MCH Family Outreach in Houston out in the community

Staff from MCH Family Outreach in Houston partnered with local organizations this summer at events supporting families.

Houston staff led nurture group activities for approximately 30 children during a two-week summer camp hosted by GrandParent Support (GPS), a local nonprofit advocating for grandparent caregivers. Camp activities focused on skill-building, development of self-confidence, leadership, teamwork, and communication.

MCH provided activities to help children become more self-aware, such as learning calming techniques, using a stress ball, doing an “engine check” to identify their feelings, and personal journaling. Children participated in nurture group activities such as giving and receiving care using Band-Aids, learning about the impact of negative words, and performing a hand-knot to demonstrate problem-solving.

“The children responded well and were excited to participate each day,” said Nicole Washington, case manager for MCH Family Outreach in Houston. “I feel they were enlightened and encouraged to really think about how they treat themselves and their peers, families and community. I enjoyed the experience!”

Staff members Washington, Monica Aguillon-LaFargue and Larysheia Harris participated in other back-to-school outreach events in the community. A back-to-school expo for Spring ISD featured a family resource fair, free immunizations and giveaways. During a back-to-school health fair organized by BakerRipley community centers, hundreds of Houston families were connected to health resources, screenings, school supplies, uniforms, and additional community resources.

Freshmen Fish Camp 2019

Incoming freshmen at the charter school on the campus of Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) learned what to expect as they enter high school during Fish Camp, a freshman orientation, on July 10. Sixteen students will begin their first year at the charter school operated in partnership with The University of Texas-University Charter School system.

Michelle Arocha, executive principal, gave the students an overview of the school, went over expectations and explained transcripts and grade point averages. Additionally, she informed them of changes this upcoming school year including new teachers, schedules and school policies.

After Arocha’s presentation, students were introduced to members of the MCH Transition Services (TS) staff. TS coordinators begin meeting with MCH students their junior year to help them prepare and develop post-graduation plans, including how to apply for college and scholarships, admissions testing, taking college visits, finding a place to live, and learning independent living skills.

TS staff explained to students about life after high school and gave examples regarding cost of living expenses such as rent and phone. They also provided information on additional MCH resources available to students and stressed the importance of doing well in school in order to increase their chance of success in advanced education or the workplace.

Freshmen were given information on dual credit and career development programs available to them as upperclassmen through partnerships with Waco ISD and local colleges. Through the Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy (GWAMA), students can choose a curriculum to learn welding, construction, electronics and robotics, or architecture. By taking classes with the Greater Waco Advanced Healthcare Academy (GWAHCA), students can earn certificates as a certified nurse assistant, pharmacy technician or EKG technician.

For the final activity of Fish Camp, the group participated in team building exercises with MCH recreation staff. They closed out the day discussing what they learned during the orientation.

“I learned that you need good grades and to be on your best behavior in order to earn scholarships,” said Devion, one of the students attending Fish Camp.

Charter school students will begin the 2019-2020 school year on Aug. 19.

MCH students excel during district fine arts competition

The hard work of students from Methodist Children’s Home charter school paid off during the recent Texas Christian Athletic Fellowship (TCAF) Fine Arts Competition and One Act Play competition, with two MCH students bringing home state honors.

Students prepared their fine arts projects during afterschool programs led by the MCH recreation department. Projects were submitted in instrumental, dance, photography, and theatre. Kellie Bennet, recreation coordinator, helped the students prepare dance routines this semester. She said her dance students worked for three months perfecting their routine for competition and received an “Excellent” rating for their efforts.

“I am so proud that I hung up their award in my office so I can look at it every day,” Bennett said.

She said her solo and duet dancers also impressed her, with one soloist, Camray, awarded second place in state for the second year in a row.

“As a coach, I could not be more proud of the group of kiddos I was blessed with this season, and I can’t wait to see what next season has in store for us,” Bennett said.

Faith, a photography student, also received state honors, placing first for her photograph of the Harrell Memorial Chapel on the MCH Waco campus.

