Advocate News - Spring/Summer 2018

SPRING / SUMMER 2018

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

TRUE TRANSFORMATION–FOUR SIBLINGS RETURN HOME WITH THE HELP OF THEIR ADVOCATE HONORING DIRECT ENERGY WITH A RAD 80S PARTY ADVOCATE NEWS

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CEO’S letter Hi everyone, We are approaching the halfway mark of 2018. While we have accomplished a lot in just six short months, there is still more work to be done. We have big goals this year as we work to certify 325 new court appointed advocates, support 900 total advocates in their casework and ultimately serve 2,550 of Houston’s abused children.

While our number one goal is always to help children find homes where they can thrive, we also want to bring a little bit of hope and joy along the way.

Young Professionals for Children (YPC) and the Friends of Child Advocates have done just that! YPC hosted a fun Valentine’s Day party with candy and games and took many of our kids to the Houston Zoo for an afternoon outing.

The Friends hosted their annual Easter Egg Hunt and more than 70 children gathered to hunt for candy and play in a bounce house. Our children even helped create a one-of-a-kind art piece that we auctioned off at our Pull for Kids Classic – it sold for $1,100! There will be more events to come with these two groups, so stay tuned for more ways to get involved.

This year’s Pull for Kids Classic honored longtime supporter Direct Energy with a fun 1980s Remix theme. Guests gathered at Bayou City Event Center in their iconic 80s outfits -- complete with fanny packs, crimped hair and colorful blazers. We shared the story of Coy and a young man he helped named Damarius during our program, and I encourage you to watch the full video at www.childadvocates.org/Damarius. You can also read more about Coy’s incredible work on the next page. It’s children like Damarius that keep us motivated, and we couldn’t do any of it without your support. If you are looking to get more involved or know someone who would be a great advocate, please share our mission with them and help us give a voice to more of Houston’s abused children.

I look forward to seeing what the next few months hold as we celebrate the summer and head into all of our fall activities. As always, thank you for being such an important part of the Child Advocates organization.

PHOTO CREDITS COVER: The Reid family with their court appointed advocate, Molly Tipps.

THIS PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM: Brandi Maxwell, Vicsandra Jones, Laura Davenport, Amy Pannagl and Nadine Boutros show off their 80s outfits.

Coy Wheeler, Damarius and Sonya at the Pull for Kids Classic. Children painting a pinwheel at the Friends of Child Advocates Easter Egg Hunt.

TABLE of CONTENTS

Thank you for your continued support, Sonya Galvan, CEO

Honoring Direct Energy

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Snapshots

14

Focus on Friends

5

Upcoming Events

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Young Professionals for Children

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Special Thanks

17

Doing Something

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Board Voice

18

A Closer Look

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Thrive 20

True Transformation 10 2

CHILD ADVOCATES

HONORING DIRECT ENERGY with a rad 80s party for the annual Pull for Kids Classic The 26th annual Pull for Kids Classic began with a beautiful Friday afternoon sporting clays tournament at American Shooting Centers. The individual and team competitions, raffle, comradery, food and drink made for a great start to our signature event, this year split over the course of two days.

sponsor of our Superhero Run and their employees have volunteered countless hours toward furthering our mission.

Their support, enthusiasm and generosity have made a remarkable impact, and we were thrilled to honor them this year. Before leaving the The Pull for Kids has always offered a stage, Manu introduced our video presentation, sharing casual and fun atmosphere, but this year we took things back to our roots the story of Damarius and a little bit with a 1980s Remix themed his advocate, Coy. evening party. The night began with Damarius met his drinks and perusing our auctions advocate, Coy, after while everyone took photos of their entering foster care for the third bright costumes and big hair amidst time. Damarius’ mother had a history an installation of Slinkies and Rubik’s of violence, used drugs heavily and cubes. Guests purchased custom often left him without food to eat. airbrushed hats and previewed which When Damarius was tazed and his life of the live auction items they hoped was threatened by his mother, Child to bid on, including a sweet rescue Protective Services removed Damarius puppy named Bailey they could meet from his home, and his mother’s face to face. parental rights were terminated.

Custody of Damarius was given to Once guests sat down for dinner, the state, with plans for him to stay event chair Traci Jensen welcomed in care until he turned 18. Over the everyone, sharing her love for Child course of one school year, Damarius Advocates and her very personal went to five different high schools. role as a court appointed advocate.

While he was a good student, he Traci and her husband Derrick simply couldn’t keep up. have seen firsthand the impact that Child Advocates makes for Houston’s abused children, and offered enthusiastic support for our cause. Traci then introduced our 2018 Honoree, Direct Energy.

