Support center offering free support groups, emergency support and caretaker assistance

Welcome!
Support Groups	Emergency Support	Help for Caretakers

	Support Groups

Karen - Support Center Manager "As part of Reaching Out staff, the support groups are my 'second family.' It's unusual when we have never met, but we share all our ups and downs, and can can be totally ourselves."		Support Groups are FREE! Groups are positive, safe & comfortable. Groups operate through e-mail so you participate when you want. Your information is NEVER sold to anybody. You're in control here! You decide what information you give out. Groups stay small so you won't get overwhelmed by several topics at once or hundreds of emails from people you don't know. You'll be in control of how much email you get. Ask about the options you can choose from. We're always around to help.

Debi - group member
		Two easy ways to sign up for a group!

	Just click on the "Join A Group" button and fill out the form.

	Or, use the email link and put in the subject line, "I want to join a support group!" We'll write you back and ask for your information.

"Thankfully we are so respecting of each other that it's never been an issue here. We all have different faiths...but our faith in each other and love for each other is so POWEFUL. Thanks for being a part of my life, ladies. You are all so special."		What's in a name?
		Even though we do ask for your first and last name, we understand that sometimes, for personal reasons, you cannot or will not give it out. That's OK! We're more interested in having you get the support you need. So, make up a name.That's OK! It's very important to us that you feel safe!

		Emergency Support!
		We're here to meet with you, one on one, in an emergency situation.
		Eviction notice Loss of power Can't afford medications We're not professionals. We're simply survivors who have come across resources, information or other useful helpful tips to help others in an emergency situation.
Wilma - group member
"With friends and family not understanding and questioning the fact that ' I ' have FM/CFIDS, I have found hope and new life being in a few online groups. "		To meet with one of us, send an email with: Your name Three dates and times you can meet Brief description of your problem so we can prepare.

"You ladies have NO idea how much your understanding & support does to keep each one of us going! There is so much love and courage in this group-it is just awesome!!!!!!" -- Tootie	Linda, Our Stories Manager	"I was so lucky to find such a wonderful group of friends that I know would be there for me in a heartbeat, and me, for all of you.

"I feel very much at home with this wonderful group of people..All of you have been a gift in my life. Everybody has been so kind, welcoming and supportive. I am blessed. I enjoy the positive atmosphere and delightful sense of humor." --Anonymous	Carrie, (Cuz) group member and staff	"Support groups can be the key to dealing with these illnesses. In my case they are my life line. A distant cousin introduced me to her (Reaching Out) support group and they asked me to join. Now I had a whole group of people who understood! Support groups have become my savior, my second family, and a place I can be me."

"Thanks for being a soft place to fall for me. I"m so glad you are there."

Margh

Myra, and her finacee,Harrison. Myra is a mentor in many groups!

"This is a wonderful place to feel at home with people with these diseases...The people are absolutely wonderful. I don't know where I'd be right now without this wonderful group."

"Thanks ALL of you for accepting me into your family! I get such a warm fuzzy feeling and much needed support from belonging to this group especially since I know NOBODY here with fms."
Esther

Maggie (group member) & her husband (Halloween)

"Some days just having a friendly note from someone, asking how you are doing, telling a joke, let's me know that I am important in this world and someone who isn't dependent on me really does care if I live or die. Sometimes the pain and fatigue of this disease wears away your soul and it is important to connect with another person who understands. Being involved in this group really fills that bill. It fills my soul with hope and joy."

Click "HERE" to see More Photos and quotes of Reaching Out Members (Outties)!

Caretaker's Assistance

If you're a caretaker or care about someone with one of these illnesses and need support, simply write
us. We have a few people who will write with you confidentiality. We also have some other resources if
you need them. Write and ask!

