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Promote Awareness of National Foster Care Month with T-shirts
In celebration of National Foster Care Month in May, Teen Reach wants to bring awareness to the need faced by youth in foster care. As a verified nonprofit, Teen Reach is partnering with Bonfire, an online fundraising platform to raise money through custom t-shirts, tank tops, hoodies and more.
Teen Reach Store Updates
NO DEADLINE: There are NO deadlines to order Teen Reach Merchandise this year. However, please order at least a month prior to your camps so that orders can be filled and shipped ground.
I’ll Meet You There
I will take power outages every single day if I get to have more moments like this one.
Looking for Training Ideas? Age-Appropriate TBRI Strategies
TBRI, Trust Based Relational Intervention, is based on the principles of connecting, correcting, and empowering children and teens who have been impacted by trauma.
Meet one of the New T.R.A.C.life Trainees - A Mentoring Moment
Meet Bill Gent from Jefferson, Oregon, who will be attending T.R.A.C.Iife National Leadership Training this month along with the other trainees.
Live Like a Camper
When these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade . . .
Becoming Trauma-Competent Leaders
Traumatic stress is toxic. Types of trauma: acute, chronic and complex developmental trauma. Remember, when our stress response system is over-activated, our brains and bodies pay a steep price.
Shout Out to Erie T.R.A.C.life
Last year at this time, Bob Heath and Bailey Giesbrecht from Erie, Pennsylvania, (along with camp director Jon Frano) attended T.R.A.C.Iife National Leadership Training. A month ago, Erie T.R.A.C.life kicked off their first ever mentoring year with a fun time of bowling. Look at those mentors and mentees sporting those T.R.A.C.Iife shirts!
Tongue Print
Our Creator never ceases to amaze me. I just learned that we each have a unique tongue print as distinctive as our fingerprints.
Challenge by Choice & Brave Space: Defining Two Key Challenge Course Terms
Whether you’re new to challenge course or an old pro, understanding the terms Challenge by Choice and Brave Space help make challenge course a successful part of T.R.A.C.
Meet Maggie Parker
Join us in welcoming Maggie Parker as the new Teen Reach Administrative Assistant!
Resolution or Transformation by Serena Howell
Resolution is defined as a firm decision to do or not to do something; the quality of being determined or resolute.
Goal Setting by Chayli Duerson
Each year we anticipate the holidays, spend time with loved ones and make plans for new goals. Then suddenly it’s January 2nd, and we rethink our New Year's resolution when eyeing the left-over Christmas candy. With 80% of people giving up their New Year's resolutions by March, what can we do to be more successful?
Meet Angie & Chayli
Meet our newest staff members! Feel free to reach out and welcome these amazing additions to the Teen Reach team.
The Alarming Disappearance of Youth in Foster Care
Summit still haunts me.
Something Grace said when she and her sister shared about their lives in foster care has shaken me to the core.
Thousands of youth in foster care DISAPPEAR each year.
Presence Matters: YouVersion DEVO SUMMARY
Beth Guckenberger, author of nine books, including Start with Amen and Tales of the Not Forgotten, was at the Christian Alliance for Orphans Conference in Atlanta in September this year. Our former T.R.A.C. behavioral specialist shared Beth’s devotion from the YouVersion Bible app with me. I’ve completed several studies over the years, and this makes the top ten list.
A Poem & A Prayer for Thanksgiving
Anyway
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
Mentoring is the Answer!
Will and I just returned from CAFO, the Christian Alliance for Orphans conference, in Atlanta where I went to a session called the “Enduring Value of Supportive Relationships for Youth Transitioning out of Care.” This was led by Dr. Adrian van Breda, a priest and renown sociology professor at the University of Johannesburg who’s been studying aging-out youth for 30 years.