The Alcove News
Transcription
The Alcove News
The Alcove News Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless Fall 2011 2012 Vogel Alcove Arts Performance Event Presents Sheryl Crow Join the Vogel Alcove’s 25th Birthday Celebration The 2012 Arts Performance Event will be festive and fun as it officially launches the yearlong celebration of the Vogel Alcove’s 25th birthday. The event on May 14 will feature the spirited performance of Sheryl Crow on the Meyerson Symphony Center stage. The winner of nine Grammys, including Best New Artist, Best Rock Album, and Record of the Year awards, she has sold more than 35 million records worldwide. In addition to her hits “All I Wanna Do,” “If It Makes You Happy,” and “Everyday Is A Winding Road,” she has performed duets with musical giants like Mick Sheryl Crow will perform Jagger, Luciano Pavarotti, Michael at Vogel Alcove’s 2012 Arts Jackson, and Tony Bennett. This Performance Event May 14. year, she toured with Kid Rock to promote her newest album, 100 Miles From Memphis, which was influenced by the music of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, and Marvin Gaye, the singers she listened to while growing up in Kennett, Missouri--100 miles from Memphis. The co-chairs of the 2012 event are Beth and Jim Gold and Ann and Lee Hobson. The Golds and Lee Hobson announced Sheryl Crow as the headliner at an event at the Vogel Alcove on October 25. At the kick-off, the chairs joined the Alcove children in blowing out the candles on a 25th birthday cake. We are fortunate to have such dynamic co-chairs leading the 2012 event, the Alcove’s largest fundraiser. Beth Gold and Ann Hobson are very active community volunteers. Jim Gold is President of Specialty Retail for The Neiman Marcus Group. He is responsible for merchandising and store operations for the 41 Neiman Marcus full-line stores and for Bergdorf Goodman, where he served as President and CEO. Previously he was Senior Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for Nei man Marcus Stores. He holds a B.A. from Tulane University and an M.B.A. from The Harvard Business School. Lee Hobson is Managing Par t ner of Highside Capital Management, a firm that he founded in 2003. Based in Dallas, the firm Event Co-chairs Beth and Jim Gold has an additional office in New York. Prior to his work with Highside, he was a Partner at Maverick Capital Ltd. Currently he is a member of the Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations. He earned an A.B. from Princeton and an M.B.A. from The Harvard Business School. (continued on page 4) Event Co-chairs Ann and Lee Hobson An Evening with Sheryl Crow Don’t miss this fabulous show! Performance-only tickets for the 2012 event on Monday, May 14, in the Meyerson Symphony Center begin at $50. To purchase tickets, call the AT&T Performing Arts Center box office at (214) 880-0202 (Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m.- 9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.). To charge online, visit www.attpac.org. For other ticket options, please see the ticket order form on page 11. Your Support Helps Build Hope in the Hearts of Homeless Children Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless 2010-2011 Board of Directors Chair Sheila R. Chapman Vice Chair Erin McKool Past Chair Alan J. Perkins Secretary John C. Wander Committee Chairs: Ira Kravitz Rick Lacher Timothy A. Larson Andy Rabin Jane Rowe, Ph.D. Glenn D. West Board Alice K. Barnett* Miriam Lewis Barnett Mary Lee Broder Peter Brodsky Regina Bruce Craig Budner* Marguerite H. Burtis Kenneth P. Cohen David R. Cunningham Elizabeth Daane Howard M. Feldman Gil Friedlander* Benjamin K. Fujihara Alan J. Gold* Linda Greene Susan Hirsch Michael G. Hoffman* Peter Knag Louis M. Koven Michelle M. Lockhart Ann Marie Painter Stuart J. Pearlman Richard Pollock Guadalupe Ramirez Jeffrey M. Robinson Barry Rosenberg Shelly Sender Nancy Shosid, M.D. Chuck Stein Jill E. Tananbaum Michelle Thomas Jonathan H. Yellen Alan Yonack President/CEO Karen Hughes * past chairs Advisory Committee Elaine & Neils Agather Susi & Peter Brundage Darcie Bundy & Ken Cohen Kathy & Tom Corcoran Kathy & Tim Eller Karen & Tom Falk Lynn & Gil Friedlander Rita Sue & Alan Gold Cindy & Chuck Gummer Cinda & Tom Hicks Karen & Alan Katz Erin & Mike McKool Cynthia & Forrest Miller Maribess & Jerry Miller Lyn & John Muse Patti & Blaine Nelson Jeneane & Aaron Pearlman Barbara & Stan Rabin Debby & Robin Robinson Peggy & Carl Sewell Barbara &Shelly Stein Phyllis & Ron Steinhart Rita & Burt Tansky Karla & Liener Temerlin Debbie & John Tolleson Christy& Glenn West Julie & John Young Fall 2011 Issue The Vogel Alcove News is published by Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless, whose mission is to provide the youngest children of homeless families with the foundation for success. It is our vision that every child in our community has a home, a self-sufficient family, and a pathway to success in school. Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless 7557 Rambler Road, Suite 262, Dallas, TX 75231 214-368-8686 www.vogelalcove.org 2 Message from the Chair When my husband, Jeff, and I sit down to dinner we often ask our daughter Morgan and each other, “Did you make a difference today?” Whether the answer is about school, work, the family or our community, it’s an important question to ask. The question isn’t meant to initiate a lecture to Morgan, although she may consider it so. It’s meant to serve as a reminder that the key to human happiness is living for others and, by doing so, making the world a better place. For me, the answer to the question often turns to Vogel Alcove. I regularly attend meetings regarding budgeting, programming, and fundraising. However, my favorite and most rewarding opportunity involves visiting the Alcove and doing projects with the children, helping parents pick out holiday gifts for their families, or calming a crying baby. None of you would be reading this unless, like me, you care about Vogel Alcove. I hope that the next time you ask yourself whether you made a difference today, your answer involves helping the children of Vogel Alcove. There are few endeavors that make our community – our part of the world – a better place. Thank you for your time, energy, and generous donations to help the youngest homeless children, the children of Vogel Alcove. Sheila Chapman Chair of the Board DONORBRIDGE: NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY Were you one of the many Vogel Alcove donors who struggled to donate via DonorBridge on September 15? It paid off! You donated $150,664 (via 36 donors) to Vogel Alcove that day… a 257% increase over 2010. Vogel Alcove will receive a 9.7% match. Thank you for your support (and patience). If you are receiving more than one copy of the newsletter or have a change of address, please call our administrative office at 214-368-8686. Remember the Alcove in Your Will Homeless children don’t have to be homeless adults. Help break the cycle of poverty and despair. Remember the Vogel Alcove in your will, and please let us know so we can acknowledge your gift. Call our administrative office at 214/368-8686. VOGEL ALCOVE NEWS Message from the President and CEO As the heat of summer turns to fall, the classrooms at Vogel Alcove have been busy with exciting “back to school” initiatives. At the end of August, we were very excited to transition 8 children to kindergarten and 7 children to Dallas Head Start or other pre-K programs. We received donations of backpacks and school supplies from the JCC of Dallas, Fill A Backpack, and BOMA which allowed us to provide school supplies and backpacks to school-aged siblings and parents at our back-toschool drive, as well as provide supplies and backpacks to our transitioning students. More than 50 students received supplies to get them started for the new school year. Care Options for Kids provided gift bags for all our transitioning children. As September began, we started implementing a new professional development program for the teachers in our preschool classrooms, funded by a grant from JP Morgan Chase. When children enroll in Vogel Alcove, they are screened for developmental delays, and the majority of the children are identified as having delays in the area of speech and language development. Many receive speech therapy sessions on site at Vogel Alcove, but we want to make sure that all children in our classrooms are experiencing language-rich classroom environments and teaching strategies that encourage speech and language growth. Through this generous grant, we have been able to: (1) provide training in classroom assessment tools for managers; (2) purchase new language materials and equipment based on needs identified through classroom assessments; and (3) implement a special language coaching program to mentor our preschool teachers to strengthen their skills in the areas of speech and