During this Difficult Time

Thank you to all the people who have reached out to check on us and offer assistance. We have heard from board members, former employees, funders, family members and we are so grateful. We are working diligently to make sure our staff and youth are well taken care of and adjusting to a new way of living. We are grateful even during challenging times and know that our community will help each other through this crisis.

Chloe Perez, CEO

March – Social Worker Month

We would like to highlight our social workers this month and their extraordinary contribution they make not only to HHY but also to the community as a whole! Our phenomenal social workers inherently value the youth and families they work with always remembering that they are people first and not defined by what they are going through. They recognize the importance of meeting our young people where they are and are not afraid to stare injustice in the face if it means helping to create change or being a fierce advocate. Each day presents a new challenge, reward, opportunity for growth or learning moment and they rally around each other and the youth and families in our care to work towards supporting young people in learning how to empower themselves. We are thankful for the commitment, dedication and all that you do to enhance our community!

Thank You to Our Amazing Counselors!

Sending many thanks to our counselors, senior counselors, and program managers for keeping our kids safe by making sure they follow all safety guidelines and keeping them busy during these difficult times. We appreciate your dedication!

Success!

One of our residents began our program in September 2019. ​At the time, he was doing poorly in school, had poor relationships with his family members, and had never participated in any type of therapeutic treatment. He was feeling very overwhelmed with the amount of growth he was expected to make in our program. During the six months this resident was in our program, he made tremendous progress in all of the aforementioned domains. This resident worked diligently with staff to complete his homework nightly, and by the time of his discharge he was earning B’s and C’s in all of his classes. He also worked extremely hard in both individual and family therapy and began to enjoy weekly successful home passes with his family. And lastly, by the time of his discharge he had been promoted to the highest level of our privilege system and was presenting as a role model to all of the other residents in our home. This resident was so resilient and perseverant and we are so proud of his achievements.

Daily Quarantine Questions to ask yourself each day:

1. What am I grateful for today?
2. Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?
3. What expectations of normal am I letting go of today?
4. How am I getting outside today?
5. How am I moving my body today?
6. What beauty am I creating, cultivating or inviting in today?

Hearts & Homes Charity Golf Tournament May 11, 2020
Are you dreaming of spring on this dreary winter day? It’s just around the corner and so is for our Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Monday, May 11, 2020. Please join us at Norbeck Country Club for a fun filled day of golf, and networking with other business professionals. We’ll have fun activities on the course as well as a silent auction and raffle. End your day of play with a cocktail and cigar on the patio. For more info please visit www.heartsandhomes.org/golf.

Diaper Bags
The young mothers in our Damamli Program were delighted to receive adorable diaper bags filled with everything they need to care for their babies. Sending a big thank you to Dr. Carolyn Conway-Branch for organizing this drive with the Grand Organizer’s Families in Crisis Department, falling under the umbrella of the Improved Benevolent Protective Order Elks of the World (I.B.P.O.E. of W.), a non-profit organization. We are thankful for their care for our youth!

Winter Coats for Our Kids
Did you know that many of the youth that come into our care have nothing but the clothes on their backs? With the cold winter weather here we were in need of warm coats for our kids. The Children’s Charity Foundation came to the rescue with a donation of 50 brand new coats! They have distributed brand new winter coats to more than 22,000 children from 30 local charities and community organizations in the Washington DC area. Many thanks to Ron for helping load the coats into our van, and to Children’s Charities for keeping our kids warm this winter! To find out more about their amazing organization please visit: https://www.ccfdc.org/coats-for-kids/

A Word from our CEO
The following is a beautiful email we received about the services we provide pregnant and parenting teen moms in our Damamli program. Thanks to our staff and your support we are able to help these amazing young women build their confidence and reach their goals. However, all the credit goes towards our young moms! It is their strength, resiliency and commitment to their children that makes it all happen!

With a warm heart, Chloe

“The Hearts and Homes staff were the epitome of professionals and were available throughout the entire process. The complex units were beautiful and very spacious for two women and their child. I was very delighted with the program stipulations, where the women were required to obtain gainful employment, keep the unit clean, monitor their child and follow visitation rules. The program was very organized, where a portion of the client’s income was put into a savings account for their successful transition into permanent housing in the community. Thank you so much for your time and services. ”

Save the Date for our Annual Charity Gala – October 15, 2020 at Woodmont Country Club. Details to follow.

