February 2012 Update

Heads-Up Guidance Services - Quarterly Report

February, 2012

Off to a Great Start in the New Year…

How HUGS is Serving Our Community

HUGS is actively providing Individual and Group Counseling services out of our Savannah Baptist Center office. We have three counselors working on site to provide essential therapeutic services to the community. We welcome and thank Dr. Steve Goldberg, the most recent addition to our clinical volunteer staff. We are rapidly increasing our client base, and look to recruit additional licensed volunteers!

HUGS provides a Therapeutic Parenting Course (TPC) which focuses on the needs of the struggling parent. The HUGS’ (TPC) is a comprehensive parenting program with both weekly group and individual sessions provided to participating parent(s)/guardian(s). We have two facilitators (Gwen Jenkins & Nathlynn Reynolds) providing the HUGS (TPC) on-site (704 Wheaton Street) Mondays from 6:00-7:30PM – Childcare is available.

Additionally, the HUGS Therapeutic Parenting Course will be provided to Inner-faith Hospitality Network program participants on Mondays from 6:00 – 7:30PM beginning March 5th, 2012. We have another accomplished and experienced facilitator (Dottie Black) providing the TPC at IHN. We have had requests for our Parenting Course at other facilities, and are actively recruiting additional volunteer facilitators!

HUGS continues to provide a comprehensive “Substance Abuse Prevention & Education Program” (SEP) to Savannah State University students. This program is provided on campus by HUGS staff. Due to increased student participation and repeat attendance, this program is now offered on Monday and Wednesday in the Student Health Building from 7:30 to 8:45PM. We recently recruited a wonderful new volunteer
(Mark Case), who is assisting with the Monday night group.

HUGS continues to provide individual and group therapy to the Old Savannah City Mission. The HUGS Process group is provided to OSCM students on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 – 8:30PM, and individual sessions are provided on-location every Wednesday by a licensed HUGS professional.

HUGS provides Substance Abuse Evaluations and Probation Evaluations services weekly at our SBC location (704 Wheaton Street). We also schedule individual (TPC) parent sessions for Fridays.

HUGS now offers a Craft Group to our homeless and disadvantaged. This craft group is offered every Tuesday from 12 noon – 2:00PM, and is facilitated by Shanna Sweet. This is a great opportunity for locals to learn crafts, create, and support others in need.  They will participate in a quarterly craft sale and the proceeds will go to support HUGS services. These funds will help assist HUGS as we provide professional counseling to those without financial means of payment.

Please contact Andrea Epting today & help give HUGS to locals in need 912.507.8576

FUN & FUND–RAISERS:

PLEASE mark you calendars for some exciting upcoming events.

St. Patrick’s Day March 17th:
Please join HUGS in Lafayette Square on Abercorn Street. We will have a HUGS information tent set up for the public.

April 1st: Zoe’s Café event to support HUGS Day Center @ 705 Wheaton Street,next to the Family Dollar. (More Info. to come)

May 19th: HUGS Festival @ 705 Wheaton Street. This event will feature local venders, food, entertainment, and activities for the whole family. The HUGS festival will kick-off our “HUGS Day Center” capital campaign, and the proceeds will go to support this important community project. (More Info. To come)

Thanks to our AMAZING Fund-Raising committee & to ALL who attended the “Ladies Game Day Luncheon” last month! What a great time!!!

A BIG HUGS’ “THANK YOU” to Saint Vincent’s Academy (SVA) for supporting HUGS! SVA will have a School wide “Jeans Day” on Valentines Day (February 14th) and the proceeds will go to support HUGS services.

We are continuing to grow our fundraising committee and have recently elected sub-committee chairs. If you are interested in serving on one of our Fundraising Sub-Committees, please contact Ellen Bradley at 912.507.3662.

HUGS’ NEWS:

Ivan Feign (a SCAD Photo-journalism student) is actively working on a photo documentary for HUGS. He is looking to give viewers a glimpse into the lives of those impacted by HUGS’ services. This will be a valuable tool for us to use to inform the public of our programs and promote our cause. You can view some of his past work at www.feignphoto.com.