Theatre students performed “Finders Keepers” during the One Act Play competition, a drama about a couple who finds a large sum of money that they later find out belongs to a neighbor. The couple grapples with the decision on whether to return or keep the money. The play earned the theatre group a B ranking. Two individuals also received honors with Shane earning All Star First Cast and Faith earning an Honorable Mention.

“I was really proud and impressed by them during the competition because they were really nervous and it was their first time perform in in large crowd,” said Gabe Garcez, theatre instructor. “But they really excelled in their performances, and I felt it was the best they’ve done all semester.”

Ashley Kendrick, student events coordinator, said competitions such as these are a great learning experience for the students.

“Our students have worked hard this semester to either surpass last year’s accomplishments, grow their talents, or challenge themselves to try something new,” Kendrick said. “The extracurricular activities our students participated in challenge them to step out of their comfort zone at times, teaches how to be a team player, builds their self-confidence, and shows them how to reach for a goal. We are so proud of them and all that they accomplished!”

Below is a list of results:

Instrumental:

Faith C. – Excellent

Dance Solo:

Camray – Superior and 2^nd in state

Natavia – Excellent

Andy – good

Natalie – Good

Dance Duet:

Nikkie and Christina – Good

Dance Team:

Team (Natavia, Aniya, Camray, Nikkie, Andy, Christina, Lacey, Natalie) – Excellent

Photography:

Lauren – Excellent

Faith W. – Superior and 1^st in state

Alexis – Good

Kiyona – Good

Victoria – Good

Monologue:

Lacey – Excellent

Abigial – Good

One Act Play:

B ranking overall

Faith – Honorable Mention

Shane – All Star First Cast

Congratulations to all our fine arts and one act play students!

Central Texas nonprofits seeking donations for tornado relief efforts in Franklin

Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) locations in Waco and Bryan, Texas, are collaborating to collect donations from the public to support children and families of Robertson County affected by the devastating storms and tornadic activity of April 13.

According to Moe Dozier, vice president for programs at MCH, “More than 55 homes were destroyed by the storms on April 13. In times of crisis such as this, we have a unique opportunity to come alongside affected families and children and offer compassion and assistance.”

Anjuli Renold, executive director of CASA of Brazos Valley, said donations of new toys, gift cards and diapers can be dropped off this week through Friday, May 3, at CASA in Bryan and MCH locations in Waco and Bryan.

Franklin United Methodist Church will facilitate distribution to families in the Robertson County community.

“We are so grateful to these two awesome organizations that are coming together to bring joy to some of Franklin’s most vulnerable victims of the tornado,” said Rev. Polly Standing, senior pastor of Franklin United Methodist Church. “These gifts are a light in an otherwise sorrowful and dark time. With each toy, hope is being restored.”

Donations can be made at the following locations:

In Waco:
MCH Family Outreach Center
524 W. Waco Dr.
Waco, TX  76701
(M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 1-4 p.m.)

In Bryan:
CASA of Brazos Valley
115 N. Main St.
Bryan, TX  77803
(M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)

MCH Family Outreach
4001 E. 29th St., Suite 108
Bryan, TX  77802
(M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)

Methodist Children’s Home receives 2019 Guidestar Gold Seal

Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) again received the Gold Seal of Transparency designation from Guidestar, the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations.

More than 10 million visitors visit Guidestar.com each year to find information on nonprofit organizations for the purpose of research, community collaboration and charitable giving. Less than 1 percent of nonprofits listed on Guidestar have achieved the Gold level, noted MCH President/CEO Tim Brown.

“Receiving the Gold Seal designation from Guidestar shows that Methodist Children’s Home is committed to integrity and transparency as a top-rated nonprofit organization through the way we share our goals, strategies, capabilities, and vision,” Brown said.

“As we carry out our important work of offering hope to children, youth and families across Texas and New Mexico, this designation is another assurance to our supporters, benefactors and the public that MCH is worthy of their support and trust,” he said.

