Advocate News - Fall/Winter 2018

FALL / WINTER 2018

A BI ANNUAL PUBLI CAT I ON FR OM CHI LD A DVOCAT ES, I N C.

THREE SISTERS TOGETHER FOR A LIFETIME THANKS TO THEIR ADVOCATE.

CELEBRATING OUR ADVOCATES ADVOCATE NEWS

1

CEO’S letter Hi everyone, It’s hard to believe that 2018 is already coming to a close. In the last six months, we sent our children back to school with our Childspree, saw our largest number of runners to date at our Child Advocates Superhero Run and kicked off the holiday season with a huge party for all of our kids.

This year’s Childspree was one I will always remember. I met a young man who had filled his shopping cart with cleaning supplies instead of clothes and shoes because he had just graduated from high school and was headed to college.

He was the first in his family to accomplish something like that, and I know it was because he had the support of his advocate. We helped more than 500 children get ready for the year with backpacks, clothes and shoes thanks to our incredible sponsors! It was a great way to close out the summer.

In October, we saw record attendance for our Superhero Run 5K and 1K race— more than 1,000 runners became superheroes for the day! The morning was filled with amazing costumes, bright smiles and so much enthusiasm for our mission. You can read more about this year’s race on page six.

Our volunteers are at the very heart of our mission, and I am so happy that we were able to bring them all together for our Volunteer Appreciation Reception last month. I always enjoy seeing our tenured volunteers get to know our newer advocates. The highlight of the night was awarding our James A. Gwinn Volunteer of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards—be sure to read about our deserving recipients on the next page.

The holidays are upon us and while this can be a hard time for our children, I know we will be able to spread more joy to them with our holiday activities.

Our annual holiday party last month was just a glimpse of this.

I also wanted to thank Eddy De Los Santos, who has spent the last two years serving as our board chair. We cannot thank him enough for his support during this time. In 2019, we will welcome a new board chair, David Winn— who you can read more about on page 19.

PHOTO CREDITS TOP TO BOTTOM: One of our kids checking out his new backpack and school supplies at the Child Advocates Childspree. A family of Incredibles crosses the finish line at our Superhero Run. Sonya shares her gratitude for our advocates at the Volunteer Appreciation Reception.

As we close in on the year, I am happy to report that we have already helped more children this year than we did in all of 2017! Approximately 900 active advocates (with near 300 of them being new in 2018) made this happen.

Thank you again for your commitment to our organization—it is truly amazing.

Sonya Galvan, CEO

TABLE of CONTENTS

Celebrating Our Advocates

3

Snapshots

Focus on Friends

5

Young Professionals for Children 16

Child Advocates Superhero Run

6

Special Thanks

18

Doing Something

8

Upcoming Events

18

A Closer Look

9

Board Voice

19

A Loving Family Forever 10 2

CHILD ADVOCATES

14

Thrive 20

CELEBRATING OUR ADVOCATES with our Volunteer of the Year & Rookie of the Year awards pizza. During the course of the case, the boys’ father passed away due to an drug overdose. Kris ensured that the boys were notified in a healthy way, and that proper steps were taken to allow them to grieve and heal from their father’s death. She has built a strong relationship with their relative caregivers to make sure they are doing okay in the aftermath.

Kris’s diligent work ethic and her passion for our children Every fall, we invite our court gives her confidence when speaking volunteers and families and thank appointed advocates, board and to the judge on the case, and it was advisory board members and our staff her for her 13 years of service in evident as we presented her award Houston’s courts. to gather together to celebrate the to her. Kris was thrilled to have been Our favorite part of the evening, work of our incredible volunteers. It’s chosen, secretly hoping that she though, was having the opportunity one evening each year when we are would be chosen. “I would do this able to express our gratitude for their to announce this year’s Rookie of the work 60 hours a week if they would dedication to speaking up for the best Year and James A. Gwinn Volunteer of let me!” said Kris. Thank you, Kris, for interests of Houston’s abused children. the Year award recipients. your amazing dedication to Houston’s The Rookie of the Year, or ‘ROY’ This year, we gathered in our office abused and neglected children! for drinks, hors d’ouvres and a chance award is designed to recognize a The James A. Gwinn Volunteer court appointed advocate who is for our advocates to get to know of the Year award, or the ‘JAG’, is each other a little better. To culminate on their first or second case and named for one of our late volunteers the evening, we heard from our board has shown an exemplary dedication who showed outstanding commitment to Child Advocates’ mission. They chair Eddy De Los Santos, as well to our mission. This award is Child are independent, take initiative and as retiring family court Judge Judy Advocates’ most prestigious award, are always looking out for the best Warne. Judge Warne thanked each and is given to advocates who have interests of the children they serve. of our volunteers along with their shown independence, an ability This year’s Rookie of the Year, Kris families for the work that they do, to work with all parties on a case Woods, was nominated by her emphasizing the necessity of having and who are instrumental in their advocates to speak up for children in advocacy coordinator, Nicholas casework. Our JAG recipients often the foster care system. She described Alvarado, because of her outstanding go above and beyond to drive the work on a case with three teenage our volunteers as the second mission of Child Advocates forward boys. When their CPS caseworker responders—those who may not be and this year’s recipient is no was not able to visit frequently, Kris first on the scene, but who will take different. made sure that the boys saw her the necessary next steps to make CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE >> regularly to offer them a sense of sure that a traumatized child makes it somewhere safe. We are so grateful normalcy. She would regularly drive PHOTO CREDITS TOP LEFT TO RIGHT: JAG winner Wanda Williams many hours round trip to meet them for the wonderful compassion that with her advocacy coordinator, Keshawna Coleand play laser tag, go bowling or get Judge Warne has shown to our Clark. Rookie of the Year, Kris Woods, with her advocacy coordinator, Nicholas Alvarado.

