Family Champions of the North Country is a grass roots organization that strives to help families gain access to needed information, support and services. We strive to help families with special needs. Our definition of special is that every child that is born is special and every adult was a child at one time so we cover everyone. We received our 501c3 status in 2007. Our mission statement is: Family Champions of the North Country is a Parent run organization that strives to help families gain access to needed information, support, and services. Family Champions of the North Country is organized for charitable, educational and support purposes. Our services are based on what the family needs and whatever it takes to meet those needs. We are available by phone or in person 7 days a week.
Emergency’s aren’t 9 – 5. We do not ask any income information we only ask for name, address, county, phone number, referred by (if it applies), and break down of family demographics (number of adults, children age and gender).
We cover 5 upstate counties Franklin, Clinton, Hamilton, Essex and St. Lawrence Counties. Family Champions is run by all volunteers.
Family Champions arranges and sponsors trainings on disabilities and on many topics of interest to parents. In 2011 we provided trainings on: Asthma, Bulling, a six week training session on Advocacy, and a twoday ASISST Training. We provided Common Sense Parenting classes, Co – Parenting classes, and Anger Management classes for families.
We provide a site for supervised visitation for foster children. We also provide a site for ARC and Sunmount to do their volunteer community hours. We have students doing community service to earn Senior Privileges; we are set up with One Work Source for clients to work off their grants. We have been a site for the Franklin County summer youth program for.
Family Champions runs a Help Closet that provides clothing, furniture, and household items to families at no cost to the families. We accept donations of these items and then are able to distribute them to families. . In July 2010 when the Carnival came to town we provide 150 people with clothing and 75 families with household items and furniture. We have new Wedding Dresses and suits to lend out. We have wedding and baby shower decorations, medical supplies, wheel chairs, commodes, raised toilet seats, walkers, and a recliner that can raise you to standing position. We are averaging about 25 – 30 new families a week at the Help Closet
With a seed grant from the United Way we were able to purchase a baler and have sent loads of clothing to Canada…. The sale of these items will help us become self sufficient.
Family Champions also recycles eye glasses for the Lyons Club, #5 plastic for a company downstate, all clothing even if it is torn or stained (this material is then used for rags), we have even provided clothing to a film company shooting a movie in Tupper Lake.
Our Stocking for Tots Program was new in 2010. Our stockings were made by volunteers with donated material. Our stockings included a new pair of pajamas, new outfit, tooth paste, tooth brush, shampoo, soap, coloring book, crayons, book, stuffed animal, hat or mittens, homemade slippers, necklace or a surprise. We had 400 children sign up and receive stockings. Volunteers raised enough money to cover the cost of the stockings. In 2011 we provided 1367 children with stockings.
Our Children’s Christmas Shopping Week was a huge success. We had 191 children come through and 1156 presents wrapped and given out. During Children’s Shopping Week children we able to come to the center and shop for gifts for their brothers and sisters and parents and get them wrapped for Christmas. Our goal with this program was that children would learn to give and not receive and that parents would have a gift under the tree. Since this program was such a success Family Champions is going to provide a gift shop for family’s year around (for birthdays). Our (first) Children’s Week held in 2010.
Once a year we sponsor a Ladies Day where women can come to receive a massage, manicure, get their hair done, have a facial, food and gifts. Family Champions provides day care with the help of the Students against Destructive Decisions for the Ladies Day Out.
We are the only agency in the 5 counties that provides the kinds of services that we offer and they are all at no cost to the families. We receive $5,000.00 a year from Franklin County DSS for Family Support we raise everything else with donations and fundraising.
We have an electronic recycling program available at the Pine Street site. We are open on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month hours are 10 am – 3 pm.
NYS COVERED ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
Computers/Laptops/CRT Monitors/LCD Monitors/Televisions. The following miscellaneous
electronics less than 100 pounds are also covered under NYS CEE: Small Scale Servers/ Keyboards
and Mice/Fax Machines/Scanners/Small Copiers and Printers/VCRs/DVD and Portable Digital Musical
Players/DVD Players/Digital Converter Boxes/Cable or Satellite Receivers/Electronic or Video Game
Consoles/Cell Phones
OTHER ACCEPTABLE ELECTRONICS
Other acceptable electronics include:
Miscellaneous Electronic, Metal and Plastic Scrap, Oversized Items Exceeding 100 pounds (E.G.
Copiers/Servers Racks/Large Printers/ Etc.) Medical and Scientific Equipment, Cash Registers,
Microwaves, Typewriters, Business Equipment, Miscellaneous Media, and Dismantled CRTs/TVs, Etc.
BATTERIES
The following batteries are acceptable:
*Alkaline, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, Lithium Ion, Button Cells, Lead Acid Batteries and UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supplies).
*Unsorted batteries are subject to sorting charges.
NO OTHER BATTERIES ARE ACCEPTED
FLUORESCENT LAMPS
Acceptable Fluorescent Lamp Material:
Fluorescent Tubes need to be boxed
*U-Tube/Circular Biax/Compact/Halogen
*HID-Mercury/Metal Haloid/Hi-Lo Sodium,
*Coated/Shielded Shattershield
*UV Fluorescent/Germicidal/Projection
*Incandescent
*Non PCB Ballasts
*Fluorescent/HID Fixtures
*Lamps Must Be Packaged Properly
*Broken lamps subject to surcharge
PCB BALLASTS NOT ACCEPTED
AT THIS TIME WE DO NOT ACCEPT
1. Broken furniture
1. Mattresses – stained or torn
1. Puzzles and/or games unless they are new
1. Open personal care products
1. Dishes (due to current overload of dishes!!)
1. Cribs
1. Cassette and 8-track tapes
1. Luggage
TV’S, COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER PARTS ARE ONLY TAKEN AT 46 PINE STREET
