Archives for 2019

It’s been a devastating month, to say the least. Millions of Americans and friends in neighboring countries have been impacted by horrific natural disasters. People have lost their homes, all of their belongings, and many have lost their lives. They are in urgent need of food, water, shelter, medical supplies, and other necessities.

If everyone donates a little, it can help a lot. The following organizations are collecting donations from generous people who want to help those in need.

Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation – This local nonprofit organization is collecting monetary donations for those affected by recent hurricanes. The organization was started in honor of Firefighter Stephen Siller who lost his life on 9/11 and serves to help others in his memory.

FDNY – The Fire Dept. is collecting the following supplies for hurricane victims in Puerto Rico at 18 different locations around NYC: baby food, diapers, batteries, first aid supplies, and feminine hygiene products. Staten Island dropoff locations are:

· Engine 153/ Ladder 77: 74 Broad Street, Staten Island, NY 10304 (Stapleton)
· Engine 157/ Ladder 80: 1573 Castleton Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10302 (Port Richmond)
· Ladder 79: 1189 Castleton Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10310 (Port Richmond)

Where to Turn – This local nonprofit organization has coordinated a toy drive for children devasted by Hurricane Harvey. Their website is currently under construction but you can check their Facebook page for updates on collection dates and locations.

Catholic Charities – The Archdiocese of New York is collecting monetary donations for those affected by the earthquake in Mexico and Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico.

Tzu Chi USA – This charity comes with high praise from local families affected by Hurricane Sandy, who say they received cash cards to help in their time of need from the organization easily and without question. They’re currently on-site in areas affected by Hurricane Harvey, where they are distributing their cash cards to the families impacted.

Salvation Army – The Salvation Army is collecting monetary donations to aid in long-term recovery for hurricane and earthquake relief.

UNICEF Mexico – This organization serves to help children in need, and is currently working to support children affected by the earthquake in Mexico as well as Hurricane Irma. You can visit the website for details on their efforts and ways to donate (note: when prompted, allow your browser to translate the page from Spanish to English).

Humane Society International – People aren’t the only ones displaced after natural disasters. You can donate to the Humane Society to provide relief to animals in areas affected by the earthquake in Mexico as well as hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Americares – For every $10 you donate, Americares will provide $200 in aid for victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria to provide emergency medicine and supplies to those in need.

GlobalGiving  – This charity crowdfunding site has raised over $650,000 for victims of the earthquake in Mexico and over $3 million for Harvey victims thus far. You can donate here for earthquake relief and here for Hurricane Harvey relief.

ConPRmetidos – This Puerto Rican based organization directly supports the victims of Hurricanes Maria and Irma in Puerto Rico to provide relief and aid to the communities affected.

Bood donations – This tool allows you to easily locate and schedule appointments for local blood drives and blood centers, where your blood may be given to victims of natural disasters.

Be sure to visit CharityNavigator.org to learn more information (and perhaps determine the credibility) of any charity you are considering donating to. You can also make donations to hurricane victims at their website.

If you know of any other local charities organizing collections or donations for those impacted by recent natural disasters, please email jcintron@siparent-com.go-vip.net and we will add it to our list.

Photo credit: GlobalGiving

Consumers are apprehensive about the security of their personal information and recent headlines about data breaches have moved the needle substantially on the -ometer that measures such things.

Here are answers from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about two topics on consumers’ minds: fraud alerts and credit freezes.

Fraud alerts and credit freezes can be very helpful tools for consumers. People don’t have to be victims of identity theft to use them, but they should weigh their options in light of their personal circumstances. If they’re not sure what’s right for them, here are some points to ponder.

What do fraud alerts and credit freezes do? With a fraud alert, a business must try to verify a consumer’s identity before extending new credit. Usually that means calling to check if the person is actually at the particular store attempting to get credit. With a credit freeze, no one – including the consumer – can access the consumer’s credit report to open a new account. If consumers put a credit freeze in place, they’ll get a PIN number to use each time they want to freeze, unfreeze, and refreeze their account.

How long do fraud alerts and credit freezes last? A fraud alert lasts for 90 days. If the consumer doesn’t take the affirmative step of renewing the fraud alert, it automatically expires after that. Identity theft victims are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which last seven years. In almost all states, a credit freeze lasts until the consumer temporarily lifts it or permanently removes it. In a few states, it expires after seven years.

How much do fraud alerts and credit freezes cost? Fraud alerts are free. Depending on the state law, credit freezes may involve fees. In most states, they’re free for victims of identity theft. For others, they cost about $5 to $10 each time the consumer freezes or unfreezes their account with each credit reporting agency.

How can a consumer put a fraud alert or credit freeze in place? For a fraud alert, consumers can contact any one of the three major credit reporting agencies by phone or online. The law requires that the credit reporting agency notify the other two of the consumer’s fraud alert request. Identity theft victims who want an extended fraud alert must mail or upload their Identity Theft Report, which they can create at IdentityTheft.gov. To put a credit freeze in place, consumers must contact each of the three credit reporting agencies separately at the companies’ credit freeze portals.

