A shout out to Covenant House TEXAS who opens their hearts to homeless kids year round!
EVENT: Do1Thing
Because One Person Can Do Wonders
Open Your Heart for Homeless Kids on Valentine’s Weekend
Sunday, February 13th, 1:00 – 5:00PM
Join Us at Covenant House Texas
1111 Lovett Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77006
What will Happen?
Show our young people how much they mean by dropping off toiletries, metro bus cards, new or gently used clothing, baby items, or gift cards.
While you’re here take a tour, meet our youth and make a valentine for them! We’ll pass out your cards later that evening and brighten up their day. Encourage your friends, family and co-workers to come out as well. We’ll have face painting for kids, young and old. It’s a great way to spend Valentine’s Weekend – Please join us!
CONTACT: For more information call Carolyn Garrard at 713-523-2231 ext. 5619 or cgarrard@covenanthouse.org or go to Covenant House Texas website: covenanthousetx.org.
Check out our Facebook page – go to our website and click on the Facebook icon – become a fan today! To find out more about the nationwide Do1Thing awareness effort go to the Do1Thing.org website. While there, check out pictures of our kids on the “blog”, then click on “Texas” on right menu, arrow down for lots of great pics.
For the third year in a row, Covenant House Texas is planning a big Do1Thing day on Valentine’s Day 2011. Located at 1111 Lovett Boulevard in Houston, Covenant House Texas will be accepting donations for their homeless teens. View a story Fox news did on last year’s Do1Thing even at Covenant House Texas.
G.J. McCarthy of the Dallas Morning News and videographer Matt Nager collaborated on this story about Ryan Dunklin, 18, and Sarah Colley, 20. They are clients of the Dallas, Texas-based Promise House, which aims to help homeless teenagers in the north Texas area.
There are so many problems today, it’s hard to know where to start. Even the Obama Administration is taking the kitchen sink approach – throw it all in there and see how far we can get. But the president has also called on Americans to get involved…a renewed call to roll up our sleeves and help clean this up. A group of award winning photojournalists are doing just that – picking one issue – the growing number of homeless teenagers – and doing what they can. Do1Thing founder Najlah Feanny Hicks says it’s working.
NPR award winning veteran journalist Susan Barnett, producer and host of 51% – The Women’s Perspective features Do1Thing.org.
Great news coming out of Covenant House Texas, based in Houston.
Donations to homeless teens included:
Over $3,300 gift cards and bus cards
Over $2,000 monetary donations
Over $4,000 worth of clothing donations.
And that’s not all! According to Carolyn Garrard at Covenant House, “We’re actually still receiving stuff and, because of the event, people are still collecting donations and asking for presentations about Covenant House.”
Hundreds showed up in Houston to Do1Thing to help homeless youth and Covenant House Texas asked us to send a BIG THANKS to everyone involved. Valentines Day was only the “launch” of Do1Thing. We hope you’ll continue to Do1Thing to help those less fortunate than yourself. For ideas on how you can donate, volunteer, support or just reach out to Covenant House Texas, please contact Carolyn Garrard
The donations kept pouring in until the volunteers finally packed away the donation table out front. Those of us in Houston would like to thank all of our subjects for allowing us to tell their stories, the hard-working staff at Covenant House, all the volunteers, and the countless Houstonians who came out to Do 1 Thing today.
Andres checks out some donated sneakers in a room that was filled to overflowing. It took three rooms like this to handle the outpouring of donations from the community. (Photo by Smiley N. Pool)
Writer Jessica Johns Pool got into the spirit of the day. (Photo by Smiley N. Pool)
To learn more about Houston’s Do1Thing team, visit these Web sites:
Andres has had his teddy bear since he was 1 year old and it’s traveled the world with him.
“I’ve had it everywhere through everything. I’ve had it since before my mother left me,” said Andres. “We’ve been to Nicaragua (his mother’s home), to New York, California, Washington, the road trips, the street.”
