December 2020 Resources
Happy Holly-Days!
Toys for Tots Houston
Find your local Toys for Tots distributor. There are multiple in the Houston area that would be able to find gifts for your family. There are also other opportunities to donate toys for families in your community. Follow these steps to register for toys. Toys for Tots.
Houston Food Bank
Show your holiday spirit by donating food to a red barrel at your local grocery store through December 4. If you need to request a holiday food box online or over the phone from a local partner near you. Join in the Share Your Holidays with the Houston Food Bank. Help feed those in your community.
Galaxy Lights: Space Center Houston
Now open through January 3rd! Experiences include open-air exhibits that you can explore safely distanced. The Galaxy Lights will take approximately 90 minutes to enjoy the experience. Tickets are available for purchase; open 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. For more information on the Galaxy Lights visit Space Center Galaxy Lights.
Houston Zoo Lights
Now open through January 10th! Sip hot chocolate as you stroll through the beautiful Houston Zoo grounds and take in the sights and sounds of the season. Interact with Candy the Zoo Lights Zebra presented by H-E-B, get a selfie on a giant ice throne, and take a socially distanced photo with Santa as he prepares for the holidays in his workshop! Zoo lights begin at 5:30 p.m. and last entry at 9:30 p.m. Buy tickets ahead of time, there are no ticket sales at the gate. For more information and ticket sales visit the Houston Zoo Lights.
Holiday in the Gardens
Visit the Moody Gardens in Galveston for all your festive holiday activities! Moody Gardens is hosting many family-friendly activities; Festival of Lights, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D, Arctic Slide, Train Rides, and Holiday 3D Films. Now open through January 2nd! Visit Moody Gardens for more information on Holiday Attractions.
Santa’s MAGI-SPHERE in Sugar Land
Families can safely interact with Santa through a magical holographic snow globe! This is an experience that is unlike any other. Events are first come first serve and there will be a limited number of attendees. Social distancing and masks will be enforced. Schedule your family’s celebration for the holidays, visit SantaSugarLand.com. Santa’s MAGI-SPHERE is open now through December 24th.
Holiday Market: Levy Park
Levy Park is hosting a Holiday Market December 4-6th! Find your holiday gifts from local vendors and enjoy food and beverages from Woodshed Smokehouse and Love Shack. Have fun outside and get some of your holiday shopping done at Levy Park to kick off December. From 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. North Road, for more information visit the events calendar of Levy Park.
2020 Casa De Esperanza Holiday Donation Drive
Make the holidays special for over 300 families! Sponsor a child gift or a household gift, Gift Card Donations, Basic Needs, and Clothing Drives will also be hosted through December 11th for families at Casa de Esperanza. Donations must be new and unopened. All in-person delivers will be scheduled, mailing and delivery addresses are available. For more questions contact Mikaela Fox mfox@casahope.org or visit their website for more information.
Find a COVID-19 Testing Center Near You
Use your zip code to find a COVID-19 testing facility near you. Changing times may call for more testing on an as needed basis. Find the nearest location to you and your family.
Texas Students Need of Technology
DePelchin Children's Center is helping families navigate these difficult times. DePelchin Children’s Center is partnering with ABC13 to identify and provide families in need with the technology that bridges the digital divide that was made apparent when COVID-19 placed so many restrictions on the way we live. There are several families in southeast Texas who are struggling to keep up with the technology needs of schools. Every dollar donated will be restricted to the purchase of technology for kids served by DePelchin. Your gift will have a tremendous impact and will mean so much to our children and families that will directly benefit from your generosity. Donate today to help families provide technology for their children!
For Families
3rd Annual Baby Day
Imagine waking up to a day that celebrates Texans’ little ones! Where families meet for playdates in parks, workplaces provide flexibility and support to new parents, and politicians pledge to support our future by building stronger policies for the leaders of tomorrow. Join in on the 3rd Annual Baby Day by First3Years! Baby Day will take place February 7-13, 2021 where all can celebrate the growth of our Texas babies.
Families COUNT
DePelchin Children’s Center is providing free office-based or telehealth counseling to children ages 3-17 and their families through the Families COUNT program. Counselors will address issues such as depression, anxiety, school problems, family conflict, and much more. Every child age 3 or older will receive a mental health assessment. This in-depth assessment will help identify and address any existing or emerging mental health issues, particularly issues related to trauma. If mental health issues are identified, all families will receive an individualized plan tailored to meet the child and family’s needs. Request an appointment by (713) 588-3888; getcounseling@depelchin.org; online referral form.
