HEART HOUSE HERALD

Heart House Austin
February 2008

Note: If you have problems viewing the graphics included in this email, a copy of this
e-newsletter can be seen online at http://www.hearthouse.org/newsletter.htm
  

In this issue:

  • Fashion Mavens for Safe Havens 

  • Student Spotlights

  • Special Guests

  • Photo Scrapbook

  • Donor Spotlight

  • What We're Studying This Month

  • Heart House Angels: Friends and Supporters Who Make Our Program Possible

  • What We're Reading This Month

  • Volunteer Spotlight

  • Volunteer Opportunities

  • Major Heart House Sponsors

  • Get Ready for Spring with Heart House T-Shirts, Hats, and More!
     

Save the Date: 2nd Annual Heart House Charity Fashion Show, August 23, 2008!

Heart House will host its Second Annual Charity Fashion Show on August 23, 2008 at the newly renovated Austin Music Hall. The show’s theme is “Angels on the Runway” and it will showcase four designers: Joanna Ruley-Garza; a men’s designer from New York furnished by Keepers Exceptional Men’s Clothing; and two emerging designers who will be selected from Heart House’s “Project Runway”-type competition prior to the event.

Last year’s inaugural event drew 500 people and raised critical funds which enabled Heart House to open its second center in Austin and double the number of children served.

This year’s event promises to be a glamorous affair, with a silent auction and reception preceding the beautiful runway show, which will be followed by a fabulous VIP afterparty. Like last year, proceeds from the event will serve to further the mission of Heart House and enhance the programs that touch our children on a daily basis.

Stay tuned for more details as the event approaches. Tickets will go on sale on the Heart House website on April 1, and sponsorship opportunities are available. We are also soliciting silent auction items and welcome any donations or leads. Please contact Megan Heredia, Development Coordinator, at mheredia@hearthouse.org regarding sponsorship or silent auction donations.

We hope that you will join us for a night of fashion, food and fun on August 23!  

Bambereta, Heart House North

Bambereta and her family came to Austin as refugees from Tanzania in Africa. The Heart House staff noticed her and her brothers and sisters watching the other children come in and out of Heart House. When it was decided to ask them to join Heart House, the first day they came excited and ready to learn! Even though her English is limited, Bambereta always tries her best to participate. She also works very hard on her homework. She is an especially good helper during clean-up time! It is for all of these reasons that her program leader chose her to be student of the month. We are glad to know that we can help Bambereta and her family feel safe and welcome in their new home in America!
   

          

Johanna, Heart House South

Johanna is a 2nd grader in Ms. Kendrick’s class at Casey Elementary. Her favorite subject is math and when asked why, Johanna simply stated, “because it has so many numbers!” Johanna just recently moved here from the Dallas area during the holiday break and really enjoys her new friends at school.

Johanna is the 2nd youngest child out of 13 brothers and sisters. She loves to be challenged. One of her new favorite hobbies is practicing her cursive writing. Johanna says it is fun and exciting because it’s not an easy thing to do and makes her work hard. Best of luck, Johanna!

In January, Austin Junior Forum visited Heart House North with planned arts & crafts activities. Also, our north center had a visit from a group of Chili’s employees who showed children “how to make paper airplanes with a purpose” in conjunction with our monthly theme.

Heart House South received a special visit from Clay Worley who worked with the children on self-defense techniques and stranger awareness. 

Here are some of our favorite images from the last few months:

Ms. Kadi’s first graders welcome a new student!

Taking a break from reading

Reading on her spare time

Another rad reader

Cessie, a regular volunteer at Heart House

Working hard during homework hour

Caught eating healthy food!

Happy not to have homework today!
   

    
   

         

   

1379 Kids is a neat store in Austin that sells comfortable and durable athletic wear for kids. Lindsay and Mike Rosenthal, lifelong, exceptional athletes and, recently, parents to three young children, identified the need for a store dedicated exclusively to children’s fitness.

Lindsay is an Austin native and was captain of the volleyball team at the University of Notre Dame, where she met her husband, Mike, now an offensive lineman in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. The store’s name was inspired by Lindsay and Mike’s jersey numbers at Notre Dame, 13 and 79, respectively.

1379 Kids promotes an active lifestyle for kids and their families, offering family walking groups on the weekends and making their customers aware of upcoming community runs and other fitness events. The store is located at 2727 Exposition Boulevard in Tarrytown. It is extremely kid-friendly, with toys, balls and activities available for the children while the adults shop.

When Heart House was looking for shoes to give to Heart House children as a reward for completing a reading program, 1379 Kids gladly donated 10 pairs of athletic shoes!

Thanks, 1379, for all that you do to promote a healthy lifestyle for kids in Austin, and for your exceptional generosity to the children of Heart House!
    

This month’s theme is “Get Fit” and is all about how physical, emotional, and social health are important to our daily lives. Children will be learning about all the elements of health and how everything from eating a rainbow of foods to exercising creatively to relieving stress can provide kids with some important choices and tools to be healthier and happier. This month the children will also have a chance to complete fitness challenges at Heart House and with their friends and families outside of Heart House in an effort to engage the entire family in living healthier lifestyles!

