Category Archives: Activities for the youth

Director of the Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement speaks with young mothers

Activities for the youth, ,

1Kisha Brown recently visited with our young mothers in the Damamli Independent Living Program at their weekly Independent Living/Life Skills group to talk about her role as the Director of the Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement.

Kisha Brown spoke with the young mothers about employee rights, laws that protect employees and workplace etiquette. She then invited the young mothers to share their ideas on how she could reach more young people to let them know about the resources available in Baltimore City. Kisha Brown also discussed her previous role as a Baltimore City Child Support Attorney.

Hearts & Homes for Youth regularly welcomes professionals like Kisha Brown to speak with the young people in our care about the importance of post-secondary education and the variety of professional opportunities there are across the state. The discussions are a unique, positive learning experience and can spark a new interest if, for example, the youth are hearing about an unfamiliar occupation or career.  The discussion can also be empowering, such as when Kisha Brown as the young women to share their ideas. The career-focused discussions encourage youth to think forward and consider options for a stable future for themselves and their babies.

JWCCC gives Helen Smith girls self defense class

Activities for the youth

In March, the Junior Women’s Club of Chevy Chase (JWCCC) hosted a class in self-defense at their clubhouse for the girls at our Helen Smith Group Home. The instructor taught some self defense moves, and each of our girls partnered with a member of the JWCCC and practiced the moves they learned. Afterward, Hearts & Homes staff member Vicki Valle spoke with the girls about the danger of texting and walking, the importance of staying alert, and using common sense to avoid threatening situations or people.

The JWCCC focuses on supporting initiatives that enhance the quality of life of women and children. The self defense activity is part of the JWCCC’s GEMS project. The GEMS (Girls Empowered Motivated and Successful) Mentoring Project, is one of the JWCCC’s special projects. GEMS is offered to teen girls ages 14-19; in partnership with one of our signature charities Hearts and Homes for Youth. Hearts & Homes serves youth in crisis by providing them with a variety of residential and supportive programs; including therapeutic group homes, foster care and independent living for pregnant and parenting teen mothers. The goal of the GEMS project is the offer the girls emotional support and mentoring; by exposing them to project based learning, teaching them life skills for independent living (cooking lessons, job skills, etc.) and offering them an opportunity to participate in service activities and social events. Our participation and affection for the girls has meant a lot to them and to our club members; already leaving a lasting impression on the lives we have touched.

Local leaders host Action Civics Workshop at Jumpstart

Activities for the youth

Jumpstart12032015fOn Thursday, December 3rd, Delegate Cory V. McCray from Baltimore City, Delegate Alonzo Washington from District 22 (Prince George’s County), Executive Director of Progressive Maryland Lawrence Stafford Jr., and Director of Youth and Parent Services Community Public Awareness Council Kendal Wade came to Hearts & Homes for Youth Jumpstart Group Home for Boys to provide an Action Civics Workshop for our youth!

The event was organized by Tia Holmes, Legislative Director, Prince George’s County House Delegation, Maryland General Assembly. The objective of the workshop was to engage and empower the youth in our care by listening to their ideas for policy/law change, and to connect the youth with leaders who have the potential to inspire them and who have the power to influence change.

The youth discussed their opinions on policies, issues and needed changes. They learned about the political process and the power of advocacy and community activism.
Thank you Del. McCray, Del. Washington, Larry Stafford, Kendal Wade, and Tia Holmes for this special event!

#GivingTuesday – Help us expand our art therapy program!

Activities for the youth

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAHelp us expand our Art Therapy program so we can expand our services to all of the youth in our care! Expressing oneself through art is a safe, effective and healthy way to deal with trauma and loss. develop and manage their behavior and feelings, reduce their stress and improve their self esteem.

For the teenage girls in our care at Mary’s Mount Group Home, who have experienced abuse, neglect and other trauma, art can be an extremely therapeutic activity. We have seen firsthand how effective it is to the youth’s overall well-being and for some, art therapy has been the integral component to their healing and recovery.

This is why we are asking for your help to fund #artforhearts, to enable us to expand our art therapy program to all of the youth in our care. Our youth are eagerly awaiting  the opportunity to express themselves artistically! Donate $10, $25, $50 or more today to support Hearts & Homes for Youth’s art therapy program this holiday season! $25 would provide for one art therapy session for youth at a group home.

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Hearts & Homes for Youth is asking for your support on #GivingTuesday, hoping to channel the generous spirit of the holiday season!

