Omer Thibault IV is a musician, a mechanical technician and, at age 20, a single dad.
Age 19 when his son was born, Thibault had not yet earned his diploma from Swansea High School and was uncertain of his prospects. He was certain on one thing, however. He wanted to be a great dad to his infant son, whose teen mother was unable to care for him.
Michelle Loranger, Executive Director of the Children's Advocacy Center of Bristol County, a program of JRI, recently wrote an Op Ed for National Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
JRI is proud to be part of the Massachusetts Permanency Practice Alliance.
Permanency is the thought that there should be a specific goal -- like adoption or family reunification -- and a plan to reach it for every child placed into foster care “to ensure they have a loving, supportive adult to guide them through childhood,” according to the Massachusetts Permanency Practice Alliance.
First Connections, a program of JRI, was featured in the Acton Beacon.
Granite Academy was honored to welcome William Kamkwamba, author of “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” to the school. He impacted all in attendance as he shared his personal journey, connected with students & explored the true value of education, innovation and spirit. He shared his own experiences of overcoming internal and external obstacles, as well as who his strongest influences were in helping him to achieve his goals. William was truly an inspiration for our students (and staff too!).
“These are not adolescent prostitutes.
The Children's Advocacy Center of Bristol County, a program of JRI, has been hosting a series of legislative breakfasts throughout the county to educate and inform legislators about the realities of children and families impacted by the trauma of abuse and violence. In Fiscal Year 2018, 815 children were served by the CAC, which is a 164% increase since the CAC started in 2007. In Fiscal Year 2017, the CAC served 665 children.
Audrey Morrissey, Associate Director of My Life My Choice, a program of JRI, was on NBC Boston last week to discuss the Mute R. Kelly movement and to bring awareness to human trafficking. One piece of advice she had to offer parents is to pay attention to your children's social media accounts. Watch the clip to see the full interview.
The Pathways to Permanency Program (P2P) offers services to help provide adoptive and foster families with a nurturing and stable environment.
Did you know that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually assaulted before the age of 18? For 90% of sexually abused children, the perpetrator is someone the child knows and trusts. That means that in a classroom of 28 students, about six or seven students have been the victims of sexual abuse.
When children make reports to adults, the first response is critical, and can be the difference between feeling believed and supported, and being shamed or embarrassed, or even recanting true information.
Do you have a question about JRI services?
Rachel has been a part of the JRI team since January, 2000. For over 20 years, Rachel has been working in the field of human services assisting families with accessing and navigating services. Rachel received her Bachelors degree in psychology and Masters Degree in Public Administration from Bridgewater State University. She was promoted in July 2005 to Family Networks Program Director where she closely worked with the Department of Children Families for 10 years ensuring that children and families received the highest quality of individualized services ranging from community based through residential care. Rachel is very dedicated to helping the individuals she works with and is committed to improving the lives of children and families. Rachel’s passion for creative service programming inspires her in her role as JRI Service Navigator.
