From ABC-13's Blog: GMV Anchor Pattie Martin
Wednesday November 04, 2009
From the Pens of Babes by Pattie Martin

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The Family Alliance Youth Summer Employment program finds work for 110
The Lynchburg News & Advance, July 18, 2009

With jobs hard to come by, you can imagine the kind of response when not one, but 110 job offers became available through The Family Alliance. “We had a commercial running on MTV, BET and Comedy Central, to inform kids of the Youth Summer Employment program,” said Tom Prest, CEO of the Family Alliance. “We had to pull the ad early because the response was so overwhelming.”
The Alliance, which checked with area businesses, asking which ones needed summer help, received more than 400 applications for the jobs. The Alliance was able to set up 110 job positions after it received a $290,000 grant from the Region 2000 workforce investment board as part of the Recovery Act. The money has helped many youths to either get their first job,  or even find a job at all. “The problem has existed for some years. This was almost twice as much money as we had in the past,” said Danny Inge, director of the Workforce Investment Board.
The Alliance now has 100 youths, between 14 and 24, working in Lynchburg, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Altavista. Prest said the experience has been positive for both the employees and their employers. Hollie Mills, executive director of the Amherst Historical Museum, said a photo project there “never would have been able to happen without Jessica.” Jessica Boon, 18, is working at the museum, using a digital camera to photograph 482 old, glass plate negatives and sort them into a digital file that researchers can easily view without damaging the negatives. She’s currently at 222. “About halfway done.” The job has given her a chance to explore her photography hobby. At the museum, she also takes pictures of events and has even given tours.
Kavon Woolfolk, 15, was able to get his first job through the Alliance at the Alta Shoe Shop, where he unloads boxes and helps repair shoes. He tried applying at McDonald’s and Kroger but wasn’t able to find a job. “Nobody was actually hiring at the time.” Sandy Myers, owner of the Alta Shoe Shop, said she “didn’t have the funds to hire anybody.” “Because of the economy—we’ve been working less people to make it through these tough times.” She said that with Woolfolk, she has been able to keep her store more organized. She admitted she was reluctant at first to hire a younger person. “I’ve hired teenagers in the past that don’t work out. They had no drive, no respect. “I didn’t know there was a 15-year-old that could work like him.” Woolfolk, like all the other applicants, had to attend a week of work-readiness classes at CVCC taught by Keith Harkins, a professor at the college. Harkins said, “The overall goal is to prepare the participants for the work force, to provide them with basic work skills, readiness skills, so they have a better chance to succeed.” Britney Thomas, 20, said, “A lot of it was just general knowledge.” Thomas, and Alisha Burley, 19, have been working in the Admissions and Records office at CVCC. “It’s a boring, monotonous job,” said Julie Loving, director of Admissions and Records at CVCC, “but they never complain.” Loving said she has been able to put more staff at the front desk to serve the students while Thomas and Burley help with the filing. After work, they wait about 45 minutes for the bus to come. Loving told them they could leave earlier to catch the bus, but instead they prefer to work the full amount of time they’re allowed, 35 hours a week. “It’s worth it,” said Thomas. Harkins said this is a big step for many of the young adults because it’s providing them with a good reference. “I told them that everything you add to your resume, you’re adding another piece to a puzzle,” said Harkins. Ten positions remain unfilled because of “a combination of a few people dropping out and the logistics of filling 110 positions,” said Prest. Prest said the Alliance is still going through the remaining 300 applications to find good fits for open positions. “We’re still a little bit of a work in progress.”
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The Family Alliance: A New Name, A New Century

