Fall 2008
A Path For Success: Ashley Woodall’s Story School-based Programs Inform, Educate and Give Students a Healthy Dose of Reality
Report to the Community
President’s Corner
Becoming
In This Issue
what our children and families need us to be
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President’s corner
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FEATURE STORY: CHOOSING A Path For success
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Tandelyn Weaver — DePelchin Board Member
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In the News
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School-based Programs Inform, Educate and Give Students a Healthy Dose of Reality
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DePelchin Welcomes Peggy Roe as Senior Vice President for Advancement
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Mystic Dayne Nominated for Female Foster Child of the Year
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Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award
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Report to the Community
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Most Valuable Volunteer — Bertha Sturgeon-Cabello
M. James Henderson Board Chair
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Volunteer appreciation — Helping in Special Ways
Curtis C. Mooney, Ph.D. President and CEO
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Youth in Philanthropy
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‘Tis the Season — DePelchin’s 2008 Holiday Project
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COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS
Jessica Rush Writer
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Kezia Depelchin Society
Lora Poe - Lavandula Design Design
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Texas Bowl
DePelchin Children’s Center is a non-profit organization providing comprehensive counseling and parent-education programs to children, adolescents and families, as well as adoption, foster care and residential treatment services. The agency has served the Houston-area community since 1892. DePelchin Children’s Center receives funding from the United Way, the Texas Department of Protective and Family Services, other government agencies, program fees, community support and investment income. For more information about services, call 713-730-2335, toll-free at 1-888-730-2335 or visit www.depelchin.org
Ronald L. McDaniel Vice President Marketing Jerry Heinold Manager Marketing and Communications
The last several weeks have been extremely challenging for DePelchin and for all residents of the Texas Gulf Coast. With the landfall of Hurricane Ike, many in our community experienced for the first time what it is like to face a traumatic event, lose a home, and to live without electricity, clean water and food. Sadly, these are the realities faced by thousands of children every day. Despite challenges presented by Hurricane Ike, an uncertain economy and an ever increasing demand for our services, DePelchin will continue working to create a stronger, healthier community of children. Because this commitment is the driving force behind all we do, we incorporated it into our new mission and vision statements, which now read as follows:
4950 Memorial Drive Houston, Texas 77007 713-730-2335 www.depelchin.org
Cover Photo: Transitional Living Program graduate Ashley Woodall and daughter Angelina XX%
Today is published quarterly by DePelchin Children’s Center. © 2008 DePelchin Children’s Center. All rights reserved.
Cert no. XXX-XXX-000
Fal l 2008
We strengthen the lives of children by enhancing their mental health and physical well-being. - Our Mission
The new mission and vision statements are the product of an in-depth, multicommittee planning process that also yielded a long-range strategic plan. The plan has many facets, but one of the most vital elements includes not only doing more to help families identify their children’s specific needs but also to ensure that the needs are addressed. Through expanded services, we will offer the most comprehensive treatments available, referring to other providers should it be required.
“DePelchin,” “DePelchin Children’s Center” and the window/sun logo are registered trademarks of DePelchin Children’s Center.
• increase advocacy efforts on the local, state and federal level
• create a medical entity that is focused on bringing more child psychiatry professionals to our community
• continue to train child psychiatrists, child psychologists, social workers, licensed counselors and others to meet the special needs of children and families
• strengthen our partnerships with other institutions to develop specializations, conduct research and provide expertise for today’s most pervasive psychiatric disorders.
The genesis for these expanded initiatives is the realization that more and more families are dealing with mental health issues in their children. Understandably, the population whom we currently serve – children in crisis who are in the state’s welfare system – are among those who suffer the most. Besides providing a safe haven for these children through well-trained foster and adoptive parents, we will also work with those birth families that can be salvaged by counseling both them and the child. Doing so will not only help prevent the need for government intervention in the first place, but also, when feasible, help parents gain the skills needed to make reunification of the family possible. These services also extend to families of children and teens in DePelchin’s residential treatment programs.
We envision a world where every child is safe and healthy. - Our Vision
Troy Fields Photography
Achieving the goals in our strategic plan will require a renewed commitment from our staff, board and community. It will also require generous financial, in-kind and volunteer support from friends such as you. As we band together in our recovery from a vicious hurricane, please remember the children and families whose nightmarish existence began long before Ike blew ashore. Though we cannot turn on the power in devastated homes, we can bring light into the lives of children and families who face darkness of a different kind. It is our mission and vision to do so.
One of the service areas that is most woefully lacking in our city and state is help for the mentally ill. DePelchin will attack this deficiency more aggressively through a four-pronged approach:
Curtis C. Mooney, Ph.D. President and CEO
FSC certification ensures that the paper in our magazine contains fiber from well-managed and responsibly harvested forests that meet strict environmental and socioeconomic standards.
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Choosing a Path for
Success Not long after graduating from high school, 18-year-old Ashley Woodall
found herself with some important decisions to make. Pregnant, with
no means of support, Woodall knew that her future and that of her unborn child hinged on making responsible choices. Woodall, herself an adopted child, considered adoption, but prayed that God would give her the means to provide a stable home for her daughter. She believes her prayers were answered with the help of DePelchin Children’s Center’s Transitional Living Program, a program that helps homeless mothers ages 18-23 become self-supporting in two years or less.
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A graduate of DePelchin’s Transitional Living Program, Ashley Woodall is now physically and financially independent and able to be a better parent to her daughter Angelina.
Choosing to Succeed
ing, nutrition and sexual health—plus parenting classes help them create a healthy and nurturing home environment. The participants receive tips on résumé writing and interviewing techniques to help them find permanent, stable jobs. As they take these important steps, they become less dependent on the program and can eventually make their own way in the world.
The Transitional Living Program addresses issues that prevent young mothers from being independent and successful, such as lack of education, job training and parenting skills. With mentoring and support, program participants learn to meet their basic needs and make good choices.
While in the program, Woodall trained to work in the dental field and is now a full-time dental assistant. She graduated from the Transitional Living Program in May and is successfully living on her own with her 18-monthold daughter, Angelina. Woodall is also enrolled in a two-year program to become a dental hygienist.
Families are provided an apartment, complete with basic necessities such as food, clothing and furniture. “I never would have imagined that someone would help me in this way,” Woodall said. “This program is the most wonderful gift from God. It gives women who’ve made mistakes a chance to change their lives and make a good home for their children.”
In addition to her job training, Woodall is very grateful for the parenting skills she learned at DePelchin. She received training in first-aid and CPR, child safety, nutrition, and positive discipline and communication methods. She also learned to care for her own physical and mental health and to model healthy behaviors for her child.
DePelchin clinicians help single-parent families set goals for the future, creating a path for success. Through individual and group counseling, young parents learn coping skills and receive support to help them meet the challenges of independent living and parenthood. They develop education and career goals that will enable them to support their families. Basic life-skills training—such as budget-
Counseling also played a major role in her progress. “My counselors were truly wonderful, and I learned so much from them,” she said. “I learned to look at situations 4
Breaking the Cycle
and weigh the pros and cons before making important decisions.” Woodall still uses the skills she learned in counseling, including goal-setting and how to ease daily stress through relaxation and deep breathing.