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous New Year!

Holiday Gift Drive
It was a joy to see the caring spirit of all those who made the season bright by participating in our Holiday Gift Drive. You showered our kids with happiness by your generous giving!
See some of their comments below:
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I appreciate you. Happy New Year!”
One young woman was having a rough day prior to opening her gifts. After opening her gifts she got very excited and said, “Thank you so much! I got everything I wanted. Best Christmas!”
“The skateboard is the best thing ever. I’ve wanted that for years!”
“I’m so happy to get the earbuds. I’ve been wanting a pair!”
“Thank you for the prayer rug, it’s great!”
“Can’t believe I got the Beats headphones. It’s my favorite gift!”

End of the Year Campaign
We are incredibly thankful to all those who participated in our End of the Year Giving Campaign. Your generosity helped us raise $28,000! This money will help us provide child care for our young mothers, tutoring sessions, educational & recreational outings, GED programs, vocational trainings, trauma services, baby supplies, life skills trainings and a lot more. Thank you!

A Special Thank You to Social & Scientific Systems
The young men in our Avis Birley Program were treated to a special dinner by the folks at Social & Scientific Systems. Their group came loaded with food and gifts for the house including sheets, blankets, coats and many other household supplies. The guys also received personal gifts from them at the program’s holiday party. They were thrilled to receive the attention and love!

Thank you to all our holiday gifts sponsors!
Adam Abramowitz
Adam & Cocoa for Kids
Andrea Goldin
Aronson, LLC
Barbara Jordan
Carey Miller
Cathy Scott
Centrus Energy
Charlene Bolden
Concord St. Andrews Church
Council of the Great City Schools
David Moon
Edelman Financial Engines
Education Week
Franklin Montessori School
Fred Pugh
GlaxoSmithKline
Howard & Sharon Metro
IBM Watson Health
Jeannette Hasan
Jennifer Roesler
John Smehil
Kara Permisohn
Kevin McRaith
Margaret Jylkka
Marie O’Dea
Melinda Coolidge
Melinda Hutton
Michelle LaLiberte
Michelle Steffes
Mindy Steffes
Mont. County Planning Dept.
Nikki Korson
Northrup Grumman Corp.
Paley Rothman
Reid Temple
Silver Spring United Methodist Church
People’s Community Baptist Church
Social & Scientific Systems
Takoma Park SDA Church
The Geddings Family
Thea Green

 Financial Training from BB&T
Recently BB&T sponsored a banking basics workshop for our youth. At this workshop they learned the value of a checking account, ways to help them save and how to establish and maintain credit. BB&T has been a long-term supporter of Hearts & Homes and we are thankful for their continued support!

Paley Rothman to the Rescue!
One of our most generous supporters, the Law Firm of Paley Rothman, spent an October day sprucing up our Helen Smith Girls’ Group Home in Takoma Park. The group of 10 volunteers from their office in Bethesda added a fresh coat of paint to almost every room in the house. Their hard work paid off when the girls came home from school and were excited to see the results of their labor. We are very thankful for Paley Rothman’s ongoing support and concern for our kids!

Mental Health Awareness Week
The first week of October was NAMI’s, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental illness affects everyone directly or indirectly through friends and family members. This month Hearts & Homes collaborated with Montgomery County’s Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families by providing them with Mental Health First Aid training. Our CEO, Chloe Perez, is a certified Mental Health First Aid Trainer. If you or your organization would like to learn how to identify mental illness and prevent suicide, please contact Chloe at cperez@heartsandomes.org for training opportunities.

Did you know that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible AmazonSmile purchases to charitable organizations selected by their customers? Please consider using AmazonSmile to purchase your holiday gifts and select Hearts & Homes for Youth as your charity to receive the donations. Thank you!

Thank you to Stephanie Geddings and RE/MAX Sails in Baltimore!
Our amazing real estate agent, Stephanie Geddings, organized a donation drive for Hearts & Homes at her Baltimore RE/MAX office. The sales team there generously donated many items to make our homes more comfortable for our kids. Sending them a big hug and our gratitude!
click here to make a donation to our programs!