MCH is also rated as a four-star charity by Charity Navigator, the highest rating available from the nation’s largest charity evaluator. MCH is accredited through the Council on Accreditation (COA), an independent, nonprofit accreditor of the full continuum of community-based behavioral health care and social service organizations in the United States and Canada.

MCH youth soar during recent field trip

Students from the Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) charter school in Waco flew through the air and faced their fears during a field trip they will never forget. Juniors and seniors from Leisa Patterson’s financial math class learned lessons in velocity and engineering during their visit on April 3 to iFly, an indoor flying experience in Austin. The charter school is operated in partnership with The University of Texas-University Charter School system and is located on the Waco campus of MCH.

Patterson planned the field trip with the help of her student Roger who initially suggested the trip. Patterson said Roger and his classmates were very excited for the opportunity to “fly.”

At the iFly center, students first attended a class to learn about the science and math behind being able to float, having to calculate the area of their body and then use that, as well as other scientific measurements, to estimate the amount of wind speed necessary to keep them afloat. After the lesson, they learned hand signals they would use to communicate during their flight. Finally, each student suited up in a flight suit, helmet and goggles to take their turn with a flight instructor in the wind tunnel.

“Most of the students did very well and all the students at least tried it,” Patterson said. “This was very big for them because many were hesitant and scared to try, but they all did. Overcoming their fear was a huge milestone for many.”

At the conclusion of the trip, the students received a goodie bag with a shirt and other items to remember their experience.

   

“I am very thankful for being allowed to take my financial math classes on this field trip,” Patterson said. “It not only gave each student a new experience to remember, but it helped them face and conquer their fears. More importantly though, they were also able to see how the math and science are applied in the real world which is something we are always striving to impress on the kids.”

School registrar named Staff of the Year

Congratulations to Shannon Fleming, school registrar with The University of Texas-University Charter School System (UT-UCS) district, for receiving the Staff of the Year Award! Fleming is in charge of two campuses in the district including the Methodist Children’s Home charter school where her office is located. The MCH charter school is on the Waco campus and operated in partnership with UT-UCS.

Fleming was chosen out of all staff members from 23 schools in the district which serves over 3,000 students. Recipients are chosen after nominations are received through a district-wide survey. Although several people were nominated this year, Fleming received numerous nominations from staff.

She was surprised in her office on March 25 by district superintendent Dr. Melissa Chavez and Fleming’s supervisor and PEIMS Coordinator Audrea Carmack with a certificate and bouquet of orange flowers.

“I was in complete shock to receive the staff of the year award for the district,” Fleming said. “It had me completely in tears. I work with so many amazing people and they are all deserving of this honor.  It just never crossed my mind that I would be nominated. It’s heartwarming to hear the things that my peers have said about me and how they feel about me as a co-worker and a person.”

Fleming has worked on the MCH campus for almost 21 years, first as an employee of MCH and then as a UT-UCS employee for the last seven years. In her current position as campus registrar, she is in charge of student records and transcripts. Michelle Arocha, executive principal at the charter school, said Fleming’s duties are crucial for the students and the school, and she does a great job at making sure they are all taken care of.

“Shannon really is the go-to person in getting student’s records,” Arocha said. “There are times when students have been in multiple schools before arriving at MCH.  Shannon tracks down those records from all schools so that we can make sure kids have accurate records. She is very precise and works hard to make sure that her schools are run accurately.”

Carmack said she appreciates Fleming’s dedication in doing her work.

“As her supervisor I just want to say Shannon is a great registrar and we love her here at UT-UCS,” Carmack said. “I’m so happy she received this award. She is always serving students and staff. She cares about the quality of her work and it shows in everything she does. I love calling Shannon because keeps a great attitude and her sense of humor always has me giggling!”

“I love what I do and honestly I just come to work and try to do my job the best I can every day and just take care of what needs to be done,” Fleming said. “That’s what we do. But with the great teams that I work with at UT-UCS and my campuses MCH and UHS each and every day, it’s not hard. We all work together to do what’s best for these kiddos and their education. That’s what it’s all about. I am so appreciative and thankful to be awarded 2018-2019 District Staff of the Year for UT-UCS.”

