One of the young ladies in the care of Hearts & Homes for Youth will be competing this weekend in the Miss Maryland Teen USA Pageant! She is among a number of young ladies from across the state of Maryland who have been chosen to compete.

Sunny is very proud to be participating in the pageant. A 17-year old Senior in high school, Sunny grew up in foster care and is elated about the opportunity to inspire other foster youth.

“I want to show other foster girls that they can do stuff too, foster care doesn’t stop you from doing anything,” said Sunny. “I see a lot of kids enter the foster system and give up on themselves, as if they think they can’t do certain things.”

Since she shared her interest in competing in the pageant, many Hearts & Homes supporters have been inspired by this young lady and have rallied around her. Our own Board Members Juli Jordan, Alan Schulman and Thomas Ransom, our CEO Chloe Perez, our Chief of Staff Valerie Snogren, and supporters Leslie Mason and Jennifer Hayes all donated toward the registration cost, enabling Sunny to participate in the contest. Sieva Floyd donated her time to do Sunny’s hair and makeup – Sunny’s reaction when she saw herself after her first makeover was priceless! Sarah Peachey donated beautiful ball gowns. Our dedicated supporter, Markita Bryant, crowned Miss Rhode Island United States 2013, volunteered to coach Sunny! And longtime supporters Susan Davis and Biani Seested took Sunny out this week, bought her a stunning dress, and told her, “this is only the beginning.”

“Our goal at Hearts & Homes is for the youth to feel empowered to make positive life choices, and part of that is meeting positive community role models,” said Hearts & Homes CEO Chloe Perez. “We are so thankful to the many positive role models and mentors who have rallied around Sunny to help her succeed and feel supported! It takes a village to raise a child, there is power in numbers, and it is beautiful to see so many people stepping up and paying it forward to help Sunny realize her dreams.”

The philosophy of the pageant, “to encourage young women to develop life skills that will ultimately help them win in life by being their personal best in everything they do,” corresponds with the mission of Hearts & Homes. All of us at Hearts & Homes are grateful to Sunny’s many supporters for their part in helping her win in life. We greatly appreciate all the time and dedication to supporting this inspiring young woman’s dreams!

We want to give a special thank you to Avatar Salon in Silver Spring! Specifically, we want to thank Make Up Artist Jehan Henry and Hair Stylist Kathryn Scott who volunteered their time on Friday to help Sunny get ready for the Miss Teen Maryland Pageant!

Earlier this month, Coakley Williams Construction, Inc. (CWC), a contractor firm based in the Washington/Baltimore region, partnered with Hearts & Homes for Youth to renovate the kitchen at our Kemp Mill Group Home for Boys in Silver Spring, MD.

CWC took the lead on the project. In addition to handling the demolition and drywall, CWC managed, supervised and coordinated subcontractors who donated materials and labor in the renovation of the kitchen. The cabinets and counter tops were donated by IBS Millwork. The flooring was donated by Capital City Flooring. The painting was done by American Capital Contracting. The kitchen appliances were donated by Appliance Distributor Unlimited. The Plumbing was donated by Potomac Mechanical Services. The electric components were handled by Phoenix Electric Technologies.

“It was a very rewarding job,” said Eric Mills Director of Field Operations, Interiors at CWC. “Every single subcontractor said yes, by all means, they would help.”

“We are so thankful for this incredible donation from Coakley Williams!” said Hearts & Homes CEO Chloe Perez. “The Coakley Williams team, in conjunction with their subcontractors, completely renovated the kitchen at the Kemp Mill Group Homes. The transformation is absolutely amazing and will have a very positive impact on the lives of our young people. This renovation makes the homes warmer and helps the youth feel proud about where they live, which promotes their sense of self and motivation to be successful. The Coakley Williams team worked day in and day out for an entire week and we will be eternally grateful for their commitment to giving back to the community!”

Coakley Williams Construction will also be leading a coordinated effort with Ruppert Companies to re-landscape the yard at Kemp Mill Group Home, which will begin soon!

ABOUT COAKLEY WILLIAMS CONSTRUCTION, INC

Coakley & Williams Construction, Inc. (CWC) is a privately owned firm established in 1961, and is regarded as one of the preeminent contractors in the greater Washington/Baltimore region. The leadership of the firm is stable, cohesive and accessible. CWC is consistently ranked among the largest regional Contractors by the Washington Business Journal and is also ranked among the Top 400 Contractors and the Top 100 Design/Builders in the nation by Engineering News Record. Coakley & Williams Construction, Inc. was recently awarded the “Best in Industry – Construction Contractor” by CREBA, a regional organization comprised of more than 600 commercial brokers and affiliated professionals in the DC Metropolitan Area.

Last week, Hearts & Homes for Youth received a $1,000 donation from the Burtonsville Lions Club!

