New âNifty Thriftyâ Store opens
Hannibal Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors celebrate the ribbon cutting at the new Douglass Community Services âNifty Thriftyâ Thrift Store, at 253 Munger Lane (the former Bomar Community Center). The stores hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. CONTRIBUTED
Local foster child advocates praise Missouri bills aiming to streamline adoption process
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PALMYRA, Mo (WGEM) Two new laws in Missouri aim to make it easier to become foster parents and quicker to adopt the kids they re taking care of.
That s welcome news for advocates who say there were 20,000 foster kids across the state last year alone.
There are around 300 foster kids here in the 10th district court which covers Marion, Monroe, and Ralls county.
The people who help advocate for those kids, and make the call on getting them into better homes, say the two bills Governor Parson signed, House Bill 429 and 430, could make it easier for those kids.
HANNIBAL â Employees of Douglass Community Services will display blue pinwheels of hope in recognition of April being National Child Abuse Awareness Month at noon Monday, April 12. The public is invited to join the ceremony at 711 Grand Ave. in Hannibal.
This month and throughout the year, DCS encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making Northeast Missouri a better place for children and families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills and resources they need to care for their children, communities can help prevent child abuse and neglect by making meaningful connections with children, youth and families in local communities.
Eric Murfin, division chief with the Marion County Ambulance District, and Keith Amos, assistant chief with MCAD, inspect the child seat in Kristin Fasnachtâs car during a car seat safety check event at Early Head Start on Wednesday. Early Head Start is a program of Douglass Community Services, a United Way partner agency. Assisting MCAD, Head Start personnel and the Northeast Coalition for Roadway Safety were employees from Families and Communities Together, representing the Safe Kids Coalition of Northeast Missouri with car seats on hand in case a family needed one.
COURIER-POST PHOTO/TREVOR MCDONALD
HANNIBALÂ â The Court Appointed Special Advocates of Children program at Douglass Community Services has increased the capacity of the children it can serve.
Additional grant funding allowed the program to hire an additional CASA Volunteer Coordinator. Stephanie Himmel is the new CASA Volunteer Coordinator.
A native of Hannibal, Himmel will recruit and train new CASA advocates and provide support for existing advocates. Advocates support children under the care of the Tenth Judicial Circuit by meeting with the child and providing a voice for the child to the courts.
With the additional of Himmel, Douglass will be able to support up to 120 children, up from 60 children previously. There are approximately 320 children under care of the Tenth Judicial Circuit.