The HUGS Advisory board held its first meeting in 2012 this past Monday. We hadseveral returning members and welcomed eight new members.

HUGS is building its Executive Board of Directors. Please contact Ellen Bradley @ 912.507.3662 to nominate additional Executive Members. Our next meeting will be held in the spring of 2012.

NOTE:
PLEASE follow HUGS on Twitter for news and events & PLEASE like HUGS on
Facebook today!!!!

Our next Advisory Board meeting will be on April 19th, and guests are always welcome

November Update

Architect, Andy Lynch,
and Industrial Engineer, Paul Mamalakis, have completed the drawings for the
build-out project. This is the future home of HUGS Facility- the property is
adjacent to the Savannah
Baptist Center
at 706 Wheaton Street. Andy Lynch and Paul Mamalakis have been so
generous to donate their professional services to HUGS and we greatly
appreciate all that they have contributed to help give HUGS and its needed
services to the Savannah
community.

HUGS would like to say “Thank
You” to all who have come forward to volunteer and/or donate services, labor,
materials, and skills to the build-out project. Two grants have been recently submitted
for build-out funds and building project volunteers. However, the bulk of this exciting project
will literally be built by the community
& its people for the community &
its people.

The HUGS fund raising
committee has been working very hard in preparation for a Capital Campaign
Kick-Off. Look for additional information in the near future.

HUGS is currently providing
Outpatient Professional Counseling Services (Open to the community) at 704 Wheaton Street
inside the Savannah
Baptist Center.
Please contact us today to make a referral or to schedule an appointment for
services [912.507.8576].

Every Tuesday from 10:00
to 1:00, there will be someone available on site (706 Wheaton Street) to provide a tour of
the future HUGS Day facility. If interested in seeing the building, we just ask
that you call in advance.

Collaborative
Partners/Outreach Update: By February 2012 HUGS is likely to add 4 additional
Community Partners to our existing 5, to make a total of 9 organizations
contracting with HUGS to provide counseling services. HUGS has a real presence
throughout the Savannah
community, and our “Community Enrichment program” is projected to more than double
in size in 2012.

NOTE: We
have 3 licensed counselors who are volunteering their clinical services, but
unfortunately their time is very limited because they work full time. Therefore,
we hope to be able to hire a part-time employee - funding permitting.

Our outreach efforts
also include contacts made with The Chatham-Savannah Authority for the
Homeless. Ellen Bradley and Deacon Geri Nelson attended a networking meeting
there on Sept. 22. HUGS has been asked to present at their next meeting in
January and we are honored to do so.

HUGS has had a few
recommendations for additions to both the Advisory Board & the Executive
Board, and if you have any, please contact Ellen Bradley or email us at
info@headsupsavannah.com before the end of November.

NOTE: HUGS
Executive Board of Directors also has 4 vacancies to be filled. We have two offices to be elected,
vice-president and treasurer. The Exc.
Board is a giving board that requires annual contributions, and the elected
officers should have areas of expertise related to their office. Please
prayerfully consider recommendations for these positions. We want to open them up to the community. We’d like our board to represent a variety of
backgrounds and experiences.

HUGS Volunteer Committee
is pleased to report that they have interviewed 4 potential volunteers – 2 of
those being licensed professional counselors.

Please feel
encouraged to contact us & join our “FRIENDS of HUGS” e-mailing list. To
join just send your request to info@headsupsavannah.com
and THANK YOU for giving HUGS to Savannah!!!!

Help Give HUGS in October!

Heads-Up Guidance Services (HUGS) would like to take another opportunity to thank all of our volunteers, sponsors, Dr. Sandra Bohnstengel, local businesses who donated silent auction items, and supporters for helping us raise 10,000 at the 2011 Ballroom Extravaganza event last month. HUGS took second place in competition with nine other non-profit organizations for most funds-raised.