Manu Asthana, President of Direct Energy Home, spoke and told of his company’s involvement over the years, and his desire for them to grow their resources in order to give back to our mission. Manu and Direct Energy have been involved with Child Advocates since 2008. As a company they have participated in our Santa’s Wish List program, been the title

Coy developed a special bond with Damarius from the very beginning.

When he saw how much Damarius was struggling with school, Coy asked the judge for a court order to prevent CPS from changing Damarius’ school again. He sought out a high school with a credit recovery program and made sure Damarius could be enrolled. The judge granted Coy’s request, and slowly Damarius caught up.

In the video, Coy recalled, “Damarius told me, ‘I just want to go to school. I

PHOTO CREDITS TOP TO BOTTOM: Manu Asthana receives an award on behalf of Direct Energy. Coy Wheeler speaks to our guests with Damarius by his side.

The team from Allliance Graphics takes home the first place prize at our Sporting Clays Tournament.

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE >>

ADVOCATE NEWS

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HONORING DIRECT ENERGY WITH A RAD 80s PARTY FOR THE ANNUAL PULL FOR KIDS CLASSIC (CONTINUED) want to graduate and I want to go to college.’ So we made sure he didn’t fall through the cracks.” In May of 2017, Coy and his staff coordinator Brandon Drake had the privilege of attending Damarius’ graduation from high school. Damarius became the first person in his family to ever earn a diploma. Brandon recalled, “I remember the first time I met Damarius. I was picking him up from a foster home [when I still worked for CPS]… he was bawling crying.

Tears everywhere. I told him, ‘It’s going to be alright. You’ll be fine.’ And then seeing him walk across the stage, I was the guy bawling. Seeing a child who started from here at the age of 11, and now he’s 19 years old graduating and going to college. I believe that’s the main reason why we’re here.

To break that cycle.”

The video concluded with footage of Damarius on campus at Sam Houston State University, where he is currently studying with hopes of one day becoming a judge.

His desire is to help other children in foster care like himself. When the video ended, Coy and Damarius were standing on stage, arm in arm, as the room full of guests gave him a standing ovation. Coy shared from his own experience about the importance of his work as an advocate, and encouraged guests to give generously and become a volunteer.

PHOTO CREDITS TOP TO BOTTOM: Nicole and Eddy De Los Santos with their new puppy Bailey. Scott and Shelley Washburn, along with Alfonso Hernandez and Leslie Hollingsworth enjoying the Pull for Kids.

Nadine Boutros dancing to Molly & the Ringwalds.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Molly & the Ringwalds entertains the crowd with 80s tunes.

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CHILD ADVOCATES

Our auctioneer transitioned the program by asking guests to sponsor a child, and children served by Child Advocates gathered sponsorship cards from around the room. The auctioneer then invited guests who had purchased a glow stick to join him for a game of “Heads or Tails” where participants were narrowed

down with the flip of a coin to win a Yeti cooler full of prizes. The game got interesting when he auctioned off a chance for someone who had been eliminated to buy back in to the game. Following the game, we began our live auction which included packages ranging from a girls night out to see Taylor Swift in the Direct Energy suite to a VIP wine tasting trip to Napa Valley to tickets for ‘Hamilton’ in Chicago.

After the live auction ended, guests for our first ever After Party joined in on the fun. The crowd wasted no time gathering to dance to cover band, Molly & the Ringwalds and the dance floor stayed full until the party ended at midnight. Because of the incredible leadership from Traci & Derrick Jensen, along with committee chairs Charlsa Allen, Jeff Birmingham, Rick Burnett, Lysa Elkins, Christine Gabriel, Georgina Goodnight, Kelly Hawkins, Bobbi Jo Miller, Angela Morgan Malone, Bernadette Payne & Steve Wyatt, the 2018 Pull for Kids raised nearly $600,000 to give a voice to Houston’s abused children. We are so grateful to everyone who joined us for this year’s totally rad event.

Visit www.childadvocates.org/ Damarius to see the full video or visit pullforkidsHOUSTON.com to learn more about our annual Pull for Kids Classic. n

FOCUS on FRIENDS In May, the Friends of Child Advocates held their first member social of the year. Lifetime member Christine Gabriel graciously welcomed new and old members alike to her beautifully renovated home. Guests enjoyed savory appetizers and delectable desserts while learning more about upcoming opportunities with the Friends in the coming year. President Michelle Gray talked about the Childspree in August and Holiday Party in November and how the Friends contribute. These fun, child-centric events allow the children we serve to enjoy some unique and memorable experiences during a difficult time in their young lives. Guests also heard from Chastiti Horne, a court appointed advocate for the past 22 years who has served over 45 children. Chastiti shared that she became an advocate while in law school because she wanted to help end child abuse. She considers every child she has been appointed to serve as one of her own and her most important contribution to each child is simply being there for them.