Youth utilize life skills during Escape Room challenge

Methodist Children’s Home residents are enjoying a new “escape room” activity challenge at the MCH Boys Ranch designed with clues that reinforce MCH Life Skills in an entertaining way.

Maegan Molnar, home life manager at the Boys Ranch, and Sarah Pitman, social work graduate intern from Baylor University, have been working since January to convert the Fern Cone building at the Ranch into the intricate escape room game consisting of Western props, activities and riddles that youth must work together to solve.

Escape rooms are popular team-building venues offering problem-solving challenges built around a story or a theme. Participants test their wits against challenging clues, puzzles and mysteries embedded in the room or series of rooms. Solving a challenge allows the participants to “escape” to the next challenge that progresses through the room. Molnar said she came up with the idea and wanted to put it together to give residents an experience where they could work on life skills as well as team building and problem solving.

 

“The kids we serve have such a wide range of interests; I really wanted to include a little something for everyone,” Molnar said. “There is an area where they have to be very observant and use critical thinking skills, an area where they go ‘fishing,’ an activity where they must use their hands and dig for a clue, and several opportunities to decode cheesy puns!”

MCH’s 10 Life Skills are: Use good words to communicate; be gentle and kind; show respect; listen and learn; understand who is in charge; accept decisions of authority; make good choices; focus and finish your work; negotiate and compromise; and build trusting relationships. Molnar said teams end up using these life skills during the challenge without even realizing it.

“The kids bounce ideas off of each other, root each other on, take turns reading clues aloud, build off each other’s notions, and essentially teach each other things,” Molnar said. “The kids are also inadvertently having a calming sensory experience so that they are not overstimulated while trying to solve puzzles. In each room there is ambient lighting, a cool fan, low background noise, and many opportunities to touch different textures through the clues and tasks they must complete.”

Participants are timed as they work to complete the escape room and discover the treasure. Molnar said it is open to Boys Ranch residents as well as MCH youth from the Waco campus. The teams from each campus with the fastest time are awarded a gift card to Sonic.

“We have set up a backdrop with props at the end of the game where participants can take their photo and add their time to the leaderboard,” she said. “We also invite any staff members from every team to participate! So far the adults have had just as much fun as the kids.”

Maegan Molnar (left) came up with the idea for the Escape Room challenge. She, along with
Sarah Pitman (right), graduate intern, created the escape room at the Boys Ranch.

  

February events at the MCH charter school

Throughout the month of February, students at the Methodist Children’s Home charter school celebrated Black History Month and participated in their first schoolwide fundraiser for cancer research.

Students were educated about famous African-American leaders, including civil rights activists, musicians, political figures, and authors, during homeroom announcements and circle discussions. During lunch periods, staff played music from famous musicians.

Some classrooms also focused lessons in honor of Black History Month. Ms. Alex Warnken’s ART I, II, and III students worked on a group project to create a mural of Martin Luther King, Jr., that was displayed in the cafeteria. English classes discussed African-American authors.

 

During the month, students also worked together as a school to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through its Pennies for Patients program. The fundraising began during the first week of February, correlating to cancer awareness week.

“We felt it was a good cause to get involved in for our first school fundraiser,” said Michelle Arocha, principal of the school. “The kids did great!”

As a whole, the charter school collected $500 during the first three weeks of February. Each homeroom was challenged to collect and donate their change during homeroom with the winning class receiving a catered lunch from The Olive Garden. Ms. Warnken’s homeroom won by collecting $261.11. The middle school classes competed separately with Ms. Morghan Jones’ class winning a pizza party from Arocha.

Homeroom meets during fifth period to hear announcements, reminders and have group circle discussions about the week’s theme. Arocha said this semester, they have had challenges for homeroom classes in an effort to build a teamwork philosophy. Next month, students will have an attendance challenge.

