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Congressional Award for Joseph Galata

SAFF’s Executive Director Joseph Galata will be in Washington, D.C. in September because… He has been nominated by the Honorable Senator from Nevada Jackie Rosen and selected by the Congressional Coalition for Adoption Institute …… to receive a special award for his 13 year work with developing, facilitating, and delivering programs to enrich, empower, and educate the children, teens, and young adults connected to foster and/or adoptive families.

Senator Rosen wrote:

“Joseph Galata has gone above and beyond as an advocate for foster children and youth in Nevada. As the Executive Director of the Sierra Association of Foster Families, he has organized a successful tutoring program partnering with local university students. He uses his creativity through art, theatre, and storytelling to reach children in a way that is engaging and supportive. His work focuses on meeting youth where they are at, and providing the critical skills they need to succeed, such as financial literacy and academic support, as well as programs that provide uplifting and educational entertainment and material support. He strives to support connections between foster youth and biological families whenever appropriate to do so, as well as supporting the care that foster families provide. These services are critical for foster youth”
“to develop lasting relationships and permanency.”

In turn, at Joseph’s request, SAFF created this brief “thank you” video to staff, individuals, agencies, business, funders who make SAFF so successful. As Joseph always says, “ Being thankful produces more and more thankfulness.”

https://youtu.be/Wpx8fVMZB8M

NOW Available
Nevada's Colorful Children
the book

 
History is so fascinating! Especially Nevada history! Because it’s a colorful part of American history. In fact, it’s a part of world history! And, children help create history!

In Nevada’s Colorful Children, Volume 1, you will read seven stories of true incidents in Nevada’s exciting history and from the creative imagination of Joseph Galata. Available on Amazon.

We hope you enjoy reading the stories and looking at original artwork from the artistic imagination of Amjad Hilles.

Also, you can listen to the stories performed by very talented actors and actresses.  Just click on the video images below.


Videos

Building A Social Convoy for Grandparents and Grandchildren

 
RT: 2:57
 
Programs to Prevent and Heal Social Disconnection between Grandparents and Grandchildren.
 
 
 

 

STEAM EDUCATION

 
RT: 68 minutes
 
Written by Joseph Galata
Illustration by Amjad Hilles
 
 

ART CAN MAKE ME FORGET WAR 

A 2:34 minute video featuring international artists who are humanitarians… painters, actors, musicians, dancers, writers, storytellers – the creativity of the arts versus the destruction of war.
 
 
Created by Joseph Galata and Amjad Hilles.
 


Podcasts

 

The Ghost of Benjamin Franklin : Episode 1 LOSSES

In the 1st episode the Ghost of Benjamin Franklin talks about losses he experienced on his historical journey from obscurity to fame.

RT: 33 minutes
 
Written & Perfromed by Joseph Galata
 
SHAKE UP!
 
In 1776, Americans celebrated the first Independence Day on the 4th of July. For centuries towns throughout America created traditions for the celebration.
But, in one little town this year, a group of women have decided to change the annual traditions and there are quite a few men who are not going to allow these woman to rebel.
 
Written & Directed by Joseph Galata
 
Performed by Katharine Mills, Kensie Mills, Valerie David, Eleanor Davis, Stewart Davis, Carrie Jaboor, & Joseph Galata
 
Artwork & Production by Amjad Hilles

HERO HENRY- A THEATRICAL DRAMA PODCAST

An original theatrical drama featuring a cast of professional child
-teen-adult actors from NYC, LA, Florida, Nevada,, Dubai tells the
true story of Mr. Henry Bergh who in the 1800’s was the founder of both The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
RT: 68 minutes
 
Written by Joseph Galata
Illustration by Amjad Hilles

The Once Upon a Time Pryanki Baker

A Russian Christmas Story.

A long time ago – Christmas is canceled in Russia. But a little girl, instead of feeling hopeless, uses her creative imagination in keeping the Spirit of Christmas alive in her village. Based on a Russian legend, this original entertaining podcast adds a few new characters and twists!

Written by Joseph Galata
Illustration by Amjad Hilles

Érase una vez Panadero
 
Una historia de Navidad Rusa.
 
