ANMF FEMALE MENTORING PROGRAM (Ages 13-16)

A New Me Foundation, Inc.

Greetings,

We at A New Me Foundation, Inc. offer a Female Mentoring program for teen girls, ages 13-16.  The girls will meet monthly to develop and build their self-esteem, confidence, empowerment, feminine hygiene, maintain abstinence with an option to discuss sex in a confidential setting, understand the importance of sisterhood and creatively learn how to express their concerns as teen girls while working together in group settings as well as individually. 

We understand the challenges that arise today with our youth in their home, school and community, so we are offering them our best resources and services to remain in a safe environment by providing them with age appropriate life skills as they develop into their own being and embrace it.

The fee for this program is $50 (after 2/14/13 and $25 early registration fee), which includes:

• Individual Feminine Hygiene Kit (tampons, sanitary napkins, panty liners, soap, body wash, feminine wipes, etc)
• Journal Kit (journal, folder and pen)
• ANMF Female Mentoring T-shirt

We are excited to work with your teen and we are here to help assist you and your teen in any way that we can.

Thanks,

Felicia T. Simpson

Founder/Executive Director of ANMF

SUPPORT SYSTEMS.....ARE THEY IMPORTANT TO HAVE?

Support systems are not only effective in working with domestic violence clients, but also individually as a citizen that connects with society.  I look back over my experience as a victim of domestic violence and can honestly say that, I survived that experience because of the great support system I had.  Sadly, many other victims in society today and even back then, do not have support systems, partially due to their lack of knowledge and/or resources they feel are available to them.

Briefly moving past victims of domestic violence, let's look at an individual who is a professional and feels the weight of the world on his/her shoulders because they are experts in their fields which demands a lot of their time, maybe deadlines are due for reports and life is just too much for that person, momentarily and the clock is steady ticking....oh,  add a spouse and children for luxury if you want in this scenario.  

This person I'll call "Jane" from here on out, could reduce the stress in her life and possibly some of her case loads in her career, if she had a support system of techniques to use as well as key individuals or a "go to" person, and trusted people in her life, the balance of life would be her outcome.

Support systems of people help you out when in need to support you financially, emotionally, spiritually, etc.  You can't obtain a support system by sitting behind a computer wishing for some type of support, laying on the couch stressed cause you need support.....No! No! and a capital, NO!!!!!  You must get out in this big world and NETWORK with others to find out in what capacity can they support you and in return you could be of some support to them.  Sometimes, if you're blessed as myself, your family will be that front line of a support system.

Family:  My family sees  the success and failures of my life first!  So naturally they are the greatest support system for me.  I have a cousin that supports me emotionally, whenever I need it.  Rather it be to listen to my problems, concerns, issues, etc....she gives me feedback and honest honors either from her experience or someone else's knowledge that she trusts to pass on to me.  For me, that's all I usually need in a support system.  I have other family members that support me by praying for me in difficult times and never letting me know that they are praying for me, but their actions show me that they are on my side.

Friends:  I have a diverse group of friends who support anywhere from the small steps I need to get through a difficult moment to friends that see a larger picture and can advise me on down the road or journey that I'm on.  Notice I didn't say cheerleaders.... I said FRIENDS.  These friends are very similar to me in their passions, weaknesses, strengths and anything else that builds our bonds collectively.  Some of these friends I talk to daily, monthly, yearly or just whenever I'm in a specific season of my life.  It's not to say that I only need them when I'm in need, clearly we have had previous conversations that identified that they were the best fit to help me handle difficult things.

Colleagues:  Recently, I had a family emergency and needed someone to step up and fulfill my duties in my absence.  I did not want to cancel the event that I and others spent months creating and planning, for my emergency.  My Supervisor, the school liaison and my Project Officer, all showed up and supported the project and assisted where needed in my absence.  On that day, I knew I had a great support system, even amongst my colleagues in this field.

Bottom line...... identify and connect with people that can support any levels in you life, and at which paths you cross throughout your journey in life.  Whether it be a friend or family member that can pray for you, pray with you, help assist you financially or emotionally or a colleague that if God forbid, you get sick or like me, have a family emergency on the day that you have an event or presentation to facilitate, they can assist you with it or possibly take on that task, in your absence.


I'm forever grateful of the support systems I have and am always reminded that they are there any time I need them.

So my question to you is: Support systems....are they important to have?  Why or why not?


#breakthesilence

Meditation Words of the Week

Last month, I was in a very vulnerable place in my life and I was determined to not succumb to the situations that were currently surrounding me.  At the time, I couldn't see the outcome(s) ahead but I knew I wasn't allowed to give up.  Sure for a couple of days, I slept a lot because I figured that sleep would cure all things and once I woke up the nightmares of my life would be no more.  Obviously, the nightmares of my life continued and sleeping, even for me, was boring.

So one day I decided to DO SOMETHING! I prayed and asked God for direction because I saw myself slipping into depression.  Let me tell you how fast my God works.  He spoke to my spirit immediately and said, "I want you to meditate on various words that I give you each week."  I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now, and here are the words that have come to my spirit so far:

• Restoration
• Rebuilding 
• Faith 
• Rejection

Now you may be wondering how these words are chosen each week and what I actually do with them.  I'll try to explain this process as best as I can.  At the beginning of each week, I pray and ask God for a new word to meditate on each week and He reveals it to me by what I may have experienced the week before, possibly in a scripture, someone else life experiences, etc.  I take these words and write them in my journal, find scriptures or stories in the Bible for these words, I sit in silence and with stillness and just meditate on these words.  I ask myself first, what does these words mean to me?  After answering my question, I Google the word and look for synonyms to help me enhance my knowledge of the word.

For me, these words have changed my life in a short amount of time and it carries me through another positive minute throughout my sometimes, chaotic days.  I suggest, if you want to start with these words or develop your own, according to what you are lead by God to use, make sure it's during times that you can spiritually hear from Him and see His visions and purposes for your life.

My life is no where near perfectly mended together and I experience pain and hurt just as my fellow brothers and sisters.  But there's a burning fire inside of me and that fire won't never let me quit nor burn out, and I'd like you to know that, that  fire is Jesus living, moving, working situations out for me and breathing on the inside of me, while directing my paths in life, on the outside.

This simple journal exercise may or may not be helpful to you at this time in your life.  If it is not helpful, I want you to find out what is helpful to the inner peace inside of your soul.

Be blessed!