“With the second highest rate of teen pregnancy in the nation, Texas desperately needs innovative programs like DePelchin’s Transitional Living Program in our communities,” said Julie Crowe, Manager, Prevention and Early Intervention Services.
“I am a much better person and parent because of this program,” Woodall said. “I can provide for my child all on my own. She is happy and has so much self-esteem. And it’s all because of the love, care and stability she receives from me.”
Crowe adds that women who give birth in their teens are far more likely to rely on public assistance and be at risk for homelessness while raising their children. Their children are more likely to suffer abuse, neglect and poverty, and far too many will enter the foster care system.
Woodall feels she owes her success to DePelchin, saying, “I didn’t have the know-how to help myself. I didn’t know what to do to care for my baby or where to look for help. DePelchin gave me all the tools to do this and helped me stay focused so I could meet my goals. For women like me who have no other options or support, this program is just amazing.”
Started in 1996, the Transitional Living Program has an unusually high success rate, measured in part by the number of graduates who are living independently one year after completing the program. “I truly believe that this is one of the best things we do at DePelchin,” Crowe said. “It really changes lives and helps to break the cycle of poverty, dependence and abuse that exists among so many of our community’s families.”
Woodall recently shared her experience and offered some sound advice to others going through the program. “I told them they are all special and beautiful,” she said. “I just encouraged them to stay focused and take advantage of all that DePelchin offers. If they do that, they will succeed. I am proof of that.”
For more information about DePelchin’s Transitional Living Program, visit www.depelchin.org.
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Leaders
FALL 2008
In The News
Serving the DePelchin Community
Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services Honors Larry Misiak
AdoptUsKids Names Joni DeSoto October 2008 Caseworker of the Month DePelchin Children’s Center congratulates Joni DeSoto for being named October 2008 Caseworker of the Month by The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids, a five-year project that recruits and connects foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States.
Tandelyn Weaver DePelchin Board Member
A Board Member Who Embodies the Power of Positive Action
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ness and power is a skill that serves her well as a member of DePelchin’s board of directors. Now in her sixth year on the board, Weaver is a seasoned leader whose contributions range from service on the Marketing Committee to a role on the Strategic Planning Committee.
Many people go through life without ever discovering their true calling. Fortunately, Tandelyn Weaver is not one of them. Weaver discovered her calling in 2003 after a friend mentioned “life coaching,” an unfamiliar term that, according to Weaver, sounded interesting and prompted further investigation. She soon discovered that she already had many of the skills of a good life coach. She was a good listener. She had a way of motivating others to take action. And she enjoyed inspiring people to set and achieve their goals.
Marketing, Weaver explained, is vital because it increases awareness and support for DePelchin and its programs. She added that strategic planning is also crucial because, in order to be successful, DePelchin must carefully map out its future by setting goals, priorities and strategies for achieving them. Weaver predicts that DePelchin will continue to be successful on all fronts. Its leadership and staff, she says, are knowledgeable, dedicated to their mission and genuinely concerned about the future of Houston’s children and families. This combination, she believes, is what gives DePelchin its far-reaching impact and inspires its own brand of positive action.
Until that point, Weaver, who holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of PennsylvaniaWharton School of Business, had devoted most of her career to working in the high profile worlds of banking, finance and marketing. She worked for Fortune 500 companies such as Merrill Lynch, Citibank and IBM. She later worked alongside her husband of 23 years, managing his dermatology practice in Houston.
“DePelchin touches people in a special way,” she explained. “For me, it’s a constant reminder of how blessed I am, and it encourages me to find ways that I can be a blessing to others.”
The concept of motivational coaching intrigued Weaver so much that she earned a life coach certification and launched a new career. Today, she is one of Houston’s most respected life coaches and motivational speakers whose inspiring sessions embody one central theme: The Power of Positive Action.
Although Weaver’s term on the board ends this year, she plans to stay involved with DePelchin. “It’s a privilege to help, and I’ll continue to do that to the best of my ability.”
Weaver’s ability to help others discover their inner great-
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Larry Misiak, Foster Care Coordinator for DePelchin’s Angleton office, has been named 2008 Child Placing Agency Staff of the Year by The Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services. The Alliance is a nonprofit association of private child and family welfare agencies in Texas that is dedicated to strengthening services to children through quality care and advocacy.
DeSoto, who has worked in the family services field for 17 years, is a clinician with DePelchin’s Post Adoption program. She serves as an advocate for adoptive families, identifying their needs and providing them with knowledge and resources to help them succeed.
Each year during its annual conference, the Alliance hosts an awards ceremony to recognize exemplary professionals in the child and family service field. Misiak, employed by DePelchin for nearly 25 years, is the first person to receive the Child Placing Agency Staff of the Year award.
“Joni has been a tremendous supporter,” said LaDona Landry, the adoptive parent who nominated DeSoto for the award. “She stays in touch and keeps us updated on all the latest changes in the laws, resources that are available and services that we should utilize. She is truly a blessing to all she serves and deserves to be recognized for her dedication, commitment and professionalism.”
During his years at DePelchin, Misiak has served families in many capacities. In his current role, he works closely with foster care staff, placing and maintaining children in foster care. “It is an honor to be chosen as the first recipient of this award,” Misiak said. “I feel that I’m being awarded for something I do in partnership with many others — foster parents, clinicians, supervisors and management. If it weren’t for all of those good people standing shoulder-to-shoulder and working together, I couldn’t do my job.”
After being nominated for the award, DeSoto said, “I am the one who is blessed with the work that I do. In this job, I am constantly amazed by the huge hearts and selfless devotion of our adoptive parents.”
In Memoriam:
“Jane” Juanita Hernandez Kalie DePelchin Children’s Center mourns the passing of Jane Kalie, a dear friend and devoted colleague. Jane, a mail room distribution clerk and DePelchin employee for more than nine years, passed away suddenly on July 18, 2008.
She leaves behind her son John, daughter Zenaida, a large extended family and a host of friends. Jane will be sadly missed and long remembered at DePelchin for her warm smile, friendly demeanor and dedicated service.
Lullelia Walker Harrison (1913-2008)
DePelchin Children’s Center mourns the passing of former board member and longtime supporter, Mrs. Lullelia Walker Harrison. In 1939, Harrison was instrumental in the development of The Negro Child Center, a shelter and foster care program established by DePelchin to assist needy black children in then racially segregated Houston, where resources for this population were virtually nonexistent.
eventually helped end the segregation of programs and facilities for Black children. She and her group helped dissolve the Negro Child Center in the 1960s, and services at DePelchin were integrated. Never wavering in her commitment to improve the lives of children, Harrison served as a teacher and guidance counselor in the Houston Independent School District for 46 years. Retirement afforded her the opportunity to further serve her community through volunteerism and involvement in a number of diverse organizations. Her enthusiasm and dedication to serving others resulted in numerous community service awards and honors.