Reaching Out Privacy Statement
We here at Reaching Out are committed to protecting your privacy and security. We do NOT give out or sell any information about our members or visitors to any other party without your express consent. We at Reaching Out will never participate in SPAM. Although we do request your first and last name when you sign up for group or chat services, we only do this for our classification purposes only. Your last name will not be revealed to anyone by Reaching Out, including your fellow group members, unless you give permission to do so. We do gather information about our members to share with other members at times for such events as birthdays and anniversaries. We may send these lists around in that member's group, with their permission. However, we cannot be responsible for any consequences resulting from our members revealing any personal information about themselves to their fellow group members or visitors, in postings, in chat, or by any other means. We also require anyone who signs up for a support group, hereby also known as "member" to agree to the following: The groups may be visited by ALL ages. Therefore, ANY cussing, pornography (either pictures posted or discussed), flaming other members or staff or of people on other sites, or ANY other inappropriate act, deemed so by the staff, will not be allowed and could result in immediate banning of that member from the web site. They may no longer be able to be involved in chats or groups provided by this web site. So keep it clean! Keep it safe! Children may be here! NO member of Reaching Out will give ANY personal information about anyone else outside their respected group. Basically, this means that everyone involved in a support group AGREES NOT to talk about anyone in their group to anyone outside of that group. This includes not only their own support group, but also if they come in contact with other Reaching Out support groups. The exceptions are if the person gives permission for that information to be sent around to other groups and/or they participate in a Reaching Out chat with other group member's present. If, however, there is a comment made by someone which you feel is a breach of confidentiality, please report this to Reaching Out staff. Reaching Out staff will also abide by the above conditions. Reaching Out staff does have, however, the following exceptions to these privacy policies: We will release specific information about you or your participation on this site and any groups connected to it in order to comply with any valid legal process such as a search warrant, court order, or subpoena. We will release information about you to appropriate people or authorities in the event that you use this site or any group associated with this site to commit any crime, to attempt any form of security breach of this site or its included groups, or any other act which Reaching Out feels needs to be documented to outside sources. Reaching Out staff occasionally exchange information with other staff about other Reaching Out members. We also reserve the right to eject any group or chat participant for any violation of our policies, deemed so by the staff.

Reaching Out Privacy Statement

We here at Reaching Out are committed to protecting your privacy and security. We do NOT give out or sell any information about our members or visitors to any other party without your express consent. We at Reaching Out will never participate in SPAM.

Although we do request your first and last name when you sign up for group or chat services, we only do this for our classification purposes only. Your last name will not be revealed to anyone by Reaching Out, including your fellow group members, unless you give permission to do so. We do gather information about our members to share with other members at times for such events as birthdays and anniversaries. We may send these lists around in that member's group, with their permission. However, we cannot be responsible for any consequences resulting from our members revealing any personal information about themselves to their fellow group members or visitors, in postings, in chat, or by any other means.

We also require anyone who signs up for a support group, hereby also known as "member" to agree to the following:

The groups may be visited by ALL ages. Therefore, ANY cussing, pornography (either pictures posted or discussed), flaming other members or staff or of people on other sites, or ANY other inappropriate act, deemed so by the staff, will not be allowed and could result in immediate banning of that member from the web site. They may no longer be able to be involved in chats or groups provided by this web site. So keep it clean! Keep it safe! Children may be here!

NO member of Reaching Out will give ANY personal information about anyone else outside their respected group. Basically, this means that everyone involved in a support group AGREES NOT to talk about anyone in their group to anyone outside of that group. This includes not only their own support group, but also if they come in contact with other Reaching Out support groups. The exceptions are if the person gives permission for that information to be sent around to other groups and/or they participate in a Reaching Out chat with other group member's present. If, however, there is a comment made by someone which you feel is a breach of confidentiality, please report this to Reaching Out staff.

Reaching Out staff will also abide by the above conditions. Reaching Out staff does have, however, the following exceptions to these privacy policies:

We will release specific information about you or your participation on this site and any groups connected to it in order to comply with any valid legal process such as a search warrant, court order, or subpoena.

We will release information about you to appropriate people or authorities in the event that you use this site or any group associated with this site to commit any crime, to attempt any form of security breach of this site or its included groups, or any other act which Reaching Out feels needs to be documented to outside sources.

Reaching Out staff occasionally exchange information with other staff about other Reaching Out members.

We also reserve the right to eject any group or chat participant for any violation of our policies, deemed so by the staff.