November is National Adoption Month. The designation presents a chance to raise awareness of adoption across the nation.
As of September, 2021, there were 230 children in the state of Michigan waiting for an adoptive home. In total, there are 2,160 children in Michigan with a goal of adoption. Nationwide, there are approximately 120,000 children with a goal of adoption.
Members of the team at Spaulding for Children believe that there is no such thing as an unadoptable child. Despite a number of COVIC-related challenges, this past year Spaulding helped place nearly two dozen youth in families through their adoption services. Click here for resources from professionals, families and youth from Spaulding.
The Children's Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, sponsors the National Adoption Month initiative each November through a partnership with AdoptUSKids and Child Welfare Information Gateway.
The special observance was started as Adoption Week in 1976 by former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, who wanted to promote awareness of the need for adoptive families for children in foster care. Former President Ronald Reagan designated the first National Adoption Week in 1984. Former President Bill Clinton designated the first National Adoption Month in 1995. Click here for details.
National Adoption Excellence Awards Honors Three with Spaulding Ties
The Children’s Bureau at the HHS Administration for Children and Families has honored three individuals with Spaulding ties with 2021 National Adoption Excellence Awards. The honors were announced at the 2021 National Adoption Month Celebration, held Tuesday, Nov. 9.
On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month...
Veterans Day
In honor of their commitment to our country, November 11 is designated Veterans Day. The date and time commemorate the 1918 signing of the Armistice that ended hostilities in World War I.
The photo at left depicts Airman First Class Orlandus Smith, Sr. who served as a member of the United States Air Force. Today, Mr. Smith supports our community as a member of Spaulding's Board of Directors and as a Mentor for the youth they serve. Below are some of his thoughts on Veterans Day.
Does your experience in the military influence your volunteerism as a civilian?
"During my four years in the US Air Force I was always selected to be a team leader or asked to participate on a committee. I always had a mentor during my military career. I always mentored coworkers/employees during my career as a HR manager for the Federal Government."
Why do you mentor with Spaulding for Children?
"Curtis Smith (a former Board member) asked me if I would be interested in coming to observe how he and other staff members provided services to children of the foster care parents who are required to attend one of Spaulding for Children’s monthly training sessions. Each month after, I returned and I helped Curtis develop a mentorship program. I enjoy mentoring the young adults at Spaulding. I found out my mother spent some time within the foster care system. I was raised to always be respectful and to look out for the elderly and children. I also believe that by seeing someone who look like themselves, add to the mentees interest and desire to listen to our life experiences. I believe the mentees need to have someone show them they care about their life and future."
What other lessons about service would you like to share?
"It’s an honor to be a US military veteran. I learned to take care of myself, my health, family, education and career. To always think positive. Know what’s important in life. To listen and understanding instructions. To think on your feet about where you’re at and what you want to accomplish. Focus on results. To have a mentor or advisor. Giving back has always been something I felt an obligation to do. Providing my life experiences to the youth at Spaulding has been an honor. Being asked to be a board member just added to my desire to serve and help the youth at Spaulding. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve."
Thank you, Mr. Smith, for your service to our country and to Spaulding for Children!
Readers, the next time you thank a veteran for their service, please also remember what their commitment really means. We who live today owe the men and women who served our country in uniform our gratitude and respect, for they have helped keep us and our nation free and worked to make ours a better world.
The Heart of a Lion In memory of Mike Lucci
It is with great sadness we report that Michael Gene “Mike” Lucci, longtime supporter of Spaulding for Children, has passed. The former NFL all-star linebacker, businessman, sportscaster, and philanthropist died Oct. 26, 2021. He was 81 years of age and had suffered an extended illness.
In 2019, Mr. Lucci was the first recipient of Spaulding for Children’s Ambassador Award, given in recognition of his service as an ambassador for children and Spaulding for more than 30 years. In future years, the honor will be known as the Mike Lucci Ambassador Award.
Mr. Lucci began his professional football career with the Cleveland Browns, where he played from 1962-1964. He excelled as a member of the Detroit Lions, playing middle linebacker from 1965-1973. He also starred in literature and on the silver screen, featured in George Plimpton’s book and film, “Paper Lion.”
Mr. Lucci became an advocate of Spaulding for Children during a Lions training camp circa 1970. Several children from Spaulding had been invited to watch practice and asked if they could carry his helmet and shoulder pads to the locker room. After learning who these young fans were, he decided to help them in return.