As president of The Negro Child Center, and later as the first black board member of DePelchin Faith Home—as it was then called—Harrison worked diligently to stamp out racial barriers, equalize reimbursements for black foster parents and improve services for minority children in foster care.
Harrison passed away on October 11, 2008, leaving behind a host of family, friends and admirers.
Known for her organizational skills and dynamic and eloquent speaking ability, Harrison garnered support for her cause from all segments of society and
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School-based Programs Inform, Educate and Give Students a Healthy Dose of Reality
In today’s schools, reading, writing and arithmetic are often waylaid by serious issues such as school violence, teen pregnancy, substance abuse and juvenile delinquency. Recent studies show, for instance, that nearly 40 percent of students nationwide feel unsafe at school due to increases in school violence. The state of Texas is ranked the second highest in the nation for teen pregnancy, and Harris County has some of the highest rates in the state of births to young women under the age of 19. Truancy and drop out rates also continue to mount in the Texas school system. Schools are working harder than ever to provide social and emotional support and education to prevent these problems, but they can not do it alone. Working in partnership with area school districts, DePelchin Children’s Center’s Prevention Department extends its reach into the schools by offering an array of school-based programs that help students and families cope with difficult issues that interfere with learning. Programs provide counseling, education and support services that focus on improving coping skills and family relationships while reducing violent and risky behaviors. DePelchin clinicians educate, counsel, guide and support students, parents and school staff in order to help students be successful both in and out of the classroom. While some school-based programs work to prevent adolescent pregnancy, others provide education and support to pregnant teens to help ensure good prenatal care and healthy pregnancies. Other programs teach parenting teens how to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children while completing their education and working toward a stable future. Still others work to prevent school violence, including gang involvement, bullying and abuse among peers. “Schools are already committed to helping students achieve academic success,” said Julie Crowe, Manager, Prevention and Early Intervention Services. “But many children—and especially teens—need more, and DePelchin is working to fill this gap.”
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Prevention Program Spotlight:
Baby Think It Over I
t’s Friday night, a time when 14-year-old Courtney normally meets friends at a nearby mall or movie theater. On this night, however, Courtney is home-bound, grounded by a demanding infant needing her constant attention. At 2:00 a.m., the infant wakes, crying for food and in need of a diaper change. Tired and frustrated, Courtney does her best to soothe him, but her impatience gets the best of her. Unable to quiet the child, she picks him up and shakes him a few times before finally leaving him to wail, hungry and alone, for the next several hours. Fortunately, this infant is not real. It is a computerized infant simulator—part of the Baby Think It Over pregnancy prevention program offered by DePelchin. The simulator needs realistic care, including feeding, diapering, rocking and burping. A monitor on the doll gives a detailed report on the care it received— including the type of behavior that could result in Shaken Baby Syndrome.
D
ePelchin Welcomes Peggy Roe as Senior Vice President for Advancement
school and community-based programs, DePelchin is working to combat the rising rate of teen pregnancies. The agency also hopes to change the careless attitudes many youths have toward teen parenting. “Many teens at this age think babies are cute and that it would be fun to have one of their own,” said Julie Crowe, manager, Prevention and Early Intervention Services, at DePelchin. “The infant simulators give them powerful, hands-on experiences at critical stages in their sexual development. After having the ‘infant’ for the weekend, most kids return with a new outlook and admit how difficult a job parenting is. It’s an effective reality check for them.”
The birth rate for teenagers aged 15 to 17 rose by three percent in 2006, the first increase since 1991, according to data released in December by the National Center for Health Statistics.
DePelchin implemented Baby Think It Over eight years ago in the Houston Independent School District and has had notable success with preventing initial sexual activity for one to two years in children in sixth through ninth grades. The agency has expanded the program to serve more schools in the Houston community, including private and charter schools, as well as after-school and neighborhood programs interested in offering the curriculum.
The birth rate for teens, ages 15 to 17, rose by three percent in 2006, the first increase since 1991, according to data released in December by the National Center for Health Statistics. Baby Think It Over is an abstinencebased pregnancy prevention program designed to inform adolescents about the consequences of engaging in sexual activity. The program curriculum consists of six sessions delivered by a Family Resource Specialist from DePelchin Children’s Center. Through Baby Think It Over and other
To request more information or find out how you can bring Baby Think It Over to your school, organization or community, call (713) 730-2335 or email info@depelchin.org.
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A
Roe, who describes herself as “very goal oriented,” will work closely with DePelchin’s board and staff on a strategic plan for fundraising. Her plan, she says, includes cultivating and expanding the agency’s donor and volunteer base. Eventually, she will also lead a capital campaign to raise funds for facility expansions and improvements.
wise friend once told Peggy Roe that if you love an organization, you’ll raise money for it. At the time, Roe was a community volunteer who devoted much of her service to her church, her children’s school and other organizations that were dear to her heart. Now, almost two decades later, Roe has an exceptional track record of fundraising, strengthening board and volunteer committees and inspiring organizations to maximize their potential. In July, DePelchin welcomed Roe as its Senior Vice President for Advancement, a key leadership role charged with directing the agency’s strategic fundraising and volunteer initiatives.
“We are thrilled to have Peggy on our staff to lead and strengthen our fundraising efforts,” said Curtis C. Mooney, Ph.D., DePelchin president and CEO. “She is one of our community’s best and most experienced development professionals, and she will be a tremendous asset as we grow and expand our programs and facilities.”
Roe began her development career in 1990, serving at such notable organizations as Neuhaus Education Center, The Center for Hearing and Speech and Houston Annenberg Challenge. For the last several years, she worked as a consultant—often as an executive director or director of development—at a number of leading nonprofit organizations. Camp Allen, The Seniors Place, The Junior League of Houston, Inc., Denver Harbor Clinic and The Briarwood School are among the many organizations that benefited from Roe’s expertise. Her efforts, which included coordinating campaigns for capital, endowment, planned giving, major gifts, annual funds and operating budgets, have raised approximately $20 million to date.
Roe completed her undergraduate studies at The University of Oklahoma and holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing and Literature from The University of Houston. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) who currently serves on the boards of Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance and Bo’s Place, and who formerly served on the boards of Covenant House Texas and The Park People. After living in Houston for nearly 40 years and working with the philanthropic community most of that time, Roe feels well prepared to tackle the challenges of her new position. “I love the people of Houston,” she said. “This is a wonderful, faithful community with a can-do spirit that always rises to help those in need. It is this spirit of philanthropy that has been and will continue to be the foundation for DePelchin’s success.”
“I have never worked for an organization whose mission I could not fully support,” Roe said. “DePelchin is held in such high regard; it is humbling and exciting to have the opportunity to work with an agency whose mission is so clear and so vital.”
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Integrit y. SI e r v i c e before self. Excellence in all we do. Integrit y. S e r v i c e before self. Excellence in all we do. Mystic Dayne Nominated for Female Foster Child of the Year
ntegrity. Service before self. Excellence in all we
“Until recently, no one ever pushed me to do anything,”
do. As a member of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer
she said. “So I pushed myself. I think my experiences
Training Corps (JROTC), Mystic Dayne has not only
taught me to be more responsible and independent, and
committed these words to memory, she has also adopted
that’s helped me to do well in school.”
them as words to live by.