language development. In October, we received a grant from Texas Instruments to implement the Strategic Teaching of Early Math (S.T.E.M.) program into the three Vogel Alcove preschool classrooms. Research affirms that high-quality, challenging, and accessible mathematics for 3- to 6-year old children is a vital foundation for future mathematics learning. In every early childhood setting, children should experience effective, research-based curriculum and teaching practices. Technology can play a key role in this process. Experts confirm that preschool age children are developmentally ready and able to benefit from instruction with technology. The use of educational technology is now known to have a positive impact on the cognitive development of children. Through the S.T.E.M. program the TeachSmart Learning System has been installed in three preschool classrooms. Teachers will be trained on its use and how to incorporate its use within the classroom with emphasis on the teaching of early mathematics skills. The program will address the five content standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The five content areas centering on what children should learn are: Number and operations; Patterns, Functions, FALL 2011 and Algebra; Geometry and Spatial Sense; Measurement; and Data Analysis and Probability. The TeachSmart Learning System is an interactive, handson technology system with tools that help both children and teachers. The System comes with a computer, LCD projector, the SMART Board Interactive Whiteboard and the SMART Recorder, and hu n d r e d s of resea rch-and classroomtested learning strategies and activities. The Learning Sy s t e m w i l l p r ov i d e o u r t ea che r s with al ready designed and tested research- SMART Board Interactive Whiteboard based strategies and activities that can be used with just a touch. The strategies and activities, which are playful, engaging, and purposeful; are in the important skill area of mathematics and are tied into national pre-k standards and the findings of the National Research Council Committee on Early Childhood Mathematics, which will further strengthen our early childhood program and increase outcomes for our preschool age children. Another important component to our curriculum is the enrichment programs we provide to the children. The weekly enrichment classes include music classes provided by Kinder Music, drama classes provided by Capers for Kids, and physical movement classes provided by Kidokenetics. Marty the Therapy Dog from Operation Kindness also visits several times each month. The Vogel Alcove Auxiliary provides story time each Tuesday morning. The preschool classrooms also participate in monthly field trips which have recently included trips to the Circus, the Dallas Aquarium, the Meyerson for a children’s concert, the Dallas Arboretum, and the Farmer’s Market. The Dallas Arboretum hosted the Vogel Alcove families in September for Family Literacy Day and the children and families received a picnic lunch, entrance to the Arboretum to see the pumpkins, face painting and other fun activities, as well as a take home gift bag with toys and books. As you can see our classrooms are full of love and learning for all our children. We appreciate the support of corporate partners, community organizations, and volunteers for their support of our classroom curriculum, and we invite you to visit us at any time and participate personally in our classroom activities. You can also keep up with the classroom learning experiences daily on Facebook – become a friend of Vogel Alcove today and brighten your day with pictures of our children’s smiling faces as they are engaged in fun and exciting learning activities each day. - Karen Hughes 3 2012 Vogel Alcove Arts Performance Event Presents Sheryl Crow Join the Vogel Alcove’s 25th Birthday Celebration (continued from page 1) Providing invaluable support to the event chairs will be Vice Chairs who are highly successful fundraisers: Lael and Peter Brodsky; Rita Sue and Alan Gold; Erin and Mike McKool; Cynthia and Forrest Miller; and Ricki and Andy Rabin. Erin McKool will chair the Event Logistics Committee, which is planning the birthday celebration with cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres served at food stations throughout the Meyerson lobby. Mary Lee Broder will return as the chair of the Ad Solicitation Committee. Rick Lacher will lead the Sponsorship Committee. The