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Come Home for the Holidays Holiday Party
Sunday, December 2nd 5:00 8:00 pm
 You are invited to "Come Home for The Holidays! "The LGBT Community's annual holiday party will take place on Sunday, December 02, 2007 from 5pm to 8pm in The Center's Auditorium, 3909 Centre Street!
The Center, along with over 30 community and faith based organizations, will come together to put on a fantastic holiday fete for our LGBT community! This community event will feature great food, a no-host bar, music and a candle lighting ceremony! Don't miss this chance to celebrate the holidays with your "family!"
Holiday Crafts and cookie decorating will be provided for the kids.
This event is free to all; however, we ask that guests bring a new, unwrapped toy for the Imperial Court's Annual Toy Drive.
Documentary Screening
Anyone and Everyone
Wednesday, November 28th
7:00 - 9:00 pm at The Center
KPBS is releasing a new documentary by local filmmaker Susan Polis Schutz that tells the unique stories of several families with a gay son or daughter. Come see this wonderful film featuring diverse families from around the world with different religious and cultural backgrounds and how each family is dealing with their child's sexual orientation.
Parenting Workshop:
"Successfully Navigating the
Special Education System"
January 16th 6:00 - 8:00 pm at The Center
We are honored to have Jerry Hobbs present this very important workshop. Jerry is a long-time Family Matters member and the Lead Teacher of the Foster Care and Homelessness Licensed Children's Institutions/ED Program of San Diego Unified Schools.
The main points Jerry will cover in this workshop will be:
- Getting your child properly and thoroughly assessed.
- Ensuring that "present levels of performance" sufficiently describe your child's performance in school.
- Developing, with your school, a "free and appropriate" educational program that meets your child's unique needs.
- Creating meaningful behavior support plans
- Special education issues that are unique to adoptive and/or foster parents.
- Lots of Q & A.
Please attend this workshop if your child is in special education classes now or you are thinking they may need this type of assistance.
This workshop is open to anyone, so feel free to forward the e-mail to anyone you think that could benefit from this workshop!
Free childcare provided, but please rsvp by Monday, January 14th to Marci at mbair@thecentersd.org
Jerry Hobbs is the Lead Teacher of the Foster Care and Homelessness Licensed Children's Institutions/ED Program of San Diego Unified Schools.
Jerry was raised in foster care in Sacramento from the age of 8 to 18. After aging out on his 18th birthday, he went directly to college, earned a BS in Public Administration and Behavioral Science. He also holds an MS ED in Special Education from the University of Kansas. Credentialed to teach Special Education, Mild-Moderate and English, Business, Social Studies, Biology and Speech. He currently teaches only youth in foster care who reside in group homes. He also works in the Foster Care and Homeless Liaison's Office for SDUSD--the 8th largest school system in the country. His office provides support services to nearly 2,000 families and 3,600 children who are either homeless or in foster care. They work with these families and youth to get them better supports at school.
Jerry currently mentors three foster youth (ages 12-13) and is a licensed foster parent with Special Families Foster Care (San Diego Center for Children). His son (foster) had 17 prior placements in foster care before coming to Jerry and his partner, Gordon.
The Daddy Machine
January 18 - 27, 2008
A world premiere of a new family-friendly musical The Daddy Machine
Two moms, two kids, one singing dog and 62 dads!
It's the first day of summer vacation time for the special pancake breakfast at Stonewall's house. But Momma lost a filling, Mom's taking her to the dentist and the kids are home alone. Sue is happy to be left in charge, but when Harry accidentally invents a daddy-making machine, no one can contain the chaos. All Stonewall wanted was for someone to assemble his doghouse was that too much to hope for? Audience participation. Fun for ages 4 and older.
Commissioned by Diversionary Theatre. Book by Patricia Loughrey. Music & lyrics by Rayme Sciaroni. Co-directed by Siobhan Sullivan and Rayme Sciaroni. Based on the children's book by Johnny Valentine. Community partner: Family Matters.
Special Family Matters days, Sunday, June 20th & Saturday January 26th more information to follow soon.
Musical runs from January 18th -27th, 2008
Fri/18 7pm; Sat/19 1pm & 7pm (opening night); Sun/20 1 & 3pm; Thurs/24 7pm; Fri/25 7pm; Sat/26 11am & 1pm & 7pm; Sun/27 1& 3pm
"Get Engaged by Valentine's Day!"
The San Diego LGBT Community Center's Marriage Equality and Education Project is launching its "Get Engaged by Valentine's Day!" campaign.
This effort is designed to open the hearts and minds of San Diegans to support the Freedom to Marry by having 40 Freedom to Marry Engagements in San Diego by Feb. 14, 2008!
These Engagements will promote Let California Ring -- a public education campaign working to create a California where two people in a committed, trusting and loving relationship deserve the recognition and respect that only comes with marriage.
A Freedom to Marry Engagement is a chance to open your home to friends, family and neighbors and "engage" them in a conversation about the importance of the freedom to marry for all couples. These events are crucial to achieving the Freedom to Marry in California because they "engage" people in this issue, broaden support and encourage people to volunteer and donate.
At the Freedom to Marry Engagement, guests will receive a briefing on the campaign by a trained speaker, watch a short DVD, and then talk about how they can help achieve the freedom to marry in California.
Hosting a Freedom to Marry Engagement is a fun and easy way to be a part of the Freedom to Marry movement. We will provide support to Engagement hosts.
