity where we provide you with the kit and you work together as a family to build your holiday home sweet home! There'll be candy canes, gumdrops and licorice galore. After all, it should be sweet, right?

At the end of the night we'll judge the houses and give away prizes for everything such as the best lopsided house to the most candified cottage! Bring along some extra candy....we highly recommend Smarties, M&M's & ju-jubes. The best part of this all is that you'll get to take home whatever you create so you can enjoy this sweetness over the holidays!

Pre-registration will be required (so we'll know how many kits we'll need) and you'll also need to bring along a cookie sheet or some sort of board/cardboard that you can build your house upon so you can take it home.

So c'mon out, have some fun, some food and some sweet times with the FAME staff & volunteers as we celebrate the holiday season. Stay tuned for dates, times, locations. All of this information will also show up shortly in our annual holiday family cards that we are just about to mail out.

We look forward to seeing you!

Christine Cooper, Executive Director

An Organization Thanks You!

2008-11-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

On behalf of the FAME staff and its board of directors, we'd like to take this time to thank those have given their life, those who have served, those who continue to serve and those who are commiting themselves to serve this country. We shall never forget.

Much respect,

Christine Cooper

Executive Director

Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere

magic in the music

2008-10-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

We threw a great party (meeting) at the AGM on 22 Sept 2008.

I am tickled to play music at F.A.M.E. events as I get to use more parts of my whole self. Music is important to me and I want to share it -- it fits perfectly with my belief that music, the arts and recreation contribute to recovery and wellness. Bye for now.

Another successful event, AGM 2008

2008-09-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

We had our 20th Annual General Meeting on Monday September 22, 2008 at World Vision Building. I'll write about the event later on. Just for sharing some memories I've posted some pictures.

And the peanut gallery speaks.... :)

2008-08-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

See what happens, ya dangle a little swag like a gas card (vroom vroom) out for grabs and all of sudden it's a horserace on the blogspot. First off, I want to know who's this person writing under Stephanie's name and what have you done with her? My my, who'd have thought such a funny writer lay underneath that cool, I'm on it attitude of hers. Kudo's to you my little chickadee.

For that....I see gas card in your future....and I'm not talking about the kind of gas you say "ooops, excuse me....."

The Swag Gnome strikes again.....

of course though, there will be a smattering of treats in the office on Dundas Street.

Oh and Mary, Mary Quite Contrary. If can ever illicit more than a line out of you....you can count on an LCBO card. Nothing says loving like a decent little bottle of something to go with a lovely bbq steak. :) Make mine a double.

much respect to my staff,

The QD

Work or blog? Work or blog? What are the girls to do?

2008-08-15T11:55:00.001-07:00

It's a TEAM THING!

2008-08-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

The three girls working together to deal with the ever-present blogging dilemma.

Friday afternoon at the FAME office - working or blogging?

2008-08-15T11:31:00.001-07:00

To blog or not to blog.... that is the FAME question.

Here we are frantically working to meet tight deadlines set for us by our ED and job demands and low and behold in walks the Temptress herself, enticing us with swag to blog.
Here is the dilemma - do we blog for gas cards, coffee, booze and/or chocolate OR do we complete our assigned tasks with the sole reward of personal satisfaction?

As you can see, we are easily motivated by the instant gratification of worldly pleasures!

Our eyes are on the prizes.....

the Hugger, the Ok-er, the Diva-in-training

Another year wrapped up...

2008-08-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

What an exciting 2 weeks! 4 parties, 13 volunteers and staff, delicious food, creative family activities, engaging musical entertainment, and countless donated door prizes and gifts. I am so pleased to report that each event was thoroughly enjoyed by the participants and each one had its own creative flair developed by the event planning volunteers. FAME was so fortunate this year to acquire the assistance of 4 individuals with an event management background. Thanks to Rosanna, Rohan, Nicole, and Jacob for all your effort this summer.

These events are also a great opportunity for me to connect with our families across the regions and to work closely with each Family Outreach Worker. I look forward to them every year.