ADVOCATE NEWS

3

CELEBRATING OUR ADVOCATES (CONTINUED) Wanda Williams has been a court appointed advocate for nearly twenty years, serving a total of 27 children and logging more than 2,000 volunteer hours. Wanda is known for taking on multiple cases at once, and for often taking cases with large sibling groups. She readily offers her time to speak to groups and promote Child Advocates, and has even appeared on television interviews to further our cause. When she’s not working on her casework, you will often find her recruiting her friends and family members to become a volunteer themselves or make a donation to Child Advocates.

Wanda’s most recent case has been particularly memorable and is what prompted her nomination for the JAG award.

The four children on her case are all under the age of six, have special needs and are placed in separate foster homes.

They came into the care of CPS when their parents handcuffed one of the children so he would not leave the house while they used drugs. The mother went to jail and the father was deemed unfit to care for the children, and Child Advocates got involved.

Wanda quickly got to know the children, ensuring that their needs were met. She worked with CPS to begin the search throughout the state of Texas to find them a forever home. Two families came forward as potential placements, but both were denied for justifiable reasons. Shortly after, a family came forward from Florida who was interested in adopting all four children. It was unclear how they would have known about the children since there was not a nationwide search, and Wanda had an uneasy feeling about the situation. This family seemed to resemble one of the families that had been denied, but CPS moved forward with placement anyway. Wanda could not understand why, when proper protocol was not followed.

The family came to Texas, and without Child Advocates’ knowledge, were allowed unsupervised visits with the children, even though they had not been properly licensed as a foster home. Wanda did some research to follow up on her gut feeling, and discovered that the family found out about the children on Facebook, and had no relation to the children. Even still, the family’s home study was approved and the children were placed there. Wanda continued to visit the children regularly and began to notice that it seemed the parents were only interested in adopting three of the four children. She felt they were singling out one of the children because of his special needs. They even changed the names of all of the other children, but did not change his name. The parents falsified reports from therapists and psychiatrists about this child’s behavior, stating that he was aggressive and unsafe for the other children to be around. Wanda had never witnessed any such behaviors.

Wanda expressed her concerns at every opportunity, but she was regularly dismissed.

She was not going to be silenced so easily, though. Wanda and her advocacy coordinator came up with a plan, and convinced the lawyer of the children’s biological mother to call a special hearing. Wanda was able to convey her concerns to a judge, and the court heard her. A special investigator was assigned to the case, and the children were ultimately removed from the foster home. CPS was told to find a new adoptive family for the four children. Wanda helped write a profile for the children and is working diligently to help them find their forever home.

As Wanda’s advocacy coordinator and team leader, Keshawna Cole-Clark, concluded her presentation, she spoke of Wanda’s huge heart and what a joy she is to work PHOTO CREDITS with, saying, “not only is she an amazing advocate, but she has become a dear TOP TO BOTTOM: Marshall West, David friend.” When Wanda realized she was our JAG recipient, her eyes filled with tears.

Quackenbush, Eddy De Los Santos and Bill Livesay at the Volunteer She accepted her award in a room full of applause. She expressed her gratitude and Appreciation Reception. Wanda is her passion for the work that she does, thanking her fellow volunteers for their time surprised by her family after being and efforts in speaking up for Houston’s children. Congratulations Wanda on your named the 2018 JAG award winner. wonderful achievements!

4

CHILD ADVOCATES

FOCUS on FRIENDS It’s been a busy fall for the Friends of Child Advocates! From shopping with children at the Childspree, our annual back-to-school shopping event, to hosting a table filled with games and prizes at the Superhero Run, they have been having fun and helping kids!

Members have also been getting ready for our annual Angels of Hope Luncheon and Fashion Presentation on Tuesday, December 4th at the Royal Sonesta. This year we are privileged to recognize Friends Lifetime member, Brandi Maxwell. Brandi has been a longtime volunteer and supporter of Child Advocates, first attending the luncheon 14 years ago. This beautiful luncheon is being co-chaired

by Nadine Boutros and Laura Davenport, who have been hard at work from the start raising money in support of our mission.

In October, Nadine and Laura hosted a glamorous kick-off party for the luncheon. Laura graciously opened her home to around 75 people who came to show their support of Brandi. Guests enjoyed hand passed hors d’oeuvres and bar service while mingling with new and old Friends alike. Chastiti Horne, who has been a court appointed advocate for more than 20 years, shared her experiences as a volunteer and let everyone know how they can also help abused and neglected children in our community. Brandi also shared her passion for Child Advocates and what has kept her engaged over the years.