Credit freezes are a powerful tool, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all thing. If consumers are about to apply for new credit – for example, a mortgage, car loan, or student loan – they should consider the cost and potential hassle of unfreezing and refreezing each time. But for people who won’t need new credit anytime soon, a credit freeze may be a good choice.

Nationwide credit reporting companies:

• Equifax — 1-800-349-9960
• Experian — 1‑888‑397‑3742
• TransUnion — 1-888-909-8872

 

Take the fear out of Halloween for thousands of children on Staten Island with food allergies.

The Teal Pumpkin Project is an awareness initiative that will help identify homes and locations that offer safe alternatives for trick-or-treaters with food allergies.

Here’s how you can participate: Paint a pumpkin teal and place it on your porch or download and print a picture of a teal pumpkin as a sign to other families managing food allergies that you have non-food treats available at your home. Your teal pumpkin is also a way to raise awareness in your neighborhood about food allergies!

The Teal Pumpkin Project is Food Allergy Research and Education’s Halloween Initiative to help raise awareness and provide a way for all children to enjoy Trick-or-Treating safely.

Print your Teal Pumpkin sign below. If you don’t have a color printer, have your child color the flyer at the bottom of the page with a teal crayon or marker.

 

 

Scissor Skill Pumpkins

Trick or Treat Smell My Feet

Spooky Candy Houses

Paper Plate Pumpkins

Ghost Garland

Halloween Rock Monsters

Ghost Family Foot Painting

Halloween Handprint Ghoul Banner

Feet & Hand Print Halloween Canvas

Stick Spider Craft

Haunted House

Paper Plate Witch Hats

Paper Cup Spiders

Unlike old-school bullying, cyberbullying is not confined to school grounds, but can happen at any time and at any location. Cyberbullying is a serious issue, but as a parent, you can take control to keep your children safe. Cyberbullying is becoming more and more prevalent among children of all ages, and the best protection involves a combination of the tips below and utilizing parental monitoring technology like Bark.us to alert you and combat it.

Learn More For Yourself

What is Cyberbulling? Cyberbullying takes many different shapes and forms (people impersonating others, Photoshopping photos, generating memes), so educate yourself about cyberbullying so you can spot it if it happens.

Remember Password Protection

Some cyberbullies hack into accounts to post offensive statuses, updates, photos, or videos to make it look like the account holder posted them. The best way to prevent this is to create a strong password and never give it to anyone other than parents. (Parents should always be given access to kids’ social media passwords.)

Don’t Send Racy Photos

One of the best ways to protect kids from cyberbullying is to remind them that they should never send racy photos, or any other texts, images, or videos that aren’t rated at least PG.

Think Before You Post

Kids often say things that are out of character due to emotions. They make say mean things to or about someone they know, or they might even post a photo they find funny, but others could find offensive. Remind your kids to think about how their post might make others feel before they make it visible.

Check Privacy Settings

Most social media providers offer a variety of privacy settings that allow you and your children to control who sees the things they post. Take the time to read about these settings and what they do, then decide together which are the most appropriate for your family.

Don’t Open Messages From Strangers

Cyberbullying isn’t always carried out by people your kids know. In fact, perfect strangers may bully your children, or they may pose as strangers to provide themselves with anonymity. Teach your kids to never open messages or accept “friend requests” from strangers.

Don’t Log Into Accounts On Public Computers

Remind your children that public computers are not safe when it comes to social media. Even if they log out after their sessions, things like keystroke loggers can remember passwords and status updates, which can compromise privacy and security.

• Emotionally agitated after getting off the internet or their devices
• Seems anxious or uneasy when they receive an alert or text message
• Unwilling to hand over their devices
• Change in mood, withdrawn, depressed, or often angry or anxious
• Change in behavior, sleep patterns, or grades at school

#8– Support And Address As A Team

Let your child know they can come to you about any concern they have, and you will address it together. If they feel like they can talk about their issues without you reacting in anger or being upset, they will be more likely to approach you if it is happening to them. It’s often hard for victims to reach out for help, so reinforcing that you are there for them (and staying calm) is extremely important. Next, figure out the response together.  It is important to equip your child with the tools they need to know how to respond to bullies. Teach them to not engage the bully, but screenshot and save any message that contains threatening or hurtful remarks, as it may be important to have a paper trail if the situation escalates. Teach your child that they can, and should, report these instances to you, a teacher or any trusted adult. Then, discuss possible solutions together based on the specific circumstances.

Although there’s nothing that can protect your children from cyberbullying 100%, you can lessen the chances it will happen and help them stay safer online. These tips are a great start, so please make sure to talk about them with your tweens and teens right away.

By Titania Jordan, Chief Parent Officer at at www.bark.us and former CMO at KidsLink, co-founder/CMO at Privet, and Executive Director of Band of Coders Girls Academy. Titania has tremendous experience at the intersection of families and technology.

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