Dayne, an honor student,
Dayne’s maturity, accomplish-
recently
ments and positive attitude
awards, including a certificate
prompted DePelchin to nom-
for Outstanding Achievement
inate her for a distinguished
in Integrated Physics and
honor: the Regional Council
Chemistry and trophies for
of Child Welfare Board’s 2008
superior performance on a
Female Foster Child of the
national Latin exam. She
Year. Although the winner will
also earned a certificate for
not be announced until later this
Educational Achievement in
year, those closest to Dayne,
the Air Force JROTC pro-
including DePelchin clinician
gram, where she is a member
Bevin Barrett, already consider
of the drill team, physical
her a champion.
training team and rocketry
“Mystic had a tough childhood,
team.
but she is focused on the future
easy, but it’s the fun stuff that
her life,” Barrett said. “She’s
presents a challenge.
wise beyond her years.”
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several
For Dayne, academics are
and wants to make the most of
Mystic Dayne proudly displays her many academic awards.
earned
Before entering foster care,
“I’ve always had to be the
Dayne, the oldest of eight chil-
responsible one,” she said.
dren, was the primary caregiver
“Sometimes people tell me
for her younger siblings. Although that time in her life was
that it’s time for me to be a kid. I just don’t know how to
extremely difficult, Dayne says that good teachers, friends
do that, but I’m working on it.”
and counselors at DePelchin helped her overcome it.
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ABCD Tom Bellows
above and beyond the call of duty Award The Tom Bellows ABCD Award at DePelchin Children’s Center is named in honor of the agency’s former Board chairman and longtime supporter, Tom Bellows, who passed away in the fall of 2007. The award recognizes employees who excel in their jobs by putting forth extra effort for the agency and those it serves. The three individuals listed below are recent recipients of the award.
Keeping DePelchin’s facilities in pristine condition is no easy task, but it is one that Robert Barnes does very well. Barnes has worked at DePelchin for two years and is a member of the Facility and Plant Management Department. He is held in the highest regard by his co-workers, who enjoy his sense of humor, kind nature and willingness to accomplish whatever is asked of him. Barnes recently worked on his day off to assist with an important DePelchin function, setting up and staying until the event was over. When asked what he most enjoys about working at DePelchin, Barnes answered, “working with the children and helping people.”
Robert Barnes One of the perks of being a DePelchin employee, according to Roosevelt Stacy, is working with “some of the best people in the world.” The feeling is obviously mutual, as Stacy’s co-workers consider him “the epitome of a valued colleague and employee.” Stacy, a staff clinician and intern recruiter and supervisor for the Home-Based Therapy Program, has worked at DePelchin for five years. He is known for being ethical and a strong advocate for clients and their families. A skilled clinician who is always willing to share his knowledge and lend an ear to a fellow coworker, Stacy does so with amazing patience and grace.
Report to the Community Year Ended December 31, 2007
Roosevelt Stacy The staff of DePelchin’s Family Adoption Connections and Enrichment Services (FACES) Program is proud to call Susie Robinson one of its own. As a staff clinician II with FACES, Robinson provides counseling and support to adoptive families, often putting in many extra hours to ensure that her clients receive the services they need. Her colleagues refer to her as “a gift to her field,” and praise Robinson for meeting with families whenever they have a crisis and need a friendly face.
Susie Robinson 14
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ePelchin Children’s Center had another year of growth and opportunity in 2007. We continued our strategic planning with the Board of Directors and adopted a new vision and mission statement. The strategic planning efforts will provide us a roadmap that will direct DePelchin for many years to come. We continue to be the leader of children’s behavioral health and child welfare services in the Houston area. Our work continues to help those who were touched by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Although more than two years have passed since the hurricanes, the effects on the children displaced by these catastrophic storms continue. We have been working with schools in the area to teach school personnel how to identify the signs of trauma with these children.
A major accomplishment was the formation of a new legal entity that will ultimately expand children’s psychiatric services to our community. We are excited about the potential to improve and expand mental health services for children who need them the most. The year brought sorrow to DePelchin with the sudden passing of Tom Bellows, our chair and devoted board member for more than 10 years. It was quite a shock to all of us and touched us deeply. Each year brings new challenges to DePelchin Children’s Center. We never know what those challenges will be, but we know that we have to be ready for them and continue to meet the needs of our citizens of tomorrow.
It was also another year of growth in foster care. Our nationally recognized post-adoption programs simultaneously realized an increase in the people they serve.
We strengthen the lives of children by enhancing their mental health and physical well-being. — Our Mission
those We Served Ethnicity
Curtis C. Mooney, Ph.D.
AGE
President and CEO DePelchin Children’s Center
0-6 Yrs 10%
Other 3% Asian 2%
Hispanic 38% 22 Yrs and Over 39% 7-12 Yrs 22%
We envision a world in which every child is safe and healthy.
Caucasian 28%
— Our Vision
13-21 Yrs 29%
African-American 29%
Gender
Female 57.7%
Male 42.3%
DePelchin Children’s Center is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children (COA).