On display throughout the party were the amazing and unique raffle items. From amethyst earrings and an in-home wine tasting to a weekend getaway in Galveston and a Houston Texans package, there is something for everyone! The party was complete with models from Neiman Marcus, who showcased gorgeous trends for the coming holiday and spring seasons throughout the entire evening. Longtime supporter and partner Audi Central Houston also exhibited two new vehicles, allowing guests to get a glimpse at their luxurious offerings.

The Friends volunteered again at the annual children’s Holiday Party where they offered manicures for the children at Ginger’s Spa—it’s always a big hit!

Next up, you can find the Friends at Santa’s Warehouse where they will be busy wrapping presents and stuffing stockings to later be distributed to the children we are serving!

PHOTO CREDITS TOP TO BOTTOM: Brandi Maxwell and her daughters, Morgan and Samantha. Chastiti Horne shares her passion for Child Advocates and our children at the Kickoff Party. Chair Laura Davenport, honoree Brandi Maxwell and chair Nadine Boutros at the Angels of Hope Kickoff Party.

READY TO GET MORE INVOLVED? JOIN THE FRIENDS OF CHILD ADVOCATES! Make a difference for Houston’s abused children while spending time with like minded individuals. Membership provides you opportunities to network and make new friends, volunteer for children’s events, fundraise for our cause and more.

For more details, contact Carlos Blandino at (713) 529-1396 ext. 242 or carlos.blandino@childadvocates.org.

ADVOCATE NEWS

5

CHILD ADVOCATES Superhero

Run

On October 20, runners from all around Houston once again put on their best superhero outfits and made their way to CITYCENTRE Houston to run for Houston’s littlest victims in our annual Child Advocates Superhero Run. We celebrated the sixth year of our 5K timed race and 1K kids fun run by having the highest number of runners we have seen out there on race day—more than 1,000 superheroes! From Batman to Wonder Woman, and even families dressed as The Incredibles, every superhero imaginable could be seen out on the course. Our wonderful emcee, Joanna Cramer, as well as volunteers from the Langham Creek High School Key Club and National Charity League helped to cheer them across the finish line.

MRE Consulting, Ltd. and Direct Energy joined us once again as our presenting sponsor and ‘powered by’ sponsor. We welcomed a recordbreaking number of new sponsors this year and we are thrilled to have each of them join our Superhero Run family! Thank you to alliantgroup, Angler Construction, Cason Graye Homes, Crossmark Global Investments, Jeff Kubin, KRJ Management, and Gallagher Benefits Services for helping us give a voice to more of Houston’s abused and neglected children.

The rain held off just long enough for our runners to enjoy the beautiful Memorial area neighborhood and the CITYCENTRE area. Katy Students Run and Draw Academy were our two largest groups on the course, bringing over 150 students to participate. We are so pleased that we could welcome back CEMEX and their employees for the fifth year in a row, consistently filling their team with over 40 runners.

After the race was finished, everyone 6

CHILD ADVOCATES

made their way to the green space to enjoy our post-race party. Children enjoyed games and crafts, and burned off their extra energy by bouncing in the Direct Energy bounce house. Others put their luck to the test in MRE Consulting’s raffle filled with amazing items to take home.

H-E-B provided water, fruit and snacks for all of our runners to refuel after their run, and KHOU’s photo booth helped them document it all.

Even through the drizzly morning, runners stuck around for our award ceremony to cheer for their favorite adult, child and group superhero costume awards.

When the morning festivities were completed, Child Advocates had raised more than $150,000 for the fight against child abuse. Thank you to our incredible event chair Jeff Cotner for supporting this race since its beginning and to our incredible race director Angie Parker for making sure the morning’s race went off without a hitch! It is because of our wonderful and generous sponsors and runners that our 6th annual Superhero Run was a tremendous success!

PHOTO CREDITS LEFT TOP TO BOTTOM: A tiny Wonder Woman shows off her costume before the race begins. Popeye and his dad cross the finish line. A family of “super foods” poses to show off their creative costume.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Race director Angie Parker with her husband Austin and son Axel.

benefi

ting

SPO T O UR T I N G C RNA M E LNAYS Frida T y

AME

R I CA

EV E

NIN

Satu rd

, Ma y3

N SH O OT ING CEN TER S

G PA RTY

ay, M ay 4 NT C E

BAY OU C I TY EV E

honoring

NTE

R

SH E I LA & JEF F BI R MI N GH A M

For more information or to become a sponsor, contact hayley.jaska@childadvocates.org or visit: www.pullforkidsHOUSTON.com ADVOCATE NEWS

7

doing SOMETHING

KENDRA SCOTT

WESTSIDE BRIDGE ACADEMY

ALTAR’D STATE

Kendra Scott designed her first piece of jewelry just 16 years ago, and now her collection is recognized worldwide. Her unique, bold designs compliment any wardrobe—from casual to formal. She and each of her local stores are committed to philanthropy, as is evidenced by the community partnerships established with numerous nonprofits. Kendra Scott generously opened the doors of the Rice Village store to Child Advocates this past June through their ‘Kendra Gives Back’ program.

Guests enjoyed trying on the new summer fashions while sipping wine and tasting hors d’oeuvres. A portion of the proceeds from the evening were donated back to Child Advocates. Child Advocates is grateful to have partnered with Kendra Scott and to everyone who came out to shop for a cause.