By Heather King, Lynchburg Living

For a moment, imagine you're a woman with a wonderful husband and two children who you adore. Although you and your husband work hard every day, you don't have enough money to buy a car. Now imagine your husband is injured on the job and unable to continue to work outside of the home. The bills don't go away, the children are still hungry, and now you have to work harder than ever before. In this situation, what would you do?
For Takisha and Carl Miller, the answer to that question was found within the Lynchburg organization, the Alliance for Families and Children. Takisha Miller heard about the Alliance through a co-worker who told Miller she'd received a car through the Alliance's "Ways to Work" program. This program is designed to help families by providing loans of up to $4,000 to use towards the purchase of a car or for car repair costs.
After searching for programs that could help online, Miller, at the time a new resident of Lynchburg, realized this was exactly what she'd been looking for. With her husband staying home to care for the house and their children, Miller, with a heart full of faith and a spirit of confidence, went to the Alliance to seek assistance.
The Millers are not alone. In the past century, the Alliance has helped countless people overcome many of life's difficulties. Now, in its 100^th year, the Alliance definitely has a lot to celebrate - including a new variation of their name. With a $2 million operating budget, the newly-dubbed "Family Alliance" served over 17,000 individuals last year alone; impressive statistics for any organization.
Today, they have 34 full-time employees and serve the cities of Lynchburg and Bedford and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell. But to fully understand the full effect of Family Alliance's vast impact today, you must look to their past.
In 1909, before the advent of public assistance programs, area religious organizations realized the needs of families in the community were becoming too great for them to handle on their own. With the assistance of philanthropists and concerned citizens, they formed the Associated Charities of the City of Lynchburg. This newly formed organization helped families deal with such issues like unemployment, child abuse, substance abuse and relationship troubles.
According to Tom Prest, the current CEO of Family Alliance, the purpose of the organization in those early days was:
1. To be a center of intercommunication between various churches and charitable agencies in the city while fostering harmonious cooperation between them, and to look for overlapping relief efforts.
2. To investigate, for free, the cases of applicants, and to provide visitors to attend cases needing counsel and advice.
3. To obtain relief from proper charities and individuals adequate for suitable cases.
4. To secure work for those capable of being wholly or partially self-supporting.
5. To promote the general welfare of the poor by social reforms and by teaching habits of providence and self-dependence.
6. To carry out such plans for the treatment of families who show the best promise of permanently improving their condition.

In 1935, the board changed the name of the organization to the Family Welfare Society of Lynchburg to reflect their continued focus on counseling families and individuals and their abridged interest in offering financial assistance. A merger with the Traveler's Aid in 1951 led the agency to rename themselves The Family Service-Traveler's Aid of Lynchburg. By 1957, the name had been shortened to The Family Service of Lynchburg. "The purpose in the 1950s was to provide a community-wide basis in solving family and personal problems in economic, educational and vocational planning," Prest said. "[It was also] in meeting special and emergency economic or other needs, and of developing the opportunity for capacity for useful and satisfying lives within the Lynchburg area. The other part of our mission then with the merger of Traveler's Aid was to give individual service to those people known as 'moving people,' including travelers, transients, migrants and non-residents when in need of assistance." Fast forward to 1972, the organization that would become the Alliance for Families and Children was then known as the Family Service of Central Virginia, an acknowledgement that their service area had expanded to include all of Central Virginia. But it was not until the 90's that the name most of us now know came to be.

"In 1995, I arrived as CEO," Prest said, "and the name Alliance for Families and Children was adopted to reflect our growing expansion of services and programs, including the Child Abuse Prevention Center, Healthy Families and the Partnership for the Prevention of Substance Abuse. Today, as we look ahead to our next 100 years of service in the community, we are changing our name to Family Alliance, a reflection of how our clients and supporters often 'name' us; our shorthand, so to speak."
No matter what the name, Miller is one of Family Alliance's biggest supporters because of how the "Ways to Work" program changed her life. "Before this loan, it was an every day struggle to maintain family tasks," Miller said. "My work day began at 7:30 a.m., although I didn't have to actually report to work until 9 a.m. The drive to work now only takes 15 minutes with my car, but before the loan, I had to commute on three buses to get to and from work every day. Because of 'Ways to Work,' I have the opportunity to provide food for my family, a car to drive to work and diapers for my youngest child. The Alliance is my family outside of family."
Tracey Dixon, Director of Prevention & Marketing, has seen the success of this program firsthand. "We have had tremendous success with this program. This is because with reliable transportation, parents can work more shifts, are better able to arrive to work on time and have more flexibility," Dixon said.
You can hear the smile in Miller's voice when she talks about her experience. "It was an easy process. There was paperwork to fill out. It wasn't even a month after I put in my application that they called to tell me I could go look for a car," she said. But the Alliance didn't just help Miller to purchase her car. "They helped me budget my finances, buy Pampers, establish credit and they keep up with you. They make sure everything is okay...they ask if there's anybody they can call for you," she explained. In addition to paying back her loan, Miller now donates money to Family Alliance. "If you have the heart to help, this is an organization to donate to," she said.
Stories like Miller's are the rule, not the exception when it comes to the many people Family Alliance has helped over the year. Nearly 10 years ago, Amy Gehman went to the Alliance to participate in a parenting class. "We were having disciplinary problems with our oldest son and they offered a class to help to better deal with those situations," Gehman said. Through their Family Development services, Family Alliance assists families through a variety of programs geared toward first-time parents, as well as teenagers who have become pregnant. They also offer parenting classes like the one the Gehman family attended. "These are 'entire family' parenting classes which work to improve family communication, increase each family member's understanding of how other family members are feeling (empathy) and give parents new 'tools' for their 'tool belt' in discipline and conflict," Dixon said. Gehman remembers the experience fondly. "It was an opportunity to hear from other parents and see what situations they were going through. It's always good to feel like you're not the only person out there who may or may not have the skills to be a parent," she said. Eight years later, Gehman couldn't be more proud of her sons. She now raves about her four boys. They all get excellent grades at school, participate in extracurricular school activities and have a lot of friends. From lacrosse to football, her oldest is active in a range of sports, although football is his favorite. When asked if she would recommend Family Alliance to other parents, Gehman said she would without question. "Especially young parents," she said. "Many young parents don't have a lot of help. It's always good to find someone you can talk with to get pointers from."
Family Alliance has a variety of programs designed to help families and people in need. One of the Pillars of the Family Alliance is to "strengthen families for success by meeting the community's needs, filling in the gaps and offering a hand up instead of a hand out." If the Family Alliance's 100-year history is any proof, the next 100 years should bring an abundance of hope and assistance to many of Lynchburg's citizens who are in need. "The Family Alliance is ready for the challenges of strengthening families for the next 100 years," Prest said. "We are actively pursuing opportunities through economic stimulus money. Working with at-risk teenagers seems to be another area of potential growth." In 1963, John P. Keefe, then-President of the Board, summed it up well when he wrote, "The board, staff and community have worked hard to make Family Service a social agency of which all can be proud. Proud because Lynchburg citizens are continuing to say that they care about what happens to people."

