A Message from Anthony Dear Member of the Robins' Nest Family: S U P P O RT

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1 RobinsNestNwsltr_Fall2013.qxp:Layout 1 10/28/13 8:51 PM Page 1 S PRING Robins Nest 25th Anniversary Golf Tournament Tee Off for Hope o help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Robins Nest Tee Off for Hope golf tournament, nearly 100 golfers came out in full force on September 9th ready to have fun and raise funds for children and families in need. It was a gorgeous day at the Laurel Creek Country Club in Moorestown, New Jersey. The anniversary event raised $56,000, bringing the grand total for the past 25 years to nearly $900,000! T Michael DiPaolo, Solvay Specialty Polymers; Anthony DiFabio, President & CEO of Robins Nest; Eric Long, EP Henry We are extremely proud that we have been part of this event since its inception 25 years ago, said Michael DiPaolo of Solvay, Robins Nest is a tremendous agency and knowing that the funds raised go towards helping so many children and families in southern New Jersey is amazing. Eric Long of EP Henry added, The Henry family has worked with Robins Nest for many years. In fact, their involvement with the Continued on page 6 Heather and Derian Hatcher Anthony DiFabio, President & CEO at Robins Nest thanked the golfers and said, "Robins' Nest is grateful for the overwhelming generosity and support of both EP Henry and Solvay Specialty Polymers. For 25 continuous years, we have gathered together to enjoy a great day golf, camaraderie and to raise money to support the innovative programs that bring hope and healing to thousands of children in South Jersey." The golf tournament is the longest running annual event in the agency s 45 year history. Solvay Specialty Polymers has been involved with the event since its inception in 1988 and EP Henry since First Place Team from Honeywell: (L to R) Don Sobocinski, Doug Wilson, Jeff Czarnecki and Scott Gaddis

2 Board of Directors Kathie Renner, Chairman Robert Nolan, MA, Vice-Chairman Dr. Pascale Bastien, Secretary John Kaufman, Chairman of Finance Committee Peggy McCausland, Esq., Immediate Past Chairman Barbara Arnold Kevin Becica, PE Cynthia Calhoun Alisa Cooper Nancy Dinsmore Amy P. Kelly Mary LeFever Brian McGlade Debra Noll Susan E. Piersol* Paul Toepel Dr. Leslie Tuttle John Ververelli John Williamson * past president 42 South Delsea Drive Glassboro, NJ P F A Message from Anthony Dear Member of the Robins' Nest Family: years, I have used this Newsletter to bring you the latest developments in children and family services at The Nest. As you Inrecent may recall, these updates have been about significant changes, such as the opening of three new Family Success Centers, the expansion of our prevention programs into new counties, or the launch of new management initiatives. I do this with great admiration for the accomplishments of our dedicated Board of Directors and staff who are charged with overseeing and implementing these many new initiatives, programs and services. While these updates are very important, today, I would like to use this space to share with you a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the reasons and rationale for these critical advances. To start, no matter the program, initiative, or innovation, Robins' Nest is led by a team of highly talented and dedicated professionals who understand that what we do today is far bigger than each of us. It is a legacy of excellence and a commitment to being the best for each and every one of our clients, donors, volunteers, funders and partners. We utilize several important processes to guide our decisions. Beginning with our strategic plan, this three to five year roadmap or vision of success for Robins Nest is adopted by the Board of Directors. Next, we analyze every program and outcome through our Continuous Quality Improvement process and benchmarking report card system. These tools provide clear and quantitative measurement of our standards for success. Finally, the senior management team, in concert with our board of directors, utilizes this information to tactically review the market and nonmarket impact on programs and to project out both service delivery and financial outcomes. Complimentary of this process, Robins' Nest actively looks to identify and develop new and innovative approaches to our service delivery and organizational and management infrastructure. As an industry leader, we understand that sustained success requires that we cultivate and support a culture of innovation that ensures that our staff and service recipients benefit from the most effective and efficient delivery system. This approach