Andres likens it to the Harry Potter character who puts his soul into an object. “That bear is basically my soul.”
Andres loves baseball, wants to be a graphic designer and plays guitar.
Dave Einsel photographs Andres with his cherished teddy bear. (Photo by Smiley N. Pool)
A steady stream of cars keeps pulling up to drop off donations of clothing, toiletries and gift cards. One resident is waving a banner, cheerleader style, flagging cars passing by.Others are taking turns greeting people, unloading cars and rolling carts away. The carts are filling up faster than the kids can get them emptied out.
Everyone from Girl Scouts to professors has shown their love in a big way today. One girl offered personalized heart art to the residents and staff collecting donations, while donors toured the grounds and got to know the residents a little bit better. Some of the donors even took snapshots of the day’s events. Maybe we’ll see them on the Do1Thing Web site.
Sara pushes Christalyn as they race to return a bin for another round of donations. (Photo by Smiley N. Pool)
Let me tell you about me, but I don’t know what to say, It started in the sixth grade. I met this boy the right way. He said what is your name, what bus do you ride and how old are you. I said Carlee 110 and I am thirteen. He said let me get one thing straight do you live in Wood Creek. Yes I do oh that is so cool, what street do you live on. Thorne Creek, I said Rose Heath. Carlee would you like to go to the park someday. Thank you but I don’t even know your first and last name. He said Darren Brantley that was so amazing.
How about today Carlee, and I said ok.
What are we going to do? Just talk and get to know you. He said, do you have a boyfriend? I said no. How about we get together and I’ll sing you a note. He was like you sing I sing we both sing for ice cream. Tell me more about you, Ms. L****. Valentines rolled around the corner and I didn’t receive a gift. I brought him a watch and a cute card too. The watch came from the side of the road but it’s the thought that counts the most. I was expecting a little something I waited all day long. But when I got back on the bus he said sit next to me. I was like hell no he grabbed my hand he said please give me one more chance. He said Carlee close them beautiful brown eyes and when I open them I nearly had a heart attack and died.
He had a ring beautiful and pink; I didn’t know what to say.
He got on one I was like boy what are you doing we only in the sixth grade. He said carlee promise me you will never leave my side, I said Darren I will never leave your side until you die. Three years down the road, I was like Darren you need to go because you are not going down the right road.
He said carlee you tripping girl you need to stop flipping. I was like what about three years ago when you got on one knee and you told me to close them beautiful brown eyes, and when I opened them, I nearly had a heart attached and died. He said carlee you need to stop because I do not know what you talking about quit tripping carlee I stole the ring from Jenny so you would have something on Valentine’s Day he said carlee don’t sweat it cause I am cheating on you any ways. I took off the ring and I said here you go I don’t want to see you any more he said carlee where are you going I said back to my man where I belong he grab my wrist he said who is this boy, and do he go to our school.
I said yes Darren it is your little brother and you are not going to nothing about it. Why are you so worry about me? He said I love you carlee, baby please give me one more chance I could not go to sleept that night because all I thought about was that fight. I called Darren up on the phone I said baby I need to talk to you I said I can’t live life like this anymore I am sorry, for every thing my and your brother was just a little thing. I promise I will never leave your side until you close them beautiful brown eyes.
Carlee is ready for Valentine's Day. (Photo by Smiley N. Pool)
Who says newspapers are dead? Almost every vehicle that drives up came because they saw the story in the Houston Chronicle. Staff have been busy answering the phone with callers wanting to get Covenant House’s address. The second largest group brought donations because they saw an article in the University of Houston’s Daily Cougar (or they were notified of Do1Thing by the enterprising reporter/PR maven Amina Rivera).
The Fox26 story that ran earlier in the week generated a few calls, said Carolyn Garrard, PR director for Covenant House, and many church groups responded to the call for donations. But by far, the largest response came from newspaper readers.
