The Wittenmyer Wire

Director's Letter

“Happy Fall” to our Friends and Colleagues across the State!

We have certainly been busy on campus since our last edition of the Wittenmyer Wire! Here’s just a sampling of what we’ve been up to in the last few months:

• Our students continue to make us proud in their athletic participation bringing home the championship trophy in basketball and the third place trophy in soccer. Beyond their ranking, we’re most proud that our kids received the “Sportsmanship” award in both sports!
• An astonishing three Family Resources, Inc. employees were awarded this fall with state-wide recognitions for their contributions in the field of social service by the Iowa Coalition for Children and Families. We are so proud of those employees: Kim Hessel, Anton Taylor and Felix Taylor!
• Thanks to an Alcoa grant, we were fortunate enough to bring Darin Carver to campus for two separate 2-day trainings on Aggression Replacement Training (ART). We were able to train forty staff in this model and are currently implementing groups across campus in our residential programs.
• With the same grant, we provided training to staff on Trauma Informed Care, our research and evidence based foundation for practice across the agency.
• Responding to the unique needs of our female clients, several Bridge House staff were able to attend training on the Girl’s Circle model through a grant awarded by the OJJDP. Girl’s Circle groups are currently underway at Bridge House and the young women have been responding with true excitement!
• And to top off several busy months, the Newcomb and Shelton Programs swamped facility sites last month responding to a changing trend in referral activity that we’ve been monitoring for the last couple of years. Students and Staff are settling into their new digs, having some fun with decorating and arranging furniture as they see fit.

As always, we so greatly appreciate the ongoing support we receive from each of you! We could not do this important work without the confidence that you extend to us each time you entrust us to care for the young men and women on your caseloads. We take that responsibility and the relationships we have with you very seriously.

Campus is beautiful with lots of colorful leaves this time of year so we look forward to your visits. Please look me up as you stop by, I’d love to see you!

With gratitude,

Sharon