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Welcome to AVANCE-Austin's first newsletter! Please read on for the latest happenings of AVANCE-Austin.
Recent statistics (2007) indicate that an average of
7.6% of families living in Bastrop,
Hays, and Travis counties received incomes below the federal poverty level. The
percentage of families with children living in poverty is even higher.
AVANCE-Austin has been working to break the cycle of poverty by providing
parent-child support and education services to families with
infants and toddlers. Parents learn they are their child's first teacher and
their children learn skills to prepare them for Pre-K. Mothers and their babies
are brought out of isolation resulting from language, transportation, and child
care barriers into a community of parents facing similar challenges. During a
3-hour weekly class spanning 9 months, participating mothers learn skills to
make educational toys, parenting strategies and best practices, and information
about available services in the community to help them succeed. Meanwhile, in a
nearby room, their children are cared for and provided early childhood development activities promoting literacy in themes of letters, colors, numbers, and shapes. provided nutritious snacks,
taught their ABCs and colors, and read to by age group, among other
activities.
The results of the AVANCE program are astounding. Of the
children who participate in the program, 94% graduate from high school! With
the help of AVANCE in their early childhood, young adults can increase their
earning potential in the workforce and avoid poverty.
AVANCE's mission is to "Unlock America's
Potential": AVANCE helps parents become
full partners in their children's education and helps children reach their full
potential as learners.
Best wishes,
Rosalia Castañeda
Executive Director
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Valentine's Day Triple Wedding
After recently completing the series of Healthy Marriage
workshops, three couples engaged with plans to marry on Valentine's Day and
several married couples decided to renew their marital vows! These events mark
the first of its kind and represent the magnitude of the success of the Healthy
Marriage program. For many of the couples, the nuptials follow more than a
decade of life and several children together.
AVANCE-Austin facilitated the unions (and re-unions) by coordinating the
nuptial ceremonies, licensing, and celebration and providing related support.
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Bastrop Middle and High School Students Donate to AVANCE-Austin
 At the 3rd Annual Cultural Festival in Bastrop, local middle
and high school students crafted masks and sold them for a suggested donation.
From the money raised, the students donated $200 to AVANCE-Austin. Festival
organizers and Bastrop community leaders Hannibal and Sumai LoKumbe presented
the gift to AVANCE-Austin Board of Directors at their January meeting. The board
expressed immense gratitude and praised the students' work and community
involvement.
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Jewel
Hodges Community Service Award Given to Long-time AVANCE-Austin Parent Educator
 Bastrop community activist Hannibal LoKumbe nominated Toni
Aguirre, an AVANCE-Austin Parent Educator for nearly a decade, for the 3rd
Annual Jewel Hodges Community Service Award in Bastrop County. Ms. Aguirre
received the award for community involvement in Bastrop, which includes the
following:
- The Family Consumer Science Committee with AgriLife
- Cultivando La Salud Committee with AgriLife
- Bastrop County Sheriff's Alumni Academy Association
- Bastrop County Sheriff's Citizens on Patrol (COP)
- Bastrop County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Bastrop County Food Pantry
- BlueBonnet Area Crime Stoppers
Ms. Aguirre also currently coordinates the AVANCE Parent-Child Program
in Bastrop, Hays, and Travis counties.
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AVANCE-Austin Mothers Support La Peña Cultural Arts
Center
La Peña Cultural
Arts Center hosted "Toma Mi Corazόn" (or "Take My Heart"), its 17th annual
silent auction fundraiser. La Peña distributed hundreds of wooden hearts to be
decorated by artists, children, and several others. Eleven mothers in the AVANCE-Austin
program participated in the event and contributed their uniquely crafted hearts
to the auction where proceeds fund La Peña's arts and educational programs. The
event provided an opportunity for AVANCE-Austin participants to display their
creative talents and experience an innovative approach to contribute to their
community. The mothers look forward to participating in next year's auction.
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Santa
Warms the Holiday Season for AVANCE-Austin
Families
About 100 parents and their children filled the gym at the
Parker Lane United Methodist Church for AVANCE-Austin's annual Christmas party
for participating families. Handmade holiday crafts decked the walls, tamales steamed
from the tables, and then Santa appeared! Eager toddlers shouted as Santa
waddled in the room, waving to his fans. Speechless babies stared in awe at the
strange man in the red suit, while their grinning mothers explained
reassuringly, "Es Santa." The kids circled Santa as he plopped on his
throne. AVANCE-Austin elves heralded the name of each child present for a
snapshot with Santa and a gift (courtesy of Nordstrom). One-by-one, the
children raced up to Santa, posed by the Christmas tree, grabbed their gift,
and ripped it open. For many, the toy inside would be their only gift from Santa
and for Christmas. They inspected their present, wondering how Santa knew
exactly what they wanted. The children left clutching their new toy, content. |
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Walmart Awards Grant to AVANCE-Austin
AVANCE-Austin
hosted a luncheon to honor Teresa Lozano Long and her commitment to education
and removing social barriers to education in November 2008. Members of an extensive host committee
attended, which included several elected officials and community
leaders. During the event, Walmart representatives, including Frank Machuca (Walmart Store Manager and AVANCE-Austin
Board Member) and
Olivia Vallego announced the award
of a $35,000 grant for the AVANCE Parent-Child Education program and presented
an oversized representation of the check (pictured) to AVANCE-Austin Executive
Director, Rosalia Castañeda, and AVANCE-Austin Board Chairman, Joe Pinnelli.
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Texas Pioneer Foundation Brings
AVANCE-Austin to San Marcos
The Texas Pioneer
Foundation provided funding to bring the AVANCE Parent-Child Education program
to families in San Marcos.
To help implement the program in this new area for the organization,
AVANCE-Austin and Texas
State University
partnered. The program began in the fall of 2008 and continues through the
spring of 2009. Toni Aguirre currently manages the program in San Marcos.
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