“I think it builds cohesiveness and it gives kids something to look forward to in the middle of the day,” she said.

MCH Family Outreach offices get a new look

Staff from MCH Family Outreach in Houston are now settling into their renovated office space after construction was completed over the Christmas holiday. Their location recently incorporated a new design implemented to accommodate the growth of MCH Family Outreach programs.

The five-week renovation took place in sections of the office while staff shared spaces that were not under construction in order to maintain uninterrupted service to families. The office transitioned from separate offices to collaborative workspaces, a larger conference room and a secure entrance that includes remote locks, keypads and a reinforced door. Case managers, who spend the majority of their time in the field, now have workstations, and use “huddle rooms” as needed for private calls or visits with families. The Houston office also features a playroom for foster care visits.

“I think it is a great concept,” said Veronica Whalon-Peters, director of MCH Family Outreach in Houston. “Everyone is getting used to it and it is going well.”

“I like the flow of it,” said Nicole Washington, a Houston case manager. “I like that we are able to communicate with each other easily. So far it has been good.”

Whalon-Peters said they were able to donate several pieces of furniture to a school and daycare that was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey. They also gave several pieces to a client they were serving, a single mom who was starting over and had no furniture.

MCH Family Outreach offices in Houston and Albuquerque are the latest locations to incorporate a similar new office design. The Dallas outreach office is scheduled to receive renovations next year. Becky James, case manager at MCH Family Outreach in Albuquerque admits the transition has had its challenges, but that is also provided opportunities to learn and grow professionally.

“I have enjoyed and benefitted from hearing or witnessing how other people work,” James said. “This could be anything from the way in which they relate or encourage their families, or how they talk to other service providers. I have gained a deeper understanding of other’s talents which gives me a better appreciation for my team. With that I have gained insight into new effective and creative ways of doing things – I just love that.”

Traci Wagner, program administrator for the Eastern region of MCH Family Outreach, said developing this new concept took a lot of thoughtful consideration. Many locations were locked into leases; however, their workforce continued to grow to meet the needs of their communities. MCH leadership consulted with commercial floorplan experts, space planners and like-minded organizations and learned that collaborative workspaces would be the most cost-efficient option, allowing for more resources to be designated to clients and programs, while also offering many benefits to an office environment.

“The open office can foster collaboration, promote shared learning, and nurture a strong culture,” Wagner said. “For us, it also allowed us to create consistency among our 13 locations.”

Wagner said they have been able to tailor the plans to match each location since adopting the collaborative workspace in 2014. The concept was piloted first in the Corpus Christi office, and as leases have expired or offices have needed to relocate, the new model has been incorporated in other locations.

--

MCH Family Outreach offers foster care (in some locations) and family preservation services through its community services program. Offices are located in 13 cities across Texas and New Mexico. To find a location near you, visit our website at MCH.org.

Entrance

Lobby

Playroom

Boardroom

Director's office

Huddle Room

Case managers' collaborative work space

McLennan County Junior Livestock Show 2019

Methodist Children’s Home charter school had 10 animal projects move on to the Sale of Champions and one student receive a scholarship for his ag mechanics project during the 2019 McLennan County Junior Livestock Show. Students from the agricultural sciences classes led by teachers Steve Kruse and Kevin Gibbs competed in the show at the Extraco Events Center from Jan. 29 through Feb. 1.

“In my entire tenure at MCH this is the most animals we have ever had make the sale,” Kruse said. “The kids that showed in the 2019 county fair seemed to be more competitive than the ones in the past.”

Kruse said the hog crew set a goal for themselves before the show to have six swine proceed to the Sale of Champions and exceeded their goal with seven.

“These kids worked together and had a true sense of what teamwork is all about,” he said. “They challenged me to learn more about pigs and with the help from some breeders and friends, we had a record year. The success can be attributed to the fact that the students, school, teachers, homes, and all MCH staff came together to make sure the animals got fed and were cared for properly.”