Holiday Gift Drive
The holidays can be a difficult time for the youth in our care. You can celebrate the Holiday Spirit by fulfilling the wishes of the children of Hearts & Homes for Youth.  Please gather your friends and co-workers to brighten their holiday season.  Your  gift can make a difference.
Each child or teenager in our care writes a “Wish List”.  If you become a “Wish Maker”, we will send you the name, age, and wishes of the child you choose to help.  Some groups adopt a household full of children, while others give a gift or two.  Any help you give would be wonderful and send a message of care and support to our young people. If you would like to become a Wish Maker please contact Hazel Eguia at: heguia@heartsandhomes.orgor call 301-679-1383. Thankyou!

Annual Charity Gala
We loved seeing old friends and making new ones at our Annual Charity Gala on September 26. Our guests enjoyed a delicious dinner, networking with other business professionals, perusing exciting silent auction items, tasting a collection of bourbons and dancing the night away at Woodmont Country Club. This year we honored longtime supporters, The Law Firm of Paley Rothman, with our Champion Award. Board member, David Shapiro, accepted the award. Ms. Regina King received our Maureen Rodgers Spirit Award for her long time service as a dedicated foster parent. A young woman in our Damamli/TFC Program shared her love for her young son with a poem she wrote. We are so very thankful for all of our sponsors, guests, and board members that shared this memorable evening with us!

A Young Mother’s Poem
Dreaming with my eyes wide open
Loving you without sight, you came into my world
And now my son is shining, even at night
I look at your smile and I know I haven’t felt love like this way in a while
The pain from my past makes me this feeling won’t last
Broken homes, being alone,
Makeshift thrones, been beat black and blue and eyes swollen shut
No meds needed I keep going for you
It’s pouring down raining as if the sky became an ocean
And all its water began draining during the storm
I fight to overcome, Mama he said so effortlessly
And that is when I knew the battle I have with myself has been won
My son, even when I’m tired my mind and my heart is fully wired
I am your modeled role, but you keep me inspired
From being loved by no one to being loved by the brightest star of all –
My son

HHY on the Move
We are pleased to announce that we have a new location for our JumpStart Semi-Independent Living Program. After many years in the same house that needed more loving care and renovations than we could handle, we have moved into a beautiful, spacious and totally renovated home. The home is located near a commercial area which provides many job opportunities for our young men. The house is furnished with new, donated pieces from Bob’s Discount Furniture. The guys and staff love their new home!
Take a look at our new home! Join us for an Open House on November 13, 11am-1pm, 4907 Powder Mill Rd., Beltsville, MD 20705. A light lunch will be provided.

We were bursting at the seams in our Burtonsville office, so we moved our Damamli/TFC offices to Baltimore. The spacious location has room for a children’s nursery, offices for our social workers, a large conference room for meetings and trainings, and space for a computer workshop. It’s conveniently located close to our Damamli Independent Living Program’s apartments.

Holiday Gift Drive
Celebrate the Holiday Spirit by fulfilling the wishes of the children of Hearts & Homes for Youth. Please gather your friends and co-workers to brighten their holiday season. Your gift can make a difference.
Each child or teenager in our care writes a “Wish List”. If you become a “Wish Maker”, we will send you the name, age, and wishes of the child you choose to help. Some groups adopt a household full of children, while others give a gift or two. Any help you give would be wonderful and send a message of care and support to our young people. If you would like to become a Wish Maker please contact Hazel Eguia at: mailto:heguia@heartsandhomes.org or call 301-679-1383

Back to School

Our kids had a great start to the new school year with a Back to School picnic at Argyle Park in Silver Spring. They enjoyed hot dogs and hamburgers lovingly grilled by HHY CEO, Chloe Perez. Kevin Beverly and several volunteers from Social & Scientific Systems delivered backpacks stuffed with school supplies for the 17th year in a row. We’re once again thankful to them for equipping our youth with everything they need for a successful school year!

Many Thanks to Bob’s Discount Furniture!

It was an exciting day when the Bob’s Discount Furniture truck pulled into 4 of our homes! The friendly, efficient team from Bob’s delivered $10,000 worth of donated furniture  including 2 sofas, 16 dressers, 8 beds and 2 dining room sets  with their incredible White-Glove Service. This is the second time Bob’s has been good to our youth, and we’re thankful for their incredible generosity!

Looking Good!