HUGS is growing! We are adding additional partner agencies, expanding our "Community Enrichment Program", and are providing on-site Counseling services to a growing number of Individuals and Families. To meet the growing demand, we are actively recruiting counselors and social workers to help provide services. Please spread the word - We Need HELP Giving HUGS to a rapidly growing number of consumers!

HUGS Monthly Executive Update

Thanks to all who attended the Advisory Board meeting on 8/25/11. I want to encourage all Advisory Board Members to continue inviting guest to attend the meetings (we love community involvement).

HUGS is gearing up for our Build-Out project on Wheaton Street. HUGS is finalizing agreement with the Savannah Baptist Center to acquire the "Old Family Dollar" space adjacent to the center. This is an extensive build-out and we look to launch our "Building Campaign" to raise funds for the project in the very near future. Once completed, this building will house the HUGS Day Programs, Outpatient Counseling, Vocational & Educational services to Savannah's at-risk and disadvantaged. While HUGS is actively providing services in the community, this facility will allow us to provide much needed on-site programs. We are excited for the opportunity to put our unique programs to work in the community, and this building will allow us to accomplish just that.

HUGS is now providing Counseling services to five partner organizations in the community. We are currently serving over 150 at-risk/ low-income individuals per month, and this number is rapidly growing.

Last week HUGS began accepting appropriate clients into the Counseling Program, and will begin accepting applications for the Day Programs as building nears completion.

If you have not yet committed to attend the Ballroom Extravaganza event on Sept. 17th, please contact Ellen Bradley (912)507-8576 to reserve your ticket. If you cannot attend, but would like to donate an item to the silent auction please contact Ellen this week (as the cut off is Sept. 10th for accepting donated items). This event is an amazing fundraising opportunity for HUGS and your support is greatly appreciated.

We are encouraged by the community's response to HUGS and its efforts to make Counseling and Employment a reality for ALL who are motivated towards positive change and productivity.

Thank you for your interest and support. Please keep spreading the word about HUGS and all that it is doing to provide support services to the Savannah community.
Thank You & God Bless!

Let's Keep Giving HUGS to SAVANNAH!!!!

HUGS: Auction Items for September's Ballroom Event

Ellen Bradley and Kelly Bianco are heading up the fundraising committee for the "Dancing with the Docs" COA Charity ball. They are busy collecting auction donations for the event, and ask that everyone turn in their items no later than September 1st. Because of the generous response of Savannah business owners and caring individuals, HUGS has collected items valuing over $5,000 so far!
Our Fundraising Committee is actively entertaining creative ideas to raise funds for the HUGS' Wheaton Street facility. Additional construction is needed before it will be operational for our day programs. Estimates have indicated the construction cost to be in excess of $200,000.

H.U.G.S.: HUGS Board Members will be blogging every 1st of t...

HUGS wants to say "THANK YOU" to our amazing Advisory Board (we currently have 27 members), Committee Members (we currently have 7 committees), and to our Volunteers.

We also want to recognize all those who GIVE HUGS by donating their time, goods, labor & financial support.

We are excited about the "Dancin' with the Doc's" Ballroom Extravaganza this September 17th. Please purchase your tickets now ($100 per ticket / $1,000 per table) at (912)507-3662. This Charity Event made possible by Chatham Orthopedics (COA) is an amazing fundraising opportunity for HUGS. Please support our cause and specify "HUGS" as your charity of choice (Eight local charities will be represented).

HUGS has established six collaborative partnerships & provides Professional Counseling services to four local organizations. We have served an average of 90+ disadvantaged individuals per month.

We are excited to announce that HUGS & the Savannah Baptist Center (SBC) have made a verbal commitment to go forward with the build-out of the old "Family Dollar" building on Wheaton Street for "Day Program" services. HUGS is actively seeking funds to make the Wheaton St. HUGS facility a reality by 2012. Please support us in our efforts!

Next HUGS Advisory Board Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 25th 2011 @ 7:00PM. All HUGS Board Meetings are held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Isle of Hope. Guests are always welcome!

HUGS Board Members will be blogging every 1st of the month - Beginning August 1st 2011. THANK YOU!