PHOTO CREDITS TOP TO BOTTOM: Chastiti Horne speaks to the Friends of Child Advcoates about her work as a court appointed advocate. Brandi Maxwell and Laura Davenport at the membership social.

We are also very excited to announce the Angels of Hope Luncheon will take place on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 at the Royal Sonesta. This year we are honoring Brandi Maxwell for her years of commitment to Child Advocates and the children we serve. Her close friends Nadine Boutros and Laura Davenport are chairing the event this year. Brandi has been a longtime supporter of the Angels of Hope Luncheon, first attending in 2004. From there she became a committed member of the Friends of Child Advocates. Brandi has done everything from stuffing eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt and painting fingernails at the Holiday Party to helping with crafts at the Houston Children’s Festival to shopping with a child at the Childspree. Brandi has also been a longtime supporter of the Pull for Kids. She regularly attends and also helps with the set up for the event. Brandi has been a hands on volunteer since day one and we are honored to recognize her dedication and generosity.

T UESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2 018 R OYA L SONESTA HO USTO N GALLERIA

honoring BRANDI MAXWELL

chaired by N A DIN E BO UTROS AND LAURA DAVENPO RT

For tickets and sponsorship information, contact Carlos Blandino at 713-529-1396 ext. 242

ADVOCATE NEWS

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS for CHILDREN Young Professionals for Children (YPC) is a group of caring individuals who want to make an impact in the lives of Houston’s abused children.

YPC supports Child Advocates by providing fun activities for the children we serve and allowing them the chance to feel like a child during a difficult time.

This dynamic group closed out 2017 by bringing a little joy to Child Advocates children for the holiday season. YPC members volunteered for our Santa’s Wish List program, wrapping hundreds of presents that would be delivered all over our city.

They didn’t slow down when 2018 rolled around, and spent the winter and early spring hosting a ‘Meet & Greet’, putting together fun and unique childrens’ events, throwing a Valentine’s party and taking more than 50 kids to “explore the wild” at the Houston Zoo!

Looking ahead, the summer and fall will surely hold just as much joy and excitement for our children. In June we will host our Water Day sponsored by Tenaris, and help our kids celebrate the summer and keep cool in the heat with water balloons, inflatables and laser tag. Then in August, YPC members will get the chance to shop one-on-one with our kids to help them get ready to go back to school at the annual Child Advocates Childspree.

YPC not only gives our children a memorable time and unique activities, but also gives them hope.

During the most difficult time in their lives, YPC is able to give joy and fun to children who need it most.

Whether you’re looking to help a child or make a few new like-minded friends, now is the perfect time to join YPC. Learn more by emailing christine.howard@childadvocates.org.

UPCOMING YPC EVENTS June 23

Water Day

August 18

Childspree

September 16

Children’s Roller Skating Party

October 27

Children’s Halloween Party

November 18

Children’s Holiday Party

Find out more and get involved at

WWW.CHILDADVOCATES.ORG/YPC

The Valentine’s Day party in February was full of love as more than 60 children participated in crafts, games and cookie decorating.

Many of them went home covered in fun temporary tattoos and with a sugar rush from all the treats and candy. Many thanks to Tellespan YMCA for donating the space, and to Whataburger for providing lunch!

For many of the children Child Advocates helps, an outing at the zoo just isn’t possible. YPC was able to invite them out for a special activity their circumstances typically wouldn’t allow, and our members had so much fun taking over 50 children to explore the wild in March. The children saw their favorite animals and even got behind-the-scenes treatment with a special presentation from a zookeeper. You could tell from the excitement on the kids’ faces that this was something they would always remember.

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CHILD ADVOCATES

PHOTO CREDITS TOP TO BOTTOM: Chase Philpot enjoys a Valentine’s treat with one of our children.

YPC Volunteers at the Houston Zoo. Watching the animals with our children. A sweet craft created at the Valentine’s Day Party.

