Cindy Spray, author of “Crying Without Tears,” speaks January 15, 2022, about child abuse at the Better Together parents luncheon in Bradenton.
“I am a survivor of child abuse,” Spray writes. “At an early age I had no choices in my future. But GOD chose me to be the protector of my brothers and sisters. I made a critical decision that affected my entire family. I chose to protect my youngest family members from a life I was already living. I went from being the most hated member in the family to becoming the most respected. Through it all, God held my hand and my heart. He leads my life. My faith in Him took me from the life I had to the life I have now.”
Better Together organizes a luncheon at various locations each month to bring parents together for community, to support each other and to hear from experts while their children play supervised in another room. Admission is free and includes lunch. (Scroll down for photos from this month’s luncheon in Bradenton.)
We’ll host our first Jacksonville luncheon March 12 at Awaken Church. The guest speaker is Meiko Paige with the True North Project, which helps middle and high school students develop foundational relationships and life skills. She’ll be talking about nurturing healthy relationships with your children.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray, shown here. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse. The Blessing Bags Project donated bears for the children.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse. Here, Jessica Braemer, left, and Naresa Rembert, right, pose with Cindy Spray, author of "Crying Without Tears." The Blessing Bags Project donated bears for the children.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse. The Blessing Bags Project donated bears for the children.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse.
First Baptist Bradenton hosted and sponsored our Better Luncheons event January 15 with guest speaker Cindy Spray. While volunteers watched the children, parents listened and engaged with Spray, the author of “Crying Without Tears,” an account of her own experience and a guide for others to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse. The Blessing Bags Project donated bears for the children.
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Join us for a 33-hour campaign dedicated to raising money and awareness for nonprofit organizations doing good in Marion County. Fundraising kicks off today and ends at 7 p.m. tomorrow.
We help families weather life’s storms, and sometimes an actual storm becomes the crisis.
For families who are in poverty and isolated, a hurricane can push them over the edge, leaving children at risk. Our mission is to help families before they fall.
After Hurricane Ian in 2022, we were boots on the ground, knocking on doors and responding to the immediate needs of those most vulnerable in our communities. We mobilized hundreds of volunteers and worked alongside government officials, local partners, and churches to help at-risk families. We’re doing the same now in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene.