The Westside Bridge Academy offers a fun environment where beginners and experts can come to play bridge, a popular card game in existence for more than two centuries. Players can take classes to learn the ropes, be matched with a mentor for one-on-one coaching, or just start playing! For the past four years, Child Advocates has been the recipient of the charity games played in the month of April, which is also Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The Westside Bridge Academy has selected Child Advocates time and again to do their part in helping raise awareness and financial support to put an end to child abuse. Thank you Westside Bridge Academy for your continued support and commitment to causes in our community!

Supporting charities across the community defines Altar’d State, a nationwide retail store featuring women’s fashion, accessories and home decor. Each quarter Altar’d State selects a different area of focus and between August and October, Child Advocates was fortunate to be the beneficiary of Altar’d State’s Mission Mondays.

Every Monday for 10 weeks, 10 percent of all shopping proceeds were donated to support Child Advocates’ mission. We hosted a shopping event on both the first and last Mondays complete with wine and lite bites. We saw many familiar faces and lots of new as people shopped for back to school and fall wardrobes. We cannot thank Altar’d State enough for their generosity toward Child Advocates and consideration of all local charities!

PHOTO CREDITS LEFT TO RIGHT: Shoppers at the Kendra Gives Back event last June.

Members of the Westside Bridge Academy gather for a tournament

8

CHILD ADVOCATES

a closer look: VACATIONS TO GO & REPUBLIC SERVICES

For more than three decades, Vacations To Go has been providing America with exclusive access to last minute, discounted fares for all major cruise lines. Through their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit, Vacations To Go convinced major cruise lines to offer vacant cabins on soon-to-launch cruises at severely reduced rates. By doing so, the cruise lines ensured their ships were at capacity and Vacations To Go was able to offer their clients luxury options at discounted rates. This proved successful and the company has grown over the years, allowing them to invest in their community by supporting nonprofits aligning with their values.

Since 2012, Vacation To Go has been a generous and steadfast supporter of Child Advocates and the Pull for Kids Classic, our largest annual fundraiser. For the past six years, Vacations To Go has attended both the sporting clays tournament and evening party, where they have enjoyed dancing, dinner and live, big board and silent auctions. As this event has grown over the years, Vacations To Go has been there every step of the way. Child Advocates sincerely appreciates Vacations To Go’s valued partnership in service of abused children throughout Harris County.

Join us for

ADVOCACY UNIVERSITY and learn how you can speak up for an abused or neglected child.

Sessions begin...

JANUARY 9 JANUARY 30 APRIL 3

Established in 1996, Republic Services is a Fortune 500 company and the second largest provider of services in the waste industry. With a presence in 41 states and Puerto Rico, Republic Services partners with commercial, industrial, municipal and residential customers, building responsible and cohesive relationships along the way. These relationships include investing in local nonprofits throughout communities where Republic Services has a presence. This includes helping build stronger communities and recovery efforts after disasters.

For nearly two decades, Republic Services has invested in Child Advocates and our mission. As a generous sponsor of the annual Pull for Kids Classic, Republic Services has been crucial to the success of our largest event, year after year. Participating in both the sporting clays classic and the evening party, Republic Services has always had a strong turnout across their company for this event. When we decided to add the Superhero Run six years ago, Republic Services was quick to expand its partnership to include sponsoring our annual fun run as well. We are truly grateful to Republic Services for choosing to invest in our mission and we look forward to many years of continued success!

Learn more at www.childadvocates.org/ BeAChampion ADVOCATE NEWS

9

Three sisters together for a lifetime thanks to their advocate.

A LOVING FAMILY FOREVER: Frank Rosie first became an advocate in 1998. Having grown up in a tight-knit family himself, Frank was always fond of kids. So, when a friend from law school told him about Child Advocates, it seemed like a great way to incorporate his experience as a lawyer with his passion for children. After graduating from Child Advocates’ training program, Advocacy University, Frank became convinced of the important role he could fill as an advocate.

For someone so committed to his family, it broke Frank’s heart to see families that didn’t have a strong bond or that had been destroyed by drug abuse, physical and emotional abuse, or neglect. The ones who always suffered the most were the children. As an advocate, he dedicated himself to helping abused children see that there is a different way of life out there, with adults who genuinely care about protecting and caring for them.

In September 2009, Frank accepted a case with a newborn little girl named Anyiah. Anyiah came into the care of Child Protective Services (CPS) just days after she was born as a result of her biological mother’s addiction.

Her alleged biological father was out of state and unable to take custody, so she was placed in the care of her maternal great grandmother, and the judge appointed Child Advocates to her case. Frank never could have imagined the impression that Anyiah would leave on him for years to come.

Once Frank was assigned to the case, he made his initial visit to meet Anyiah at her great grandmother’s home. The home was clean and safe, and Anyiah appeared to be doing okay with plenty to eat. Frank observed that she was well loved by 10

CHILD ADVOCATES

her great grandmother, but he had concerns about her ability to care for Anyiah long term. Her home study had been denied because of her own past, and Frank was concerned about her physical ability to take care of Anyiah. She was also unable to find appropriate care for Anyiah when she was at work and mentioned that Anyiah’s biological mother would come and go from her home without notice. Frank did not feel confident that this home was the best place for Anyiah to stay long term.