CALLING ALL SUPERHEROES!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2018 CITYCENTRE HOUSTON

|

5K & 1K FUN RUN

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN & SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE STILL AVAILABLE WWW.SUPERHERORUNHOUSTON.COM

doing SOMETHING

HOUSTON CLUB

CAR PROS FOR KIDS

RUN FOR A REASON

The Houston Club has a tradition of excellence in an atmosphere steeped in history. Generations of Houstonians have enjoyed the amenities offered there—everything from networking events and fine-dining experiences to various holiday and cultural events. The Houston Club also has a commitment to philanthropy and provides its members opportunities throughout the year to become more engaged in their community. Earlier this year, thanks to Dana O’Brien, the Houston Club selected Child Advocates as its February beneficiary of Drinks, Drafts, and Donations. This happy hour on the 49th floor of One Shell Plaza offered an opportunity for the Child Advocates community to engage with members of the Houston Club. Everyone enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres and refreshing cocktails while taking in the spectacular Houston skyline at sunset.

Child Advocates thanks the Houston Club and its members who joined us that evening.

Car Pros for Kids was started in 1992 by Byron Rusk, owner of Master Car Care and RMS Auto Car. He created an opportunity to engage his colleagues and help abused children at the same time. Every February, car shops around Houston commit to two free oil changes when a $35 donation is made to Child Advocates. Nearly $600,000 has been raised over the years!

We are especially thankful to Auto World West Loop, Beckwith’s Car Care, Cornerstone Automotive – Wilcrest, Cornerstone Automotive – Dairy Ashford, Kacal’s Auto and Truck Service, Itzy’s Auto Repair Service, Master Car Care and RMS Auto Care for participating in Car Pros for Kids this past February!

Your generosity supports our advocates who serve abused children across the city.

For 21 years, Child Advocates has had the privilege of being an official Chevron Houston

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CHILD ADVOCATES

Marathon Run for a Reason

charity. Over the past two decades, hundreds of runners have selected Child Advocates as their charity of choice. Runners commit to not only running a full or half marathon, but also to raising essential dollars to support our mission. In 2018, we were fortunate to have 12 runners – a combination of experienced and beginner runners – who chose to fundraise for Child Advocates. Thank you to Scott Benoit, Paula Carrillo, Nicole Cox, Tristan Downey, Eric Dulany, Greg Dundas, Catherine Genzer, Coby Lazarine, Alex Marquardt, Michelle Mejia, Lee Mock and Maria Isabel Soto for choosing Child Advocates

and the children we serve as your reason to run!

a closer look With more than 140,000 employees across 65 countries, Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and manufacturer of commercial jetliners, defense and space and security systems.

Highly regarded as a leader and innovator in aerospace development, Boeing is also committed to the communities where their employees work and live.

The Employee Community Fund (ECF) of Boeing is an employee-managed charitable giving group that is one of the largest of its kind in the world.

For more than 60 years, Boeing has generously supported its employees in their endeavor to invest in charitable nonprofits with a presence in the communities where they live and work. Employees hold positions on an advisory board which reviews applications from nonprofits and holds interviews with the nonprofits’ leadership to best understand how Boeing’s support will be used in the coming year. The ECF has supported a variety of health and human services organizations, including food banks, health services, abused and neglected children, veterans and workforce development. Entirely employee run, the ECF is unique by empowering employees to give financial support to the causes closest to their hearts.

Child Advocates is fortunate to have been selected as a charitable partner of the Boeing ECF in Houston for the past two years. By choosing to support our mission, the Boeing ECF is making a significant impact in the lives of abused children in our city. Thank you from Child Advocates and the children we serve.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream another dream.”

—C.S. Lewis Join us for an upcoming

GRAD SCHOOL opportunity...

JUNE 20 AUGUST 22 OCTOBER 16

Albert Herzstein, born in Trinidad, Colorado and raised in Clayton, New Mexico, met and married his one true love, Ethel Avis in Houston in 1927. Albert worked at B.K. Smith’s small welding company and invested his own money to help that company grow to what became known as Big Three Industries, then Air Liquide.

Herzstein was a self-made man who was known for being an honest and forthright negotiator. As his company grew so did his commitment to community and philanthropy. At the behest of a friend, he established the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation in 1965 to ensure they could leave a lasting legacy to the missions most important to them and their beliefs. Both Albert and Ethel have passed away, but their generosity continues to have a lasting impact.

To this day, the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation honors ideals important to its founders – personal responsibility and resourcefulness, limited government, self-sufficiency, and the right of all individuals to enjoy life in a free society. Child Advocates is grateful to the Herzstein Foundation for its nearly two decades of investment, supporting our continued growth to ensure we are positioned to fulfill our mission year after year. Thank you for allowing Child Advocates to be part of the Herzstein’s esteemed legacy.