A total of 27 students participated in the show this year, with nine presenting swine, three goat, five steer, eight sheep. Several students who showed animals and an additional two students presented projects in the ag mechanics show.  Out of 12 schools who competed in the ag mechanics show, MCH charter school placed third in Sweepstakes. Below is a list of results from the show:

Livestock Show

Swine - York: Triston – 1^st, Edric – 7^th; BOPB:  Aniya – 3^rd, John – 4^th; Hampshire: Luis – 4^th; Cross:  Jose – 5^th, Tianna – 6^th; WOPB:  Roger – 8^th; Duroc: Malachi – participated

Steers - Class 1:  Juliana – 8^th, Danny – 10^th; Class 2:  Dathan – 6^th; Class 3:  Lucas – 10^th; Class 4:  Dustin – 9^th

Goats – Class 1:  Alyssa – 5^th; Class 3:  Bobby – participated, Faith – participated

Sheep - Hair Sheep – Class 1:  Lacy – 1^st; Southdown Sheep – Class 1:  Brittany – 2^nd, McKenzie – 3^rd, Emma – 4^th; Class 2:  D’Najia – 3^rd, Daxie – 5^th, Natavia – 7^th; Class 3:  Abigail – 4^th

10 animals went to Sale of Champions

Ag Mechanics Show

Livestock Division: Deer gate made by Roger – 2^nd place gates; Pickup carrier made by Dustin – 2^nd place equipment; Mineral feeder made by 8th grade students – 1^st place feeders, Reserve Champion.

Electrical Division: Deer lamp made by KK – 2^nd place indoor lamps; Boot nightstand made by Juliana – 3^rd place indoor lamps; Clipper stand made by KK – 1^st place shop electrical.

Furniture Division: Coffee table made by Juliana – 3^rd place small indoor; Reclaimed bar made by Faith – 3^rd place outside small; Swing made by Danny – 3^rd place yard convinces.

Wildlife Division: Deer feeder made by Danny – 1^st place feeder, Division Champion.

Out of 12 schools, MCH Ag Mechanics classes placed 3^rd in Sweepstakes; Danny received $500 scholarship to Texas State Technical College for his Division Champion award.  

Congratulations to our Ag students on their great work this year!

Empowering caregivers through supportive groups

MCH Family Outreach brings caregivers from the community together for a time of support and connection during Caregiver Empowerment groups. Groups can consist of parents, grandparents, relatives or fictive kinship caregivers and are led by an MCH team member.

The groups are intended to provide support to all caregivers in their roles by enhancing their knowledge, helping them to build skill, providing them with access to community resources, and providing a space where they can receive support and encouragement from peers. Topics discussed in these groups include financial issues, legal matters, children’s behavior, caring for oneself, advocacy, family bonding and making a difference.

MCH Family Outreach in Waco currently facilitates a Caregiver Empowerment Group for Spanish-speaking families. The group has been running for over a year and meets twice a month.

“We started it because we felt Spanish speaking moms in our community could benefit from having a space where they could build friendship and share experiences, especially but not limited to parenting,” said Ana Chatham, case manager at the Waco office. “Late last year an agency here in town that used to serve Spanish speaking families closed down, and we thought we could help fill in the gap for a space such as this.”

Chatham leads the group along with fellow case manager Sara Beth Stoltzfus. They recently hosted a special meeting to celebrate Christmas where the participants brought their children together to play, sang holiday songs in Spanish, and shared a pot luck lunch. The suggestion of the party came from the participants themselves and provided an additional opportunity for bonding. They also suggested topics that have been discussed during group meetings such as sibling rivalry, online safety, communication and how to increase their family’s connection.

“Our main role is to hold the space, providing some structure, but the richness of the experience really comes from each woman opening up and sharing of themselves. As we asked the participants to reflect on what has been most impactful to them, several of them mentioned how they experience our time together as self-care, an opportunity to pause, even if it’s just for an hour every couple of weeks, and think about how they are going about both their parenting role as well as other areas of their life.”

