NAEHCY 22^nd Annual Conference
Houston, TX
Intercontinental Hotel Galleria District
November 6-9, 2010

Silent Auction
Service Projects
Donations at the Conference

Silent Auction

A silent auction will be held on Monday, November 8 to benefit the LeTendre Education Fund, which provides scholarships for students experiencing homelessness. For more information on the scholarship program, visit http://www.naehcy.org/about_letendre.html. Items will be on display and up for bid throughout the day from noon to the conclusion of the annual membership meeting. You will also have the pleasure of hearing from the LeTendre Scholars Sunday evening as we honor their accomplishments!

The Silent Auction is a fun way to exercise your competitiveness for a worthy cause. Many organizations, businesses, chambers of commerce, and other partners donate items for the fundraiser.

Service Projects

This year’s NAEHCY conference service project will focus on four of the homeless service providers in the Greater Houston area. These service providers have long-standing relationships with the many local area school districts and have provided invaluable support to the local homeless education liaisons in the region and to the families and children they serve.

The recent economic crisis has created a surge in toddlers and young children served in the shelters listed below; as a result, these shelters are requesting donations from this year’s conference participantsof the items listed below :

• Large diapers, size 3 and up, for both boys and girls
• Pull ups, size 3 and up for both boys and girls
• Diaper wipes
• Diaper cream
• Diaper powder
• Toothbrushes and toothpaste
• Books in all languages, for children through young adults

Star of Hope
Website: http://www.sohmission.org/NetCommunity/
Contact: Floyd Clark
Phone: 713-222-2220
419 Dowling
Houston, Texas 77003

Star of Hope (SOH) is a community dedicated to meeting the needs of homeless men, women, and their children. SOH encourages positive life changes by providing structured programs focused on spiritual growth, education, employment, life-management skills, and recovery from substance abuse. On any given day, approximately one thousand homeless men, women, and children are being helped at the Men’s Development Center, the Women and Family Emergency Shelter, the Transitional Living Center for Women and Families, and New Horizons.

The key to SOH's success is its comprehensive approach to addressing the diverse issues, both immediate and long-term, that impact homeless individuals and families. Star of Hope's model of compassionate, purposeful outreach, coupled with community partners and donors, create an environment in which lives are transformed and people are inspired to rise above poverty, and set and achieve meaningful, measurable goals for independence. SOH is funded through public and private donations, the United Way, churches, civic/community groups, corporations, grants, and foundations. In addition, Star of Hope is assisted by more than 11,000 volunteers.

Mission of Yahweh
Website: http://www.missionofyahweh.org
Contact: Betty Godso
Phone: 713-466-4785
102 Algiers
Houston, Texas 77041

Mission of Yahweh (MOY) is a faith-based shelter that empowers, enriches, and restores the lives of homeless women and children and provides outreach services to low income families in the surrounding neighborhood. MOY has served homeless women and their children for over 49 years. MOY's doors are always open for families in crisis. MOH is a unique refuge that not only gives food, clothing and shelter, but also is committed to helping residents to become self-sufficient, productive members of society. MOH supports more than 2,300 residential stays each month and also provide thousands of Houston/Carverdale-area residents with donations of food, clothing, school supplies, and other necessities.

Houston Area Women's Center
Website: http://www.hawc.org/
Contact: Dana Ezer
Phone: (713) 528-6798
1010 Waugh Dr
Houston, Texas 77019

The Houston Area Women's Center (HAWC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence and providing violence prevention education to local youth and the community. HAWC advocates for those whose voices are silenced by the abuse of a stranger or a loved one.

HAWC has served the Houston community since 1977 and has been a part of the United Way family since 1981. Over the years, HAWC has grown from a grassroots effort run solely by volunteers to an organization employing over 120 staff. Alongside HAWC's staff, volunteers continue to contribute their time, expertise, services, and goods to ensure that HAWC remains client-focused. HAWC directs 84 cents of every dollar towards client services (for more information on HAWC's program efficiency, visit Charity Navigator). In its commitment to providing quality services while working within the community to eliminate domestic and sexual violence, HAWC looks forward to the day when the need for our services no longer exists.

The Bridge
Website: http://thebridgeovertroubledwaters.org/
Contact: Sherry Cantrell}
Phone: 713-472-0753
213 W. Southmore, suite 302
Houston, Texas 77502

The Bridge exists to assist women, children, and men in crisis, particularly those who have been affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, or homelessness. Violence and abusive relationships are not only physically and emotionally harmful, but they can also impact financial stability. The nature of abusive relationships makes it difficult for individuals and families to rebuild their lives without support. The Bridge is a support system:

• It's a place to be heard
  
• It's a way to discover options
  
• It's a place to receive assistance to realize and attain personal goals.

The Bridge empowers clients to make their own choices. The Bridge's services are divided into two primary areas: (1) Residential Program/Long-term Housing Program with a 75-bed emergency shelter for women and children; 41-total units of permanent housing for women with a documented disability (mental or physical) and children in their care (29-units are available at The Bridge's specially designed apartment complex, Destiny Village, and an additional 12-units are located throughout the community); and 8-units of transitional housing for single women. (2) Community Outreach and Prevention that include a 24-hour Crisis and Referral Hotline, individual case management, peer support groups, parenting classes, recreation and support groups, legal advocacy, health care resources, and many other individualized services.

Donations at the Conference

• Collection centers will be placed throughout the conference venue.
  
• Checks may be made out directly to the agency you would like to assist and they will be delivered with the donated items.
  
• Gift cards for agencies to use at Target, Walmart, or other such retail outlets are also welcome.
  
• Purchases of items to donate may be made at several stores near the hotel, including:
  Walgreens: 3900 Westheimer Rd; (713) 629-0703 – 0.2 miles
  CVS Pharmacy: 4755 Westheimer Rd; (713) 386-1090 – 0.7 miles
  Kroger: 5150 Buffalo Speedway; (713) 661-8305 – 1.4 miles
  HEB Foods: 5225 Buffalo Speedway; (713) 218-1800 - 1.4 miles