Here's to 100 more years of caring.

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Program will offer Central Virginia kids summer jobs
By Annie McCallum, The News & Advance
May 12, 2009

The Alliance for Families and Children, along with Central Virginia Community College, will help employ 110 young adults this summer through a Youth Summer Employment program. The program, which will give students work experience with local employers and a paycheck, is possible through a grant from the Region 2000 workforce investment board. The $290,000 grant stems from stimulus funds the board received and will help businesses and youth starting in June.
“We’re really excited about the program,” said Tom Prest, Alliance for Families and Children CEO, “because of what it will mean in terms of opportunities for young people and young adults in our community to have valuable work experience to build a basis for good solid values around work for the rest of their lives.”
The funding allows for a significant expansion of the program, which previously served a dozen or so people, Prest said. Low-income individuals who live in Central Virginia and are between the ages of 14 and 24 are eligible. Prest said he anticipates having more applicants than positions available. Selections will be based in part on first-come, first-served and on need. Individuals who are selected will begin June 22 with a week of work-readiness training. Prest said participants will learn how to act and dress in a professional environment and develop a resume before beginning six weeks of work.
Prest said while students will benefit from the skills they glean on the job, area employers stand to make gains as well. “The benefit to business is the young employees will be paid through the grant. They will be getting additional help for their business and at the same time teaching and mentoring people for work,” he said.
The alliance and CVCC are looking for potential employers and participants. Each CVCC site will set up facilities for those interested. People also can call the alliance.
Danny Inge, workforce investment board executive director, said participating area employers could be businesses, local governments or nonprofits. No matter where students work, though, they will get a taste of what careers are like in the real world.
“For the young people it’s a real chance to earn some money this summer,” Inge said. “It’s a good chance to learn about working. It may sound a little funny, but the way you learn about work is working…You just don’t learn that stuff in a book.”
For more information: Call (434) 845-5944, ext. 236 or visit http://www.alliancecva.org.

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Triathletes' Tough Challenge
WSET 6pm News on May 10, 2009
from ABC 13 - http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0509/621501.html
Lynchburg leads the country in the per capita number of Ironman triathletes and now all those athletes are looking to give back. 32 people in the Hill City are training for one of two Ironman events this summer. And they come from all walks of life, including a Lynchburg Fire fighter--and a funeral home director. If you aren’t familiar with an Ironman event, it’s a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride followed by a 26.2 run: all in the same day. If the task doesn't sound challenging enough these folks are upping the challenge by raising money for charity too. Their goal is to raise $35,000 for the Alliance for Families and Children.
Chris Tharp, Ironman Athlete - "That organization, especially in this economic downturn has really been a tremendous support to families that are dealing with some tough circumstances."
To donate to their cause, visit their website. http://www.firstgiving.com/lynchburgironman