Anyiah had already endeared herself to the adults that were in the room, in kind of a unique way.”

At the same time, Frank worked alongside CPS to learn more about Anyiah’s biological mom. The authorities attempted to locate her so that she could begin working on her court-ordered services, but they were unable to find her. She seemed to have disappeared after Anyiah was born.

When the judge first moved Anyiah from her great grandmother’s home, it was also ordered that Anyiah could have regular visits with her, since they had already developed a bond.

Frank regularly attended their visits to observe their interactions and try to learn more about Anyiah’s biological mother. Her great grandmother had been in regular contact with Anyiah’s alleged biological father, and she offered new suggestions for possible relative placements.

Frank was open to each suggestion, but CPS decided to request a paternity test to verify that he actually was Anyiah’s biological father before they would move forward with new placement options.

The paternity test was negative, ruling out any potential relatives for Anyiah to live with.

Frank, together with CPS and Anyiah’s attorney, decided that Anyiah should be moved to a foster home. The judge granted their request and they arranged a meeting through a local adoption agency to review available placements. The team was shown three potential families, and Frank was immediately drawn to the profile of Dahria and Rob Driskell.

Everyone agreed that the Driskell home would be the right placement for Anyiah, and Dahria and Rob were notified that they had been matched with a little girl.

“Anyiah was five and a half months old when she arrived at our house.

She was this cute little thing, but she had about four adults with her. She came with a CPS worker, an adoption agency representative, Frank and his Child Advocates coordinator, Nichol,” Dahria Driskell recalled, “You could tell that there was already a connection.

Each month, Frank visited the Driskell family to check on Anyiah. He brought clothes and toys for her, sitting on the floor with her while she played. He watched as she grew and developed and overcame health issues like ear infections and acid reflux. He kept up with her recommendations from Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), and stayed in regular contact with Rob and Dahria about how she was doing.

With each new development in the case, it

became increasingly clear that it was in Anyiah’s best interest to stay with the Driskells where she was growing and thriving. Frank saw the opportunity for Anyiah to feel safe and grow up with a stable family and parents who adored her. “I learned early on that when infants or young children are involved, it is absolutely critical to get them out of what could be a potentially bad situation or bad environment,” Frank said.

After more than six months without contact from Anyiah’s biologocial mother, the judge terminated her parental rights.

Rob and Dahria were notified that they would be able to adopt Anyiah, and their case was transferred to a group that helped prepare children for adoption. Frank began to close the case as Anyiah’s advocate and made plans to celebrate with her family on adoption day.

Then, in September of 2010, Rob Driskell received a call that stopped him in his tracks. CPS called, asking if they would be interested in caring for Anyiah’s sister who had just been born a few days prior. “I nearly dropped the phone,” Rob said. They had always known they wanted to have multiple children in their home, but they never imagined that those children would be siblings, or children so close in age.

They decided it was an opportunity they couldn’t turn down.

“We knew we could never give Anyiah that biological connection on our own. We knew that we would have to answer to Anyiah as an adult and say: when we were faced with this decision, this is what

we did,” Dahria said. Anyiah’s younger sister, Amarah came into the Driskell home on the anniversary date that Anyiah had joined them. Exactly one year later.

They immediately called Frank to tell him the news. “For us, that was our next call.” Dahria said, and they asked him, “What do we need to do to have you join us in this?”

Frank had left an impression on the Driskells—he was warm, supportive and communicative. After first meeting Frank, they felt like everyone they worked with would have the same demeanor and were surprised when they did not. “Frank set the bar really high for other people we came into contact with. He kind of spoiled us,” said the Driskells. Rob and Dahria couldn’t imagine adding another child to their home and not having Frank on the case.

Frank worked with his advocacy coordinator and requested to be assigned to Amarah’s case so he could help make sure the process went smoothly. He believed that by advocating for Anyiah and Amarah at the same time, he would ensure that their needs were being met and that they would be able to grow up together in a loving home.

Anyiah and Amarah’s biological mother was still nowhere to be found. Since her parental rights for Anyiah had already been terminated, it CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE >>

PHOTO CREDITS LEFT TO RIGHT: Anyiah reunited with her advocacy coordinator, Frank Rosie. Anyiah, Amarah and Alivia on the first day of school.

Aniyah and Amarah making silly faces.

ADVOCATE NEWS

11

A LOVING FAMILY FOREVER: THREE SISTERS TOGETHER FOR A LIFETIME THANKS TO THEIR ADVOCATE (CONT.) seemed likely that the judge would do the same for Amarah. Frank made regular visits, following up on doctor’s appointments and being a presence at each court hearing. At one of the final court hearings, Anyiah and Amarah’s biological mother showed up and claimed she wanted to work services to regain custody of her daughter. The judge acknowledged that she had not been present but he allowed her to work her plan toward reunification, however, she could not meet the immediate requests of the court and reunification was denied. Rob and Dahria were able to meet the girls’ biological mother that day and showed her photos of both girls, reassuring her that they were well cared for and loved.

On Anyiah and Amarah’s adoption day, a third little girl was standing before the judge with the family.