At a dinner with seven of his friends and golf partners, Mr. Lucci talked about the kids he had met and the work of Spaulding for Children. “How can we help?” they asked. Mr. Lucci opened his checkbook and made out a draft. All seven of his friends at the table did the same. Their generosity soon became the Mike Lucci Golf Tournament.
As the main fundraiser for Spaulding for Children, the Mike Lucci tourney raised more than $2 million over a 30-year period and proved crucial in keeping the doors open and helping find permanent homes for children. He also established an education endowment fund, the Michael G. Lucci Education Endowment Fund in memory of his father, the late Louis G. Lucci, for Spaulding’s children.
After his NFL career, Mr. Lucci entered the world of business. He joined and rose to serve as president of Bally Total Fitness. He has also played a central role in Gridiron Greats, advancing the interests of former professional football players, many of whom suffered devastating brain injuries during their careers.
Mr. Lucci is survived by his wife of 58 years, Patricia, their two children, son Michael (Rebecca) Lucci and daughter Michelle Lucci, grandchildren Michael III and Nicholas, sister Kathy (William) Sholudko, nephew Billy Sholudko, and longtime assistant Nora Moretz.
Thanks to the generous support of Mr. Lucci and his friends, Spaulding today continues to actively support and strengthen foster and adoptive families in Michigan, across the United States, and around the world. For Mike Lucci and his advocacy on behalf of our mission and the children and families we serve, Spaulding for Children is eternally grateful.
Members of the Spaulding family can leave a remembrance of Mr. Lucci. Click here.
SFC's Santa Shop
This year, we have created an opportunity for children to “shop” for holiday gifts for moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, and any other special person in a child’s life. Items are free to children. And we offer gift wrapping!
Santa's Shop is open from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29 through Friday, Dec. 3; and Monday, Dec. 6 through Thursday, Dec. 9.
Each child will be walked through with a volunteer to help them select the items they need for their special people and then wrapped or placed in a gift bag at the end. Spaulding families can call their worker to set up an appointment time for children to “shop” or call the main number (248) 443-0300.
We are seeking both volunteers to help staff it and donations of items or funds. To volunteer, please call Rita, our receptionist, at (248) 443-0300 or email her at rwhittington@spaulding.org with your name, contact information, and date and time(s) you are available to volunteer.
Please Join Us in Welcoming... Rita Whittington
Join us in Welcoming our newest team member Rita Whittington, Receptionist.
When Rita came to Spaulding, she had just retired from the Board of Education as a School Social Worker. However, she wasn’t ready to step away from helping children.
“I still had the urge and the drive to be in the company of social workers to continue to help in any way I could indirectly," Ms. Whittington said. "I saw a job opening at Spaulding as a receptionist and I felt this would be the perfect opportunity to do just that, work behind the scenes to be a part of a wonderful organization that helps children and families.”
Rita, like all Spaulding team members believe passionately in the organization’s mission and work. “I do wish more people would foster and adopt children. Fostering and adopting can be very rewarding knowing that they are giving a child(ren) the opportunity in life to be successful and feel loved and wanted. I pray that more people would come forward to take on this responsibility and to know that Spaulding is there and will greatly support potential parents thru training and support groups.”
She is delighted to find that her role fits her personality of caring. She wants to engage with people, to establish a helpful environment, to organize, to create, and to be able to have her input valued. And she’s found that at Spaulding.
Rita appreciates being part of a team that is energetic and extremely dedicated to the welfare of children. “They are guided by children being safe, placed in permanent homes, and to be successful in their life endeavors. The staff is friendly, the environment is upbeat, positive and focused. They are ready to take on any challenge that arises and willing to give to SFC families the support they need. Spaulding for Children staff is there ready to receive with open arms.”
We just love how Rita has designed the reception area. It makes everyone feel terrific when they come to Spaulding. “I tried my best to bring an atmosphere and environment of calming, inviting, caring and positivity to my fellow colleagues. I was told when I got hired to make the reception space my own. I tried to do that with everyone in mind.”
Gather 'Round the Holiday Table
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, we have been thinking about how often we sit together to eat. And just how important that daily get-together really is.
One of our team members grew up in a large family where the family ate together every night and it included assigned seats. She recently visited a sister in another state who had the family table and automatically took her assigned seat without thinking. That’s how habits form and now her kids eat at the table together most nights.
Unfortunately, today only about 30% of families manage to eat together regularly. And that is more than a missed opportunity for families. Missing out on regular meals together can lead to problems for children and adults, researchers have found.
