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Together We Can End Child Abuse

By Nicki Sanders | Apr 3, 2012 | Comments Off on Together We Can End Child Abuse

There are no prerequisite courses for becoming a parent and children don’t come with instructions.  Child abuse affects families of all ages, races, ethnicities, and social classes.  The week of June 6-12, 182, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives resolved should be designated as the first National Child Abuse Prevention Week. Members of Congress […]

Soar Like An Eagle

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 29, 2012 | Comments Off on Soar Like An Eagle

  Eagles come in all shapes and sizes, but you will recognize them chiefly by their attitudes.  -E.F. Schumacher   Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits, for when the storm clouds come in, the eagles soar while the small birds take cover. -Unknown   When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin […]

A Platform For Teen Males in Foster Care

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 22, 2012 | Comments Off on A Platform For Teen Males in Foster Care

A Platform For Teen Males in Foster Care   May is National Foster Case Awareness Month.  The Teen Toolbox is opening our blog as a platform to spread inspiration and hope by highlighting the stories (successes and challenges) of teen males in the foster care system. We invite you to SHARE YOUR STORY.  If the […]

Where Are The Teen Males In Foster Care?

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 21, 2012 | Comments Off on Where Are The Teen Males In Foster Care?

Being removed from your home is always stressful.  Youth in foster care often have few personal belongings and carry the items they do have in trash bags as they are shuffled from place to place.  Very often sheer survival is the ultimate goal.   As a society, we stereotype all teens as difficult, selfish, or […]

Children Learn What They Live (poem)

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 21, 2012 | Comments Off on Children Learn What They Live (poem)

Related Post: I Told My Daughter She Can Change The World By Dorothy Law Nolte You Might Also Want To Read: I Am Unable to Adopt or Foster, Now What? Nicki Sanders, MSW, Chief Visionary Officer The Teen Toolbox utilizes youth portfolio development and civic engagement and academic empowerment strategies to help teens set goals […]

Nicki, Have You Been “Packaged For Success™”?

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 20, 2012 | Comments Off on Nicki, Have You Been “Packaged For Success™”?

  Packaged For Success™  is not just a portfolio development program – it is a brand – my lifestyle.  I founded The Teen Toolbox because I am my client.  Through the Packaged For Success Program I deliver the customer service and support that I wanted to receive.  I created programs and workshops that were not […]

My Playlist Dedicated To Our Youth

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 16, 2012 | Comments Off on My Playlist Dedicated To Our Youth

I LOVE music.  I also love sharing music so today I am dedicating 5 songs to our youth.  (Of course the list could go on but then you would get tired of reading it.)   1. The Greatest Love Of All – Whitney Houston   2. Hero – Mariah Carey    3. Believe – Fantasia […]

First Annual Pack-A-Backpack Drive™

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 15, 2012 | Comments Off on First Annual Pack-A-Backpack Drive™

Over the last five years that my daughter, JaMai, has organized her Pack-A-Purse Drive™ she has collected, sorted, and delivered a total of 951 purses and toiletries to teenage girls in homeless shelters, group homes, foster homes, and community programs.  The annual Pack-A-Purse Drive was her brainchild – it spoke directly to her life as […]

Pack A Diaper Bag Too?

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 13, 2012 | Comments Off on Pack A Diaper Bag Too?

If you’re like me, you encounter children in various public places that very loudly express their restlessness, boredom, hunger, or anger.  My running joke is that I’m going to offer a presentation on how to properly pack a diaper bag before you take your child to the doctor’s office, church, mall, auto repair shop and […]