All posts by Hearts & Homes for Youth

Youth receive scholarship from HNN!

Activities for the youth, In the community, Thank you to our supporters

 IMG_1434On Friday, July 3, two youth in the care of Hearts & Homes for Youth received scholarships from Honorary Nieces and Nephews, Inc. The scholarships were funded by National Guard soldier Josh Nazario, who initiated the Open Arms Scholarship in honor of his mother.

The event was held at Cabin John Regional Park and was co-hosted by Hearts & Homes for Youth and Honorary Nieces and Nephews. Honorary Nieces and Nephews, Inc. is a non-profit founded by Michelle McLeod to give scholarships and guidance to foster care youth and LGBTQ homeless youth. This event marked the first scholarships awarded by Honorary Nieces and Nephews.

IMG_1433Hearts & Homes Board Member and Delegate Sheila Hixson and Delegate David Moon joined the celebration for the two scholarship recipients and to celebrate the launch of a collaboration between Hearts & Homes for Youth and Honorary Nieces and Nephews, Inc. The Delegates presented both organizations with certificates of recognition from the state of Maryland. Catherine Provost, a representative from Congressman Chris Van Hollen’s office also presented both organizations with a certificate of recognition from Congressman Chris Van Hollen. Congressman Chris Van Hollen also signed two certificates recognizing the two scholarship recipients.

“Thank you to everyone who came to the event for showing your support for these two scholarship recipients and for our organizations,” said Chloe Perez, Hearts & Homes President and CEO. “We need to intervene and provide youth with support, to give them access to resources, and help them develop a sense of belonging in the community. This event was a terrific example of what a difference can be made when we come together as a community. We are especially grateful for the support from Hearts & Homes Board Member and Delegate Sheila Hixson, Delegate David Moon, Delegate Will Smith, and Congressman Chris Van Hollen.”

IMG_1426The day was made even more special by the group of Marines from Fort Meade who volunteered to help set up and clean up, and to show their support for the two scholarship recipients. Hearts & Homes for Youth and Honorary Nieces and Nephews are grateful to them for supporting our youth and our organizations, for serving our community and serving our country.

The first scholarship recipient will use the funds to pay for college prep tutoring as he prepares for his Senior year of high school. This young man was born in Jamaica and came to MD in his early teens. Faced with a variety of challenges, he first came into the care of Hearts and Homes for Youth at our Harriet Tubman Emergency Shelter. From the shelter, he moved into our foster care program and has built a strong relationship with his foster mother who he has been with for over two years. He has brought his GPA up significantly and plays track and football at his school. In his first year running track, this young man made it to the State Qualifying Meet. In addition to school, he has a job as a lifeguard at a pool and is looking forward to college and later on, beginning a career in some way serving the community. He will finish high school next year and will age out of foster care in the next couple years so he is taking advantage of every opportunity to get a step up and prepare for his future. He sees the college prep tutoring he will receive, thanks to Honorary Nieces and Nephews, as a huge step toward succeeding in college and beyond.

The second scholarship recipient has been in foster care since she was 15 years old. In addition to lacking familial support, this young woman faced the additional challenge of not being accepted in previous foster homes because of her sexual orientation. She came into the care of Hearts & Homes for Youth when she was 4 months pregnant and was relieved to find a place where she felt comfortable and accepted. She enrolled in a GED program, which she finished a few months before giving birth. She values education and was accepted to the Maryland Beauty Academy of Essex where she recently began studying. She looks forward to continuing her education, to build a foundation for her and her son. She looks at college as a way to start her career and be prepared when she ages out of foster care.

JCT youth are raring to succeed!

Get to know our programs

4VTDQ367MUFor some time now, the young men at John C. Tracey Group Home have had continuous success, which we believe is a result of being employed. More residents at JCT are employed than ever for at least the past four years, and they are thriving with their responsibilities. The JCT residents are motivated, stepping outside their comfort zones, making things happen on their own, advocating for themselves, and doing well in school with little or no school associated issues. For the entire school year, JCT only had two school suspensions that were 3-5 days and both of those were due to fighting.

 One of our young men was successfully discharged from our program at the end of June and returned home to his family. During his time with us, he made exceptional improvements in his behavior. He is still employed here in Rockville at a local restaurant and is also attending a job readiness program in Glen Burnie, which he began while he was at JCT 

Another young man is our Richard Montgomery High School Featured Scholars graduate and recipient of the MARFY Youth Achievement Award. He is slated to be discharged successfully early next week. As previously reported, this young man started a discussion group, which met weekly to discuss current events and other important topics. He graduated with a 3.2 GPA and has been recognized by the high school principal for his exemplary behavior.