Hace mucho tiempo, la Navidad está cancelada en Rusia. Pero una niña, en lugar de sentirse desesperada, usa su imaginación creativa para mantener vivo el Espíritu de la Navidad en su aldea. Basado en una leyenda rusa, este podcast entretenido original agrega algunos personajes y giros nuevos.
 
Escrito por Joseph Galata
Ilustración de Amjad Hilles

Yesterday & Today – An entertaining- educational children’s podcast.

It’s an elementary school competition!

A 4th grader performs his monologue on a Basque Christmas tradition! A 6th grade girl performs her monologue about a Halloween Danish ghost legend! And then there is the nervous judge who … well .. listen and discover who will win and …… find our what is going on with the wishy-washy competition judge! “

THE PRINCESS AND THE SNOWSTORM is SAFF’s newest children’s entertainment-educational podcast.

Written by SAFF’s Executive Director and performed by a NYC actress, it is a fairy tale about a very lonely little princess who has no friends until, … until….

This is the 1st podcast in a new SAFF series about children’s loneliness.. funded by a grant from a national foundation on children’s mental health. We were inspired to create this new series because of responses from children who have been listening to our other 3 podcast series – especially the episodes on … (drum roll) Friendship !!!! And Nevada history!!!

By the way .. we received an exciting message: An elementary school foster care child listened to our podcast on The Donner Party, located below, (about a child being rescued by 2 Native American teenagers).. The foster care child was so fascinated .. the SAFF tutor and the child spent much time together researching. A few weeks later when her school teacher told the class they were going to study about the Donner Party and asked which students knew anything about it The ONLY student who knew was the foster care child… and then proceeded to tell the story to her classmates!!!”

Our podcasts are now up to over 50,000 listeners!

Maybe I Can Take Someone Up With Me!

 

An entertaining- educational 32 minute children’s podcast about a Black Maid who became an extraordinarily important community humanity in Nevada.



Looking Up Into the Sky

An inspiring, educational, entertaining 22 minute story with songs for children!

Based on the true story of Albert Michelson of Virginia City, Nevada. The 1st American to win the Nobel Prize in Physics!!!!!!!

The son of European Jews who immigrated to California and then Nevada, after years of being bullied and harassed …. Albert became the first Jewish teenager to be enrolled into the U.S. Naval Academy – admitted by President Ulysses S. Grant.

Written by Joseph Galata, narrated by actress Carrie Jaboor, edited by Tom Snyder, with art work by Amjad Hellis.

Oh – and there is a crater on the moon named after Virginia City, Nevada’s Nobel Prize winning scientist!!!!!”

A story told by an 11 year old Irish boy who – at the age of 5 – was trapped in the Donner Party blizzards and how he – along with other children – were rescued by 2 Native American teenage men.

A story told by a Chinese 16 year old male in Virginia City during the building of the railroad across the Sierra Mountains.

Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math Stories are FUN!

Meet Wally Waiter and Server Sally.

 
At first, the elementary school boy was feeling miserable. He didn’t want to be in the Scientists and Inventors Geek and Genius Kids Club.And, he certainly didn’t want to enter the school’s STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math Competition! And, his grandma was in the hospital with Covid -19. And, It was Chanukah – a time to feel extra happy and celebrate victory. Yep, he was feeling miserable. UNTIL – he came up with an unexpected STEAM idea – involving the Channukah Jelly Donut !!!!!!!
 
 
Once again, The Society of Rottenness is trying to ruin the town’s holiday . This time, it’s Christmas ! They pass a town ordinance forbidding reindeer to be in town. The new rule is going to be keeping Santa from landing his reindeer pulling sleigh – full of toys – onto the town’s field on Christmas Eve. But…. the kids in the Geek and Genius STEAM club devise a secret plan to save Christmas!!!! And the secret is all about a formula – Science + Technology + Engineering + Arts + Math = Rescuing the Christmas Reindeer!
 
 
When the town’s Society of Rottenness puts a stop to the annual Halloween Scarecrow Festival, the aspiring Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math students in the elementary school’s Geek and Genius Kids Club devise a plan to rescue the Halloween festival!