Hearts & Homes for Youth has an Emergency Shelter that provides opportunities for residents that they wouldn’t otherwise have if detained. Hearts & Homes will use the money to purchase clothes and hygiene products for the young men who often come into our care with little or no clothing or belongings.

“We are grateful for all of the support from the Burtonsville Lion’s club and looking forward to our ongoing partnership,” said Hearts & Homes CEO Chloe Perez. “They have attended some of our fundraising events and are helping us get the word out about Hearts & Homes for Youth. The very generous donation will make a significant difference for our young people and we are so thankful for the Lion’s club generosity!

“The Burtonsville Lions Club recognizes the hard work and dedicated efforts of the Hearts & Homes for the Youth in the community” said Burtonsville Lions Club President Mike Shavatt. “Our Lions Club is excited and looking forward to a long-lasting partnership with this great organization”.

The Burtonsville Lions Club is a volunteer service organization dedicated to helping the less fortunate. The Club raises funds each year to support charitable activities locally, regionally and globally by hosting a variety of events such as:

Leader Dog for the Blind
Lions Camp Merrick for the Deaf & Blind
Community Elementary Schools
Lions Vision Research Foundation at Johns Hopkins
Scholarships at Paint Branch High School
Paint Branch High School Post Prom
Burtonsville Athletic Association
Maryland School for the Blind
And many others

Last year the Burtonsville Lions Club collected over 3,000 pairs of used glasses, held 4 blood drives and collected medical equipment for donation to those in need.

Click here to learn more about the Burtonsville Lions Club and to get involved!

We are grateful to the Women’s Club of Chevy Chase(WCCC)  for donating a number of casserole dishes to our girls at Helen Smith Group Home! As it continues to get colder outside, our girls greatly appreciate the warm dishes of food that they can enjoy together!

The Community Services Committee of the Woman’s Club of Chevy Chase is a longtime supporter of Hearts & Homes for Youth. Last fall the group held a donation drive, collecting tote bags and suitcases for the youth in our care. We are grateful for their support!

The Junior Women’s Club of Chevy Chase (JWCCC) has for a long time been generous and committed to the Helen Smith Group Home for Girls in Takoma Park. They have come and spent time baking with the girls, given the girls an opportunity to engage with the community and raise money for other nonprofits (pay it forward), took the girls trick or treating, had the house’s picture of Helen Smith re-framed, and much more.

This autumn, the JWCCC used the funds that they raised in their 2014-2015 efforts to buy a stove, deep freezer, and some kitchen necessities for the Helen Smith Home, which will be delivered to Helen Smith next Monday!! They are also mailing a donation of $970 to Hearts & Homes this week!

In addition to the incredible donations, the JWCCC will be starting up their hands-on, project-based program for at-risk youth (GEMS – girls mentoring project) at Helen Smith soon and we are looking forward to seeing the impact of these incredible role models!

Bob’s Furniture has delivered $20,000 worth of furniture (98 pieces) to Hearts & Homes for Youth, Maryland’s premier organization serving youth in the state’s Child Welfare and Juvenile Services. The furniture has been delivered to the organization’s group homes where youth receive residential, mental health, and other supportive services.

“Bob’s Discount Furniture is a an exceptionally generous corporate citizen,” said Chloe Perez, President & CEO of Hearts & Homes for Youth. “Over the past two days, Bob’s Furniture has carried out a white glove delivery of 98 pieces of new beds, dressers, and dining room sets to a number of our group homes located across the state of Maryland. Bob and his team’s commitment to giving back is extraordinary and so genuine.  We got to know the team professionally and personally and I am in admiration of their dedication to the community and so grateful for the support.”

Bob’s Discount Furniture provides a wide range of quality furnishings – including living room furniture, bedroom furniture, dining room furniture, office furniture, and home accents – at everyday low prices. The stores also offer a unique and enjoyable shopping experience featuring cafes in each store with free gourmet coffee, ice cream, cookies and candy. Since 1991, Bob’s has built strong customer loyalty by offering the highest-value home furnishings at the lowest possible prices. With 62 furniture stores located throughout New England, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, the Manchester, Conn-based company has become the 14th largest U.S. furniture chain. Bob’s is committed to supporting communities where its stores are located through a variety of charitable giving efforts. Bob’s Discount Furniture Charitable Foundation has anchored the company’s philanthropic work for more than 15 years. In addition, Bob’s Outreach program was created as a separate entity to help schools and children-related charities. For more information on Bob’s charitable programs, visit: www.bobscares.org. Follow Bob’s on Twitter: @MyBobs. Follow Bob’s on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/MyBobs.

Hearts & Homes for Youth is dedicated to empowering youth who have been abused, neglected or experienced other trauma to make positive life choices and become independent and productive adults. Since 1964, we have served over 40,000 youth.