The young men in our group homes were treated to free haircuts at the Precision Barber Lounge in Laurel. Sending a big thank you to Teon and Sherry Nicholson for donating their services! Visit The Precision Barber Lounge in Laurel for your next haircut.

Success!

A young woman at our at Mary’s Mount Home came into the program determined to be successful.  She has proven to be resilient in many areas of her life and continues to overcome obstacles to achieve her goals. Recently this youth tried-out for her high school soccer team and was immediately accepted with a promise to be moved to the Varsity squad. Not only is the youth shining on the soccer field, but she’s shining in other areas of her life as she is a positive role model within the milieu and in the school setting. The team at Mary’s Mount is excited to see this youth flourish and rise to her full capabilities on the field, in the classroom, and within the program.

Old Navy Day
 For the past few years Old Navy has held a sales training day for our kids at their store in Laurel. They learn how to approach customers, make sales and other useful skills needed to work in a retail setting. This was a great opportunity for our kids, and we’re thankful to Old Navy for their willingness to spend time helping the youth in our care.

Helen Smith Barbeque
Kingdom Fellowship, formally Reid Temple, has been a longtime supporter of Hearts & Homes. On Saturday, July 27, parishioners from the church held a barbeque for our girls at the Helen Smith Group Home. The girls were treated to delicious food and fellowship. Sending a big thank you to everyone at the church!

Arts in the Community
thePack Mvmt, a group of visual and musical artists, created an event called theSYNDICATE. At this event held in downtown Annapolis, artists created four live paintings and were accompanied by the music of several local musicians. These artists used their talents to create and raise funds used to purchase art and music supplies for the youth in two of our programs. We thank Daja Burnett and all of the artists involved for donating their time and talents to help the youth in our community.

BUY a Bag for HHY!
We are participating in Giant Food Giving Tag Program, a reusable bag program that facilitates community support . When you purchase the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at any Giant Food store, you have the opportunity to direct a $1 donation to Hearts & Homes by using the attached Giving Tag. Just follow the instructions on the tag. This is a great way to raise awareness, support the environment and fund-raise for our cause! Don’t forget to tell your friends!

Save this Date – September 26, 2019
Hearts & Homes Annual Charity Gala is on September 26, 2019 at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville. Please join us for a memorable evening. Dance the night away and find out how you can help brighten a future for a young person. For more info and to register visit: www.heartsandhomes.org/gala2019

Silent Auction Items Needed
We are currently collecting items for our 2019 Annual Charity Gala Silent Auction. This is a great opportunity to promote your business as there will be over 200 professionals attending from the DMV area. If you would like to contribute an item, please email Valerie Snogren – vsnogren@heartsandomes.org. Thank you!

Success!
Jason has been in the care of Hearts and Homes for almost 2 years. His time with us began in October 2017 when he was placed at one of our programs at Hearts and Homes for Youth. He has shown great academic progress at school and has maintained passing grades. Along with excelling academically, he also played football and basketball at his high school. He worked hard to meet all of his treatment goals and kept a positive attitude even when things got tough. After putting in all of the hard work, in August 2019 he was able to reunify with his family. He had a great first weekend at home spending time with family and friends. Jason is currently participating in pre-season workouts so he can compete on his football team again this school year!

Hearts & Homes Charity Golf Outing
Our Annual Charity Golf Event at Norbeck Country Club was a great success! We had a beautiful day for play with the rain coming after the event was over! It was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones. Many thanks to our sponsors – NIKA, Paley Rothman, Insurance Exchange and Care First for their generous support. We appreciate all of the golfers who came out to play for our kids!

A Makeover for our Avis Birely Home!
In spite of the intense heat volunteers from Social & Scientific Systems, recently merging with DHL Holding Corp, came out to our Avis Birely Home in Rockville to spruce up the house and yard. They repainted the house foundation, weeded, trimmed, planted and raked outside. Inside they painted 2 bathrooms, the kitchen, living room and hallway. We are thankful for their support for us for over 18 years!

Success!
Justin was successfully discharged from our program in January 2019 after being in our care for 17 months. He was nervous to transition back into his home town of Baltimore City, where he knew the obstacles and challenges that he would encounter on a daily basis. Since being home, Justin has enrolled himself in school and has gotten a job at Orioles Stadium. He calls the program weekly to check in and talk with his “family.”

