December 2023
| Project LIFE (Living Independently, Focusing on Empowerment) helps youth in Virginia succeed when they age out of foster care. We do that by helping youth directly and by supporting the professionals who work with them. Our free services are available to any youth ages 14-23 who has experienced the foster care system, as well as any DSS or private provider in Virginia. |
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| Program Updates |
| Welcome Project LIFE’s New Team Members Project LIFE is proud to unveil our newest team members. They recently joined us last month and are excited to join our dynamic team.  Stephanie Jones brings to our team years of administrative skills from multiple agencies in the Richmond area. Her passion for serving people in the community aligns with our program’s culture.  Lacey Kangas has been a part of the Project LIFE family as a past participant over the years. Her journey from Project LIFE youth participant to SPEAKOUT board member, to VDSS’s Education Training Voucher (ETV) Administrative Specialist, and now as Project LIFE staff, continues this program’s core value of a “Youth-Driven Approach.” |
| Project LIFE’s Fall 2023 Statewide Youth Conference Wrap Up On November 10 – 12, 2023, Project LIFE provided a weekend long Youth Conference themed “Beyond This Moment” in the northern region with in person and virtual participants for selected workshops using our Zoom application. This conference was located in Fredericksburg, VA at the Holiday Inn Conference Center Hotel throughout the weekend. We did have 85 total youth registered for this event from all five regions throughout the state with a total of 65 youth participants in person. This conference provided specific hands on and interactive life skills workshops connecting the youth to real life and a practical experience approach for youth engagement based on the theme to build youth’s skills beyond their time in care. |
| Upcoming Statewide Events Statewide VDSS Check-ins Date: December 5, 2023 Time: 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. For Professionals via Ring Central These check-in calls are open to all DSS agencies to discuss independent living needs and updates with the VDSS IL team’s Letha Moore-Jones and Monica Cabell. They will start October 10, 2023, and will run through December 12, 2023. You do not need to register for these check-ins. You can click here at the scheduled time to attend virtually or contact George at gmack@umfs.org or at 804.239.1044 to receive the dial in information to join by phone, or if you have any questions. |
| Upcoming Regional and Hybrid Events |
Project LIFE is Hosting a Christmas Party
Join Project LIFE’s Holiday Event in the Central Region
December 20, 2023, 6:00 to 8:00pm, @ UMFS Auditorium 3900 West Broad St. Richmond, VA
It’s time to celebrate the holiday along with relationships built along the way. The workshop will be centered around permanency and relationship building. We will celebrate creating, maintaining and improving permanent connections. Join us, Wednesday, December 20th as Project LIFE hosts this holiday Christmas event to bring everyone together!! Youth are welcome to invite any new or old permanent connections in their life to share their gratitude and appreciation for one another. We will create Christmas crafts for keepsakes, have dinner and music, games and fun! All youth wishing to join us in the Fun, Food, Friends, Gifts and building permanent connections register now! Professionals and other supportive adults are welcome to join on Dec 20, 2023, 6:00pm to 8:00pm, UMFS Auditorium. **RSVP with T. Murphy at tmurphy@umfs.org. Please note we will not take any additional RSVPs after Dec 15th.
Central Region’s Parenting Together Group
Date: December 19, 2023
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., continuing monthly
For Youth in-person at UMFS CHS Auditorium, RVA
Any Virginia youth, aged 14-23, who has experienced foster care and is a parent, or soon to be parent, to a young child is invited to attend this peer support group. This group will learn together in a safe space while relating with other peers in the same stage of parenthood. Attendees can bring their child(ren) with them to this group, and will be connected to resources, local experts, and prizes/gifts. If you would like to attend or have questions, please contact T at tmurphy@umfs.org.
