Support Groups

January 11, 2006

FOOD FOR FAMILIES delivers weekly food baskets of donated grocery items to low income families and seniors each Saturday. Details: Lisa Lomeli, 765-6530, ext. 103.

GAY AND LESBIAN ALLIANCE OF PETALUMA (GALAP) is a local group of gays and lesbians. For details, call Pam at 763-8014.

GRANDPARENTS AS PARENTS, a support group for grandparents who are acting as primary caregivers for their grandchild or grandchildren, meets from 9:30 to 11 a.m. the first Wednesday of each month in Petaluma. Call Kim Gagnon, MFT, for details at 782-9685.

HIV TESTING offered by the Sonoma County Department of Health Services. Free, anonymous or confidential HIV testing and counseling available in Petaluma. For an appointment, call 565-4620.

HOSPICE OF PETALUMA offers a wide range of services to terminally ill patients and their families. Bereavement consultation and support groups are available to the community. For details about bereavement services or patient services, call Hospice, 778-6242.

LA LECHE LEAGUE offers telephone counseling for breast-feeding. Call Kathy at 762-3686 or Geralyn at 762-2066.

MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS, a 12-step recovery program for anyone with a desire to stop using marijuana, meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Alano Club, 221A Water St. and at 11 a.m. Saturdays at Elim Lutheran Church, 504 Baker St. Call 583-2326 or (800) 766-6779 or on-line at www.marijuana-anonymous.org

McDOWELL DRUG TASK FORCE. Call Dick Sharke, 762-7702, 24-hour support line.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SELF-HELP GROUPS Petaluma group meets from 1 to 3 p.m. the third Saturday of each month at Bank of the West, 20 Petaluma Blvd. South. Details: Dara, 664-1586. The Santa Rosa group meets the fourth Saturday of each month, also from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Earl Baum Center. Call Carol, 837-8046 for details. The Sonoma group meets from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month in the main conference room at the Sonoma Valley Hospital . Call Susan, 939-8132 for more information.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS meets Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. at the Alano Club, 221A Water St. Details, call the Sonoma County Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous at 575-7837.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL presents free programs and workshops each month. Details: Floy Dittmar, 544-1756.

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVES ANONYMOUS meets at 1:15 p.m. Mondays at the Alano Club, 221A Water St.

OLD ADOBE DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES offers educational and employment programs to adults with developmental disabilities. Details: 763-9807.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS meets from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Thursdays upstairs at Elim Lutheran Church, Baker and Stanley streets. The meeting is a speaker/discussion meeting. OA is a fellowship of men and women helping each other recover from compulsive overeating. No dues or fees. Details: Margee, 763-7161.

PARENTS AGAINST RITALIN IN SCHOOLS (PARIS) meets Mondays and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at The Aesthetic Approach at 104 Washington St. Details: 765-9633.

PARENTS SUPPORTING PARENTS, an action-oriented support group for parents dealing with unacceptable adolescent behavior meets at 7:30 p.m. Fridays in Santa Rosa at Sonoma County Office of Education, 5340 Skylane Blvd. 547-0101.

PARENTS WITHOUT PARTNERS Various county activities. Call 523-8491.

PETALUMA KITCHEN -- serving free hot and nutritious meals daily, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays, Saturdays and holidays, and 11 a.m. to noon Sundays at 301 Payran Street at East D Street. To donate food, call 778-6380 or drop off from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays or 10 a.m. to noon weekends. To donate money, call 765-6530, ext. 103.

PETALUMA MOTHERS' CLUB -- Non-profit organization provides support, information, education, friendship and community to families from pregnancy to age 5. Meets 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., fourth Tuesday of each month, Elim Lutheran Church, Baker and Stanley streets. Call 778-6494 or go to www.petalumamothersclub.org.

PETALUMA NICOTINE ANONYMOUS. Weekly meetings of the Petaluma Nicotine Anonymous group are held Mondays from 7 to 8 p.m. at Church of Christ, 370 Sonoma Mountain Parkway. Nicotine Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women helping each other live nicotine-free lives. No dues or fees. Details: Terry, 664-9335.

PETALUMA PEOPLE SERVICES CENTER offers relationship counseling for couples, teens, seniors, families, children, individuals and groups. Fees are on a sliding scale. Call the center, 765-8488, for more information.

PREGNANCY TESTING CLINIC weekdays 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Petaluma Health Center, 1301 Southpoint Blvd., Suite A. $10 donation. No appointment required. Details: 763-7005.

REBUILDING TOGETHER, formerly known as Christmas in April, uses volunteer labor and donations to restore homes so that their owners may continue to live in independence, safety and comfort. The local group not only holds an annual workday, but works on projects throughout the year. 765-3944.

REDWOOD HEALTH LIBRARY, resource library for the public to locate medical and health information. 11 Fifth St., Suite 102. Hours, details: 778-9114.

SONOMA COUNTY ALANO CLUB provides a friendly, sober environment for those with dependency problems. Approximate hours 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 221A Water St.

SONOMA COUNTY LUPUS SUPPORT GROUP meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Thursday of each month except November and December at Sutter Women's Health Resource Center Library, 625 No. A, Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. Details: Kerry Mertle, 537-0358.

TOPS weight reduction support group meets at 10 a.m. each Wednesday. Details: Jeannette at 763-0333.

UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY offers a variety of support services. Details: 566-8647, 1 (800) 441-2711.

(To include your support group, or to update information, send a press release to: Support Services, Petaluma Argus-Courier, P.O. Box 1091, Petaluma 94953, attn: Yovanna Bieberich; fax her at 776-8482 or e-mail ybieberich@arguscourier.com. Include the name and daytime phone number of a contact person.)