ACTS2 attended the second Annual Heart on Tharpe Street Fall Festival, a free, family-friendly event that brought the community together for a day of connection and celebration at ALARM International Church and Mission Possible Enrichment Center.
Serving as a caregiver for a family member or close friend with dementia can be a source of great personal satisfaction and reward. However, caregiving also can be stressful, leaving the caregiver prone to emotional ups and downs and physical health problems. The ACTS2 Project, an FSU College of Medicine outreach service, provides support to caregivers through faith-integrated, skills-building services to distressed caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer's disease and related conditions.
Abundant Life and Restoration Ministries (ALARM) International Church Fall Festival (Nov. 8, 2025)
Boca Raton Public Library (Oct. 1, 2025), Pasco Libraries (Nov. 3, 2025), Apalachicola Library (Nov. 14, 2025) — Skills Training and Support in Caring for Loved Ones With Dementia
ACTS2 provided presentations across Florida counties to train and support caregivers in skills-building and self-care, the basic characteristics of dementia, warning signs of dementia, dementia risk-reduction strategies and community resources.
Here’s how ACTS2’s FREE workshop & presentation sessions help:
✅ Managing hygiene and bathing problems
✅ Provide expert insights on dementia progression and caregiving techniques
✅ Offer guidance on caregiver stress management and self-care
✅ Connect caregivers with a supportive community that understands
Join future ACTS2 workshops for learning, connection and hope as we support caregivers to provide compassionate care with confidence. Call ACTS2 Project Coordinator, Tomeka Norton-Brown at toll-free number 1-866-778-2724 or tnnorton@fsu.edu today to learn more and sign up for our free services.
Visit our website for more information www.acts2project.org
Follow the ACTS2 Facebook and YouTube for future live workshops
Creative Caregiving for Loved Ones with Dementia during the Holidays: Strategies to Increase Comfort and Joy (Dec. 4, 2025)
The free online workshop, "Creative Caregiving for Loved Ones with Dementia during the Holidays", provided practical strategies to increase comfort and joy for individuals with dementia during the holiday season.
Presenter Whitney Scott, MSW, offered a framework for family holiday planning, communication strategies, meaningful involvement, and reducing travel stress. Jacqueline Edwards, MLIS shared lived caregiving experiences and proven approaches to enhancing comfort and well-being.
Tomeka Norton-Brown, ACTS2 project coordinator, highlighted no-cost caregiver skills training, support, and dementia care resources.
Watch Here
Behavioral Approaches to Lower the Risk of Dementia: Key Findings and Promising Developments (Sept. 11, 2025)
This workshop provided much-needed information on evidence-based behavioral approaches to reducing dementia risk.
FSU presenter Julia Sheffler, Ph.D., described common behavioral methods for lowering dementia risk and their associated health outcomes, highlighting the role of nutrition in cognitive decline and offering practical tips for dietary improvement. USF presenter Priscilla Amofa-Ho, Ph.D., discussed the benefits of physical activity for brain health, shared creative low-cost exercise approaches and explored links between sleep and cognitive decline, along with strategies to improve sleep.
Tomeka Norton-Brown, ACTS2 project coordinator, presented information on free caregiver skills training and support, as well as local, state, and national dementia care resources.
Watch Here
For more details, ask for ACTS2 Project Coordinator, Tomeka Norton-Brown at toll-free number 1-866-778-2724 or tnnorton@fsu.edu
Feb. 19, 2026 — Bay County Public Library, Panama City, Florida, (in person), 12 p.m.
Feb. 23, 2026 — International Mall Public Library, Doral, Florida, (virtual), 6:30 p.m.
March 5, 2026 — South Shore Public Library, Miami Beach, Florida, (virtual), 7:00 p.m.
April 6, 2026 — Pinecrest Public County Library, Pinecrest, Florida, (virtual), 4 - 5 p.m.
April 29, 2026 — Log Cabin Senior Center Jensen Beach, Florida, (virtual)
"It was by divine intervention and a blessing to have a friend refer me to the ACTS2 program. I made contact and enrolled in the program at an early stage of my husband’s illness.
What a difference this program made in my journey! The classes thoroughly prepared me for what to expect and how to handle each situation I faced. The ACTS2 team members were kind, thoughtful, and taught me how to mobilize resources and prepare mentally and emotionally for each stage of my husband’s disease and the challenges I faced. I was matched with another caregiver who shared their stories, and we learned from each other.
Without the ACTS2 program, I never would have managed to care for my husband at home for six years. I am grateful to God and this program for taking this journey with me. I have made it my goal to be an ambassador for this program and to help other caregivers."
- BM
"What the ACTS2 Program has done for me…
As I contemplated on that question, the Scripture from Matthew 28:18 – “Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life” (Message Bible) dropped in my Spirit. I also began to ponder, exactly what a Disciple is, and the meaning I found was (and it’s paraphrased) discipleship is when Christians follow Jesus and live as He did. It involves belief, commitment, transformation, and ongoing growth.
One of the opening statements for ACTS2, states, “ACTS2 is a free faith-based, skills-training and support program for African American caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. Recognizing I wasn’t alone, this program taught me how to wholeheartedly accept and appreciate the shift and journey I was embarking on in my life. I no longer felt alone, there were others that were searching for answers to the same questions I had. How do I do this, and why do I feel like I’m alone? Caregiving is a calling, it isn’t for the faint of heart or the weak, while at times it can be frustrating and difficult, the guidance and teaching received through ACTS2 offered comfort, peace of mind along with an easing of the mind and a release. It gave me strength I didn’t know I had. I was no longer suffering in silence, but I found others that could empathize with caring for my loved ones. I found relief, respite and a forever home if I needed to follow up. This program completely changed my life for the better."
- SS
All Services are FREE
1. Telephone-based group skills training and support for distressed Black family caregivers of older adults with dementia residing in Florida.
2. Telephone-based individual problem-solving consultations for all family caregivers of persons with dementia across the United States.
3. Telephone-based individual information and referral consultations for all family caregivers of persons with dementia across the U.S.
4. In-person or virtual dementia awareness presentations and workshops for all family caregivers of persons with dementia and interested parties across the U.S.