12

CHILD ADVOCATES

Another little sister, Alivia, had been born just a week before their adoption hearing, and the Driskell family welcomed her into their home as well.

Frank had supported Anyiah and Amarah, guiding them into a wonderful and loving family. The judge determined that after the work Frank had done on Anyiah and Amarah’s cases, Alivia’s case would be clear-cut and did not need the presence of an advocate.

Frank maintained a relationship with the family, but was not appointed as Alivia’s advocate like he had been with Anyiah and Amarah. Alivia’s adoption was not finalized until more than two years later. “I think that speaks of the efficiency that’s there when Child Advocates is part of a case,” Dahria said, “because it was

clearly there with the other two girls.

That oversight was crucial … It speaks to the overwhelmed system.”

Eight years later, Anyiah, Amarah and Alivia are three sisters who are inseparable. Each of them is aware that they are adopted, and have begun asking questions about how they joined the Driskell family. Rob and Dahria are quick to mention Frank and the role he played in helping bring them all together. When you ask the Driskells about what it would have felt like without Frank, they say, “The first word that comes to mind is lost. I feel like he gave us experience in a situation we weren’t really prepared for. He navigated it and went before us.” Dahria Driskell said “He was the one that was on their side and representing them 100%. As much as we felt like we were advocating for our kids, we kind

of felt like he was their ambassador.”

Frank has never forgotten the special bond he developed with the Driskell family. Eight years later he can still recall the joy that he experienced by helping bring three sisters together.

Frank remembers just how rewarding it was to be part of finding a family for Anyiah that would love and care for her the rest of her life. Even after years of volunteering and dozens of children he has helped, bringing this family together that has so much love to give is one of the most rewarding things he has done. The Driskell family is still very special to Frank.

When Frank was asked about the impact he made for the Driskell girls, he humbly said, “We didn’t do anything magical or extraordinary.

We were just there to make sure that the process worked and to make sure that these girls got placed with a family that would love them and take care of them. Sometimes that’s all it takes … I always tell people that they don’t all have a happy ending, but some of them do and that’s what makes it all worth it. And this one, I can’t think of a better ending. It stands out.” n written by Lauren Bair Thank you to Alyssa Beach for your wonderful photography and to the Driskell family for sharing your story with us.

This February, get two free oil changes with a donation to Child Advocates.

Help make a lasting impact for Houston’s abused children with an everyday task.

For details, visit www.carprosforkids.com ADVOCATE NEWS

13

snapSHOTS

14

CHILD ADVOCATES

ADVOCATE NEWS

15

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS for CHILDREN Young Professionals for Children (YPC) is a vibrant group of young adults who are passionate about making an impact in the lives of Houston’s abused and neglected children. While Child Advocates is committed to helping children find safe and permanent homes where they can thrive, YPC helps provide amazing memories for them during their time in care.

In June, YPC members filled a hot sunny day with activities for our children. With support from Tenaris and Whataburger, 60 of our children were able to play outdoor laser tag, splash around on water slides and simply cool off from the hot summer day. While the other children were sliding down slides and playing with water guns, one little girl was perfectly content with a water hose, giggling and splashing with the members. The annual Water Day was a wonderful success—there wasn’t a face there that didn’t have a smile on it.

The Child Advocates Childspree in August gave our children an opportunity to head back to school in style. Eight Target locations opened their doors early to allow our kids to shop for brand new clothes and shoes for the year ahead. YPC members gathered at one store and had a wonderful morning shopping with the kids. Two of our members, who finished shopping with their kids early, went back to the store to help again—they soon found themselves shopping with eight teenage boys.

You could hear their laughter echoing throughout the store as they searched for their favorite items.

After a morning full of shopping with our children, our members enjoyed brunch where they shared their stories.

16

CHILD ADVOCATES

Before summer came to a close, YPC invited Child Advocates teenagers out for a Roller Skating Party. The group threw it back to the 90s with neon colors and sweatbands. YPC members took laps around the rink, teaching some kids to skate for the very first time. One of our children grabbed onto a member for fear of falling and felt safe knowing that the member was there to hold her up. It was a memorable day with big smiles everywhere thanks to our sponsor TEPA. In October, nearly 150 children gathered at the Downtown YMCA for a magical Halloween experience.

Thanks to our generous donors who supported us through Facebook, YPC was able to gift every child who came with their very own costume to take home! The children got to choose their costume and many wore it throughout the day while they played games and trick-ortreated. It was a simple, carefree day that many of our kids won’t forget.

YPC is passionate about giving joy to abused and neglected children in the Houston area. While our children have experienced difficult circumstances, they are still able to enjoy the excitement of simply being a kid.

If you are interested in joining YPC and making a difference in the lives of abused and neglected children in the Houston area, we would love to have you. To get involved, visit www.childadvocates.org/ypc or email ruby.washington@childadvocates.org.

PHOTO CREDITS TOP TO BOTTOM: YPC Chair Coby Lazarine entertaining one of the children at Water Day. Childspree volunteers enjoying brunch after an early morning of shopping. Chase Philpot saying farewell to a young man after spending the morning shopping at Childspree. Crafting at the YPC Halloween party. YPC members help teach a young girl to skate for the first time.