There are many reasons including unpredictable schedules, evening school and sports activities and the extra stress of family members having to work extra jobs . Research says that despite the eye rolling even your teens want to eat together. They rank family dinner high on their list of things they like to do, and 80% of them say that it’s the time of the day they're most likely to talk to their parents.
Family therapist Anne Fishel can cite many benefits for families dining together regularly.
“There have been more than 20 years of dozens of studies that document that family dinners are great for the body, the physical health, the brains and academic performance, and the spirit or the mental health of children and adults," Ms. Fishel said. "In terms nutrition, cardiovascular health is better in teens. There also are lower amounts of fat, sugar and salt in home-cooked meals -- even if you don't try that hard. There also are more fruit and fiber, vegetables, and proteins in home cooked meals, plus lower calories. Kids who grow up having family dinners, when they're on their own tend to eat more healthily and to have lower rates of obesity as adults.”
Ms. Fishel feels so strongly about family meals, she also serves as executive director of the Family Dinner Project, a nonprofit that helps families find their way back to the dinner table with fun, easy conversations and meals. To get recipes and fun conversation starters (yes, even for teens) at their website, click here.
Holiday Shopping?
Please Remember Us.
Spaulding for Children is signed up for community reward programs with Kroger and Amazon. That means when you shop at either establishment, a portion of the proceeds benefit Spaulding.
You can connect your Kroger account by going here. Search for organization number and/or organization name: Now, every time you buy from Kroger, a portion of your purchase will help us.
Also, you can select SFC as your charity of choice on Amazon Smile, where 5% of your eligible purchases are donated to SFC! It's as easy as going into your account settings and changing your charity to Spaulding for Children / SFC-Southfield (Please remember, as there also is a Spaulding in Houston, Texas, too!).
NFL Football! Detroit Lions Ticket Offer Supports Spaulding
The Detroit Lions are offering members of the Spaulding family discounted tickets to the Dec. 5 NFL game with the Minnesota Vikings.
Tickets are $25 each. What's more, $5 of each ticket purchased through the offer will be donated to Spaulding for Children. Tickets are for seats in the upper level at beautiful Ford Field in Detroit.
Click here or on the poster above for tickets.GOOOOO LIONS!
Spaulding CARES Giving November
For November, the Spaulding CARES theme is “Giving Back.”
Thus, we have identified two agencies, Pick Up Please, which serves homeless veterans, and Gleaners Community Food Bank, which serves families and individuals suffering from food insecurity.
Donation spots will be placed in both Spaulding office suites’ kitchen areas. Donations will be collected until Nov. 19, 2021.
Below are details on acceptable donations for both agencies.
For PICK UP PLEASE:
CLOTHING: Ladies, mens, kids, children’s, baby, purses, belts, ties, wallets, dresses, shirts, pants, shoes. Virtually all types of Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories.
HOUSEHOLD: Dishes, glasses, silverware, small household appliances, bedding, linens, pillows, draperies, curtains, rugs, jewelry and cosmetics, comforters, home decor, baby items, art and frames.
ELECTRONIC: Stereo, radio, Xbox, Nintendo, Playstation, computers, laptops, monitors, DVD players, cameras, typewriters, and electronics. All types of small kitchen appliances. Not accepting TVs at this time.
BOOKS: Hardcover, softcover, fiction and non-fictions, e-readers.
EQUIPMENT: Exercise equipment: small weight benches, weights, sports gear, Sporting equipment: ski equipment, snowboards, helmets, baseball bats, basket balls, soccer equipment, tennis equipment, Tools: drills, saws, nail guns, Yard tools: lawnmowers, weed eaters, and handtrucks (no fuel of any type please!).
SMALL FURNISHINGS: Mirrors, nightstands, headboards, office chairs, decor and other small home items.
OTHER: Bikes, musical instruments, small filing cabinets, garage sale leftovers, small appliances: microwaves, blenders, toasters, coffee makers, and almost anything else.
*Please note – Pick Up Please can only accept items that are small and light enough for one person to easily lift and carry. Thank you!
For GLEANERS COMMUNITY FOOD BANK:
Below are some suggestions of nutritious canned and dry goods that Gleaners uses the most. Please, no opened containers, homemade food or expired products, and avoid items in glass as they often break in transit. Needed items are:
Please keep us posted about news you'd like to share with our colleagues. We'd also like to know your thoughts about our newsletter and how we can better cover what interests you. Email our Editor, Cheryl Gist: cgist@spaulding.org. Thank you!
In partnership with families, communities, organizations, states and the nation, Spaulding for Children’s mission is to assure that all children grow up in safe, permanent families and have the help they need to be successful in life.