A big thank you to all the FAME staff and volunteers for working together and pulling off another successful year!

stephanie

past, present, future

2008-07-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Several attendees at the Scarborough FAME's Summer Social 2008 said that they enjoyed it immensely. There were current and past FAME clients and Family Support Group members. Several community members who regularly drop by Agincourt Community Services Association enjoyed themselves. Colin Browne represented the Board and convincingly pretended to enjoy himself.

We witnessed the debut of a new group of capable, creative and dedicated volunteers -- the future holds promise.

The most significant moment for me was when a man who had spoken very few words all evening told me at the end that "it's good to find a place to relax."

paulopines

How the winner spent her gift?

2008-07-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

OK. We'd decided to buy a DVD for us or for the kids and nothing else(We are squeezing our expenses to save a little bit for our upcoming trip in August). We went there, spent $150.00 on different things. $50 of that was just DVDs. I also got a small box of chocolate for the office in order to share my prize with the office as it is a staff blog. Thank you for the prize and hope every one enjoys the blog as much I do.

how sweet it is!!

2008-07-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

Last night’s family social in Scarborough went off with a hit and we were thrilled by the unexpected abundance of sweets! We were so fortunate to have such an array of desserts, trust me, the sweet tooth inside of me was not complaining. Nicole, the talented volunteer event planner for the evening, baked delicious cupcakes and she left the decorating up to us! Everyone really enjoyed the activity; we just didn’t get to see the finished product before they were all gobbled up. And then there was the delivery of the timbits from a family member who couldn’t stay for the evening. AND another family generously contributed brownies and delicious macadamia tarts. Thank you to all for your kindness and participation, and to the volunteers for pulling the event together. I know I had a nice sugar buzz going by the end of the evening.

And on the other side of the city, an equally enjoyable and more intimate event took place two nights ago in Brampton. It’s always so encouraging to hear the success stories of our families and to see the familiar faces. Thank you to Rosanna for coordinating the evening and receiving full donations for the dinner and door prizes.

Next Week: Mississauga and Brampton

We've got a winner!

2008-07-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

The winner of the first official swag for famestaff bloggers goes out to Afrooz! She snagged
herself a $20 retail gift card!

By the way, the gnome has left the building....it's on the road. :)

Christine

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary....how does your Garden grow!

2008-07-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

Mary, you just absolutely crack me up, really you do.

2008-07-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Good to hear from everyone. What fun this will be.
Busy with my work.
Have a good week.
Mary

Hurray...it's me! (A little Blackadder humour)

2008-07-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

I'm known as the Hug Queen around the office...simply because I hug at just about every opportunity I get, someone got this crazy idea that I like to hug...weird...

I'm also known as the new fameKids Coordinator. Well...new around the office for a whole 2 weeks until Lynds came and stole the title...now she's been "the new girl" for the past 2 months! :P

Last night was the last fameKids session for my first fameKids group (bet you can't say that fast 10 times in a row!). It was, of course, a little sad to see them go but I'm so proud of my first little group of "graduates!" I look forward to welcoming the next batch (in less than 2 weeks!) and continuing to learn from one another.

That's all for now (until the next gnome rolls around...)!

Anie

hello from the frontier

2008-07-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

hey all,
It's little ole me way out in the frontiers of Brampton/Caledon. What a creative idea doing a staff blog! I've read blogs before but never engaged in one. Things are just hopping out here - exciting and a bit tense at the same time. Lots of families in need, doing case conferences/family meetings/final fameKids night tonight, Brampton summer social tommorrow night...yahoo, giddy up!!!

blog yah soon,

Frank

p.s. congrats to Peaches for winning the mystery prize
1

family socials begin this week...

2008-07-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

Wow, so FAME has joined the Blogosphere! This is exciting for us and I look forward to sharing FAME news in a new medium. One of the many hats that I wear at FAME includes the coordination of volunteers and I feel that this site will enhance the communication among the extended FAME family. For the time being, my post will be short and sweet as we are preparing for our upcoming family summer socials.....
This week: Brampton, Wednesday July 23rd and Scarborough, Thursday July 24th. Thank you to the volunteers that have been working hard to pull together these entertaining evenings for our families.
I look forward to seeing everyone over the next couple of weeks!