Other examples of groups include a monthly group for adoptive parents in Waco, a long-standing group in Corpus Christi that has separate spaces for caregivers and children, and a group in a maternity home in Bryan for homeless women. Caregiver Empowerment Groups are open to any caregiver in the community, regardless of whether or not that caregiver is a client of MCH. Attendance is free of charge and all MCH Family Outreach offices are able to facilitate these groups. If you are interested in joining a Caregiver Empowerment Group, please visit MCH.org, click on the “Locations” tab, and contact the family outreach office nearest to you.  

Bicycle giving tradition kicks off Christmas season at MCH

Thanks to the generosity of First United Methodist Church of Grapevine, children and youth at Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) were blessed once again with bicycles for Christmas. The annual donation of bicycles from FUMC Grapevine is a long-standing tradition at MCH, dating back to the late-1980s.

Whether they are served on the Waco campus, MCH Boys Ranch or through one of the 13 MCH Family Outreach offices, FUMC Grapevine makes sure every child that wants a bicycle will receive one in time for the holidays. This year 114 children received a bicycle and helmet.

This tradition began when FUMC Grapevine member Jim Kennebrew thought back and recalled his best Christmas as a child was when he received his first bicycle and decided he wanted to pass on that joy to the children at MCH. He approached his Sunday school class with the idea to refurbish bicycles and give them as gifts to MCH at Christmas, an idea that blossomed into a church-wide campaign.

The process begins each year in October when the church contacts MCH to determine a number of desired bicycles. FUMC Grapevine then negotiates costs with local retail stores and purchases the bicycles. On a Friday in early December, church members spend an evening putting together the bicycles by hand and loading them into a moving truck. The following morning several members drive to Waco to deliver the bicycles and are met by grateful MCH youth and staff for unloading.

“The arrival of new bicycles is one of the most joyous events of our year!” said Allison Crawford, director of benefactor relations at MCH. “Seeing the looks on our students’ faces as bikes are delivered is the very picture of Christmas joy. We are grateful to each person at First UMC Grapevine for carrying on this tradition for so many years.”

MCH Family Outreach in San Antonio shows support for its community during November events

Staff from MCH Family Outreach in San Antonio celebrated its community and families this month during events at local nonprofits.

On Nov. 7 MCH Family Outreach in San Antonio attended the grand opening of the new Texas Diaper Bank headquarters located at 1803 Grandstand Dr. Suite 150. The new facility is 30,000 square feet and will allow for the Texas Diaper Bank to continue offering diaper assistance to families in need in Bexar County.

MCH Family Outreach in San Antonio formed a partnership with Texas Diaper Bank which allows diaper assistance to families being served through Family Solutions and GAP programs. Participants of parent education classes are also provided diaper assistance for their infants and toddlers as an incentive for class participation.

“Families being served by MCH Family Outreach have been grateful for the diaper assistance made possible through our partnership with the Texas Diaper Bank,” said Melissa Arroyo, director of MCH Family Outreach in San Antonio.

On Nov.9, San Antonio staff members spent the morning giving back to their community by volunteering at The DoSeum, San Antonio’s Museum for Kids. The mission of The DoSeaum states, “Through joyful learning and discovery, The DoSeum grows minds, connects families, and transforms communities.”

MCH staff were assigned to separate exhibits throughout the museum and assisted San Antonio children in attendance from class field trips. Ages of children ranged from infants to school-aged. MCH staff assisted in Little Town, Spy Academy, and Dream Tomorrow Today exhibits.

“It was a great opportunity to give back to the San Antonio community and staff enjoyed sharing in the children’s time during their visit to The Doseum,” Arroyo said.

Coalition of Residential Excellence Award Winners 2018

The Coalition of Residential Excellence (CORE) recognized two members of the MCH family during its annual conference awards banquet on Oct. 10 in Waco. Arianna, a resident of MCH, received the 2018 Catherine Hersey Student of the Year Award and Charlsie Whitney, retired program administrator, was named the 2018 Administrator of the Year.