ADVOCATE NEWS

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Four siblings return home with the help of their advocate.

TRUE TRANSFORMATION: Child Protective Services (CPS) first became involved with the Reid family when they responded to allegations that their home was infested with roaches, there was no food to eat, the parents were always high on drugs and they were not taking the children to school. When CPS investigated, they learned that the home was safe and clean with plenty to eat, but the parents took a drug test that revealed they had used methamphetamines.

They later admitted to having used ecstasy outside of the home and away from the children. They quickly saw where they went wrong and were eager to do whatever they needed to do to keep their kids.

All four children went to live with a relative as part of a Parent Child Safety Plan—an agreement between the parents, a caregiver and CPS to monitor the children while stability is established in the home. After a few months, conflict arose between the relative and the parents, and CPS took over custody of the children because they could no longer ensure their safety. Child Advocates was then appointed to the case and Molly Tipps was assigned as the court appointed advocate for Kaleb*, Gabriel*, Lawrence* and Caycee*.

When Molly first met the Reid children, they were living in a small three bedroom apartment with their mother’s aunt, Emmer. “It was a small apartment, it was a very modest home,” Molly observed, “and there were just gaggles of children and family and friends running in and out continuously. It became very clear that the children were dealing with a different circumstance than they had been raised in, because they lived in a stand-alone home with just the four kids. They had a lot of attention from their parents.”

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CHILD ADVOCATES

Molly learned that both parents, Miquisha and Christopher, were not employed because they received disability assistance due to their health. Miquisha suffered from sickle cell anemia, bipolar disorder, anxiety and a rare blood condition. All of her conditions required a significant number of prescriptions, including narcotic pain medication. Christopher had suffered a stroke and was later diagnosed with GuillainBarre syndrome, which affected his back and spinal cord. Molly noticed that even with significant health conditions, both parents were physically and mentally able to care for their children. In fact, the parents both staying at home full time allowed the children to have their complete attention, and all four children were very well bonded with their parents.

“My first impression of the parents was intense skepticism.”

Molly recalled, “It’s hard not to start from a position of, ‘they’ve tested positive for drugs, what else am I going to uncover? How could they do that?’ I’d heard all the stories of how few reunifications there are, so I came in believing that this would probably end with a termination of rights on some level. They said all the right things, but what was amazing was how quickly and clearly they followed through with actions.

And how clearly they were not just checking the boxes.”

Throughout the next several months, Molly visited with the children each month. She came to birthday parties and played games with the children, getting to know them and their personalities. Molly once referred to

their aunt’s apartment as “home”, to which Lawrence replied, “Oh, this isn’t home. Home is with mommy and daddy.”

While Gabriel, Lawrence and Caycee were all very extroverted, the oldest child Kaleb was more introverted, and struggled with the loud and boisterous environment he lived in with their Aunt Emmer. His, as well as his brother Gabriel’s grades began to slip, and by the end of the school year it was recommended that they be held back one year in school. The children were accustomed to having their parents very involved in their education and were struggling with the break in their routines.

There was added strain on the family since the parents did not have access to pertinent educational information and could not get them enrolled in summer school. Molly observed the parents’ interaction with the children when she would visit, as they remained very involved. They came by when they could to help with homework, offered financial support for food and gas and continued to parent and redirect behavior as well as they could in the midst of it all. Molly

requested that the judge grant extra visitation rights for the parents, so they could continue to have the interaction and give the attention the children were used to. She also requested the parents be given access to the schools, teachers and the children’s grades so their education would not suffer while they were in care. It became evident to Molly that Miquisha and Christopher were loving and capable parents who had simply made a mistake. Molly said, “They cared so deeply, and that was really reinforced by the schools, the nurses, the different people involved that I spoke with that had seen them. The parents’ providers, the kids’ providers were universally and almost unequivocally, not just supportive but effusive about how deeply and truly these parents cared for these kids and how much the kids were the center of their lives.”

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE >>

CHILD ADVOCATES

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TRUE TRANSFORMATION–FOUR SIBLINGS RETURN HOME WITH THE HELP OF THEIR ADVOCATE (CONTINUED) While still remaining open-minded, Molly determined that if both parents completed the necessary steps, it was in Kaleb, Gabriel, Lawrence and Caycee’s best interest to return home to their parents.

she was always on the road, and would say she would call us back, but then wouldn’t. Or we would ask a question and she wouldn’t know the answer. Eventually, we just started calling Molly to get our information.”