| Eastern Region’s Mommy Chat Support Group Date: December 5, 2023 Time: 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p,m. For Youth in-person, Hampton DSS |
Project LIFE youth in the state of motherhood are invited to come out and spend time with other Moms or Moms-to-Be. Moms will learn the importance of self-care along with some simple self-care methods. If you would like to attend or have questions, please contact Melissa Lee at mlee@umfs.org.  |
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| Eastern Region’s Christmas Party Date: December 12, 2023 Time: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., continuing monthly For Youth in-person at Surge Adventure Park Any Virginia youth, aged 14-23, who has experienced foster care is invited to attend. All youth wishing to join us in the fun, food, friends, and gifts register now! Come out to Celebrate the end of 2023 with the ERILCC & Project LIFE. We will have lots of food and fun. Please RSVP to mlee@umfs.org as food and drinks will be provided. |
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| Piedmont Region’s Independent Living Coordinator’s Committee (ILCC) Meeting Date: December 7, 2023 Time: 10:00 a.m. For Professionals, via Zoom All Piedmont region DSS agencies and private providers are invited to attend this ILCC to discuss independent living needs for youth transitioning out of foster care. This meeting will include resource sharing and opportunities for youth in this region. Contact Cierra Emory-Clegg through email cemory-clegg@umfs.org or by phone at 804-239-1073 if you plan on attending or if you need more information. She will provide the meeting link to you upon RSVP. |
| Northern Region’s Creative Writing Workshop Date: December 2, 2023 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. For youth at in-person at UMFS, NOVA Project LIFE invites you to a creative writing workshop that will share ways to cope with life’s stressors through writing. Author Mary Carpenter will facilitate this workshop. Lunch will be provided to youth participants. RSVP by registering through the button below. Reach out to George at gmack@umfs.org for more info or with any questions. |
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| Fairfax County DFS’s CLSA & Transtion Plan Training Date: December 7, 2023 Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. For Fairfax County FC&A Staff, TFC Private Providers, and Residential Providers This will be a virtual training via Zoom Do you work with teens or other older youth in care? Come learn about the annual Casey Life Skills Assessments and Transition Plans that are required for older youth in care. Learn strategies for engaging youth, best practices with each task, and resources available from your Fostering Futures Independent Living (IL) Team. Featuring training from George Mack, Project Manager of Project LIFE. |
| Northern Region’s Sketchbook Workshop Date: December 16, 2023 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. For youth in-person at Annandale UMC 6935 Columbia Pike, Annandale VA 22003 Project LIFE invites you to a creative art workshop. Facilitated by George Washington University art department. Supplies will be available for attendees to use during the workshop, each participant to use and take home their work with them. Lunch will be provided to registered youth participants. Open to older youth in foster care ages 14 – 21 in Virginia’s foster care system. Contact George Mack through email at gmack@umfs.org with questions. |
| Northern Region’s Drama/Performing Arts Workshop Date: January 20, 2023 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. For youth at in-person at Annandale UMC 6935 Columbia Pike, Annandale VA 22003 Project LIFE invites you to a performing arts workshop. Facilitated by George Washington University drama/theater department. Supplies will be available for attendees to use during the workshop, each participant in role scenarios and learning public speaking techniques. Lunch will be provided to registered youth participants. Open to older youth in foster care ages 14 – 21 in Virginia’s foster care system. Contact George Mack through email at gmack@umfs.org with questions. |
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| Northern Region’s Independent Living Coordinators Committee (ILCC) Meeting Date: January 23, 2024 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. For Professionals, via Ring Central All Northern DSS agencies and private providers are invited to attend this ILCC to discuss independent living needs for youth transitioning out of foster care. This meeting will cover topics related to transitioning youth into adulthood and will be joined by Monica Cabell with VDSS to share statewide updates. Contact George through email at gmack@umfs.org or at 804.239.1044 if you plan on attending to get the link for this meeting, or if you need more information. |
| Additional Events and Resources |
| VDSS Youth Services (IL) Updates Corner Youth Service Trainings Date: January 9 & 23, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Date: January 12 & 26, 2024 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. For Professionals, via Zoom All DSS agencies are invited to attend this youth services training provided by VDSS Youth Services Team and Project LIFE to discuss independent living services and needs for youth transitioning out of foster care. This training will cover all topics related to services provided for IL youth transitioning into adulthood. Contact George through email at gmack@umfs.org or at 804.239.1044 if you need more information. |
| Project LIFE Contacts George Mack Project Manager & Northern Region Phone: 804.239.1044 Fax: 703.750.0621 Email: gmack@umfs.org Lacey Kangas Youth Development Coordinator Phone: 804.353.4461 x1504 Fax: 804.521.8635 Email: lkangas@umfs.org Melissa Lee Eastern Region IL Consultant Phone: 757.490.9791 x115 Fax: 757.490.8324 Email: mlee@umfs.org Cierra Emory-Clegg Piedmont Region IL Consultant Phone: 434.846.2002 x1176 Fax: 804.239.1073 Email: cemory-clegg@umfs.org Tina “T.” Murphy Central Region IL Consultant Phone: 804.353.4461 x1130 Fax: 804.355.4157 Email: tmurphy@umfs.org Amber Steffey Western Region IL Consultant Phone: 804.404.8052 Fax: 804.404.8052 Email: asteffey@umfs.org Stephanie Jones Project Specialist Phone: 804.353.4461 x1212 Fax: 804.254.9691 Email: stjones@umfs.org |
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