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Programs provided by DePelchin Children’s Center - 2007 Behavioral Health Services Counseling Services • Individual, family and group therapy for children experiencing emotional, behavioral or adjustment difficulties • Specialized therapies for children with trauma-related problems • Psychological assessments of intellectual, personality and psychosocial functioning
Child Welfare Services
Residential Services
Family Recruitment
Elkins Residential Treatment Center Richmond Residential Treatment Center
• 2,655 clients were helped in DePelchin’s office-based counseling program
• Recruitment and training of potential foster and adoptive parents
• 91% of children and teens seen in office-based counseling demonstrated progress in meeting behavioral treatment objectives
• 1,153 people attended a meeting to learn about foster care and adoption
• 24-hour intensive residential care services for children ages five to 17 who have severe emotional and behavioral problems • Individual, group and family therapy
• 323 people attended training to become foster or adoptive parents
• 90% of parents whose child attended multiple sessions of officebased counseling reported a decrease in problem behavior
• Complete educational services provided by The University of Texas - University Charter School
• 168 new foster homes were opened in 2007
Home and Community Based Therapy
• 176 children and teens were helped in the residential treatment program
Foster Care Services
• Intensive individualized family therapy for children and families in their own home, school or community
• Therapeutic care and treatment for children ages 0 to 17 who need developmental, emotional or medical support
• Focus on resolving parent and child conflicts, predelinquent behavior, school problems and truancy
• 50% of the youths who left residential treatment remained in a stable home environment
• Recruitment, training and support of foster parents
• 83% of the youths said that they were better at expressing their feelings than before they came to the center
• 1,052 children and teens were cared for in DePelchin’s foster care program
• 1,295 clients were seen in the home-based counseling program • 97% of family members indicated they were better equipped to deal with family problems after home-based therapy services • 69% of youths showed meaningful reduction in problem behavior at the end of their home-based therapy services
Teen Parent Services
Child Psychiatry Services
• Support for pregnant and parenting adolescents to ensure healthy development of the parent and child relationship and prevent school dropout
• Services for prevention of adolescent pregnancy
• Psychiatric evaluations and medication management • Specialization in diagnosis and treatment of childhood disorders
• Services provided in many Houston-area schools
• 78% of severely impaired children entering the therapeutic foster care program saw significant improvement in their behavior • 84% of children in foster homes had stable placements (did not require a move) Adoption
• Transitional living services for young homeless families
• Focus on finding permanent homes for children of all ages and ethnic backgrounds
Prevention and Education Services
• 1,160 teenagers participated in the teen parent services program
• Recruitment and training of adoptive parents
At Risk Youth Services
• 67% of teens in school-based pregnancy prevention services demonstrated healthier and more realistic attitudes towards teenage parenthood
• Counseling for birthparents
• Psychiatric residency program for Baylor College of Medicine
• Services provided to students, families and teachers to assure that children function in a socially, emotionally and academically successful manner
• 84% of teenage clients in school-based pregnancy prevention services demonstrated improved knowledge of reproductive health issues
• Focus on preventing violence, substance abuse, truancy and dropouts, delinquency, gang involvement and child abuse
Educational Services
• 1,423 children and teens were helped in the Services to At Risk Youth programs
• Parent education classes in English and Spanish focused on building effective parenting skills and enhancing the relationship between the parent and the child
• 100% of families participating in services avoided removal of their children by Child Protective Services
• Co-parenting and “Helping Children Cope with the Effects of Divorce” classes
• 94% reported that therapy helped with family problems
• 2,905 clients participated in the parent education and family support group programs • 94% of participants completing parenting skills classes reported improved relationships with their children • 91% of parents participating in the “Helping Children Cope with the Effects of Divorce” classes expressed attitudes that promoted healthy parent-child relationships
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• 100 children were adopted into permanent, loving homes. Ninety of those children were in the custody of the State of Texas; ten were infant adoptions • 100% of the families who adopted children from DePelchin were still together two years after the adoption finalizations Post Adoption Services • Individual, family and group counseling for adopted children, adoptive parents, adult adoptees and birthparents, regardless of the original placement agency • Case management/coordination of services • Background information and birth relative contact for DePelchin families • 525 clients received services in the post adoption program • 94% of the families receiving post adoption services reported that the services helped the family stay together
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Summarized Financial Report
2008 Leadership
For the Year Ended December 31
Board of Directors
Statement of Financial Position
Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets
(in 000’s) Assets Cash and Money Market Investments
(in 000’s) 2007 $ 3,511
2006
Revenue and Support
$ 2,575
Program Service fees
Accounts Receivable 2,377 2,333 Temporarily & Board Restricted Investments 4,400 4,243 Other Assets 1,090 1,278 $ 13,882
2006 $ 19,651
4,718
4,564
Foundation for DePelchin Children’s Center
2,995
2,687
Contributions
2,261
1,677
Investment income and miscellaneous income
553
540
$ 13,073 Total Revenue and Support
$ 31,438
$ 29,119
$ 12,387
$ 10,376
Expenses
Liabilities Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
$ 20,911
United Way
Property, Plant and Equipment 2,504 2,644
Total Assets
2007
$ 3,362
Foster Care
$ 2,587
Behavioral Health Services
5,866
5,730
Residential Treatment Services
5,515
5,364
Unrestricted 8,728 8,304
Prevention and Education Services
2,529
2,778
Temporarily Restricted 1,792 2,182
Adoption and Post Adoption Services
1,701
1,703
Administration and Fundraising
3,405
2,985
Net Assets
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
$ 13,882
$ 13,073 Total Expenses
$ 31,403 $ 28,936
Change in Net Assets
$
35
$
M. James Henderson, Chairman Debbi M. Johnstone, Vice Chairman Flo McGee, Past Chairman Anne S. Duncan, Secretary Nancy Abendshein Arthur Baird John C. Bass Valerie Bergeron Efrain Bleiberg, M.D. Jay Allen Chaffee Steve Cherek Nancy I. Cook, Ph.D. Susan Distefano Karey Dubiel Dye Stephen T. Dyer Kathy C. Flanagan, M.D. Henry Florsheim Stephen M. Fraga The Rev. B. Massey Gentry
Miles D. Harper III Peggy Heeg Nancy G. Kinder Pamela Lovett John S. Moody, Jr. Roxann S. Neumann Carolyn J. Pope Charles D. Powell Pat Powers Leslie Prokop Teel Leslie Sprague Ellie Sweeney Harper B. Trammell H. Richard Walton Tandelyn Atkinson Weaver Janeana White, M.D. Geraldina Interiano Wise Don Woo Frank M. Wozencraft, Jr.
DePelchin Psychiatric Services
Foundation for DePelchin Children’s Center Jesse H. Jones II, Chairman and Trustee Susan Light Lawhon, Director and Trustee Robert W. Paddock, Director and Trustee Paul J. Sarvadi, Director and Trustee John E. Stokes, Director and Trustee Rahul Mehta, Director Charles Szalkowski, Director
Senior Staff Curtis C. Mooney, Ph.D. President/CEO Robert L. Hartman Executive Vice President/COO Peggy S. Pugh Senior Vice President/CFO Peggy R. Roe Senior Vice President/Advancement E. Lane Coco, Ph.D. Vice President/Planning, Evaluation & Quality Systems Ronald L. McDaniel Vice President/Marketing
Manuel C. Ramirez, M.D., Chairman Warren S. Bellows, M.D. Efrain Bleiberg, M.D. Matthew N. Brams, M.D. Frank D. Hill, M.D. Peter K. Thompson, M.D.
Wanda Woody-Roberts Vice President/Human Resources Constance H. Barker, J.D. Director, Government Affairs
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DePelchin Children’s Center (713) 730-2335 • (888) 730-2335 Toll Free • www.depelchin.org
DePelchin Children’s Center receives funding from the United Way, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, other governmental agencies, program fees, community support and investment income.
Main Campus - Houston
Families Count
Ft. Bend Co. Center
4950 Memorial Drive
205 W. Crosstimbers
10435 Greenbough, Suite 101
Houston, Texas 77007
Houston, Texas 77018
Stafford, Texas 77477
Baytown Center
DePelchin School
Montgomery Co. Center
1610 James Bowie Drive
4815 Dickson Street
Suite A-111
Houston, Texas 77007
Baytown, Texas 77520 Family Connections Youth Services Center
1700 FM 517 East
6300 Chimney Rock
Dickinson, Texas 77539
Houston, Texas 77081 Isabel Elkins Residential
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(The Woodlands) 1600 Lake Front Circle The Woodlands, Texas 77380 Richmond Campus (Residential Treatment Center) 710 South 7th Street Richmond, Texas 77469
Clear Lake Center
Treatment Center
Waller Co. Center
1300-A Bay Area Boulevard
201 Shepherd Drive
531 FM 359 South
Houston, Texas 77058
Houston, Texas 77007
Brookshire, Texas 77423
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Bertha Sturgeon-Cabello Most Valuable Volunteer
T
Helping in Special Ways
The adoptive families who benefit from DePelchin’s FACES program may never see Bertha SturgeonCabello, but she is an important part of the program’s dedicated team. FACES (Family Adoption Connections and Enrichment Services), a program under DePelchin’s Post-Adoption Services, provides counseling, support groups and family fun days that enrich the lives of adoptive families. Over the last year, Sturgeon-Cabello has worked behind the scenes as an administrative volunteer, helping plan events and developing databases for use by the FACES staff.