event is off to great start with several highlevel sponsors renewing their previous commitments as of early October. McKool Smith is returning as a The Event Chairs celebrate Vogel Alcove’s 25th Birthday with the children Pinnacle sponsor. The law firm has been a significant of the Alcove. Pictured (from left): Jim Gold, Lee Hobson, Beth Gold. Not supporter of the event since 1994. Renewing their very pictured: Ann Hobson generous Presenting sponsorships for the third year in a row are Erin and Mike McKool and Kenneth Cohen and Darcie Bundy. In-kind Presenting sponsor Fossil is returning for the eleventh consecutive year to design and produce the commemorative program. These outstanding corporate citizens and business and community leaders, like so many others since the inception of the event, have helped the Alcove make a difference in the lives of 13,000 homeless infants, toddlers, and preschoolers over the past 25 years. During the coming months, watch the Vogel Alcove website, Facebook page, and e-mails for more details about the 25th birthday celebration. To participate as a sponsor of the 2012 event or to inquire about ads in the commemorative program, please call Anna Irving, Director of Special Pictured (from left) at the 2012 Arts Performance Event kick-off: Event Chairs Lee Hobson, Jim and Events: (214) 368-8686, ext. 124. Beth Gold. Not pictured: Ann Hobson Photos from the event will be included in our summer 2012 newsletter. 25th Anniversary Advisory Committee Special thanks to the 25th Anniversary Advisory Committee, recently formed to lay out plans to celebrate Vogel Alcove’s 25th Anniversary. Watch your mailboxes for upcoming events! Alice Barnett, Chair Alan Gold Vera Baker Michael Hoffman Syl Benenson Jeannine Pearlman Murray Benenson Richard Pollock Craig Budner Barbara Rabin Dawn Budner Stan Rabin Marguerite Burtis Guadalupe Ramirez Sheila Chapman Tina Wasserman Gil Friedlander Karen Hughes Linda Greene 4 Teed Up for Vogel Alcove Special thanks to Mark Kreditor of Get There First Realty and the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) for its $30,000 donation to Vogel Alcove. NARPM is an association of real estate professionals who know first-hand the unique problems a nd ch a l le nge s of managing single-family and small residential properties. K reditor, a past president and host of the 2011 NA R PM Golf Tournament, chose Vogel Alcove as the benef iciar y. Mark Kreditor presents Karen Hughes with a Hole in one! symbolic check. VOGEL ALCOVE NEWS Vogel Alcove Annual Campaign for Homeless Children “Homelessness i s not t he way I pictured it. Nearly 50% of the homeless in Dallas are women and children. I can’t image the unsettling feeling of being a child, waking up in a shelter, or even on the street. I can’t imagine Vogel Alcove children, 1987 the chaos that has become your life before you’ve ever entered kindergarten. For 25 years, Vogel Alcove has worked to ensure that these children are not left behind because of the curve ball life has thrown them. Free, quality childcare is just the beginning – Vogel Alcove also provides social services to 115 children each day (ages 6 weeks to 5 years) living in 18 emergency shelters, domestic violence shelters and housing programs. It is the only free comprehensive early childhood education program in the city of Dallas providing: - - - - Licensed childcare with early childhood education Basic needs (food, clothing, diapers) Screening and treatment for developmental delays Clinical case management - - - - - Speech, occupational, physical therapy Mental health therapy and support Health care services (including dental and vision) Parenting and nutrition classes Transition support from homelessness These children – and their families – are facing so much. If we change the first five years, we change everything. Join me in giving as much as you can, to provide them what their homeless parents cannot right now. Even your small gift can make their dreams come true.” - Jason Kidd, 2011 N BA World C h a m p i o n , 10 time NBA All-Star and Vogel Alcove Supporter Give to the Vogel Alcove by: • Visiting www.vogelalcove.org • Sending your check to 7557 Ramber Road, Suite 262, Dallas, TX 75231 • Calling 214-368-8686 to charge your gift SMU Students Raise $3,368 About 100 students showed up at SMU’s south quad in 104 degree temperatures to raise awareness about homelessness in Dallas. In the first annual “Sleep in a Box” event held August 