The Connection Collection The Connection CollectionNEWS | KUDOS | EVENTS | FUNTN EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTOctober 2026

Welcome to October 🍂🎃 Fall is officially in the air, bringing cooler mornings, colorful leaves, pumpkin-spiced everything, and plenty of reasons to gather, celebrate, and connect. October reminds us that even as seasons change, the strength of our Childhelp family remains constant. Every day, your compassion, dedication, and commitment make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families across Tennessee. As we embrace this cozy season, we invite you to slow down for a few moments and enjoy this month's edition of The Connection Collection. Inside, you'll find employee celebrations, team highlights, upcoming events, wellness tips, and opportunities to connect with colleagues across the state. Whether you're enjoying a favorite fall tradition, cheering on your team, or simply taking in the beauty of the season, we hope this newsletter brings a little extra warmth and encouragement to your day. Thank you for all that you do to support our mission and each other. Together, we're continuing to build a workplace rooted in connection, celebration, and care. So grab your favorite fall beverage, get comfortable, and enjoy this month's edition! Happy October! 🍁🧡 "Connect. Celebrate. Care." The TN Employee Engagement Committee

Monthly Spirit DaySEPTEMBER- DOLLY DAYComingTogetherOCTOBER-HALLOWEENFriday, October 30thPolish those witch hats, give your superhero cape a good dry clean, and prepare to strut your stuff at the spook-tacular Halloween costume showdown!Fall EventNovember 18 12:30-5:00pmthMore info to come!KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR THE SPIRIT DAY THEME POPPING UP ON THE LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH!AND DON’T FORGET TO SUBMIT YOUR PICTURE FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN!“It costs a lot of money to look this cheap” — Dolly PartonSAVETHE DATE

Too Many Tabs OpenBY MARY MOSESEver walk into a room and forget why you’re there? Congratulations. Your brain may currently have 47 tabs open. Emails. Appointments. Reports. Meetings. Kids. Dinner. Laundry. And somehow one mystery tab is playing music. Try This: The Brain Dump Set a timer for five minutes and write down everything bouncing around in your head. Then sort it: Do it — Needs attention. Delegate it — Someone else can help. Delay it — Not today. Delete it — Why is this even on my list? Quick Check-In: What am I trying to remember that I could just write down? This Month's Permission Slip: Do three five-minute brain dumps this month. Brain Status: Mini Challenge: 1-5 tabs — Suspiciously calm 6-10 — Manageable 11-25 — Getting crowded 26+ — Please send snacks You are allowed to put something down.

Celebrate!Go Vols & Go Volunteers!Ashley T., Brook I., Carly C., Chris B., Courtney L., Eddie S., Hannah G., Hannah R., Jennifer M., Kendra A., Ken B., Kellie K., Kelly S., Katie L., Lawrence B., Lexie K., Makenzie D., Mark A., Megan D., Miles J., Niketta H., Samantha H., and Vonda M.Kudos KornerHappy Anniversary!celebrating McKenzie as she ties the knot on October 24! We're so excited to celebrate this beautiful new chapter with her!In September, we celebrated Alexus and her sweet baby on the way with a baby sprinkle in Morristown—her little one is due to arrive in November!Shout-out to Justin, Maryanne, recently visited one of our foster families. During the visit, the family shared this wonderful feedback about Mary: “With Mary as our Care Coordinator, we have never needed anything. She is just the best, so helpful, and so good with the kids. She takes care of us, and we just love her.”Our Recruiter/Trainer, Maryanne, recently visited one of our foster families. During the visit, the family shared this wonderful feedback about Mary: “With Mary as our Care Coordinator, we have never needed anything. She is just the best, so helpful, and so good with the kids. She takes care of us, and we just love her.”Congratulations to Sam H., Ella H., and Ragan O. for being selected to participate in the COE TF-CBT Collaborative.Foster Care census is currently well above projections, which is fantastic news! Special recognition goes to Care Coordinators Mary, Misty, Samantha, and Ashley for their patience, perseverance, and dedication while managing completely full caseloads.A special shout-out to Carly and Kendra for their outstanding work coordinating schedules for all KCS schools. This complex project required exceptional attention to detail, strong collaboration with school counselors and staff, and the ability to manage countless moving events. Their organization, professionally, and clear communication were instrumental to its success. Thank you both for your dedication to our SUBS prevention efforts. Teamwork truly is our superpower!The Clinic, SUBS, and CAC staff have represented their sites well at the UT games already. Thank you for your volunteerism and for being such great ambassadors for Childhelp!Kudos to the Clinical Team for meeting productivity goals in September!A big thank-you to Kelly S. and Makenzie for capturing the rogue lizard in the CAC last week!Happy Birthday!Joel H 10/17 Amanda C. 10/20Heather W.- 1 year!Wedding Bells Are Ringing!A big shout-out to everyone at Childhelp who volunteered at the UT football games in September! We appreciate you showing up, pitching in, and representing Childhelp with pride!

Just For FunThis coworker has the hidden talent of being able to walk on stilts at some point in their life.Here’s what your coworkers said they wanted to do before summer ended?Get to the beach!! Start my fall garden! Have a campfire and eat some smores Finally take a beach vacation! Hit the beach. Spend some time outdoorsRiddle Me ThisI have no feet to dance, I have no eyes to see, I have no life to live or die, but yet I do all three. What am I?Guess Who?Can you identify the employee from just one fun fact? The answer will appear in next month’s engagement letter.At 16-years-old I was a manager at McDonald’sSeptember Answer:Answers to the summer words unscramble: H C A E B = B E A C H C I N P I C = P I C N I C C N S R E E U = S U N S C R E E N A C V A T I O N = V A C A T I O N U N S H I N E = S U N S H I N EMystery Coworker:Molly Evans from RCGFall Crossword Puzzle D O W N L O A D T O C O M P L E T E

Thanks for reading! We’d love to hear from you! Please share any feedback or suggestions for the newsletter or for the TN Engagement Team.Click HereClick HereShout out to our team for their contribution!Lawrence Budget Carly Craddock Samantha Holloway Brook Ivy Katie Loveday Mary MosesChildhelpPREVENTION + TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSEFOUNDED IN 1959 BY SARA O’MEARA + YVONNE FEDDERSON