Interested in this issue but want to learn more before hosting your own Engagement?
Attend the upcoming public Freedom to Marry Engagement, hosted by The Center!
Tues., Nov. 27th - 7:00pm.
In Latino Services at The Center
3909 Centre St. in San Diego
Light snacks and drinks will be provided; please RSVP or book your engagement with Kristi Shaw, Marriage Equality and Education Project coordinator at kshaw@thecentersd.org or call her at (619) 692-2077, ext. 206.
R Family Vacation Cruise
March 15 - 22nd, 2008
For the first time ever the Rosie & Kelli O'Donnell R Family Vacation's Cruise is leaving from San Diego!
Join other Family Matters families for this special PFLAG @ Sea Cruise to the Mexican Riviera!
Spend your Spring Break with R Family and PFLAG as we sail south of the border from beautiful San Diego.
Enjoy some active excursions or explore some incredible shopping in beautiful Cabo San Lucas. Spend a day getting some sunshine at the beaches of Mazatlan. Enjoy the galleries and scenery in gay-friendly Puerto Vallarta.
Celebrate with all of “r” friends and family on our very first Mexican Riviera cruise.
For more information go to R Family Vacations Website and book your cabin.
Everyone is welcome so bring extended family and friends too!
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Halloween Carnival Pictures
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Halloween Costume Winners 2007
Dottie from Dottie's Magic Pockets DVD screening at Family Matters
Halloween Carnival
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Volunteers
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 Get involved & give back! Join as a Center and Family Matters volunteer and help put on great events for our families and meet other parents. To get signed up just visit our Volunteer Sign-Up Page
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Wanna Chat?
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Join our new Family Matters Yahoo chat group (SDFamilyMatters-Chat). Sign up to stay connected with other parents or those considering parenthood. Share parenting tips or babysitters, swap clothes & toys, set up play dates or just chat and stay connected.
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Thank You
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Thank you so much for your support of Family Matters and responding with your generous donations to our recent mailing from Cathy Cyr & Ryland Madison. Also, thank you for helping our Family Matters family that lost their home in the fires. They really appreciate all of your gift cards and support in helping them get back on their feet.
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Family Spotlight:
The Bailey Family
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I recently asked Bill Bailey, a longtime member of Family Matters, how he became a dad and here is his touching story.
Bill (Dad), Jasmine & James Bailey
with Judge Ted Weathers
Soon after I arrived in San Diego in 1994 I saw an ad in the Gay and Lesbian Times announcing a parenting forum for gays and lesbians. I went to the panel presentation and after met the event's coordinators, Ray Drew and Jon Amat. I expressed my interest to them to help in anyway I could. My offer was accepted and I began working with Ray and Jon as "Considering Parenthood" began meeting on a regular basis.
For several years I stayed involved and participated in the growth of Considering Parenthood into Family Matters, as many "considering gays and lesbians" became moms and dads. Ted Weathers (Superior Court Judge) and his partner came to one of the events with their new daughter Elizabeth. Ted soon became involved in the leadership of the group.
I finally graduated from the "considering" stage and became a dad in December of 2003. I was selected for Jasmine, four months old at the time, by a social worker with San Diego County Adoptions. I learned about her December 22nd, met her December 23rd and brought her home to live with me December 24th! It was the most amazing Christmas present ever. In November of 2004 Jasmine's adoption finalized in my friend Judge Ted Weather's court room.
Jasmine's biological brother James came to live with us in October of 2005 when he was one year old. James' adoption just finalized June, 2007, again in Ted's courtroom.
Considering Parenthood/Family Matters from the beginning in 1994 gave me hope that one day I would be a dad. It also provided me a network of friends that have provided continuous support and love. My family is blessed with relationships that will last forever because of our involvement with these fine people.
For all of you still considering, or patiently waiting, don't give up. When the time is right, when the child is ready for you, it will happen and there is no greater joy. Thank you Family Matters for helping me create my family,
Bill, Jasmine and James Bailey
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Toys Recalled
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Aqua Dots contain a chemical coating on the beads that can metabolize into a very dangerous drug the and can make kids very, very sick. Please make sure you look this story up as well as the list of toys found to contain lead paint. You can find more information at the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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Baby Boot Camp
Saturday, December 1st 8:30 am
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Join Baby Boot Camp for fitness, fun, and friendship. It is a great way to stay in shape, meet other parents, and enjoy time with your children.
Baby Boot Camp classes are a 75 minute workout designed specifically to get you into shape while spending time with family and friends. The innovative and fun format combines strength training, with cardiovascular drills to maximize fitness. Baby Boot Camp participants run, walk, do cardio drills, sand work, hill work, and strength training. The last 15 minutes of class isolates the abs, butt, and thighs. After the kids can play at the park while we get to know each other. We also have play dates, parents night out, family activities, and much more. Included in the class is free body fat analysis, body measurements and monthly weigh ins to check your progress.Baby boot camp increases strength and tones muscles while increasing energy level and cardiovascular endurance. All classes are held outdoors and all families bring their children.
All family Matters families are invited to join them for a FREE Baby Boot Camp class on Saturday December 1st at 8:30 am.
The class will be held at East Mission Bay park , located off Sea World drive.
For more information and directions you can contact Heather Wied at heather.wied@babybootcamp.com or 858-442-6473.
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