Safe Children Coalition, Inc.

We’ve made it to the grand finale of Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week. It’s been an incredible week of celebration around the office, on social media, and amongst the larger child welfare community. But we aren’t done yet. Before we close out the week, join us with a standing ovation for the woman in front and behind and on all sides of the child welfare issue guiding the change we’re making daily here at SCC – our CEO, Brena Slater. Brena’s passion for creating a future where every child can thrive drives our mission forward, enabling us to serve thousands of children in Sarasota, DeSoto, and Manatee Counties. Under her leadership, we see lives transformed, and families finding permanency and success. Thank you is hardly enough to show our appreciation for Brena’s dedication to making a lasting impact in our community. Brena, please know that this thank you has the full force and backing of our 300 employees who are so appreciate of your leadership. On behalf of our staff and community, thank you, Brena! And thank YOU to each and every follower on our timeline for joining us this Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week. The week may be over, but celebrating our staff who dedicate their lives to helping children and families never ends. To everyone who has dedicated their careers to helping children, we appreciate you every week of the year. ??

Ladies and gentlemen…please give it up for Jacqueline House, our Vice President of Communications & Community Engagement! Jacqueline’s the heart of our “House’ here at SCC. (See what we did there?) Whether she’s leading our development team, collaborating across departments, or out in the community sharing our mission, Jacqueline empowers our children and families by bringing visibility to our work and showing our community all the ways they can help to change a life. Her favorite part of her role is having the opportunity to come to work and support case workers who are giving children and families the tools they need to live a better life. And that support means everything to us, Jacqueline! Thank you for everything you do to help us build brighter futures for children and families.

Let’s give a big round of applause for Claire Meade, our Administrative Assistant! For the past twelve years, Claire has been making a difference in the lives of children and families, wearing many hats along the way. From starting as a Case Manager to becoming an Adoption Specialist, and now using her talents as an Administrative Assistant, Claire’s journey in child welfare reflects her commitment to helping children find safe, loving homes. Claire, thank you for your dedication to this meaningful work! We’re so grateful to have you on our team.

And now, the moment we've all been waiting for - please help us welcome to the spotlight our Communications Specialist, Tannisse Clark. She's the woman behind the scenes this week making sure that each and every submission to our Child Welfare Appreciation Week was posted on time. Why she chose to work in child welfare stems back to her childhood and watching her grandparents stay in touch with kids they fostered throughout their lifetime. Seeing the impact it could make in someone's life inspired her to jump at the chance to work at SCC and to continue building on her family's legacy of making life better for vulnerable children. Tannisse, we're incredibly grateful to have you on the development team. We've been waiting all week, but now we can shout from the top of all of our social media platforms, thank you for all you do to support children in our community!

Ready… Set…Celebrate! Next up let’s make some noise for Fern Ellenwood, our Youth and Family Advocate Manager! If there’s one thing we can say about Fern, it’s that she has a heart for the work she does. She loves being there for our youth and offering life skills and guidance that inspires them to learn and grow into successful individuals. Fern, your dedication to helping our children and families thrive is inspiring. And we love that celebration hat! Where can we get one, please? We are so grateful to have you on our team. Thank you for all you do to help children thrive.

Good morning SCC family! Happy Friday, and happy final day of Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week. It’s been an exhilarating 5-day party on our timeline, and we’re going all out on this last day in celebration of our amazing team. Are you ready? Please join us in welcoming our first honoree of the day to the stage, Savannah Wilson. Savannah uses her skills and talents in our Development Department as our Administrative Specialist and her passion for ensuring every child grows up in a safe and nurturing environment brought her to this work. She loves collaborating with her talented, supportive team. For her, it’s fulfilling to work alongside people who share her passion for making a difference in the lives of children and their families. And we love working alongside you, Savannah! Savannah, thank you for bringing your talents to SCC. Thank you for all that you do!

Attention adoption home study-approved families! Our next adoption recruitment event will be in Bradenton on Saturday, October 5th. This is an opportunity for adoptive families to meet with children who are available for adoption. Interested? RSVP to Kelly Stearns: Call: 941-356-7190 Email: [email protected] *Must forward your approved adoption home study to Kelly's email prior to event.

We’re wrapping up Day 4 here at the SCC Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week party, but not before we give a heartfelt shoutout to Ana Martinez, our Adoption Specialist Team Lead! Ana is driven by her team, who motivates her throughout the day to work hard and keep her head up. She’s moved by the love and gratitude families express when they talk about the children they are adopting. Ana’s passion for connecting children with their Forever Families expresses what SCC is all about. And we couldn’t be more grateful to have her on our team. Thank you, Ana! And with that, we bid farewell to day 4! Thanks for tuning in to celebrate our amazing child welfare workers with us all day long. We’ll see you tomorrow for the final day of Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week for 2024. We will be here. Will you?

We think it’s time to give a big round of applause to Janae Poppa-Noonan, our Office Manager/Executive Assistant – and we know you will agree. Janae has worked in several industries, and she says none have been as fulfilling as her work at SCC. She’s inspired by the hard work, pure hearts, and determination of her colleagues to improve the lives of our children and families. “What’s better than that!?” We absolutely agree –nothing beats the SCC team spirit! Thank you, Janae, for everything you do to keep our mission moving forward.

Are you ready to Raise the Roof with us?! We’re raising the roof for Aaron Bellamy, our Fatherhood Program Coordinator! He’s creating stronger families by working with fathers to help them have meaningful relationships with their children. We could say more, but listen to what Aaron says in his own words in this short video. Aaron, thank you for all that you do!