Every week, caring groups visit DePelchin to volunteer in various capacities and brighten the lives of residents by providing fun and enriching outings and activities. DePelchin thanks the following groups for their volunteerism and support during the months of April through July, 2008. For more information on sponsoring a group activity, visit www.depelchin.org or e-mail volunteers@depelchin.org.
“Bertha comes to DePelchin each week and devotes at least two hours of her valuable time to computer projects and other important duties that otherwise might not be completed in a timely manner,” said Jenny Reid, placement coordinator with FACES. “I can’t thank her enough. We truly value her work and appreciate every minute of time she gives to our program and to DePelchin.”
AfriPro - dance and soccer event
Houston Astros - game tickets
The Houston Zoo - zoo tickets
Alexandria Catholic Church - game day and lunch
Houston Comets - game tickets
Arabia Shrine - circus festival tickets
Lakewood Church - play group activity and other volunteer support
The Junior League of Houston - field day, movie and pizza night, career day, game night, etiquette lunch and pet therapy
ART volunteers - Continental Airport tour and weekly activities ArtBridge Houston – weekly play and art therapy Bury + Partners - bowling Children Are First Network - fashion show
Sturgeon-Cabello is a busy graduate student who also volunteers as a Guardian ad Litum for children in CPS custody. She makes time for volunteering because she believes that children deserve a sound family structure. Her support of DePelchin’s mission was what first led her to seek a short-term volunteer opportunity with the agency’s Holiday Project. But it was DePelchin’s professionalism that cemented her commitment and has kept her coming back.
INROADS - arts and crafts
Mama Mia support group - arts and crafts Marathon Oil - Diversity Field Day Courtney Mielke and Friends - Bible study Omron - kickball game and dinner
Dogs Disaster - pet therapy
St. Michael’s Catholic Church - enrichment activity and lunch
Express Theatre - play tickets
The Children’s Film Group - festival tickets
GE Infra Energy - bowling
The Children’s Museum - museum tickets
The Orange Show - car show Reliant Energy - High School Musical tickets Rice University students - Spring Fling, sports day and arts and crafts Tribute - arena football tickets Wells Fargo - kickball tournament Wells Fargo Asian Connection - sports and fun day Wortham Theatre - theatre tickets
Community Event Tickets Appreciated
“From the very first day, I was impressed by what I saw,” said Sturgeon-Cabello. “The work is always rewarding and productive. In just a few hours a week, I can contribute to a program that helps so many families succeed. A little goes a long way.”
Curtis C. Mooney, Ph.D., president and CEO of DePelchin (right), gratefully accepted a $50,000 contribution from Amherst Securities Group LP in July. Reba Trawick (left), Amherst vice president, presented the gift to DePelchin on behalf of her firm.
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DePelchin welcomes the donation of tickets to community events and outings, including museums, sporting events and age appropriate music and theatrical performances. These activities provide enriching experiences in a secure environment and give the children an opportunity to learn social skills that are important to their development. To donate or help sponsor ticket purchases, contact us at 713-802-7792 or volunteers@depelchin.org.
P
Youth in hilanthropy
W
When you think of Girl Scouts, it is natural to think of kids, cookies and camping. But for 17-year-old Roni Kloss, a Girl Scout for 12 years, scouting represents much more. It is an opportunity to build friendships, leadership skills and values that will remain with her throughout her life.
Kloss joined Girls Scouts at age five and has risen through the ranks to the level of Senior, serving as a leader and role model for younger scouts. As a Senior Girl Scout, Kloss is eligible to earn the Gold Award, the highest award available to Girl Scouts ages 14-17. Seniors earn the award by completing an in-depth project using organizational, leadership and networking skills. The project must fulfill a need within the girl’s community, create positive change and empower others. Kloss selected DePelchin as the beneficiary of her project, which included creating and donating welcome kits and fleece blankets to children in residential care. “It broke my heart to learn that many children arrive at DePelchin with only the clothes on their backs,” Kloss explained. “I wanted to provide them with a few helpful items to call their own.” With the help of younger Girl Scouts, family, friends and local retailers, Kloss collected donations of toiletries, clothing and other needed items. Her efforts resulted in a contribution of 120 welcome kits and 150 fleece blankets. Her project will also include building and donating a large display case to exhibit children’s artwork at the Memorial campus. Kloss started her Gold Award project in early March and has devoted more than 50 hours to it. “We congratulate Roni on earning her Gold Award and are grateful to her and all who contributed to this project,” said Za’ndra Jackson, manager of Volunteer and Community Outreach at DePelchin. “Roni is an exceptional young woman whose longtime commitment to Girl Scouts will no doubt serve her well as she enters adulthood.”
Roni Kloss leads a group of younger Girl Scouts in making fleece blankets to donate to children in DePelchin’s care.
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‘Tis the Season to Support DePelchin’s 2008 HO HO HOLIDAY PROJECT The holiday season is a time of giving, and with the help of generous donors and volunteers, DePelchin’s annual Holiday Project brightens the season for hundreds of children in the agency’s care. This year, DePelchin hopes to provide gifts to more than 1,200 children and families and once again is asking local businesses, community groups and individuals to donate new, unwrapped toys, clothing and other items to help fill the children’s wish lists. Gift suggestions for the Holiday Project are located on the Web at www.depelchin.org. The success of the Holiday Project depends not just on material gifts but also on gifts of time and talent. More than 200 volunteers are needed December 9-13 and December 16-18 to sort and bag gifts. Several shifts are available and any amount of time donated makes a difference. To volunteer, to sponsor a child or family, or to receive an information packet explaining how to take part in this year’s project, please e-mail holidayproject@ depelchin.org or call 713-802-7740.
Note: DePelchin gratefully accepts safe, fun and educational toys but cannot accept toy guns or other toys that imply violence, including water pistols, toy bombs, military action figures or military toys, wrestler action figures, toys that are made to punch (such as a punching bag clown) or toys made to strike others (such as boxing gloves). The Holiday Project welcomes large, unused trash bags or packing boxes of any size. Donations of giftwrap, gift tags, bows, ribbon, tape and batteries also are appreciated.
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Gifts
Gifts
DePelchin gratefully acknowledges the foundations, corporations, civic and religious organizations and individuals whose generosity allows us to provide quality services for children and families. The following contributors gave $100 or more between April 1 and July 31, 2008. DePelchin makes every effort to record and acknowledge all gifts correctly we receive. We apologize for any misspellings or incorrect acknowledgments and ask that donors contact us at 713-802-6292 or advancement@depelchin.org to inform us of errors so that they can be promptly corrected.