31, students were asked to create “homes” that spoke to homelessness in Dallas. These teams of students paid an entry fee and then raised money in the hopes of winning several lucrative prizes. All funds raised benefitted Vogel Alcove. Students heard from Vogel Alcove President and CEO Karen Hughes and Food Network Chef Lisa Garza about the realities of homelessness. “I challenge you to look beyond the cardboard,” Hughes said. “We have stereotypes of homelessness as the man with the cardboard sign. The reality is that half the homeless in Dallas are women and children. There are families that have done nothing other than lose their jobs that are homeless.” At the end of the night, the students raised $3,368 for Vogel Alcove. The grand prize winning team received a suite to the Mavericks game, donated by McKool Smith. Other winners received Rangers tickets (donated by Morgan Stanley and Okon Metals) and Fossil watches (donated by Fossil). All participants got a pair of movie tickets to Studio Movie Grill (donated by SMG). Food and drink were provided by Tasti D-lite, FritoLay, Jimmy John’s and Freebirds. DJ Nick Cains donated his services to the event as well. FALL 2011 SMU students create “homes” from boxes at the “Sleep in a Box” event. Now That’s Sweet! Thank you to Sprinkles Cupcakes at Preston Center, which made Vogel Alcove the recipient of the 2011 back to school fundraising promotion. They raised $3,000 for Vogel Alcove in just one week. SPECIAL NOTE Donors will now be listed in an annual report, compiled each January, instead of in our newsletter. We are so grateful for the tremendous support of all our donors. 5 Send Alcove Holiday Cards You have just a few weeks left to get your holiday cards AND support Vogel Alcove! Choose from two designs – David’s card or Briana’s card – with a nice holiday message wishing joy for the season. Cards are $1/each plus shipping and handling* or $1.50/ each and we’ll address and mail them for you**. To order: 1. Visit vogelalcove.org and fill out your information online. 2. Contact Sharon Russell at 214368-8686 or srussell@vogelalcove. org with your choice of card and how many you’d like. *shipping and handling: 1-60 cards = $5 60-100 cards = $15 100-400 cards = $20 **Excel spreadsheet with addresses must be received by December 1 for mailing for the Vogel Alcove staff David’s Card to mail for you. The inside of David’s card reads: “Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season. Wishing you joy. Wishing you hope. Wishing you peace. In celebration of the holidays, a generous donation was made in your honor to the Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless to help make a child’s wishes come true.” Briana’s Card The inside of Briana’s card reads: – Briana, age 4 “Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with joy and peace. As we celebrate the season, let us remember homeless families who long for the warmth and comfort of home. A generous donation was made in your honor to help the Vogel Alcove provide free childcare and other critical services for the children of homeless families.” Vogel Alcove Auxiliary Update The Vogel Alcove Auxiliary is entering 2012 with many new projects and events. The Auxiliary hosted its second annual membership luncheon on October 12 at Neiman Marcus Northpark in the beautiful Cafe Room. It was a lovely setting for members to socialize and lear n more a b o u t Vo g e l Alcove and the Auxiliary’s growing list of opportunities t o g e t involved. The highlight was ou r fe at u re d (from left) Karen Hughes, Micki Rawlings, Sheila Chapman speaker, Micki Rawlings, wife of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. Micki spoke about the work she and Mike done to help solve the problem of homelessness in our community. In September, the Auxiliary kicked off a weekly opportunity to interact with the Alcove children through reading… storytime Tuesdays! To volunteer, contact erburdette40@me.com. 6 This fall, the Auxiliary launches Birthday Buddies, an easy way to make a tangible difference for a homeless child. Volunteers sign up to bring cupcakes and a few modest gifts for the birthday child on a specific date. For more details and to volunteer, contact amber@coben.me. The MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) program matches an Auxiliary mom with a mom as the family transitions from homelessness. With support from an Alcove case worker, the Auxiliary volunteer will support