| "> | | | | home, attending school or a camp for instance they |
| By now, most people, if not everyone knows about | | | | are exposed to: |
| Bernie Madoff and his 50 billion dollar Ponzi scheme. | | | | - Opportunity for continued learning. They acquire |
| The news has reported a great deal on how this has | | | | knowledge through out the school year and in camp |
| impacted many people. In Palm Beach, FL many | | | | they continue the learning process to reinforce the |
| individuals, estates and organizations lost money in | | | | work from the previous year. |
| the scheme. There is another affected group which is | | | | - A chance to interact with same-aged peers and |
| not covered as often because they did directly | | | | continued social growth and development |
| invest; and that is the needy families, and they lost | | | | - Supervised and guided activities, which limits the |
| twice. Local charitable organizations in every state | | | | opportunities they have to get involved in less |
| rely on the generosity of gracious donors. There are | | | | constructive or more dangerous activities. |
| also several foundations which provide funding to help | | | | - Reduces the risk of becoming victims of child abuse |
| local organizations implement their programs. | | | | for children who are at risk of being abused because |
| As a result of some recent economic events, | | | | parents are not overwhelmed by overactive children |
| including the poor performance of the stock market, | | | | who need constructive engagement and children |
| the reduction in wages for some people and the | | | | spend time with other concerned adults who may be |
| increase in the national unemployment rate, we can | | | | able to notice and address warnings or signs of |
| only begin to imagine that the need in local | | | | abuse in the children. |
| communities will be greater. With a decrease in | | | | All these sound good for the kids, but where is the |
| families' finances, more people will be seeking | | | | benefit for the rest of the community? Well, it is in |
| assistance form local organizations to help them | | | | prevention. By increasing and promoting wellbeing and |
| wade through to other side of the current economic | | | | limiting risk, the community saves on the cost of |
| stumble. The number of individuals who are applying | | | | treatment. If a child is at camp in supervised |
| for unemployment compensation continues to grow. | | | | environment, that child is less likely to be out in the |
| The media has already reported an increase need | | | | community getting hurt or damaging property while |
| evidenced by the number of people who are applying | | | | trying to find entertainment. When a child is at camp, |
| for everyday survival assistance through government | | | | the unemployed parent can continue to work toward |
| programs such as Medicaid and Food Stamp. As | | | | gainful employment instead of being home at risk of |
| parents with limited funds continue to make efforts | | | | releasing their frustration of a child who they feel is |
| to be gainfully employed, programs such as childcare | | | | bothering them when all he/she wants is to find an |
| and camps are going to be in great demand this | | | | engaging activity. A child at camp continues to learn |
| summer. Unfortunately many school districts are | | | | practice positive social interaction skills and engaging in |
| looking for ways to reduce expenses, and are less | | | | a structured environment, which reduces the |
| likely to be able to add summer extensions to help | | | | re-teaching that they will need when they return to |
| meet these needs. | | | | school in the fall. There are many ways people can |
| How does Madoff's scheme affect your community? | | | | help even when they are not able to make the |
| - The victims of the Ponzi scheme included | | | | major contributions of the past. It is simply a matter |
| foundations which fund programs in local | | | | of finding the right initiative. |
| organizations. It is very likely that there was an | | | | Many people did not personally lose money, and are |
| organization in your community or the neighboring | | | | not seeking assistance, but the impact still extends to |
| community which receives money from on of those | | | | them. Whether they use them or not, members of |
| who fell victim. | | | | the community pay the cost of services. In a time |
| - Individual donors with lower amounts of | | | | where the common theme in state budgets is |
| discretionary funds are less likely to make their | | | | covering the short fall, many services are being |
| donations, or are more likely to donate less then their | | | | reduced or eliminated. Investing in prevention means |
| normal contributions. | | | | reducing the amount spent in treatment, and this is |
| - Agencies which receive less funding will be able to | | | | important because treatment in general is more |
| serve fewer families, even when there are more | | | | costly than prevention. |
| families seeking assistance. | | | | Adversity really is a part of life. Resilience; however, |
| - Communities with increased needs and reduced | | | | must be pursued and maintained. These difficult days |
| assistance become more vulnerable. | | | | are providing an opportunity for people to take a |
| When a child is able to spend time away from the | | | | stand. To quote Nike, "just do it! |