More to come....
Stephanie

2008-07-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

49 hours til Scarborough's Social BBQ so not so many opines today.

Mississauga represents...

2008-07-21T08:59:00.001-07:00

I am the new girl on the block at FAME and have been welcomed with open arms. The day Christine (our E.D.) offered me the job she said, "we'll Lynds make sure you talk it over with your honey, because it is a big change to your family". And I did. A week later I arrived home from my first week at FAME with an arm full of stuff from our annual Simply Diva's fundraiser (a women's sized t-shirt, beautiful necklace, buttons). Later that evening I was getting ready for some sleep when my partner was knocking at the bathroom door, saying that he needed to get in there for something. A little irritated, I reluctantly opened the door to see him wearing my way too small Simply Diva's t-shirt and some cat ears that I wore for Halloween!! He said, "if your looking for a Diva next year keep me in mind". I don't think that I had ever laughed so hard.

In the last couple of months here with the most amazing families in Mississauga I have come to realize that keeping your humor and remembering to laugh every once in awhile is so up lifting. This is a lesson that my partner reminded me of before I started, is something that my FAME family practices and is what Mississauga families share with me everyday.

Many Thanks.

p.s. Pictures were taken and I promised to never show them to anyone. But a FAME posting might be the most appropriate place!!!

Accepting the invitation

2008-07-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

So, that's how you surprise your staff!!!!!!! I'm ready for all the changes and challenges you bring to the organization. I think that's how our family members deal with their lives and with their beloved ones. Of course this one is not comparable with theirs, but still it is a challenge for me to write, especially when I know every one is able to read it. You tagged me and I'm ready.

FAMEStaff

Upcoming fameKids groups

OACP Approves Sealing of Mental Health Records

05 July 2011 Scarborough Social

Greetings!

South Etobicoke Community Mental Health Meeting

North York Mental Health Fair on Friday May 6

The Best Way to Deal with a Disability

come on down to the Community Door

come on down to the

Etobicoke Educational Speaker Series for April and May 2011

Spring is here! Well almost.

Hey....it's the new guy in town!

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

Lynds....you'll be missed....

Greetings!

*****UPCOMING EVENTS*****

Financial Planning for the Future

Upcoming Events

Etobicoke Speaker Series

New Year, New Group!

Happy New Year....Happy Birthday!

Tis the season to be jolly!

Another Year, Another 5 Parties!

Meeting basic needs first

Family and Consumer Focus Group

Families Speak Out...

A Life Altering Event

On behalf of Frank...

Keeping in Touch

I've been meaning to blog...

And the Winner Is FAME!!!!!!!!

Out of the mouths of the babes....

Shortest Walk for the Biggest Cause

Thanks to the Partnership

An old friend says hello!

Looking for a Sound Bite!!!!

Scarborough Office

The Real Diva in the office celebrates her 40th!

My surprise BD in office

Tell us your Story!

It's a new look newsletter....

Mississauga Halton LHIN Community Meetings

It really was home sweet homes.....

"Oh What a Night"

Jack, Steph and the Harpooners

Never underestimate the power of donations

Blog,Blah,blah

Building A Home Sweet Home!

An Organization Thanks You!

magic in the music

Another successful event, AGM 2008

And the peanut gallery speaks.... :)

Work or blog? Work or blog? What are the girls to do?

It's a TEAM THING!

Friday afternoon at the FAME office - working or blogging?

Another year wrapped up...

past, present, future

How the winner spent her gift?

how sweet it is!!

We've got a winner!

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary....how does your Garden grow!

Hurray...it's me! (A little Blackadder humour)

hello from the frontier

family socials begin this week...

Mississauga represents...

Accepting the invitation

UPCOMING EVENTS