the Alcove mom by bringing dinner, assisting with household supplies, or work clothes… or more. To volunteer, contact lynnersiegel@aol.com. Ladies, get your kitchens ready! In celebration of Vogel Alcove’s 25th Birthday, the Auxiliary is creating a cookbook filled with amazing recipes – some from one of our founding first ladies. The book will be available this spring... watch the website. Of course, there are many ways to volunteer as an Auxiliary member at the Alcove… just contact jvicic@pridestaff.com. It’s not too late to join or renew your membership. Just visit http://vogelalcove.org/auxiliary.html or call 214-368-8686 for a membership form. VOGEL ALCOVE NEWS Holiday Store 2012 It’s the best Holiday Store ever... because you stock the shelves... and everything is free to our families! Donation checklist For one day, the parents of our Vogel Alcove children get to browse our Holiday Store and pick out gifts for their kids. Even more exciting, our kids get to do the same for their parents! • big toy (truck, doll, set of blocks) • smaller toy (game, toy figure, small cars, For kids to give their parents: playdough, puzzle) • socks • board games • hats/gloves/scarves • stuffed animals • t-shirts (large, XL, 2XL) • books • pjs • outfits • purses/wallets/belts • PJs or gowns • socks and underwear • toiletries • picture frame • hats and gloves • earrings/necklace • shoes • house slippers (small-XL; 6-12) • stocking stuffers This is how you can help. Before the big day: December 1-14, hours vary • Organize supply drives and donations • Sort and organize donations • Develop signs and decorations to enhance the festivities • Set up the store on December 14 On the big day: December 15, 9 a.m. -8 p.m. • Work as a greeter/check-in • Be a personal shopper • Wrap gifts • Be a childcare helper after Vogel Alcove’s hours of operation • Stock the store throughout the day • Provide meals for volunteers/staff working late For parents to give the kids: Donate • Provide monetary donations to offset the cost of the children’s party or providing gifts • Collect or donate new items to supply the Holiday Store for both the kids and the parents (see list) All donations must be NEW, age-appropriate items delivered to Vogel Alcove at 1100 S. Akard by December 9. Volunteers help Alcove children shop for their parents at the Holiday Store 2010. Townview Student Interns For several years, the students from the Rosie Sorrells School of Education and Social Services at Townview High School have been placed with the Vogel Alcove for internships their junior and senior years. These students have worked diligently throughout their high school years to complete both standard academic courses, as well as coursework that specifically prepares them for careers in the education and social services fields. The students then, in the final two years of high school, complete internships that allow them to explore their respective fields, understand the roles of these fields in the community, and develop professional skills and habits. Each month students complete FALL 2011 a project specifically focused on a new aspect of the agency, from development and fundraising to childcare and social services. This year, Vogel Alcove is proud to again host students from the program and support the next generation of human services and educational professionals. Juniors Roger Camacho, Griselda DeSantiago, Caitlin Garrett, and David Vega and seniors Mia-Tiara Hall, Shan Henderson, Amanda Jacobs, and Crystal Wallace spend several hours a week at the childcare center exploring both the diverse ways that Vogel Alcove serves its clients and different positions within the agency necessary to providing these services. 7 Thanks... • Lesa Truax with Kizzy, Lily, and Marty the dogs for coming to the center to teach the children all about pets. Lisa Truax and her pets with Alcove children. • Erin McKool for coming to spend time in Classroom 3. • T h e Vo g e l A l c o v e Auxiliary for starting the Story Time Program. • OR I X e mploye e s for coming to spend time in the classrooms. • Fred Harris, system sales representative of ASG Security, for donating the surveillance camera t o m o n it o r o u r s t a f f Dawn Budner reads to Alcove parking lot. children during Story Time. • The First Unitarian of Dallas’ Women’s Day Alliance for preparing seasonal goodie bags for the children. • The Keller Williams U r b a n Te a m f o r generously hosting an autumnal Pumpkin Pat ch eve nt w it h pu mpk i ns, craf ts, and face painting. The Vogel Alcove Auxiliary provided snacks for the event. • S M U M u s t a n g Heroes for coming to play after the Sleep in the Box event. An SMU student plays with Alcove children. 