Mr. and Mrs. Virgil G. Mangum
Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Oney
Dr. Jackie St. Cyr
United Way of Los Angeles
Mr. and Mrs. Earle P. Martin, Jr.
Mr. Scott Patterson
Standard Publishing Corporation
Mr. Oliver VanDierdonck
Mr. Daniel McElyea
Mr. Trey Pinner
Mr. and Mrs. David H. Stone
Mr. Paul Vangrienken
Mr. and Mrs. John T. McMahan
The Honorable and Mrs. Ronald R. Pope
Mr. and Mrs. Russell U. Streiffert
Ms. Beth Villalpando
Cristin Swope, M.D.
Ms. Emily Walker
The T.E.A.M. Approach, Inc.
Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign
Mr. and Mrs. H. Palmer Melton Microsoft Giving Campaign Mr. and Mrs. Alan A. Millard
$50,000+ Amherst Securities Group, L.P. Baylor Methodist Community Health Fund Beaumont Foundation of America The Brown Foundation, Inc. The William Stamps Farish Fund The Hamill Foundation
$25,000 - $49,999 Bridgeway Capital Management First Clearing, LLC
Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Evans
Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Jamail
Fluor Corporation
Mr. Jason A. Kaniss
ExxonMobil Foundation George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Mrs. Susan Light Lawhon/Jack H. and William M. Light Charitable Trust George B. & Irene Lindler Foundation
Sterling-Turner Foundation
Mr. John A. Murry, Jr.
Ms. Paige H. Kovar
Mr. and Mrs. David H. Fritz
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Nelson
Goldman, Sachs & Company
Mr. and Mrs. David N. Langham
Frost National Bank
Network for Good
Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Gray
Mr. Neal McKim
Greater Houston Community Foundation The Ed and Barbara Hess Gift Foundation Ms. Johnnie Johnson JPMorgan Chase KPMG LLP Mainland Communities United Way Ms. Patricia Mounce
Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Geary
Dr. and Mrs. Jay C. Oates
Give with Liberty Program
Mr. Silas A. Ogbuefi
Ms. Jeri Neely
Ms. Debbie Goodykoontz
Ms. Valerie F. Pina
Mr. Eli Gorka, Jr.
Planet Hope Houston
Mr. B. Riney Green
Rosenberg Lions Club Charities, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Haenel
Mr. Damian G. Sanchez
Halliburton
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schapiro
Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association
Mr. James Vandevere
Mr. and Mrs. O. H. Haveman Mr. Bernard L. Hebinck Ms. Jamie D. Herl
Sterling Bank Taub Foundation
$100 - $499
Mr. Henry J. N. Taub II
Abt Associates Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Teel
Access Mediquip LLC
Mrs. Ann G. Trammell and Dr. C. Eugene Carlton, Jr.
Aetna Giving Campaign
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Ms. Carol K. Alvarado
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Barret
Allstate Giving Campaign
Angel of Care Staffing Co.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Barron
Mr. and Mrs. Don M. Woo
Benson & Anderson, L.L.P
$500 - $999
Ms. Kim P. Blackerby
Kristin and David Anthony Charitable Gift Fund
Mr. and Mrs. George F. Bobbitt
Conni and Ron Barker
Mr. Elliot M. Bossin
Ms. Mary B. Bonds
BP Foundation, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Will Botts
Charitable Gift Fund
Mr. Jack F. Browder
$1,000 - $9,999
Christ Church Cathedral
Mr. and Mrs. Max Bryant
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew M. Alexander
Mr. Guy G. Depaolis
Ms. Eloisa M. Bunch
American Express Foundation
Mr. Jason N. Donovan
Ms. Jennifer A. Buzbee
Amerigroup Charitable Foundation
Edelweiss-Magnolia Lodge No. 47
Carnival
Dr. Sean G. Boutros
Exterran Energy Solutions, L.P.
Children Are First Network
BP Fabric of America Fund
Mr. Richard A. Hamilton
Cleaning Associates Services
Chevron Employees
Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Hartman
Nancy Illback Cook, Ph.D.
Corvette Owners Club of Houston
Mr. Frank J. Hevrdejs
Crain, Caton & James P.C.
Ms. Pauline M. Delaney
Hewlett-Packard
Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Derouen
Dell Direct Giving Campaign
Ms. Ann G. Hollenbeck
Mr. Thomas Devlin
El Paso Corporation
Ms. Gwendolyn A. Huskey
Mr. and Mrs. Barry Donovan
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Mrs. Kathryn Neuhaus
Mr. and Mrs. James R. Miller
Mrs. Evelyn Thomas
Sherman Foundation
Mr. Amado Garza
Mr. Michael T. McQueen
Mr. and Mrs. Vernon C. Therence
Occidental Petroleum Corporation
The Powell Foundation Mr. and Mrs. J. Abbott Sprague / The Abbott and Leslie Sprague Family Foundation
Kathy C. Flanagan, M.D.
Ms. Wendy Moses
Global Impact
Ms. Maria Paez
$10,000 - $24,999
Mr. and Mrs. Fred H. Dunlop
Mr. Chris Hilliard
Ms. Lauren A. Powell Ms. Imelda Pradia
Mr. Paul Taparauskas
Ms. Elizabeth P. Rauschuber
Ms. Debbie W. Wetmore
Ms. Kimberly Reed
The Houston-Galveston Psychoanalytic Society
Mr. Randy L. Richey
Mr. and Mrs. James E. Thompson
Ms. Jennifer Wilson
Ms. Eloise F. Rowan
Dr. and Mrs. Peter K. Thompson
Mr. Larry Yaffa
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Royce
Ms. Kathleen C. Tillman
Ms. Phyllis A. Zendejas
S.P.J.S.T Lodge #88, Houston
United Way of Greater Cincinnati
Mr. and Mrs. James F. Shear
United Way of Greater Union County
Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Smith
United Way of Greater Waterbury
Mr. Connie B. Williams
In Honor of... Mrs. Mark B. Abendshein Sterling-Turner Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Jack S. Blanton, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew M. Alexander
Mr. Rick L. Burdick Mr. Elliot M. Bossin
The Honorable John E. Davis Amerigroup Charitable Foundation
Hines Interests
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Donovan
Mr. Carlos Holguin and Mrs. Debbi M. Johnstone
Mr. Jason N. Donovan
Ms. Denise Marks
Ms. Ella Felch
Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel McGinnis
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Barron
Mr. Michael J. McGinnis
Mr. and Mrs. Jarrold Glazer
Mr. James D. Penny
Mr. Elliot M. Bossin
Mr. Elliot M. Bossin
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey C. Hines
Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Powell
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew M. Alexander Dr. and Mrs. Jay C. Oates
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Sebesta Mr. and Mrs. Joe V. Salvaggio
Leslie and Abbot Sprague Sterling-Turner Foundation
Ms. Olivia M. Steele Shreves Insurance Agency
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Szalkowski Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Geary
Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth E. Lehrer
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey C. Hines Mrs. Kathy L. Hooks Houston Baptist University Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Hudspeth Hummingbird Travel Ms. Gail Hunter-Sanchez Interactive Capital Management Mr. Dan Jaeger Mr. and Mrs. Calvin R. Johnson Mr. Jesse H. Jones II Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Joseph Mr. and Mrs. Steven Kamel Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund Mrs. Mildred Kerr Mr. and Mrs. H.R. Kessler Mr. and Mrs. Ronald W. Kesterson Ms. Supat Kiet Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Kral Ms. Susan L. Kramer Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kusick Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth E. Lehrer Mr. Andrew Lewis Mr. and Mrs. Cadell S. Liedtke Ms. Suzanne Long Mr. Frank E. Maguire Mr. and Mrs. Trey Malechek
In Memory of... Mr. John S. Bace Mr. Oliver VanDierdonck
Mr. Thomas F. Bellows Mr. B. Riney Green Mr. and Mrs. Cadell S. Liedtke
Ms. Mary E. Cenatiempo Amegy Bank of Texas Angel of Care Staffing Co. Ms. Patrice M. Barron Benson & Anderson, L.L.P Mr. and Mrs. Tom Conner Crain, Caton & James P.C. Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Daugherty Frost National Bank Mr. Bernard L. Hebinck Mr. Chris Hilliard Interactive Capital Management Mr. and Mrs. Steven Kamel Mr. and Mrs. Ronald W. Kesterson Mr. Frank E. Maguire Mr. Michael Maguire Ms. Mary E. Mason Mr. Paul Reimann Ms. Eloise F. Rowan Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Royce Mr. and Mrs. Jacob J. Short Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Stamos Mr. Paul Taparauskas
Ms. Mary L. Coleman Mr. and Mrs. Calvin A. Polk
Standard Publishing Corporation Mr. Nicholas C. Stephens Mr. and Mrs. James E. Thompson Ms. Marjorie M. Walk Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Wood
Mr. Bill Cooksey Dobson Construction Services, Inc.