In the court where the Reid case was being managed, the judge is known for being strict, and rarely will grant more time than the one year legally given to complete a family plan of service. Miquisha and Christopher were required to take parenting classes, pass regular and random drug screenings, receive therapy and prove they could provide stable housing.

Additionally, they needed evaluations from psychologists and psychiatrists.

Both parents were eager to complete these services so their children could return home, but expressed sincere frustration to Molly that they were not being given information on how to complete them. The caseworker assigned to them was incredibly difficult to get a hold of, and Miquisha mentioned, “We would often call, and

Molly agreed, saying, “Unfortunately they had a caseworker that would let things fall through the cracks. The judge would order a service and she wouldn’t give them the right contact information for the service or they would not get drug test results in a timely fashion. She didn’t do the leg work of really understanding and contextualizing what was coming out of conversations with therapists and what was coming out in the drug tests.”

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CHILD ADVOCATES

With such a high caseload and all of the factors in the parents’ situation, the caseworker was overwhelmed with the complexity of the moving parts and struggled to guide the family productively. “Because of the medications and the health

complications… the caseworker did not have the capability or the capacity to connect the dots to ensure the best interest of the kids was met.” Molly said, “And I came to the case skeptical too. If it had been just me looking at it on paper, it would have been really easy to say they weren’t ready to have their kids back.”

At one point in the case, CPS changed the goal from family reunification to relative adoption, with a threat that they would move forward with a termination because it looked as if the parents were not going to complete their services on time. Miquisha and Christopher called Molly, and Child Advocates requested a special status hearing. “That’s when it really kicked into gear,” Molly said.

“I was struck with this idea that, were they to terminate the parental rights, not only would it put four kids into the foster care system, which would be heartbreaking, but on top

of that we would throw two people who have made their entire lives about these kids into a tailspin. They were absolutely pulling their load and they had a lot of things happen throughout the case that could have easily derailed it, had the parents not had the advocacy. In a way, being the child advocate in this case almost meant as much advocating for the parents.”

Because of their health, both parents had extensive drug tests results, and Molly worked to ensure that the drugs that were showing up on the tests were drugs that had been prescribed in the correct doses. “I did a lot of phone calls, waiting on phone calls, leaving voicemails, following up on voicemails, sending emails to follow up on the voicemails… to make sure that the parents were being given every chance to complete their services, get the drug tests and get an appropriate analysis of those drug tests.” After tracking down multiple physicians, as well as a two-hour long phone all with the president of American Screening Centers, Molly was able to confidently say that the drug tests were showing a responsible use of prescription medication. Miquisha and Christopher had discontinued the use of any illegal drugs.

Ultimately, the children were reunified with their parents, and after a year of living with their aunt, were able to return home. The attorneys, CPS caseworker and Child Advocates were unanimous in their recommendation, and the judge granted their request.

Without an advocate appointed to the Reid case, Molly is confident that Miquisha and Christopher’s parental rights would have been terminated, and the children would have become lost in the system. Their temporary caregiver was not prepared to raise four children, and because of their age it would have been difficult to find a permanent adoptive home. A loving, tight-knit family would likely have been broken apart.

Today, the Reids are a happy, healthy and thriving family of six. Molly stays in regular contact with them, and visited them shortly after Hurricane Harvey. Their home flooded, but they were able to move to a nicer home, close to better schools as a result.

Molly recalled a recent conversation with Miquisha, saying, “She’s never going to be happy that she had this time away from her kids but she’s deeply grateful that something happened to help her make a significant change so that she could focus on her kids and her family, giving them her best." n written by

Join us for

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

Sessions begin...

JUNE 6 AUGUST 1 SEPTEMBER 5 OCTOBER 3 OCTOBER 30

Lauren Bair Thank you to Alyssa Beach for your wonderful photography and to Miquisha, Christopher, Kaleb, Gabriel, Lawrence and Caycee for sharing your beautiful family with us. *In some instances, names were changed to help protect parties of the story.

Learn more at www.childadvocates.org/ BeAChampion CHILD ADVOCATES

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snapSHOTS

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ADVOCATE NEWS

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goals UPDATE DOLLARS RAISED

1,549,160 RAISED | GOAL: $5,847,400 AS OF 04/30/2018

$

VOLUNTEERS CERTIFIED

120 CERTIFIED | GOAL: 325 AS OF 5/22/2018

Child Advocates is honored to be one of the beneficiaries of Night Court’s 2018 production, Clash of the Counselors.

Inspired by the 1981 cult classic, Clash of the Titans, Night Court 2018 will be a farcical romp pitting the cleverness of lawyers against the deviousness of the Gods. Enjoy music by Imagine Dragons, Green Day, Bonnie Tyler, Michael Jackson and much more.

