News Release

For Immediate Release
Contact: Karen Rodgers, Executive Director
rodgersk@cf.edu
352-854-2322 ext. 1457

Public Policy Institute Presents 2008 Spring Seminar:

Taking Care of Our Own: Helping Our Vulnerable Children

October 16, 2007 – OCALA - FLORIDA
To provide leadership in identifying recommendations for an improved community, the Public Policy Institute (PPI) of Marion County will host a spring seminar entitled, Taking Care of Our Own: Helping Our Vulnerable Children on Monday, April 14th, 4:00 -5:30 p.m. in the Klein Conference Center at Central Florida Community College. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are recommended by April 9. For additional information or to RSVP, contact: flynnc@cf.edu or 352-854-2322, Ext. 1679.

The seminar event is a follow-up to the October 2007 PPI Fall Seminar Taking Care of Our Own: Planning for Future Human Services Needs in Marion County which provided an overview of human services funding needs in Marion County. The April 2008 seminar event features panelists from various perspectives of the public and private sector with a specific focus on identified gaps and needs for providing services to benefit the children in Marion County.

Seminar panelists include:

The Magnitude of the Problem
William D’Aiuto, Circuit 5 Administrator- Department of Children and Families

The Current System: An Overview
The Honorable Sue Robbins, Administrative Judge- Family Law Division, Circuit 5
Cyndi Shuler, President/CEO- Kids Central, Inc.

The Impact of Society on Levels of Community Participation
Mark Imes, President/CEO- Independent National Bank

Seminar Moderator:
Linda Foy, President/CEO- Childhood Development Services, Inc.

About PPI: PPI (Public Policy Institute of Marion County) is dedicated to advancing the public interest, building democracy and community, and improving the quality of life by involving citizens in addressing community issues. http://ppiofmarioncounty.cf.edu