#GivingTuesday is an international movement that inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their communities, and give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support.

This #GivingTuesday, Hearts & Homes for Youth is asking for your support to help raise money to expand our art therapy program to reach all of the youth in our care!

Make a contribution today online or mail to address below – please write “art therapy” in the comment section.

Hearts & Homes for Youth ♥
3919 National Drive, Suite 400
Burtonsville, MD 20866

More about art therapy

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAArt therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Expressing one’s self artistically can help people to resolve issues, manage their behaviors, understand their emotions, reduce stress, improve self-esteem, and increase awareness of self and others. This in turn can promote personal development, increase coping skills, and enhance cognitive function.

Art therapists are professionals trained in both art and therapy. They work with the youth in our care to reflect on the underlying messages communicated through their art, thereby aiding in the healing process. Art therapists are knowledgeable about human development, psychological theories, clinical practice, spiritual, artistic traditions, and the healing potential of art. 

Thank you Ethan Bernardi and Jeff Donohoe

Activities for the youth, Thank you to our supporters

IMG_2070Hearts & Homes for Youth is grateful to our supporters Ethan Bernardi and Jeff Donohoe who helped us raise money for our organization and gave one of our youth a special experience!

Ethan Bernardi generously donated a pair of tickets to the Washington Capitals game against the Pittsburgh Penguins to help Hearts & Homes raise funds at the HONORS 2015 gala silent auction.

Board Member Jeff Donohoe purchased the tickets at the gala and then donated them back to Hearts & Homes! A Hearts & Homes staff member was able to take one of the girls in our care to the game! She was positively grateful, was elated to have the unique experience and had a great time! She couldn’t believe how close the seats were to the ice and loved watching the players compete.

Thank you Ethan Bernardi for donating the tickets to help us raise funds, and thank you Jeff Donohoe for purchasing the tickets and sharing them with our youth! We are grateful for your support and grateful when we are able to provide the youth in our care with unique experiences that support their growth, development and healing.

GoFundUs! Our Rally to Empower Youth!

Activities for the youth, Thank you to our supporters

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Hearts & Homes for Youth has launched a GoFundMe campaign to ask for your help to raise money to create a job readiness program and hire a full-time vocational coach who would spend time with the youth at our group homes and the young mothers in our care, to provide them with resume building assistance, vocational training, mock interviews, professional etiquette workshops, job search assistance, educational guidance, computer literacy training, and career advice. The vocational coach would build and maintain relationships with local employers who are willing and able to hire the youth in our care. We need to raise at least $35,000 to hire a full-time vocational coach for one year.

Click here to donate to our campaign to hire a Vocational Coach!

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The intended outcome of the job readiness program is for the youth in our care to develop their vocational skills and attain gainful employment. When the youth identify their career interests, the vocational coach would ensure they complete the appropriate industry recognized certifications, such as Certified Control Systems Technician, Certified Automation Professional, Certified Welder, and other certifications to enhance their career capabilities.

The job readiness program would help us advance the mission of our organization, to empower youth and prepare them to make positive life decisions and become independent adults.  A job training program would better enable us to help the youth attain gainful employment, reduce the symptoms of mental health issues, and set them up for success. With a steady income, an improved sense of self worth, and vocational training, the youth will be less dependent on public assistance, more capable of moving out of the realm of poverty, and better able to afford food, shelter, and basic needs.

The Target population is on average 16.9 years old and roughly 69% are male. Our youth come from across the state of Maryland; 36% of the youth come from Baltimore, 25% from Prince George’s County, and 16% from Montgomery County. 82% of the youth are African American, 8% are Hispanic, 7% are Caucasian, and 3% identify as Other/Bi-racial. 100% of the youth in our care are low income.

The youth in the care of Hearts & Homes for Youth have overcome adversity and have been referred to us by the Department of Juvenile Services as an alternative to detention, or by the Department of Social Services to remove them from an unsafe environment. Our mission is to empower and support these survivors, help them build a community of support and acceptance, and help them make positive life decisions so they can become independent adults and reach their fullest potential. A critical component of youth having the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential is an understanding of their ability to provide for themselves.

By attaining practical work experience, the youth will be prepared for the current needs of the labor market, link their competencies with employers’ needs, build a supportive community for themselves, and develop a sense of worth, motivation and responsibility. By helping the youth develop an understanding of the value of their time and work, the vocational education may minimize the dropout rate, increase financial independence, and set the youth up for success in the long run.