Leaving a lasting legacy.

For more than 30 years, David Baird worked for Exxon and successes in his career brought him to Houston. Because of Exxon’s volunteer-oriented culture, David learned about Child Advocates.

“I believe in the cause and the kids, and what we try and do for a segment of kids that often don’t receive a lot of focused attention. That appealed to me.” David ultimately joined the Child Advocates board in 1997 and has been a member ever since.

David is a father of three and a grandfather. When it came time to establish his estate plans, he recognized that his family members were in good shape financially, so he turned his attention to allocating dollars to the organizations that he cares for. Through our planned giving program, David joined the Bernie Powell Legacy Society and designated Child Advocates as a beneficiary in his estate plans.

“I don’t want to be the richest guy in the graveyard,” he said.

Through his involvement with Child Advocates, David realized that organizations thrive on two needs: advocates and dollars. “We’re always trying to grow both of those … the sooner we can get the dollars out there to benefit the kids through volunteers, the sooner we can make progress toward helping kids that need us,” said David. David knows that it is not always popular to talk about the need for financial resources, but that in this day and age it is what drives an organization forward.

For David, the process was as simple as filling out a few forms, and he would encourage anyone else with a connection to Child Advocates to simply just get started. “Sometimes it is hard to start thinking ahead to what you’ll do when you’re gone, but it is not a process to be intimidated by.”

A HEARTFELT THANKS TO OUR CURRENT MEMBERS… Ms. Mary E. Ainslie Mr. David Baird Mr. Jeff Cotner Mrs. Jane Dabney Mr. and Mrs. Tom Farrell Mr. and Mrs. Rex Grey

Mr. and Mrs. Hub Hawthorn Ms. Betty Joe Haynes Mr. Edwin Jennings Mrs. Lucile Melcher Ms. Alice Minatra Mrs. Alison Comstock Moss Mrs. Susan Patterson

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Powell Mr. and Mrs. Brad Robbins Mr. and Mrs. Jim Sloan Swalm Foundation Mrs. Nancy Thorington Ms. Lynda Lighthouse Transier

To learn more about our planned giving program, contact Emily Bhatti at (713) 529-1396 ext. 248 or emily.bhatti@childadvocates.org.

DOUBLE OR EVEN TRIPLE YOUR GIFT! Many companies participate in gift matching programs.

Some companies will even match gifts made by retirees and spouses of employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, please visit: www.matchinggifts.com/childadvocates.

ADVOCATE NEWS

17

special THANKS Childspree – Thanks to Target and Shipley Do-Nuts for providing breakfast for our kids and volunteers. Thank you to NAI Partners and GS Marketing, Inc. for donating backpacks and school supplies to help our kids start the year strong.

Superhero Run – Thank you to Enterprise Truck Rentals for donating the rental of a cargo van to use the weekend of the race. Thanks to H-E-B Foods for the water and snacks for our runners and to Orion EMS for keeping them safe.

Thank you to Hotel Sorella CityCentre for donating hotel rooms. Thank you to LJA Engineering for providing our permits and traffic control plan for the race and to Whataburger for breakfast for our volunteers.

Volunteer Appreciation Reception – Thank you to Alpha Graphics for printing our invitations. Thanks to Big Ass Balloons, River Oaks Donuts and Spectrum for helping make our event a success.

Young Professionals for Children – Thank you to Whataburger for providing food for Water Day, and a special thanks to Tellespan YMCA for donating your space for our children’s Halloween party.

We would like to give a special thank you to Alyssa Beach Photography for the beautiful cover story photos and Anna Jane Hilbrich with Dolls for All for your gift of American Girl dolls for our children. Thank you to AG Antiques for the gift cards, Bob Kossman and the Knights of Columbus and Cameron L. Gallagher for the diapers and wipes, HP, Inc. for providing new laptops and equipment, Andrea Peterson for providing furniture for one of our families and to Jamie Roll as well as the Mattress Firm Foundation for giving school supplies, shoes, clothes and toys to our children. All of you helped give our children hope and brighter days.

upcoming EVENTS

goals UPDATE

December

4 Angels of Hope Luncheon & Fashion Presentation 4 - 10 Santa’s Wish List January

9 Advocacy University Begins

DOLLARS RAISED

4,187,928 RAISED | GOAL: $5,847,400 AS OF 10/31/2018

$

VOLUNTEERS CERTIFIED

20 Chevron Houston Marathon Hoopla Station

Come cheer on our Child Advocates team of runners

30 Advocacy University Begins

February

All Car Pros for Kids March 30 - 31 McDonald’s Houston Children’s Festival Join us for the largest children’s festival in the U.S. April

3 Advocacy University Begins

Daytime and evening sessions available TBD Wine & Whiskey Happy Hour

Help us collect bottles for the Pull for Kids Classic!