8 Kids Helping Kids • Dallas Lutheran School spent time in the classrooms as part of their Beyond My Front Door service program. • Jordan Rudner came in to help with Classroom 7. • Stewpot Summer Youth Group provided Splash Day all summer. • Jenna Sanders and Jordan and Jason Seigel helped sort donations in the Volunteer & Resource Center. • The Perkins family provided ice cream for us from a real ice cream truck. • Townview High School’s Rosie Sorrells School of Education and Social Services interns started working within the agency and will be with us until May. • Four students from Ursuline started their Senior Service project in the toddler classrooms. • Sondra, Courtney, and Jamie Perkins, with Jillie and Ross Rubin, helped the children decorate special keepsake plates for their families. • Visual Arts students from Booker T. Washington, led by Kayla Myers, came to decorate windows for the classrooms at the childcare center. • The Young Men’s Service League finished the month of October with their Ultimate Gift event benefitting the Vogel Alcove and affiliated agencies. Alcove Children Need... We always need items for the children, but are especially in need of new toddler fall clothes (especially bottoms) right now! Below is a list of items often needed by our children. Please call Julius Jenkins at (214) 565-9706 to inquire about the current needs of the center and to schedule drop-off. • Age-appropriate toys (6 weeks to five years old) • Children’s books for early literacy • Children’s art supplies • Quilts and blankets • Infant care items – unscented/sensitive baby wipes, lotion, ointment, powder, bibs, pacifiers, wash cloths • Diapers – sizes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (no Pull-Ups, please) • New underwear and socks – size 2T through size 8 • Shoes – infant through children’s size 2 • Clothing for infants, toddlers and preschoolers (new and gently-used) • Pajamas – Infant through 6X • Coats – winter and rain gear, toddler and preschool sizes • Infant coats and buntings VOGEL ALCOVE NEWS Alcove Activities for Children and Parents Arboretum Literacy Day In September, the Dallas Arboretum again invited the families of Vogel Alcove for its free Literacy Day in its gardens (and DART passes). The Arboretum staff helped with face painting and story time with the kids, and invited families to a picnic lunch on the grounds. About 30 Alcove families came out, and each family got a professional photograph of them and the kids took home a book and stickers. Cinderella came out to An Alcove child dressed for a day at chat with the kids. Jackie the Dallas Arboretum. Ward, a Vogel Alcove employee of 13 years, was there with her mother, daughter, and 4 grandkids—4 generations! She looks forward to this event every year. Field Trips The kids have about one field trip each month. In July they went to the circus and saw all the different animals. The clowns did tricks with them in the audience and the kids loved motorcycle riding on the tight rope. In August, about 10 preschoolers went to the Nancy Lieberman Basketball Camp for a week… with a limo ride back from the camp, too. September was busy. The Alcove children visited the Dallas World Aquarium, going to the rainforest/aquarium where they saw an albino alligator. They loved the tunnel aquarium. They also got to visit the Dallas Arboretum where the staff taught the kids all about trees and leaves and how they change in the fall. The kids also got to tour the pumpkin patch. The Dallas Fire Department brought its fire truck and Alcove children enjoyed fall at the Dallas Arboretum, including many pumpkin displays. the kids got to put on e q u ipme nt wh i le taking a tour of the truck. In October the kids visited the Dallas Symphony. Musicians played music from The Addam’s Family and really interacted with the kids. Visitors The Alcove ch i ld r e n h ave h a d ple nt y of fun visitors this summer and fall, including Dallas’ first lady Micki Rawlings, celebr it y chef Lisa Garza, Operation Kindness, Ji m Adler & Associates, the Dallas’ first lady, Micki Rawlings, hugs SM U Mustang Alcove children during a visit to the Alcove H e r o e s , a n d this fall. L o r r a i n e Friedman & Will