grants us the opportunity to anticipate changes in the marketplace and either strategically expand into new areas or build out an existing program platform to increase our market capacity. We measure all of these factors against our core competency, mission and strategic plan. This process allows us to think ahead and develop our staff and financial capacity in areas where the need will be greatest and the demands strongest. We are proactively anticipating and positioning Robins' Nest to respond to the needs and demands of our communities in a purposeful and prepared way. Excellence is not something that just happens; it is something that we continually strive for. S U P P O RT T H E N E S T! Upcoming Events MARK YOUR CALENDARS 45TH ANNIVERSARY GALA SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2013 THE LOEWS HOTEL PHILADELPHIA Millennium Hall will serve as the backdrop to our celebration. Guests will be treated to a dazzling night of music, dancing, fine cuisine, ten famous Robins' Nest raffle baskets, a premier diamond bracelet raffle (compliments of Jay Roberts Jewelers) and more! UGO, one of Philadelphia s most acclaimed party bands, will provide the entertainment to dance the night away! SANTA S WORKSHOP IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! Help fill hearts with holiday cheer by taking part in our 18th Annual Santa s Workshop! You can donate new, unwrapped toy(s) and gift(s) and/or volunteer to help at this very special event! Your generosity will help to make the holidays extra special for children served by our programs. Toy Collection now through Friday, December 13, For more information contact Elizabeth McLaughlin at Ext. 227 or emclaughlin@robinsnestinc.org For more information about events visit our website at Don t miss out on important information and updates! Sign up for our newsletters and Constant Contact messages through our website or us at development@robinsnestinc.org. 2

3 Group Home Porch Restoration We cannot count the number of feet that have walked across its planks, nor the number of dreams shared, or tears shed. What we can tell you is that for 33 years, the Robins Nest Group Home porch has stood as the warm threshold welcoming a scared child into our home and care. This simple structure may seem like just another part of a house, but for our girls the Group Home signifies the gateway to a new beginning and a new lease on life. With beautiful new railings, columns and balusters, we have repaired and restored our Group Home porch to its original grandeur! In the spring we plan to enhance the grounds with wonderful gardens and landscaping. We will gladly continue to accept donations to offset the costs for this project. All contributors will be honored by name on a plaque that will be proudly displayed in the home. If you would like to take part in this historic opportunity visit our website and make a donation today! We greatly appreciate the following individuals and organizations who have committed to support this very important project! Donations to the Porch Restoration: Camden Home for Children $18, Columbia Bank Foundation $10, Mr. and Mrs. Jere Estes $2, Purchase of Column(s): Bryant & Wilde Realty, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Ivan J. Becica Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Calhoun Mr. and Mrs. Jere Estes Mr. and Mrs. Steve Juris Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lyons Dr. and Mrs. Paul McCausland Phase III Trucking, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. W. James Ritchings Purchase of Portion of railing: Mrs. Helene Burris Ms. Karen Damon Mr. Clark Dingman Mr. and Mrs. Frederick London Justice John and Hon. Barbara Wallace Ms. Nancy Weber Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wilde Purchase of Baluster(s): Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Abruzzini Dr. Evan Alley and Dr. Jean Alley Mr. and Mrs. Richard Anderson Dr. Pascale Bastien & Mr. Kiplin Soso Mr. and Mrs. Evan Bryant Ms. Mary Corbett and Ms. Nancy Papp DeSimone Construction Drs. Anthony and Alicia DiFabio Ms. Bonnie Gates Mrs. Frieda Hopkins Mr. and Mrs. David Hopper Ms. Mary LeFever Jennifer.Francis Photography Ms. Linda Joslin Mr. and Mrs. Peter Leibundgut Mr. Robert B. Nolan, M.A. Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Noll Mr. and Mrs. John Reed Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Scotti Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Sheehan Mr. Thomas Sommer and Cmdr. Shani N. Lewins Mrs. Nicole Stemberger Mr. Mark Stevens and Ms. Isabel Leach Brianna and Tessa Tichy Mr. and Mrs. Paul Toepel Ms. Leslie Woehr Tuttle and Mr. Gaeton Zorzi Robins Nest Inc.