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Alliance for Families and Children accepts Wal-Mart donation to help teen moms
By Annie McCallum, Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: December 3, 2008
The Alliance for Families and Children called attention to the rising rate of teen pregnancies Wednesday when the organization accepted $30,000 from the Wal-Mart Foundation to aid its programs for teenage parents.
“The current trend in teen pregnancy rates is very alarming,” said Alliance for Families and Children CEO Tom Prest.
In the Central Virginia area that his organization serves, there were 459 teen pregnancies in 2007, and 212 were in Lynchburg.
“It is our belief that teen pregnancies in our area have continued to rise,” he said.
Looking forward, Prest anticipates rates will continue to be high — a trend, he said, that has multiple impacts on the community.
Teen pregnancy is closely linked to poverty and single parenthood. Children of teens also have a greater risk of insufficient healthcare and poor school performance, he said. Prest said the gift from Wal-Mart will directly support teens and families in need. The donation comes at a time when funding for programs to prevent pregnancy has decreased. The alliance can no longer help every teen in need, which has been a painful reality for staff members.
“I know for our staff not being able to meet the demand wears on us,” he said. “We become second parents to teens.”Ahniece Farmer can attest to that. Farmer, who was 16 years old when she became pregnant, has a family support worker through the alliance who she says is like a mother to her. Farmer’s parents are dead and she lives with her grandmother. When she learned she was pregnant, she said it was difficult to find support.
“It was a rough time in my life,” she said.
Farmer is now 19 and a high school graduate. She credits the alliance — specifically June Taylor, her family support worker — with keeping her in school and on the right track. Farmer will start courses at Central Virginia Community College in January.
“It’s important to me because they’re supportive and understanding,” Farmer said. “They help you through a lot of things.”
Taylor, who has been with the alliance for about two years, beamed at Farmer.
“She had it in her all the time,” Taylor said.
“My job was to be there. She did it.”

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Walmart has given Lynchburg's Alliance for Families and Children a major gift to prevent teen pregnancy. The Alliance received a check for $30,000 Wednesday from the corporation. The gift will go towards programs that prevent teenage pregnancy. And help young mothers, like 19-year-old Ahniece Farmer graduate from high school, go to college and get a job.
Ahniece Farmer, Teen Parent Program Graduate - "If it wasn't for me going to the Alliance for Families and Children I wouldn't be where I am today. I probably would have dropped out of school or something--but luckily I didn't. I got through and graduated." Last year's Virginia Department of Health numbers show teen pregnancies are increasing in Lynchburg, Amherst and Campbell Counties. And they expect those numbers to get even higher.

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'Help is Here' bus in Lynchburg
By Cynthia Pegram, The Lynchburg News & Advance
September 16, 2008

The “Help is Here Express” was in Lynchburg on Thursday, Sept. 18th to offer assistance to low-income people of all ages who need help obtaining free and reduced-cost prescription drugs. The colorful bus is on a national tour sponsored by the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, and will be at the Alliance for Families and Children, 2600 Memorial Ave. “We’ve been getting a lot of calls,” said Tracey Dixon, marketing director for Alliance for Families and Children. “We’ve set up special parking to make sure people can get on and off the bus easily.”
Partners for Prescription Assistance (PPA) has a database of 2,500 specific medications and a broad base of generic medications as well. PPA is supported by PhRMA, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Association. The high cost of many prescriptions means that some patients can’t afford what they need and sometimes go without. The “Help is Here Express” wants to change that. “Many people are eligible, but have no idea,” Dixon said. “Many people think this is just for seniors — this is for low-income families, whether working or not, students and single parents.” Counselors at office stations in the bus can help individuals find out if they qualify for the free pharmaceutical programs, and then help them enroll. And, said Dixon, the bus provides a site to help people who need face-to-face assistance with the computer application. The program for free or reduced-priced prescriptions is especially helpful to people who are working but have no insurance and people who are unemployed and without insurance.
“The prescription assistance bus helps low-income families, pretty much anyone on regular medication, who can’t afford it,” said Dixon. And that includes teenagers who have regular medication needs for many kinds of chronic illnesses, she said. Those who want to talk to “Help Is Here Express” workers should bring their prescriptions with them, and some may be able to enroll in the free or low-cost program while at the bus.
Also on hand to offer a local flavor to assistance will be the Free Clinic of Central Virginia and a representative from its “Meds Help” program. Information about new medications for chronic diseases will be available, as will health information about the rapidly increasing rates of chronic disease. PPA has helped more than 5 million patients nationwide and about 118,000 in Virginia. The bus tour was launched in 2005 and has visited all 50 states. PPA can be contacted directly at (888) 477-2669 or at the Web site http://www.pparx.org.

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