Friedman. Parenting Program Two Vogel Alcove case managers offer a 12-week parenting program for Vogel Alcove families, covering topics such as child development, family roles and expectations of children. The Social Services department works hard to equip our parents with great resources for everyday living. Alcove children were fascinated by the aquatic life they saw at the Dallas World Aquarium. FALL 2011 9 Hearing from the Alcove There are plenty of ways to get the latest information from Vogel Alcove! Have you checked out our new website yet (scheduled to launch in early November)? Easier to use, more fun to look at. Don’t miss the blog at the bottom. Plus… sign up for our e-blasts and become a fan on Facebook… all are great ways to get your fix of those cute faces and find out how your incredible generosity is helping our kids. 10 VOGEL ALCOVE NEWS An Evening with Sheryl Crow helping homeless children succeed TICKET ORDER FORM 2012 Vogel Alcove Arts Performance Event The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center Monday, May 14, 2012 - 8:00pm (please print or type your name) Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone (home):______________________________________________________ Phone (work):_______________________________________________________ Email:_____________________________________________________________ AREA LEVEL PRICE PER SEAT* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Sponsors Sponsors Sponsors $250 $175 $150 $75 $55 $50 Loge** Orchestra Terrace** Orchestra** Dress Circle (rows A-B) Dress Circle (rows C-E) Grand Tier Boxes Grand Tier Front (A-D) Grand Tier Rear (E-J) Choral Terrace _____________ __________x__________= $_____________________ Area #Tickets Price Total *Does not include ticket handling fees **Includes sponsor birthday celebration with cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres Tickets available at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Box Office. Order in person: Charge online: www.attpac.org Winspear Box Office Charge by phone: 214.880.0202 2403 Flora Street (8am-9pm Mon-Sat; 10am-6pm Sun) Dallas, TX 75201 Charge by fax: 214.880.0303 Order by mail, return this form to: AT&T Performing Arts Center Attn: Ticketing Services 2100 Ross Avenue, Suite 650 Dallas, TX 75201 q Enclosed is our check in the amount of $______________________ made payable to ATTPAC. q Charge $_____________________ to q MC q Visa q Amex q Discover Card #______________________________________________Exp date:_______ Signature __________________________________________________________ PROGRAM AND ARTIST SUBJECT TO CHANGE. TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. Tickets will be mailed in late April. Tax deductible to extent allowed by law. All orders are processed in order of date received. Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Richardson, Texas Permit No. 349 Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless 7557 Rambler Road Suite 262 Dallas, TX 75231 214-368-8686 www.vogelalcove.org Address Service Requested Other Ways to Give Tom Thumb Good Neighbor Program You can earn funds for the Vogel Alcove when you shop at Tom Thumb. Ask your checker to add our number 3031 to your Reward Card. Send Us Your E-mail Address Send Vogel Alcove your e-mail address to receive news, invitations, updates and give us a way to stay in touch. Visit the Alcove website at www.vogelalcove.org and send your e-mail address by clicking on the “Contact” menu item, or e-mail info@vogelalcove.org. Kroger Share Card Earn the Vogel Alcove one percent (1%) of your Kroger purchases. Call the Alcove office today at (214) 368-8686 to learn more about participating in this program. Albertsons Community Partners Earn funds for the Vogel Alcove when you shop at Albertsons. Call the Alcove office today at (214) 368-8686, and we will send you a Partners card to use when you check out. If you are receiving more than one copy of the newsletter or have a change of address, please call our administrative office at 214/368-8686. Affiliate Agencies Austin Street Shelter Brighter Tomorrows Dallas LIFE Exodus Ministries Family Gateway Family Place Gateway Apartments Genesis Women’s Shelter Hope’s Door Hopeful Solutions Housing Crisis Interfaith Housing Coalition Mosaic Family Services New Beginning Center Promise House River of Life Homes, Inc. Salvation Army Shared Housing Center Follow the Vogel Alcove on Facebook FALL 2011 VOGEL ALCOVE NEWS