Child Advocates will receive a portion of the ticket sales using the code “CHILD”. Visit www.childadvocates.org/NightCourt to find out how you can purchase tickets.

CHILDREN SERVED

1634 SERVED | GOAL: 2550 AS OF 5/22/2018

upcoming EVENTS

June 6 Advocacy University begins 23 YPC Water Day August 1 Advocacy University begins 8-11 Night Court presents

‘Clash of the Counselors’ 18 Childspree September 5 Advocacy University begins 16 YPC Children’s Skating Party TBD Chevron Marathon Kickoff October 3 Advocacy University begins 20 Superhero Run 27 YPC Children’s Halloween Party 30 Advocacy University begins November 18 Children’s Holiday Party 27 Giving Tuesday December 4 Angels of Hope Luncheon &

Fashion Presentation TBD Santa’s Wish List 16

CHILD ADVOCATES

ATTENTION ADVOCATES! Attend this production of Night Court and receive three (3) grad school hours.

special THANKS Angels of Hope Luncheon and Fashion Presentation 2017 – Thank you to Janice & Robert McNair for hosting our Angels of Hope Luncheon Kickoff Party. Thanks to Megan & Brian Cushing, IW Marks Jewelers, Hannah & Cal McNair, Neiman Marcus Houston, Chris Shepherd and Amanda & Jon Weeks for donating raffle items and to H-E-B Foods for adorning our tables with beautiful floral arrangements.

Car Pros for Kids – Thank you to GS Marketing for your contributions and to the following auto shops for donating your oil changes and labor hours to this program: Auto World West Loop, Beckwith’s Car Care, Cornerstone Automotive – Wilcrest, Cornerstone Automotive – Dairy Ashford, Kacal’s Auto and Truck Service, Itzy’s Auto Repair Service, Master Car Care and RMS Auto Care.

Holiday Party 2017 – Thank you to Power Movers for helping transport all of our supplies and to Whataburger for providing cookies our children could decorate. Thank you to Michael Nguyen for capturing it all.

Santa’s Wish List 2017 – Thank you to Steve Darnall and Gary Garcia for the donation of warehouse space and to Spectrum for donating tables and chairs for us to use. Thanks to National Charity League and the Lakes Parkway Women’s Club for donating stockings and stocking stuffers. A special thanks to the Houston Hotel and Lodging Association and Stewart Title for building and donating bikes for our kids.

Friends of Child Advocates – Thank you to all who helped make our annual Easter Egg Hunt a success: Chick-fil-A for donating lunch for our children, City of Houston Parks & Recreation for the use of the park, Direct Energy for providing a bounce house and Sugar Bunch Creations for the cupcakes and popcorn. Thank you to Christine Gabriel for hosting our membership social, and to Kagan Cellars and Revival Market for providing the refreshments.

Pull for Kids Classic – Thank you to Alliance Graphics for providing our invitations and print materials. Thanks to ABC Home & Commercial Services for complimentary gun cleaning, Bud Light / Silver Eagle Distributors for beer and Randall’s for sodas and water at the Sporting Clays Tournament. Thank you to Big A Productions, Corner Bakery Café, Demeris BBQ, Enterprise for weekend transportation, The Perfect Touch, Pico’s Mex-Mex and Whataburger for all of your contributions to our evening party. A special thanks to H-E-B for the wine carriers, Houston Wine Merchant and Yellow Rose Distilling for hosting complimentary tastings, and all who donated money or bottles to our new Bubbles & Bourbon area.

YPC Valentine’s Day Party – Many thanks to Tellespan YMCA for giving a space for us to use and to Whataburger for providing lunch for our children.

Houston Children’s Festival – Thank you to Power Movers for loading, transporting and unloading all of the supplies for our area.

We would like to give a special thank you to Alyssa Beach Photography for the beautiful cover story photos and to James Frankowski and Dana O’Brien for providing refreshments for our Volunteer Meet & Greet at the Rice.

Thank you to Mattress Firm and the Ticket to Dream Foundation, Anna Jane Hilbrich with Dolls for All and MAG-City Marketing, Inc. for giving toys for our kids. Many thanks to Becky & Kelly Joy, Michael Galvan & Janell Zeug and Bill Livesay for the Rodeo Tickets and Steve Wyatt for the Girl Scout Cookies. All of you helped give our children hope and brighter days.