Another young man who also graduated from Richard Montgomery High School graduate  is slated to be discharged tomorrow successfully.

One of the JCT residents is attending summer school for Algebra. He is active on the football team, attending workouts and scrimmages and is employed at a local restaurant. He has shown significant improvement in terms of learning how to channel his frustration and use his coping mechanisms.

Two of our younger residents graduated from middle school this June. One has made significant progress in learning how to manage his emotions. The other has been recruited by a local high school football coach and begins practice tomorrow! He has had a few setbacks but he’s a resilient kid.

Another young man who graduated from Richard Montgomery High school went on his first home pass on the weekend of the 19th and thoroughly enjoyed being with his family. He is currently looking for employment and opportunities to do community service. 

A young resident who has been employed at Noodles and Company is scheduled to take the GED test this month. He has done well in saving his money and budgeting.

Our newest arrival to JCT is doing well and will be starting a job tomorrow morning. He was employed at this location previously and the manager has been willing to assist him since he returned to the area; his boss will be driving him to/from work. When you invest in another person, you can make a big difference in their life!

We are so proud of all the boys for their hard work in spite of setbacks and disappointments. We are also proud of the staff team at JCT for their dedicated support to the young men. JCT Program Manager Tish Solomon will be hosting an appreciation luncheon for her staff this month to thank them for their efforts, dedication and their investment not only in JCT but to each and every young person that comes through the doors.

Hearts & Homes youth receives award from MARFY

Activities for the youth, In the community, Words from our youth

Donovan-page-001On June 11, 2015 the Maryland Association of Resources for Families and Youth (MARFY) held its annual Youth Achievement Awards ceremony. The MARFY Youth Achievement Awards have been a special tradition for member agencies, families, and youth for many years.  As an association of providers in a field that is often focused on the challenges of our youth and work, it is an evening to celebrate hard work, success and growth.

DonovanThis year, one of our very own, a young man from John C. Tracey (JCT) Group home, was recognized by MARFY as a Youth Achievement Award Recipient. We are so proud of him for his dedication to himself and his school work. We are also proud of his considerate and thoughtful response to being chosen as an award recipient. He wrote:

“Ms. Tish (JCT Program Manager) and her entire team have all made an impact by talking to me, treating me with respect and encouraging me to be my very best.

Fate is what befalls a man who fails to act; destiny is for men who refuse to accept their failure as fate. We all have failures, the trick is to not let them define you, rather let them refine you and believe in your destiny.”

Congratulations on your hard work and well deserved recognition!

 

“Thank you for accepting me”

Words from our youth

8Y0EDX4VP9A young woman who will be coming into our care this week took the time to write us a note to express how she felt about coming to Hearts & Homes. We were touched by her words and understanding of our mission; we have shared it with you below:

“First and foremost I would like to say thank you for accepting me to your group home program. I would like to express my gratitude and prove to your program that accepting me was not a mistake but a chance to help and heal a misunderstood and too many times to count, rejected young girl. When I had first received this news, I was so proud that I actually started to worry. I was worried that maybe my P.O. had been telling me the wrong news by mistake. But it finally registered in my head once I received your program papers with my name typed in the papers. At that moment I knew that this is for real and it is time for me to give back the same respect that I have been given. That is why I have written this letter. This is just the start of a new beginning. God has given me another chance to show people that I am better than the first view of the eye, or about the things that are written about me from my past life. It is never too late to change; the end of one thing is the beginning of another.”

Love just won!

In the community

11665561_10153195122361749_4550774236824323864_nLove is love, love is universal, love conquers all, love just won! SCOTUS rules in favor of same sex marriage! All of us at Hearts & Homes for Youth are so happy for the couples, children, and families affected by this decision. Family is the bedrock of our society; families are all different and we embrace that at Hearts & Homes.

We were touched by the beautiful words from Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion: “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”

BB&T throws a super summer bash!

Activities for the youth, ,

11200886_10153452617732112_1754368695187908046_nThank you BB&T for the awesome summer Bash & BBQ! Hearts & Homes youth and staff had a great time! We are grateful for the goodies, clothes, games, and sports equipment you got for the children and teens and the programs! Our young mothers were especially grateful for the boxes of diapers and other baby items!

The food was great and each young person really enjoyed themselves. Some of our youth played horseshoe; two of our foster youth had never heard of the game until that day, and were still talking about it during the ride home!  Another one of our TFC youth was able to bring his sister who is not in our program – it made him feel good to be able to invite her and create memories for the both of them.