Save this Date – September 26, 2019
Hearts & Homes Annual Charity Gala is on September 26, 2019 at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville. Please join us for a memorable evening. Dance the night away and find out how you can help brighten a future for a young person. For more info and to register visit: www.heartsandhomes.org/gala2019

HHY Van
Be on the lookout for the HHY van with our new logo on the side and back. Signarama Silver Spring did a great job creating the signage for us. Honk and wave if you see us on the road!

Pack a Backpack Drive
Nicki is at it again! For years Nicki Sanders has donated purses and backpacks filled with personal hygiene products to HHY. This month she dropped off backpacks for our young men. Thank you, Nicki!

High Schoolers to the Rescue

We had 2 generous donations from high schoolers who initiated a hygiene product drive at their school for our kids. We thank the youth from Annapolis Area Christian School and the Francis Scott Key Middle School in Silver Spring for their generosity!

Prom Readiness
JC Penney is making dreams come true! They helped send one of our girls to her prom by donating a dress, shoes, jewelry and hair and makeup. She looked beautiful for her big event! Many thanks to JC Penney for their continued support!

Giant Food Community Bag Program
Come to Giant food in Burtonsville and purchase a reusable grocery bag. Hearts & Homes will receive $1 for each bag purchased during the month of July.

May is National Foster Care Month
We celebrated Hearts & Homes foster parents by hosting an appreciation dinner for them at Eggspectations in Columbia. Awards were handed out, and the families were treated to a yummy dinner and gifts. As a bonus they received a training related to this year’s theme, “Foster Care as a Support to Families, not a Substitute for Parents.” Congratulations to Webster & Thelma Lovings, HHY foster parents for 20 years, for being our Foster Parents of the Year!

Mother’s Day Celebration
Hearts & Homes honored our young mothers with a Mother’s Day dinner at Matthews 1600 Restaurant in Catonsville. Foster parent Regina King, along with 2 successful graduates from our program, spoke to the young women. They also received gift bags filled with goodies.

Mental Health Training (MHFA)
This month we provided 2 MHFA trainings to HHY staff and youth at Gaithersburg High School. MHFA teaches you how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a variety mental health issues, support someone from experiencing emotional distress and connect them to professional help and ultimately prevent suicide. Contact cperez@heartsandhomes.org if you are interested in this training for your company! Learn to potentially save a life!

HHY at Omega Recording Studio
Several youth men from our Avis Birely Home got to take a tour of the Omega Recording Studios in Rockville. They were able to try out being in the recording booth and had fun practicing their rapping skills. We’re hoping they’ll be able to make an actual recording in the near future!

Mary’s Mount gets a Make-over!
We had a great time with volunteers from The Heart of God Community Church and Fidelity National Financial at our Mary’s Mount Girls’ Home. They worked hard trimming overgrown bushes, raking up debris, power washing the stairs and sidewalk, and painting the kitchen and dining room. As a bonus, we got some great gardening tips from Mildred, who volunteers at the Botanical Gardens. A special thank you goes to Jessica Alexander who organized the event. We Love our volunteers!

Hearts & Homes 2019 Charity Gala
Thursday, September 26, 2019 is the day to save for our Annual Charity Gala. We are excited to have the event at the beautiful Woodmont Country Club in Rockville. Please visit heartsandhomes.org/gala2019 for sponsorship and ticket information.

Hearts & Homes Charity Golf Tournament
Hearts & Homes on the Green is a month away on June 17! We’re excited for this fun event at Norbeck Country Club with golfers representing many different corporations in the DMV area. There’ll be fun games on course, lots of yummy food and drinks, and even an exciting helicopter ball drop! Foursomes are sold out, but there are still sponsorship opportunities available which include a foursome.Thank you to Alan Schulman, board member, for his hard work as event chair.
For more info visit: heartsandhomes.org/golf

Success!
Justin has been at Hearts & Homes 10 months and has faced a lot of adversity since being in our care. Justin is not a US resident, causing him a lot of difficulty when looking for employment. However, this did not deter him from searching for work in the community. After 4 months of continuously looking for employment, he finally began his job at McDonalds last week. Justin is working the cash register and is thriving in his new work environment. He currently attends a GED prep course at Montgomery College during the day and then heads to McDonalds afterwards to begin his afternoon shift. We are so proud of all of the growth and progress Justin has demonstrated while being in our program.

Gala Sponsorships 2019