Ms. Melissa Suzanne Harper Mr. and Mrs. Howard E. Allen Brotherhood of the Coast Mr. Mark H. Brown Mr. and Mrs. Max Bryant Mr. and Mrs. John H. Byrne Mr. and Mrs. Darin Darby Mr. and Mrs. Sidney M. Dean Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Fulton Mr. and Mrs. Bob Hadley Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Hamrick Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association Mr. and Ms. Martin H. Hoffman Mr. Dan Jaeger Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kusick Ms. Peggy Rohrer Mr. and Mrs. Clifford L. Steffen Mr. Connie B. Williams Mr. Larry Yaffa
Mr. Percy Imbody Ms. Patricia Mounce
Mrs. Jane Kalie Mrs. Loretta Barber Mrs. Rose Hurwitz
Mr. James Patrick Lee Mr. and Mrs. Louis H. Beard Mr. and Mrs. Will Botts Ms. Pauline M. Delaney Mr. and Mrs. Barry Donovan Mr. and Mrs. Fred H. Dunlop Hines Interests Mr. Baine P. Kerr, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. C. Robert Mace Mr. and Mrs. Trey Malechek Mrs. Kristi S. Martin Mr. and Mrs. Randall D. McDougal Mr. John A. Murry, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Szalkowski Mr. Paul Vangrienken
Mr. Edwin W. Hornberger Mr. Earle S. Alexander, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Leon Davis Ms. Barbara V. Fosdick Mr. James T. Fox Mr. and Mrs. William H. Frey Mr. and Mrs. Harry B. Hackethorn Mr. and Mrs. Donald F. Knowlton Ms. Betty Medlenka Ms. Mary L. Nommensen Mr. and Mrs. James L. Smith
Mr. George B. Lindler George B. & Irene Lindler Foundation
Ms. Ruth Mobley Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson
Ms. Laura Lou Odom Mr. and Mrs. Fred Broughton, Jr.
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Ms. Irene Perrin Mr. Scott Patterson
Ms. Lori Bruecher Haveman Purcell Anonymous Ms. Susan Abbott Ms. Elizabeth Angelos Mr. and Mrs. William H. Bruecher III Mr. and Mrs. David H. Fritz Mr. and Mrs. O. H. Haveman Ms. Linda Hayes Mr. and Mrs. Vance B. Hinson Network for Good Ms. Kathleen C. Tillman Ms. Mabel Wong Ms. Phyllis A. Zendejas
Mr. and J. Dale Ramsey Mr. and Mrs. George F. Bobbitt
Ms. Claire Belle Socier Houston Baptist University Mr. and Mrs. Brent Nelson
Mr. Jeb Stuart Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson
Ms. Shelley G. Terry Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Gray
Mr. Mack R. Wetmore Ms. Debbie W. Wetmore
Mr. James L. Williams Linda W. Ware
Kezia DePelchin Society
I
The Power of Faith
In 1892, Kezia DePelchin was serving as a matron and
in her early efforts. In January 1893, Mrs. DePelchin con-
teacher for older orphaned children. When she learned of
tracted pneumonia and died from the illness. Though Faith
three infants who had no place to go because they were
Home had only been open for one year, Houstonians had
simply too young for any existing orphanages, Mrs.
already embraced her vision; the home not only stayed
DePelchin opened her heart and took the children herself.
open but grew to affect the entire community. Faith Home
Initially, she used two borrowed rooms and her personal
is now DePelchin Children’s Center. Mrs. DePelchin’s
earnings to care for the young Houstonians, but she had faith
belief in the generosity of Houstonians is seen with every
that the community would come through with support.
child and family DePelchin Children’s Center is able to serve.
Her faith was rewarded as Houstonians did champion her mission of providing a safe and loving home for these chil-
The Kezia DePelchin Society is a group of individuals
dren. After a few short weeks of taking the infants in, Mrs.
who are committed to the mission of DePelchin Children’s
DePelchin was able to move the children into a small,
Center and have faith in the future of children and families
rented house on Washington Avenue, and “Faith Home”
who currently are at risk. Through membership in KDS,
had its first permanent residence.
donors help insure that Houston’s most comprehensive children’s social service agency can continue to meet its
Mrs. DePelchin’s determination to help these children was
constituents’ needs.
unwavering, and many in the Houston community joined
Friends - $1,250 annually Benefits for Friends include recognition in Today magazine and on the annual Spring Luncheon program.
Partners - $2,500 annually Benefits for Partners include all those listed above plus a set of postcards which, when put together, form the Discovery mural which is located in the Kinder Program Services Building at DePelchin.
Patrons - $5,000 annually Benefits for Patrons include all those listed above plus annual acknowledgment from DePelchin’s CEO and recognition on the Kezia DePelchin Plaque of Honor.
Lifetime Members - $25,000 Benefits for Lifetime Members include all those listed above plus recognition at the Annual CEO Luncheon and a Kezia DePelchin Society Lifetime Member gift. Lifetime membership may be paid over a period of one to five years. All other memberships must be paid within 12 months and are renewable in July of each year.
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The Texas Bowl has donated $120,000 to DePelchin Children’s Center over the past two years. DePelchin has received generous promotional value through the Texas Bowl, increasing public awareness in the Houston community and beyond.
FALL 2008
4950 Memorial Drive Houston, Texas 77007 713-730-2335 www.depelchin.org