4 I Make Music Just to Fill the Holes Where Hope is Missing Written by: TATIANA RIVERA, Youth Counselor at Robins Nest Asa youth counselor at Robins Nest, Inc., I had the pleasure of working with a young man whose charisma and smile brightened up an entire room. Having been bounced around from house to house, without ever living in a home, this young man, who I will call Scott, endured hardship over the years through abuse and neglect that inevitably led him to a mindset of hopelessness. While living in Japan with an aunt who had custody of him, he dropped out of high school. At that time, Scott returned to the United States where he was reunited with his mother and two younger siblings. He was now living in a place where he felt he didn t belong, with family members that he hardly knew. As life would have it, he got in trouble with the police and faced twelve months of probation. Because of his probation, he became involved with two of the programs at Robins Nest Grounded* and Connect Two**. 42 South Delsea Drive Glassboro, NJ Check your mailbox for upcoming information about our Annual Appeal! I quickly began to realize there was more to the story than just delinquency. Scott was broken down, had no support system, and had no concept of planning for the future. As we worked together, week after week, we began setting goals related to education, socialization, and the development of life skills. Scott had so many wonderful dreams and as I worked with him, he began to realize that these were dreams that he could strive for. The shroud began to lift from over his eyes and he started to break away from the negative influences that gripped him. Around this same time, he experienced a situation with his younger brother that opened his eyes to not only want better, but to demand better. His brother had become addicted to drugs and was sent to a detention center and then a rehabilitation center for six months. This experience literally scared Scott straight. I clearly remember the first really successful session we had together. We sat down at his dining room table To Our Supportive Friends and Dedicated Staff and he enthusiastically presented research he had completed regarding the steps he would need to take to achieve the goals he had set for himself. This was amazing because a mere few weeks earlier, Scott seemed fine with the idea of settling for what he thought was expected of him possibly becoming a drug dealer and never leaving the town again. But now with the steps in place and a goal on the horizon, Scott began to realize that it was up to him to work hard and fight for what he wanted. Scott started by choosing an online education program, he studied and passed his drivers test, began volunteering and interviewing for jobs and finally felt good about himself. He had a newly found confidence and internal motivation that fueled his desire to write music lyrics. Over the five months I worked with Scott, we successfully established life goals, a rock-solid support system, and most importantly selfesteem. When I asked him how the program helped him, Scott replied, You were like a mom for me, always there when I needed you. Scott was not the only one who learned something from this experience. He showed me what is possible through dedication, hard-work and perseverance. Having titled my article with a quote from one of Scott s songs, I would like to end with another meaningful line, As far as life, I ll let y all know when I start to live it. I truly believe that Scott has found himself and has started to live his life. *The Grounded program provides in-home detention and counseling services designed to reduce the number of detention placements. **The Connect Two program provides in-home counseling services to youth and their families who are involved with Family Court and/or juvenile probation. Robins Nest Inc. 4

5 Words of Thanks from a Former Group Home Resident When I was 14, I ran away from home. This was not the first time I d run away, but it was the first time I didn t go back. After being on the streets for two months, I ended up at the Robins Nest Group Home. At that time, I thought I was a tough girl who was ready for life on my own. I didn t need help, and no one was going to tell me what to do or change me. Of course, the counselors at Robins Nest saw right through my façade! It was like they cared about me more than I cared about myself! Despite being a smart kid, I did all kinds of things to get in trouble at the Nest. Looking back, I think I was just pushing the boundaries waiting for them to stop caring that never happened. Because they never stopped caring about me, I actually started to care about myself. They became like family to me. They were such an important part of my life that I wanted to keep in touch with all of them long after I graduated from the program. I had learned so much about myself and was ready to turn my life around. Robins Nest gave me the confidence to solve problems and persevere instead of running away when things got tough or didn t go the way I wanted them to. I learned that I was fairly intelligent and that I could use my aptitude to open doors. I moved to Philadelphia with my father and was accepted into an all-female, college-preparatory charter Backpack Drive Success! Thanks to your overwhelming support, we filled every backpack request that we received and 75 more than last year! Backpacks filled with school supplies were given out to 302 deserving children who are served by our programs giving them the confidence they need to start the school year off right! We could not have done it without you and we are truly grateful for your generosity! Thank you to the following individuals and companies: Earl & Barbara Arnold Terry Brooks Busy Bee s Square Dance Club Bryan Butler Church of the Holy Family Karen Davis Anthony DiFabio Michael DiPaolo EP Henry Exxon Mobil Research & Engineering Gloucester County Department of Human Services Sharon Hampton Judy Johnson-Crispi Steve Juris Kennedy Health System Washington Township Diane Moore Diane J. Myers Joe O Donnell Lori Perlow Phase III Trucking, Inc. Donna Pinto Terry Quinn Kathy J. Royal school. No one in my family had gone to college, and no one expected me to attend college either, but I was determined. I funded my own way and graduated with a bachelor s degree in English. After college, I found a job, met a great guy, got married and now have two children a daughter and a son and my life is good! Could my life be better? Sure! Would I change anything? Absolutely not. When I think about what my life would be like if Robins Nest was not part of it, the picture is never as good as my life is today. I m an active part of my kids lives. I am in a healthy marriage. I contribute to my community. I love my job. These are not things I was brought up with in my life. These are things that Robins Nest gave me the confidence to know that I could attain and that I view as important enough to work hard for. There have been a few people and a few events that have created a profound change in my life. I can honestly say that the most impactful was my time and interaction with Robins Nest. And for that, I am eternally grateful. Sincerely, Angelina Kreiser Runnemede Bellmawr Glendora Rotary Jane Silver Susan Somers Amy Super Tech Data Corp. Carissa Weikel Wenonah Mystery Book Club Robins Nest Inc.