Many of the teen mothers from Damamli ILP were unable to attend the picnic due to their work schedules, however at their weekly group they received the gift donations. They excitedly tore through the box as they each selected items of their choice. They shared that the gifts were not only things that they liked but actually really needed.  They were very grateful and all left as happy campers!

 We are grateful for the support, encouragement, and accessibility BB&T consistently provides to our team, and they reflected the same passion, enthusiasm, and kindness with our youth. Thank you for the the fantastic food, the fun activities, and the BB&T staff members who made the BBQ a great celebration!

Open Arms Scholarship Ceremony – July 3rd!

Activities for the youth, Hearts & Homes events

11392961_10153402388032112_4254942385089717849_nCome join us at our BBQ on Friday July 3rd at Cabin John Regional Park Group Picnic Area from noon to 4pm, as we celebrate two youth in Hearts & Homes for Youth‘s foster care programs who who have been accepted as recipients of the Open Arms Scholarship from Honorary Nieces and Nephews, Inc.! The scholarships will be presented by former foster youth and Army National Guard Soldier Joshua Nazario!

These two young people are the first to receive a scholarship from Honorary Nieces & Nephews, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing LGBTQ homeless youth and foster youth with resources, educational support, and opportunities to become self-sufficient adults.

We are glad to bring the nonprofit, foster care, LGBTQ, and military communities together for a very special day! If you would like to join us for this special day, RSVP on our Facebook event page!

Our fundraiser golf tournament!

Hearts & Homes events, Thank you to our supporters, , , ,

11060903_10153440207947112_2345615280019627650_n
Thank you to all of the golfers and sponsors who joined us on Friday for our 4th annual Girls on the Green fundraiser golf tournament at Timbers at Troy! We had a fantastic day and enjoyed a special visit from Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman! Thank you to all of the golfers, sponsors, Hearts & Homes board members, Hearts & Homes staff, and Timbers staff who all made this a great event!

906304_919421348118647_7193104717137379223_o IMG_1351

Introducing Our New President & CEO – Hearts & Homes for Youth

Get to know our programs,

The Board of Directors of Hearts & Homes for Youth is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Chloe Perez as our new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). She is assuming the responsibilities following the retirement of our long time CEO Rex Smith.

Chloe first came to Hearts & Homes in 2000 and worked for two years as a Rehabilitation Counselor while she was working on her Masters. She returned in 2010 and was hired as the Program Administrator, responsible for oversight of all Residential Treatment Care Programs and was a driving force behind projects that enabled us to better serve the varied and changing needs of victimized, underserved, and emotionally troubled youth across the state of Maryland and the greater Mid-Atlantic region.

The Board of Directors unanimously selected Chloe as part of an extensive search. “Chloe impressed us with her leadership experiences and her extensive knowledge of the clinical healthcare field. It was clear to everyone involved in the search process that she has the skills, knowledge, experience, and vision to lead Hearts & Homes toward having an even greater impact. We know Chloe will continue to grow our footprint and move our work forward in new and dynamic directions, while ensuring that we stay true to our mission,” said Hearts & Homes Board Chair and Market President at BB&T Thomas Ransom.

 “I am honored to be the new CEO of Hearts & Homes for Youth. Rex Smith is retiring after a lifetime of leadership in juvenile justice for the agency and the State of Maryland. Rex’s legacy has been an inspiration for me to lead the agency into its next chapter of service, continuing our dedication to providing youth with a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment to recover, develop, and thrive. I have been working with children, adolescents, and families in the state of Maryland for the past 5 years, with over 18 years of experience in social work and child welfare. As CEO, I will maintain my commitment to providing the best behavioral and mental health services for the youth in our care and find ways to better serve youth and families who are at-risk. I am grateful to this opportunity and for the exceptionally dedicated and creative team of executives, directors, managers, social workers, and counselors who have been the driving force behind our mission for over 50 years.”

Things going on in Columbia!

In the community

CFA5Today Hearts & Homes joined Marine Corps from Fort Meade, Board Members from the Columbia Young Professionals Network, and a number of other volunteers to help set up for the Columbia Festival of the Arts, Howard County’s largest ongoing arts event. The Festival brings together the arts community, businesses, local schools, and individuals to create events that shine a spotlight on the arts. This weekend is Free Opening Weekend on the Lakefront! There will be fun for all ages and live music all weekend long!

Yesterday we had the pleasure of introducing our organization to the BNI Columbia Lunch chapter! They are a delightful group of professionals who warmly welcome us and various members expressed interest in getting involved with our organization! Thank you for inviting us, we look forward to getting to know you all!