9 minute read
Hearts Alive Village- Saving Animals and Serving Our Community
From day 1, Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas has been about more than animal rescue.
Founder and Executive Director, Christy Stevens, knew that in order to solve the problem of overwhelming pet homelessness in the valley, the organization would need to focus on people. When a family surrenders their pet to the animal shelter, it’s rarely because they no longer love or want their animal. Most often, it’s because they can’t afford their pet and don’t see any other options. Hearts Alive Village is working to change that.
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It all started in 2013 with their first program, Kendall’s Kupboard, named for Christy’s daughter and inspiration behind the rescue. This pet food pantry was designed to assist families who want to keep their beloved pets but are unable to afford food. Since its inception, the program has fed between 200 and 300 pets each month.
Unfortunately, food wasn’t the only support Vegas pet parents needed. Calls began to come in from individuals whose fur babies were sick or injured. Challenged with astronomically high vet bills and an inability to get credit, their parents were facing an impossible decision… let their pets suffer, surrender them to the shelter in the hope that they’d receive treatment, or have them “economically euthanized.” No pet parent should ever face that decision.
Hearts Alive Village began providing community animals with treatment, assisting pet parents to cover the funds above what they could handle. When animals are suffering due to their family’s inability to access care, the Village Fund is there to provide assistance for as many as possible. It’s no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit our tourism town hard. With more than 30% of the population out of work, people are struggling to provide for their pets now more than ever. With support from GreaterGood.org and a grant from the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation, Hearts Alive Village has expanded Kendall’s Kupboard to become the Crisis Pet Food Distribution Center for the state of Nevada. The pet food pantry has gone from serving 300 pets each month, to serving close to 3,000. They also work with a number of other rescues, human food pantries, and cat trappers to provide pet food where it’s needed.
With more than 50% of their annual budget going to veterinary costs, Hearts Alive realized that the next logical step was to open their own veterinary clinic where care can be given to the rescues’ animals and community animals in need, at a fraction of the cost. The Pet Adoption and Wellness Center is under construction and set to open this fall. The full-service, low-cost veterinary clinic will be the first of its kind in the state and will provide a much-needed service to our financially- devastated community. In addition to veterinary services, the Wellness Center will feature grooming and short-term boarding. With these programs, the organization can keep pets out of the shelter and where they belong – in their original homes with the families that love them. While the future of Vegas is unclear, one thing is for sure. Hearts Alive Village will continue their mission, nurturing a compassionate society where animals are supported both in their homes and on the journey to find a home.
Hearts Alive Village 1750 S Rainbow Blvd #4, Las Vegas, NV 89146 702.870.0065 heartsalivevillage.org
COVID-19 has turned our city upside down; yet to date in 2020, the Las Vegas housing market is strong. Record low interest rates this year have contributed to Las Vegas’s strong real estate market despite a global pandemic. Historically low rates have significantly increased demand for refinance and home purchase mortgage loans.
Trusted mortgage loan advisor, Crystal Rose Schulz has created a road map of success to guide her clients into obtaining homeownership and financial wellness. Crystal and her team tackle even the most complicated loan situations with confidence, making the transaction effortless on the borrower. During these unprecedented times, homeownership is providing stability and building wealth for Las Vegans.
Crystal joined Pinnacle Lending Group and the Loans by K.C. Team in June 2018 after searching for the perfect combination of product, price, and people. Pinnacle Lending Group is an owner-operated boutique lender, with an optimized blend of banking and broker services. It is the ultimate loan origination platform, allowing for VIP service and wholesale rates! Honesty, integrity, and trust are at the heart of Pinnacle Lending Group’s commitment to all clients. VIP service and wholesale rates are the cornerstones of premium and professional loan services offered at Pinnacle Lending Group.
Crystal is passionate about the Las Vegas community and giving back. A two-time alumna of University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Crystal earned her master’s degree in Public Health and has since worked closely with the Las Vegas community for nearly a decade before finding she could help people with mortgages. Crystal works hard every day for her clients by either helping them obtain their first home, save money on a current home loan, or branch out into real estate investments.