6 A Message from our Chief Operating Officer, Brian Hancock, Esq. In recent years the field of mental health has moved towards delivering therapies and treatments that are more accountable for their results. Effort and resources have been put into documenting the effectiveness of treatments for different diagnoses and, as a result, a group of treatments known as evidence-based practices have been developed. These treatments have research supporting their effectiveness for a certain diagnosis, group of diagnoses or consumer populations. Here at Robins Nest, we have also heavily invested in adopting evidence-based practices throughout the agency. One area where we have pushed ahead of most of our peers is in our Danellie Counseling Center. Robins Nest created a strategic partnership with Dr. Janet Cahill, who recently retired from Rowan University, to train our clinicians in many of the most effective evidence-based treatment protocols. The training included Parent-Child Interactive Therapy, which is effective for young children who have significant behavioral challenges, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for individuals suffering from trauma-related symptoms, such as Post-Traumatic Stress, as well as, interventions for depression and anxiety in children and social skills training for children with Autism and Asperger s. We also invested in renovating our office space to be able to use the technology required to properly deliver these services. As a result, we are able to offer a broad array of cutting edge evidence-based practices for the people who use our counseling center, and can more effectively meet their needs. Our willingness to invest in providing highly quality, cutting edge training to our clinicians and invest in the space and technology needed to deliver state of the art treatments reflects our desire to deliver care that is responsive to the needs of the community and effective for the people who seek our help. We are not mandated to use these interventions and they are more expensive for Robins Nest. Despite this, we have adopted these practices because they demonstrate our commitment to not simply provide ordinary care to our community, but to provide excellent, effective care that will help them achieve wellness and lead healthy lives. Robins Nest 25th Anniversary Golf Tournament Tee Off for Hope Continued from page 1 Doug Moxham of PNC Bank, Chris Exley, Chuck Zeisloft of Zeisloft Trucking, and Jeb Barth of PNC Bank Joe Palimeno, Ledden Palimeno Landscaping, Inc.; Brent Sheppard, Creative Financial Group; Cindy Calhoun, Cindy Calhoun Designs; Jack Sheppard, Gallagher Bollinger Tee Off for Hope 25th Annual Golf Outing agency goes back several generations. Robins Nest is an organization that is near and dear to their hearts and I am thrilled to be here today, on behalf of the family, to continue the tradition of helping children and families in our community. Honorary Chairman Derian Hatcher of the Philadelphia Flyers and Co-Chairs Michael DiPaolo of Solvay Specialty Polymers and JC Henry of EP Henry, along with their committee, did a fantastic job planning this top notch event. All proceeds from this event support quality prevention, intervention and counseling services that help abused and neglected children in southern New Jersey. Robins Nest Inc. 6

7 Robins Nest received a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of South Jersey for general operating expenses. The Verizon/NJ SHARES program provided $2,500 for Robins Nest to upgrade our on-line employee website and improve internal staff communication. In MEMORY of Celia & Nathan Goldis Memorial Fund Genevieve Colli Alvin Groff Betty Kravitz Bonnie and Frankie Urban Carmina & Domenic Genovese Cass Alexander Christopher Sarmousakis Dr. Kenneth Clay Earnest E. Nelson Francis North Frank Sperduto George Sperduto Frederick Bilda Geraldine Taylor James Mealey Joan Corrado Joan Howard Memorial Fund Joseph Wilkens June Braddock Lois Culver Margaret Long Mr. Papastamelos Raefeline Sweeney Grants and Foundation Gifts TD Bank Foundation committed $15,000 to a