1. “Taking It To
The Streets”
Advocacy and Community
Empowerment in Kinship Care
The 4th
Annual
Kinship Care Conference
for the State of Florida
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Comfort Inn & Conference Center
820 E. Busch Blvd.
Tampa, Florida 33612
Select the workshops you would like to attend:
10:00 am - 11:15 am (please choose one):
____ Public Benefits Awareness
____ Funding Kinship Care Activities
____ Creating Change Through Advocacy
____ Advocating For Your Child
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm (please choose one):
____ Public Benefits Awareness
____ Funding Kinship Care Activities
____ Creating Change Through Advocacy
____ Advocating For Your Child
Please select one service that you would be most interested
in receiving (will be scheduled during lunch if available):
____Individual Benefits Check-Up (see enclosed pamphlet)
____Individual Legal Education Session
Please send registration form to:
Florida Kinship Center/USF
4202 E. Fowler Ave, MGY 132
Tampa, FL 33620
For more information, please contact:
1-800-840-6444 or 1-813-974-1328

2. 4th Annual Kinship Care Conference
October 11, 2005, 8am-3pm____Advocating For Your Child
Workshop Descriptions
Public Benefits Awareness
Presenters: Makeba Huntington Symons, AARP
Fran Baylies-Weissing, Florida Department of
Children and Families
This workshop will present information on financial
benefits, such as cash assistance for relative
caregivers, food stamps, Medicaid services, child care
services and the Relative Caregiver Program for
dependent children. It will also cover benefits and
services available through AARP and the Florida
Kinship Center.
8:00-9:00 am Registration & Breakfast
8:45-9:45 am Welcome
Invocation
Morning Plenary Address
Jack Levine- Advocacy Resources
9:45-10:00 am Break
10:00-11:15 am Concurrent Workshops
11:15-11:30 am Break
11:30-12:45 pm Lunch Program
Recognition Ceremony
Entertainment
The ACV Grand Chorale
Melvin Coleman- Comedian
12:45-1:00 pm Break
1:00-2:15 pm Concurrent Workshops
*Repeat of morning workshops
2:15-2:30 pm Break
2:30-3:00 pm Closing Ceremony
Plenary Address
Raffle Give-Away
Come join other relative caregivers and
community members as we focus on advocacy
and empowerment!
REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
SEPTEMBER 23, 2005
Please note that we are unable to provide childcare.
REGISTER ONLINE at www.flkin.org or complete and
mail the following form.
Please Print.
Name:
(First) (Last)
Organization:
Address:
(Street)
________________________________________________________________________
(City) (State) (Zip)
Phone: ( ) ( )
(Home) (Work)
How to Fund Kinship Care Activities
Presenter: Yolanda Beckwith, Ol’geta Beckworth
Foundation, Inc.
Jack Levine, Advocacy Resources
This workshop will provide participants with an
overview of resources that can be used to support
kinship caregiver services. Topics to be discussed
include: starting a non-profit organization and
applying for 501c3 status; applying for grants and
approaching organizations for monetary and in-kind
contributions.
Creating Change through Advocacy:
Making Your Voice Heard!
Presenters: Mary Ann Sterling, Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren of Brevard County Florida, Inc.
Shawn Foster, Legislative Assistant to Senator Mike
Fasano
This workshop will examine the social, economic
and legal interests of kinship care through
organization, collaboration and actions. Examples of
advocacy will be provided to examine effective ways
kinship caregivers can make their voice heard
including working with legislators to influence policy.
Advocating For Your Child
In A Public School District
Presenter: Marilyn Williams, MA
This workshop will provide tools to parents/caregivers
that will assist them in effectively dealing with conflicts
they may have with school district personnel. Topics
to be discussed include: conflict management
strategies, prevention strategies to improve the
education of children and a review of formal grievance
procedures in the school district.