May

3 Pull for Kids Classic

Sporting Clays Tournament

4 Pull for Kids Classic

Evening Party 18

CHILD ADVOCATES

292 CERTIFIED | GOAL: 325 AS OF 11/16/2018

CHILDREN SERVED

2242 SERVED | GOAL: 2550 AS OF 11/16/2018

VISIT US ONLINE! www.childadvocates.org OR FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FACEBOOK Child Advocates

INSTAGRAM @ChildAdvocates

board VOICE: David Winn Growing up in a small town, David Winn learned the value of community engagement. His upbringing instilled in him a close connection to community. When he began looking for ways to engage and give of his time, he looked for organizations that really meant something to him and would keep him coming back. “I thought about Child Advocates because my sister served as a foster parent in Kansas in the 80s before there was a CASA program. Then, when CASA was formed there she joined and she has been an advocate ever since. Hearing her stories, I thought I came from a tough background, but nothing compares. You see how she’s had an impact,” said David.

David had previously served on the board for other children’s organizations but became involved with Child Advocates nearly eight years ago. Six of those years have been spent as a member of our board of directors. David has served serveral committees, and chaired a few of them as well. As the chair of our strategy committee, David helped develop a stakeholder survey to bring clarity to the organization and set us up for years to come.

The survey helped Child Advocates really identify areas where we could grow, as well as affirm the many things we were already doing effectively.

“It gave everyone a renewed focus and commitment,” David recalls.

Currently, David is also a member of the board for Texas CASA and helps give input as a liason for our local Houston program. “I think Texas CASA realized the benefits of having someone from the local programs. Obviously, Texas CASA does not serve children, but it serves a critical role in getting the resources to the 72 organizations in the state that do serve children ... it also benefits Child Advocates and it’s important to have their perspective,” David said.

In 2019, David will take on the role of our board chair, and is excited to help Child Advocates continue to grow and be successful. “Nothing has changed with what we’re trying to do, we’re just trying to do it better. Not just more, but better ... I’d say as board chair, it’s making sure that the board is united in how we can better enable the organization to meet the needs that are out there,” said David.

When he’s not working as a CPA and partner for Grant Thornton LLP, David enjoys golfing and keeping up with college sports. His two sons are both in college at rival schools, so he enjoys following their football teams.

When asked about his favorite moments with Child Advocates, he mentions wrapping presents and building bikes for Santa’s Wish List. He appreciates that among the statistics and the stories, he is able to make an impact that is tangible.

Child Advocates is grateful to have the dedication and heart that David brings to the table, and we are looking forward to seeing the impact he will make over the next two years. n written by Lauren Bair ADVOCATE NEWS

19

3701 Kirby Drive, Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77098 WWW.CHILDADVOCATES.ORG

NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE -PAIDCHILD ADVOCATES, INC. PERMIT NO. 06664 HOUSTON, TX

2018 BOARD CHAIR

Eddy De Los Santos LEGAL COUNSEL

Suzie Thomas TREASURER / FINANCE CHAIR

David Winn EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Advocate News is published twice annually by Child Advocates, Inc., Ashley Brockette, Editor.

This newsletter is designed and published by Child Advocates, Inc. Houston, Texas 77098.

All rights reserved. Any use of materials herein in any form including, but not limited to photocopying, transcribing, excerpting or any print or electronic reproduction for any purpose for any reason without prior written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. ©2018

thrive When court appointed advocate Marc Kutner first met Jordan*, he was dirty, aggressive and unkempt. Jordan came into protective care at the age of seven when his mom was arrested for the unlawful possession of a weapon and crack cocaine while he was in the car with her.

He reported seeing her use drugs on multiple occassions. In the first month that Marc was on the case, he visited Jordan six different times because he could tell he was struggling.

Jordan’s aggressive outbursts resulted in his admission to a psychiatric hospital, and forced him to be moved several times in the first couple of months. Marc noticed that Jordan rarely left his home or saw other children outside of school because his caregiver was unable to drive. Her home was determined to be unsafe and unclean for Jordan, and after one additional failed placement, he moved to live with his great aunt in Florida.

Marc remained on Jordan's case and FaceTimed with him regularly to check on him. His new caregiver helped him get acclamated to a new school and quickly enrolled him in after-school activities where he could spend time with other children. Jordan began taking karate classes and found a healthy outlet for his emotions. Even after the case was closed, Marc kept in touch with Jordan and received photos when he leveled up in his Karate class. Jordan’s outbursts have calmed down, he’s excelling in school and he is comfortable in his new home. Marc’s investment in Jordan’s social and emotional well-being helped give him confidence to move forward. Even after a trying few years, Jordan is thriving thanks to the friend he found in his advocate. n *Names were changed to help protect parties of the story.

20

CHILD ADVOCATES

Manu Asthana Jeff Manley Dana O’Brien Brad Robbins Mark Smith Shelley Washburn BOARD MEMBERS

David Baird Hildegarde Ballard Rick Burnett Jane Dabney David Davis K. K. Eschbach Caroline Finkelstein Terrence Gee Georgina Goodnight Paul Grabowski Michelle Gray Cherie Hassenflu Kelly Hawkins Grace Holmes Joan Huffman Dwayne Hyzak Florence Langford Brian Mandell Ron Orsini Joy Posoli Leslie Powell David Quackenbush Frank Rynd Ellie Sweeney Dolly Dawson Thomas Nancy Thorington Steven Wyatt

Child Advocates mobilizes court appointed volunteers to break the vicious cycle of child abuse.

We speak up for abused children who are lost in the system and guide them into safe environments where they can thrive.