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

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board VOICE: Caroline Finkelstein As a mom of two, Caroline Finkelstein found Child Advocates when she sought out an organization dedicated to helping children. She worked in medical sales for many years before deciding to stay home with her young boys. She involved herself with her kids and their schools and took on new volunteer roles as well as an interior design hobby.

Eventually her hobby became her business, and she now owns a residential interior design company with her best friend. Her job allows her the chance to do what she loves, while also taking care of her family and giving back to the community.

Caroline loves Houston for its bayous and museums, but mostly its people. “Houston has so many things for so many. I think it’s a really warm and welcoming city and it’s really easy to find your place,” she said, “as exemplified by Hurricane Harvey, Houston is a city that cares.”

Since first becoming involved through the Friends of Child Advocates, Caroline has served on the Friends Governance Council, the Development and Marketing Committees and together with Stephanie Cockrell chaired the 2014 Angels of Hope Luncheon. Her role as the Friends President introduced her to the Board of Directors and opened her eyes to what goes on behind the scenes of Child Advocates. “Every day shows the real need we have to meet. To serve the children, but also to serve the volunteers who serve the children,” Caroline said, “When you see the inner workings, you recognize what it takes.”

She believes that it’s important for her children to see her involved with giving back, and hopes to see more opportunities for children to give of themselves within the organization. She especially loves the Superhero Run for how easy it is to get her family involved. Her favorite moments with Child Advocates have been at our children’s events like the Holiday Party or the Easter Egg Hunt, and she loves seeing the table full of young girls dressed up at the Angels of Hope Luncheon each year. “If I can make somebody’s day a little bit brighter, it makes me feel like the whole thing is worth it,” Caroline said.

Caroline’s warm and energetic personality showcases her desire to help Houston’s abused and neglected children and really make a difference for Child Advocates. While she hopes to be a court appointed advocate in the near future, right now she is grateful for the chance to bring joy to other children’s lives. As a board member, she plans to draw in support that will really make a connection with Child Advocates’ mission, creating long-lasting engagement from our donors by illustrating the need.

She tells about Child Advocates by saying, “Whether you want to get involved as an advocate or just do fundraising or other support, you are really changing the lives of the children in Houston and the kids who need the help the most.” n written by Lauren Bair

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CHILD ADVOCATES

CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY

BY CREATING A FACEBOOK FUNDRAISER Child Advocates is a verified nonprofit on Facebook and 100% of the funds you raise for us through social media go directly to our mission.

Visit www.facebook.com/fundraisers to get started, and help us give a voice to Houston’s littlest victims as you celebrate your big day.

FACEBOOK Child Advocates

INSTAGRAM @ChildAdvocates

Help leave a lasting legacy.

JOIN THE BERNIE POWELL LEGACY SOCIETY. The Bernie Powell Legacy Society honors those supporters who have made a legacy commitment to Child Advocates. By planning a gift as part of your overall estate and financial plans, you will allow us to continue to speak up for abused children who are lost in the system for years to come.

With your gift, you will also receive substantial tax and financial benefits and join a group of outstanding individuals who are making a lasting difference in the fight against child abuse.

A HEARTFELT THANKS TO OUR CURRENT MEMBERS… Mrs. 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.

CHILD ADVOCATES

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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

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

thrive Devon*, Alex* and Cody* came into CPS custody because of their mother’s drug use. When CPS tried to place them with their father, he ran away because of his own struggles with drugs. The boys were placed in two different foster homes before they finally found their current home with Brian and Melinda Jones*.

Court appointed advocate, Steve King, was assigned to their case and quickly developed a bond with them. While the boys’ biological mother had neglected them, she loved them very much and did her best to complete services so that she could bring them home. She seemed to be doing well, until she relapsed in the summer of 2016.

Steve could tell that the children were doing well with the Joneses. They cared deeply for the children and were supportive of the mother’s attempts to stay clean. Mr. & Mrs. Jones had even hoped for the boys to eventually return home until they came to the realization that caring for Devon, Alex and Cody was too much for their mother.

She realized it too, and voluntarily relinquished her parental rights.

Ultimately, after years of being foster parents to many other children, the Joneses decided to make a complete change and adopted the three boys. Steve was there to celebrate with them on that special day.

Recently, Steve accompanied the Joneses out to the country to a nearby bee farm and chicken coup. The boys enjoyed riding tractors, exploring beehives and collecting eggs from the chickens. It was a wonderful afternoon for the family of five, and Steve noted, “The kids know they have a mother and father that cannot be replaced but now they have a mom and dad too.” n *Names were changed to help protect parties of the story.

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CHILD ADVOCATES

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.