Friday, April 13, 2012

Adult Volunteer Information


14 April   2012

Dear Adult Volunteer,

Please go to the FFIC web-site at the link below, print and submit a “Request for Central Registry Clearance” form, which I am going to ask you to complete and return to your county DHS office for processing.  Please ask that results be sent to the address below.  If results are sent to you, please send that information to me at the address below.  I have tried to request volunteer clearances on a three-year cycle, so this will be in effect until Heritage Camp 2015.

If, like me, you have had to complete this type of paperwork to volunteer at your child’s school, at your church, or with some other non-profit organization, or been fingerprinted because you are a public school teacher, you have another option.  Feel free to request a letter from the head of the organization, on organization letterhead, stating that you have, indeed, been “cleared” to work with children.  I will keep this letter on file for three years.  I recently had to complete a request for clearance because I teach Religious Education at my church, so when the Dioceses receives its results, I could request a letter from the Director of Religious Formation. I know not every organization is willing to release the information, but one can always ask.

I know that we all have been scrutinized by the FBI, and would not be getting ready to attend Heritage Camp if we hadn’t “passed”.  I am asking that we all do this, not because you are not trusted, but to put the safety of our children first.  I’ve requested clearance so many times, I’m sure my file must be two inches thick!!

Thank you for your time and cooperation in this matter.  Please try to have your clearance information to me by June 10, 2012.  You are receiving notification of your volunteer assignment now, and although I trust that all volunteers will, indeed, have no trouble, it’s always nice to have the paperwork on file.

Thanks,

Cathy

Families for International Children
P.O. Box 2053
Grand Rapids, MI 49501


If you live in Kent County, mail your form to

Kent County Department of Human Services
121 Franklin SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Attention Adult Volunteers

This year, I am asking that all Adult Volunteers complete and mail in "Adult Volunteer Clearance" paperwork. The last time I asked for Adult Volunteer to do this was two or three years ago, so it is probably time to do this again.  There are many new volunteers each year, so this is a good way to make sure everyone is in my big book of names!

 There are directions on the FFIC web-site, but I am adding the links below.  This paperwork needs to be mailed in to your county Department of Human Services office.  Please have the results mailed  to FFIC at the address below.  As an organization, FFIC asks that all volunteers who will be coming in contact with children receive clearance just as your child's school, church, or other youth group asks for its volunteers to be "cleared".  If you are a teacher, you can have a letter from your school sent to me as proof of clearance.

Thanks,
Cathy

http://www.fficgr.org/camp.html 

http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,1607,7-124-5452_7119_48330-180331--,00.html#Section_2


FFIC
PO Box 2053
Grand Rapids, MI  49501

2012 Heritage Camp Registration

Registration has closed for Heritage Camp 2012!  Thanks to everyone who used the new, on-line registration process this year.  I think it helped streamline registration, and it saved time, man-power,  and money by eliminating the printing and mailing of registration packets.  It is gratifying to see how successful this new step has been, we are tentatively at about the same number of campers as we have had the past two years, so I guess the word was out!

See everyone June 19!

Cathy