new initiative that will provide Financial Literacy Workshops to the community through our three Family Success Centers in Winslow Township, Glassboro, and Penns Grove. The Frank S. Flowers Foundation supported the On My Own program with a Honorary & Memorials Gifts GIFTS RECEIVED BETWEEN 2/16/13 AND 9/23/13 Dr. and Mrs. Lee Roseman Mr. and Mrs. Joel S. Schneck Mr. and Mrs. Stanley M. Pearson Mr. and Mrs. Bart Zeaman Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Matusow Ms. Denise Gill Mr. and Mrs. Stephen M. Smith Mr. and Mrs. David Haenick Mr. and Mrs. Earl Arnold Mrs. Karen Gallo Ms. Angela Genovese Ms. Kathy Duffy Ms. Karen Damon Mrs. Dorothy Clay Mrs. Lucille Nelson Ms. Theresa Sperduto Mrs.Sue Donahue Mrs. Sue Donahue Ms. Theresa Sperduto Mr. Eugene Taylor Ms. Marie Wilmot Mr. and Mrs. Michael Corrado Mrs. Patricia Maryanski Ms. Sandra Thielz Bridget, Chrissy & Qian Roe Dr. and Mrs. John Holdcraft Ms. Bettie Yerkes Mr. and Mrs. Wade H. Ridgway Clayton MS/HS Sunshine Club Ms. Cynthia Nilan Underwood Memorial Hospital Medical Staff Mr. and Mrs. Ben Cordova Ms. Marisol Howard Comprehensive Prospect Research Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crook Mr. and Mrs. William Moore Mr. and Mrs. Joseph V. Ginotti Mr. William Long Commissioner Alisa Cooper and Mr. Doug Little Commissioner Alisa Cooper and Mr. Doug Little In MEMORY of (continued) Robert Rizzuto Sam Gidseg Teresa Lanzalotti Vincent James Valle Norman & Marion Dean Herbert & Walthea Steenson In HONOR of My four grandchildren, Julia, Jameson, Sophie, and Ellie Caitlin Keane Chelsea Barlow Erin Klein Gary Hill and John Schultz Margaret Carr Patience DeSimone Paul Toepel Scarlett and Madden Redkoles Robert & Helen Marville $5,000 donation for program support, client engagement and educational resources. Robins Nest received a check for $11,294 from Camden Home for Children to purchase furniture for the newly acquired home for adolescent girls, Pettirosso Garden, in Sewell. Ms. Sydelle Mason Ms. Anita Guarro Ms. Bonnie Gates Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Steenson Ms. Lisa Carney Ms. Kathy J. Royal Ms. Nancy Dinsmore Ms. Susan Somers Commissioner Alisa Cooper and Mr. Doug Little Ms. Kathleen Mahmoud Mr. and Mrs. Dennis DeSimone Ms. Lauren Toepel Ms. Margie Ann Redkoles Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Steenson Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Pinwheel Campaign In MEMORY of Janice Apisa Jean Pustie Joan Howard Joanna Sue Carpenter Fiore Mary Robbins Sheba Thompson In HONOR of Lily and Emma Sommer Mr. and Mrs. Vincent DeLisi Mr. Michael Pustie Mrs. Marget Interlante Mr. and Mrs. Bruce J. Miller Ms. Jackie Schmenger Ms. Mae Woodley Mr. Thomas Sommer and Cmdr. Shani N. Lewins Group Home Porch Restoration Project In MEMORY of Christopher Sarmousakis Thomas P. Hamer In HONOR of Ruth and Fred London Ms. Karen Damon Mrs. Frieda Hopkins Jere and Angela Estes Robins Nest Inc.

8 RobinsNestNwsltr_Fall2013.qxp:Layout 1 10/28/13 12:47 AM Page 8 Nonprofit Org US Postage PAID Deptford, NJ Permit #88 42 South Delsea Drive Glassboro, NJ P F Our Mission: Protecting children, strengthening families, and empowering our communities through innovative, life-enhancing services. Special Thanks to the Planning Committee Derian Hatcher, Honorary Chairman Philadelphia Flyers Organization Tee Off for Hope Mike DiPaolo, Co-Chair Solvay Specialty Polymers Thank You EVENT SPONSORS 25th Annual Golf Outing S I LV E R S P O N S O R S JC Henry, Co-Chair, EP Henry Marianne Anzaldo, EP Henry ZEISLOFT TRUCKING Barbara Arnold, Robins Nest Board Member Bronze Sponsors Allied Landscape Susquehanna Bank Hess Corporation Axiall Corporation Fulton Bank of New Jersey Putting Green Sponsors Hale Trailer, Brake and Wheel Epex, Inc. Comprehensive Show Management Seal N' Lock Mark DelRoccili Broadview Networks Suzanne McGonigal, EP Henry Jack Sheppard, Gallagher Bollinger Bar Sponsor Phoenix Lithographics Beverage Cart Sponsors Joan and Jack Lyons Ball, Buckley & Seher, LLP John Rock, Inc. Geiger Smith-Koch Norristown Brick Derian and Heather Hatcher Robins Nest Inc.