CORE is a national membership organization for agencies providing quality care for children and youth who cannot be adequately cared for in their own home. Residents of CORE agencies live and learn together within stable, supportive, education-focused residential communities that are designed specifically to meet their needs. This year MCH hosted the CORE annual conference at the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco from Oct. 9-11.

 

Student of the Year: Arianna

Arianna has been a resident of MCH since September 2016. She took initiative and reached out to MCH after dealing with several challenges during her upbringing. She is now a senior at the MCH charter school and excels academically receiving awards including the A-Honor Roll. She is a member of the Bulldog Pride student leadership group and participates in athletics while also balancing the responsibilities of a part-time job. Arianna was also accepted into the Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy (GWAMA), an industry-focused dual credit program.

After graduation, Arianna plans to become certified in construction and design. She would also like to work toward a degree in social work to support others who have had similar life experiences. Below is an excerpt from her nomination:

“Though she has faced many hardships in life, Arianna has been able to overcome her many challenges all the while taking intentional steps toward accomplishing her life goals. Arianna’s resiliency has allowed her to turn her trauma into motivation for the future as she feels restored hope with each achievement that she makes.”

Administrator of the Year: Charlsie Whitney

Charlsie Whitney retired in 2018 as program administrator of the MCH Waco campus following 23 years of service. She began her career with MCH as an English teacher at the Boys Ranch in 1995, then became a social worker on the Waco campus in 1998 and helped implement the strength-based philosophy of care. She was promoted to campus life director in 2002 and program administrator in 2007.

The MCH program of care was enhanced significantly during Whitney’s tenure. She played a leadership role in creating a charter school in partnership with the University of Texas Charter School system as well as developing the Transition Services program to support youth as they transition to independent living after graduating from high school. She also helped build an athletics program and created more of a community for the school through a cheer team, drumline, mascot, pep rallies, and school homecoming.

Whitney was a key leader in implementing trauma-informed care and helped develop afterschool and volunteer community service programs for MCH youth. Prior to her retirement she was instrumental in the development of a master plan for the Waco campus. Below is an excerpt from her nomination:

“Perhaps Charlsie’s most enduring legacy will be the guidance and mentorship that she has provided her staff. Her investment in home parents, social workers and administrative staff will keep paying dividends at MCH for decades to come. Five of Charlsie’s former social workers currently serve MCH as program administrators or associate administrators. Methodist Children’s Home is grateful for Charlsie’s faithful commitment, dedication and service to our mission.”

MCH Family Outreach in El Paso celebrates caregivers for Grandparents Day

Several El Paso caregivers received a special treat this month from MCH Family Outreach in El Paso in celebration of Grandparents Day.

During the monthly Caregiver Empowerment meeting on Sept. 11, staff members treated current and previous clients, who are grandparents or other relatives raising children, to breakfast and gifts as a way to recognize the job they do. Each caregiver received a yellow rose and a poem in honor of the sacrifices they make every day to ensure that the children are safe, healthy and happy.

Caregiver Empowerment Groups are support groups led by staff members that bring generational caregivers together to offer emotional support, educational opportunities and to give them the opportunity to share advice on ways to deal with common issues they face. Zahire Gonzalez-Villa, director of MCH Family Outreach in El Paso, said there was a diverse group of grandparents present who each had their own personal stories to share.

“The group laughed, cried and basked in each other’s successes,” Gonzalez-Villa said. “In the short time they spent together, they were able to provide each other with advice and community resources which might help them in their current situations. Because of the varying ages of the grandkids being raised, the grandparents were able to provide insight into what those grandparents with younger kids can do and expect in the future.”

Staff support families through the Gap Program by providing in-home assessments, case management services and support groups for caregivers. The Gap Program builds on the family’s strengths and works with all family members to find solutions to the challenges of raising children in today’s complex world.

For more information on services provided through MCH Family Outreach, visit MCH.org to find an office near you.