Last month our theme was “It’s a Process!” This theme focused on the step-by-step processes involved in creating things and learning skills. Heart House kids learned how other people and animals do things, how things are made, and how to do things themselves! Some activities included how to paint like famous artists, how to make musical instruments, and how to survive different situations. (Below are pictures from “How to Paint like Picasso” and survival guides for severe weather.) Also, several volunteers taught kids how to do things like sing songs from other countries, defend themselves from strangers, make jewelry, and create fast airplanes. 
    

Thank you to our many donors and friends who donated funds, time, and talent to our organization this month! For more information on donating to Heart House, please visit our website at http://www.hearthouse.org/giving.htm.
   

New and Recurring Donors:

Amy Wilson
Anonymous Donor
CeCe Ridder
David Feuerstein
Deborah Pfluger
Emeka Obianwu
IBM Employees
Jaime Kehm
Joan Osleeb
John Floyd
Shannon Kmak
Stacy Ehrlich
Texas Mutual Insurance Co.
Ticom Geomatics, Inc.
Vinay Subramanian
WaterStreet Foundation

DonateNow

For as little as $10 a month, you can make a 
huge difference in a child's safety and education.
100% of your donation goes to the children
of Heart House Austin.
       

        

   

Gregory The Terrible Eater (Reading Rainbow)   

Gregory The Terrible Eater             How Are You Peeling?
by Mitchell Sharmat                       by Saxton Freymann

  

Special Thanks:

Heart House would like to thank the Austin Junior Forum for leading us in lots of fun activities on January 18th. 

We’d also like to thank the Chili’s associates from Cedar Park who taught us advanced paper airplane construction on the 29th. Thanks for the food and fun!

Volunteer Opportunities at Heart House

2:00-3:00PM – “Program Prep”
The Program Prep Volunteer assists staff in preparing the program before the children arrive. Responsibilities include such things as setting up chairs and tables, sharpening pencils, organizing supplies, preparing snack, and making worksheets.

3:00-4:30 PM – “Volunteer Tutor”
The Volunteer Tutor, under the guidance of the Program Leaders, will be assigned a study group to work with. This volunteer’s primary role is to aid children with their homework. This volunteer will also help serve snack and help children transition to book time.

4:30-6:00 PM – “Afterschool Volunteer”
The Afterschool Volunteer, under the guidance of the Program Leaders and the Program Director, will supervise the children during activity time, computer time and clean-up. This volunteer’s role is primarily socializing with, supervising, and mentoring the children.

4:30-6:00PM – “ Reading Buddy”
This volunteer will receive specialized training, in addition to the Heart House orientation, that focuses on working with struggling readers. Depending on the number of children in the group (usually between 1-4) this volunteer may be paired up with another volunteer to work together. Reading groups meet on a weekly basis.

Upcoming orientations at Heart House are listed below.  You may attend either location for an orientation.

Heart House North  Map

Tuesday, February 26th 
6:00 to 7:00pm
RSVP for this orientation!

Tuesday, March 18th 
12:00 to 1:00pm
RSVP for this orientation!

Tuesday, March 18th 
6:00 to 7:00pm
RSVP for this orientation!
   

Heart House South  Map

Tuesday, March 4th 
6:00 to 7:00pm
RSVP for this orientation!  

Thursday, March 20th
12:00 to 1:00pm
RSVP for this orientation!

Thursday, March 20th 
6:00 to 7:00pm
RSVP for this orientation!


Bruce Peterson grew up in Minnesota and “moved to Austin for the music, the natural beauty, and the creative, laid-back vibe.”  He runs the musical booking agency Truetone Talent and has been volunteering as a Reading Buddy for Heart House South since October.

Bruce enjoys reading as well as playing guitar and watching basketball.  “He’s always consistent and has a positive attitude”, says site director Joey Borja.  “Lexis, his reading buddy, is always asking for him.”

Bruce says his most memorable Heart House moment was “receiving a Christmas gift and drawing” from his Reading Buddy.  The kids really enjoy Bruce.  He feels that he makes a difference in their lives because “someone does care what they do, and cares that they learn.”  He keeps coming back to Heart House because he wants to be “a consistent, positive influence in a young person’s life.  Volunteering has made me realize that you get back more than you give.”
 

   

   

Fill out an online application for Austin today!

   

For more information on volunteering at Heart House Austin, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, 512-929-8187.

Heart House Program Sponsors and Diamond Sponsors provide core support for our mission. Please join us in recognizing and thanking them for making Heart House possible.

Program Heart Sponsors


 Diamond Heart Sponsors

Get ready for Spring with T-shirts and more from Heart House's CafePress Store
  
Women's Pink T-Shirt in a variety of sizes Ringer T-shirt in choice of 3 color combos Baseball Jersey

  
The Heart House Herald is an online publication of Heart House, a free afterschool program dedicated to providing a safe haven and academic support to low-income children and encouraging them to become good citizens.  

 


www.hearthouse.org