Please help us provide this life changing program for all of the youth in our care!

Ready, Set, Back to School!

Activities for the youth

Earlier this week, Hearts & Homes for Youth hosted our annual Back to School Picnic for youth and the Hearts & Homes family to kick off the school year! Once again, Social & Scientific Systems provided Hearts & Homes with top quality new backpacks for our kids, filled with school supplies. For years, Social & Scientific Systems have provided the youth of Hearts & Homes with the tools they need to start the school year well prepared.

Held shortly before school starts, the picnic is a chance for the youth to meet each other and all the staff at Hearts & Homes, get school supplies for the new school year, and enjoy the outdoors.

This great event is hosted by Hearts & Homes Senior Counselors with support from Group Home Program Managers. The Senior Counselors led the fun and welcoming celebration, full of games, sports, activities, and smiles!

 

The First Annual Kings of Style Party!

Activities for the youth

11880376_10153612173622112_8141458474374216998_nHearts & Homes for Youth’s 1st annual Kings of Style party was a great event thanks to our incredible supporters and our incredible young men! On Friday, over 50 young men from our group homes and shelters, and from our sister organizations, came to the Kings of Style party and saw some of the many people who believe in and are invested in their success.

We are grateful to Prince George’s County Clerk of the Circuit Court Sydney Harrison, our dedicated friends from the U.S. Marine Corps at Fort Meade, Markita Bryant, Telly Lovelace from Governor Larry Hogan’s office, Katrina Owens from Congresswoman Donna Edwards office, City of Laurel Mayor Craig Moe, our former CEO Rex Smith, City Council Member Fred Smalls, our supporters from the Laurel Boys and Girls Club, and many more!

We are grateful for the support from Prince George’s County Clerk of the Circuit Court Sydney Harrison! He shared his story of success with our young men and encouraged them to embrace the positive in life and believe in themselves! He also gave up his own belt to one of our young men. It was very impactful for our youth to have someone from the court there to give them hope and encouragement. He told them “you can overcome anything…each of your has something special…life should be your inspiration.” He encouraged them to learn to trust and love: “darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

 

“Sellebrities” born from Camp Old Navy

Activities for the youth

Our youth had a great time yesterday at Camp Old Navy! Camp Old Navy is a partnership between Gap Inc. (Old Navy’s parent company) and local youth development programs. The program brings teens into Old Navy stores for a half-day job shadow experience that helps them develop job readiness skills and explore career opportunities.

The youth had a great day learning the ins and outs of retail work, experiencing firsthand what it’s like to work in retail, trying out new experiences like searching for merchandise using  a retail computer system, and learning how to work a cash register to make transactions, all in a supportive, educational environment.

One of the great lessons taught during the day was when the manager taught our youth how to use the cash register. She gave them a real life scenario, pretending to be a difficult customer while Old Navy staff provided guidance to our youth on how to peacefully and professionally deal with the situation.

Camp Old Navy Teaches Job Readiness!

Activities for the youth, In the community

campoldnavy-smToday 16 teens from Hearts & Homes for Youth will participate in Camp Old Navy where they will shadow their “sellebrities” and develop the skills necessary for job readiness. The Camp is a great opportunity to learn about the workforce, develop professional skills, and possibly be recruited!

Camp Old Navy is a partnership between Gap Inc. (Old Navy’s parent company) and local youth development programs. The program brings teens into Old Navy stores for a half-day job shadow experience that helps them develop job readiness skills and explore career opportunities. The teens get to experience firsthand what it’s like to work in retail and to try out new experiences like searching for merchandise using  a retail computer system and learning how to work a cash register to make transactions, all in a supportive, educational environment.

Youth from 3 of our programs will spend the day learning the ins and outs of the popular retail chain at an Old Navy store in Laurel today. They will learn about what it’s like to have a job in apparel retail and experience hands-on training in retail management, sales and merchandising, working the sales floor alongside actual employees. Just like regular employees, the teens will be expected to learn the specifics of how “their” store worked and was laid out, as well as learn a little about what the company expects from its employees and how it wants its stores run.

Our youth will have the opportunity to work the cash registers, run the fitting rooms and “RAD” the store. They will also learn about loss prevention and the customer service values of the company.

Camp Old Navy’s purpose is to offer young people job readiness, helping teens prepare for entering the work force. Old Navy staff wants teens to walk away from this experience knowing that working at Old Navy can be a lot of fun. It can be a great first job opportunity that the youth can turn into a career.