On every transaction, Crystal and members of the Loans by K.C. Team at Pinnacle Lending Group donate to Share Village formerly known as Veterans Village. Share Village is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the creation and development of affordable housing villages. Through partnerships, affordable housing with collaborative medical and mental health services, salon services, employment referrals and placements, and full-service community food pantry/ nutrition programs is available to veterans and anyone with a need.
For a FREE mortgage consultation, call Pinnacle Lending Group to schedule an appointment with Crystal!
Pinnacle Lending Group, Inc. NMLS #344850 6475 S Rainbow Blvd Ste. 102, Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.730.2085 www.plgnv.com
Crystal Schulz NMLS #1469941 702.357.5555 Crystal@plgnv.com www.loansbykc.com
Meet Las Vegas Local
Darrel Jordan Jr.
For those of you who don’t know Darrel Jordan Jr., he is a long time Las Vegas local who started his basketball career right here in Las Vegas and has always been a natural instructor, trainer, mentor, baller and shot caller. Born and raised in Oklahoma, he’s been a long time Las Vegas resident. The many who do recognize him from our local Las Vegas community, know he started his career at Cimarron Memorial High School right here in Las Vegas as a basketball trainer and is was revealed very quickly that he commands respect for the love of the game, from his mentees, friends and anyone he comes into contact with. He is not a self-proclaimed shot caller; yet his friends, teachers, peers and colleagues would come to recognize this known fact about Darrel at a very young age. On or off the court.
Since graduating from high school in 1998, Darrel Jordan went on to play college basketball and finished his degree at the university of Nevada Reno, although his playing career didn’t end at Nevada Reno. Upon graduation Darrel had the opportunity to train professional players starting with fellow high school teammate Marcus Banks. This led to him training multiple NBA players and it was followed with a coaching opportunity at Grayson community college in Texas that presented itself shortly thereafter. Following the year Darrel spent coaching college, he jumped into the AAU basketball scene and continued to train professional players. “In doing that I had an opportunity to help with the Toronto Raptors summer league team under coach Dwayne Casey (coaches the Detroit Pistons now). I also had the opportunity to help with pre-draft camp for the Milwaukee Bucks under coach Jason Kidd (now an assistant with the LA Lakers) and General Manager John Hammond (now the General Manager Of the Orlando magic) with help of his agent/ friend Mike Higgins I obtained a position with the Orlando Magic and coach Steve Clifford.”
Jordan has had the opportunity to be featured in Sports Illustrated because of the work he has done and time he has put in training players. He’s also had been spotlighted on NBA Television with Hall of Fame Point Guard Gary Payton for help with a former NBA lottery pick. Before Jordan obtained his position within the NBA, Darrel has helped through the Hard 2 Guard program so that hundreds of kids could have the opportunity to go to college and 15 kids play division 1 from his own training program he created.
Basketball fans and students of Darrel’s agree on one solid fact. He’s the man. His fans agree that he was the best skilled trainer in all of Las Vegas and the Orlando Magic is lucky to have gained a Las Vegas local. His passion has proven immeasurable and his love for the game is 2nd to none.
As a personal long-time friend for 20+ years, I can handsdown say aside from his skills on the basketball court, Darrel Jordan Jr. (known to many of his elementary, junior high and high school friends is commonly still referred to as Pnutt) and we all including myself have very fond memories of him off the court as well. Darrel was and still is simply a friend who has a ton of heart. You couldn’t see him and his gigantic grin in the hallways at school and not instantly feel his positivity and the happiness that he radiates. And that undoubtedly is true of what his clients, students and colleagues would say about him.
Where his career will take him next is to be decided. The basketball industry knows no bounds when it comes to the all-star trainer and basketball professional. Any team would be lucky to have him moving forward and quickly learn what an asset he is to any NBA team and community. We foresee big things on the horizon for this baller and any of the young up and coming players who have the instinctive advantage of training with him.
Will he ever come back home to Las Vegas? Well, we’ll ask him that and let him tell the tale of what maybe to come. In the meantime, he is thoroughly enjoying his position on the Orlando Magic NBA team.
