2013 – 2014 Community Assistance Grant Recipients

For 2013 – 2014, the League awarded Community Assistance Grants to 12 agencies:

Bay Area Turning Point, Inc.

Bay Area Turning Point, Inc. provides services for survivors of family violence and sexual assault, and facilitates violence prevention strategies for societal change in partnership with their community. The League’s grant will assist in the purchase of metal beds for the shelter, which at capacity accommodates 65 domestic violence and sexual abuse victims. The metal beds, recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, will replace wooden beds that pose an environmental health issue of bed bugs, alleviating the need to close off rooms at intervals to inspect and fumigate.

Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance

Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance provides emotional, educational and practical support to families of children with cancer. The League’s grant will provide funds toward their parking assistance program. Passes are distributed by Parent Consultants at The University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital Cancer Center to cover the cost of parking in the Texas Medical Center. Parking assistance is the greatest practical need requested by families in the childhood cancer programs served by Candlelighters.

Christian Community Service Center (CCSC)

Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) serves the poor, hungry, disabled and otherwise needy, while respecting their religious, ethnic and cultural differences. CCSC currently operates eight programs. The League will participate in funding the Emergency Services and Gethsemane Food Pantry programs. Emergency Services provides food, clothing, financial assistance and referrals to help families avoid homelessness or substandard living conditions. Gethsemane Food Pantry provides a well-balanced, five-day supply of food for families in the southwest portion of the CCSC service area.

Citizen Schools

The mission of Citizen Schools is to close opportunity and achievement gaps by expanding the learning day and engaging students in real-world learning, ensuring that all children graduate high school ready to succeed in college and careers. The organization partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for low-income children across the country. It mobilizes a second shift of afternoon educators who provide academic support, leadership development and apprenticeships taught by volunteers from business and civic organizations. Junior League funds will enable the expansion of the Citizen Schools program at Fondren Middle School.

Communities In Schools, Inc. (CIS)

Communities In Schools, Inc. (CIS) surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CIS is based on the belief that programs don’t change people — relationships do. Junior League funds will contribute to the expansion of school-based mental health counseling services to Houston-area at-risk youth who would not otherwise have access to mental health services. Funds will provide case management, identification and referral of students to receive mental health interventions, individual counseling sessions and consultations or counseling sessions with parents of children being seen by the mental health counselor.

 

Houston Youth Symphony (HYS)

The mission of Houston Youth Symphony (HYS) is to recruit, educate, develop and nurture young musicians and provide them with the opportunity to train under professional musicians and perform in professionally conducted concerts. Junior League funds will aid in the expansion of the Melody Program, which provides free private music lessons to talented and motivated children from economically disadvantaged circumstances.

San José Clinic

San José Clinic provides quality healthcare and education to those with limited access to such services in an environment that respects the dignity of each person. Junior League funds will support women’s comprehensive healthcare, including well-woman exams, advanced diagnostics for cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations for adults, and salary support for the clinic’s Nurse Manager who specializes in women’s health.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a grassroots, volunteer-based, direct-aid organization that helps people in need get back on their feet. It provides short-term financial, material and emotional support and works person-to-person through advocacy, education and referral efforts to break cycles of poverty, empower people and promote self-sufficiency. Junior League funds will support the Food Network and Voucher Ministries, which provide basic necessities and a dignified and healthy home environment for those living in poverty.

Stoney Creek Foundation

Stoney Creek Foundation provides a comprehensive camping experience to underserved urban youth to get away from harsh environments. The Junior League will fund camperships to 20 campers in the Urban Initiative Program, which offers inner-city children a camping opportunity, including new experiences such as fishing, kayaking and water sports in a safe, fun, nurturing and faith-based environment.

The Community Cloth (Our Global Village)

The Community Cloth (Our Global Village) is a refugee-led, refugee-owned micro-enterprise empowering refugee women in Houston. The program addresses a critical need of refugees for economic, educational and social opportunities by providing seed grants, product training, peer support and by expanding market opportunities for the female refugee artisans. The refugee women create handmade indigenous arts and crafts, such as hand-woven scarves and bags, knitted scarves and baby items, woven baskets, jewelry, household goods and more. Junior League funds will support program expenses and provide salary support for project implementation and management, client support, training and other key functions.

The Women’s Home

The Women’s Home helps women in crisis regain their self-esteem and dignity, empowering them to return to society as productive, self-sufficient individuals. The Junior League’s grant will allow The Women’s Home to offer a new evidenced-based parenting curriculum to residents in the treatment and transitional housing program, and to women and their families in the permanent supportive housing programs to help them build nurturing parenting skills as an alternative to abusive and neglectful parenting.

Undies for Everyone

Undies for Everyone distributes new underwear and socks to economically disadvantaged school children in order to encourage their self-esteem and health. More than 530,000 school children in the Greater Houston Area live in poverty, many lacking the basic dignity of having fresh underwear. Junior League funds will expand the Greater Houston Area collection of new underwear and socks for elementary and middle school children through the purchase of collection materials, event materials and information kits.