ParentingHelp Now Virtually Enrolling
Families can now enroll in the ParentingHelp courses! Our home-visits are now held virtually as well as the group classes. Both home-visits and group classes are held in Spanish and English. ParentingHelp is a FREE program that gives parents the tools and support to influence good behavior in their children and prevent future problems from happening. Simple and proven ideas to help deal with problem behavior, making raising your children easier and your whole family happier. Find out what service that would work best for you and your needs! To learn more about this program and to register, call (713) 802-7777 for Harris County and (409) 684-9210 for Galveston County.
Be More than a Dad; Be a Hero
Join DePelchin’s 24/7 Dad Program and be your child’s superhero! DePelchin’s Fatherhood team is offering 24/7 Dad sessions via Zoom small groups in both English and Spanish. 24/7 Dad® is a 12-session workshop that provides fathers and father figures with helpful tools and support to be the best dads they can be. 24/7 Dad is a father-focused program that acknowledges the differences in how moms and dads’ parent and recognizes the valuable role dads today have in parenting. 24/7 Dad is provided for free to all Harris County residents. For a schedule of classes or to register, visit https://www.depelchin.org/fatherhood/. To request an English or Spanish class for your group, or to know more about the program, contact Joshua Williams at jwilliams@depelchin.org or call 713.802.3851.
For Providers
COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line for Frontline Workers
Frontline workers are experiencing an unprecedented amount of stress during this pandemic. If you are a frontline worker, you can be referred to a virtual support group designed for frontline workers. Virtual groups are facilitated by experienced mental health professionals from The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD. Call or share with other frontline workers, the mental health support line (1-833-986-1919) to gain the support you need as you serve during COVID-19 pandemic.
MCH: GAP Program
Methodist Children’s Home Family Outreach’s GAP Program provides services to grandparents and other relatives who care for children in the absence of parents. Supporting families 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. Reach out to Nicole Washington, Director of Family Outreach-Houston.
ParentingHelp - DePelchin Releases Requests for Applications (RFA)
The Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has released an RFA seeking Applications from qualified entities within the State of Texas to provide Healthy Outcomes through Prevention and Early Support (HOPES) Program services. HOPES Grantees serve families with children zero (0) to five (5) years of age by offering parent education, service coordination, parent advocacy, and basic needs support. DePelchin intends to apply for HOPES funding through the original RFA from PEI and is looking for partners for this application through a competitive RFA process. DePelchin will be applying for funding in order to build on the current ParentingHelp services available in Harris and neighboring Counties. DePelchin is seeking partners who provide parent education programs as well as partners who provide services that support families in other ways. DePelchin’s RFA can be found here. Applications are due December 31, 2020, at 2:00 P.M. Central Time. An Applicant Meeting will be held on December 9, 2020, at 9:00 A.M. Central Time. Please register in advance here.
All requests, questions, or other communication about this RFA shall be sent by email to Emily Kremer at ekremer@depelchin.org. All communications between Applicants and DePelchin staff members concerning the RFA are strictly prohibited unless noted elsewhere in this RFA. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in disqualification of the Applicant's Grant Application.
ParentingHelp Collaborative Meeting: Join us at our next meeting Thursday, January 21st, 2021 Noon to 1:30!
Kinship Navigator Planning Grant Awardee: DePelchin Children’s Center
Do you work with or support kinship caregivers? If so, DePelchin Children’s Center wants to talk with you! DePelchin has received a one-year planning grant to look at the needs of kinship caregivers (e.g., grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, even close family friends) who have taken children into their care. Texas DFPS is looking at potentially creating kinship navigator and support programs in the future and wants to know what essential services and resources are needed by these families. If you would like to provide input on what these future projects could offer, we’d like to speak with you. We are also looking to speak directly to kinship caregivers; if you have clients that would like to share their experience, we would love to speak with them as well. Incentives are offered to kinship caregivers who participate in focus groups or interviews. Please complete the contact information questionnaire at the link below and someone from the DePelchin team will be in touch!
LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V99DY72
HRAP Conference
The HRAP Annual Conference will be Saturday, February 20th, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Houston Relatives As Parents (HRAP) Coalition is a group of organizations that serve the family as a whole through services ranging from physical and mental health, legal resources, parental education, financial literacy and kinship placement support. Visit the HRAP Facebook page for updates and more information. For more information about HRAP please email Nicole Washington, Director of Family Outreach Houston at nwashington@mch.org or Moiya Jackson naidee@rocketmail.com.
Referral Forms & Flyers Dropbox
View and download referral forms and flyers of community agencies and family providers in the Greater Houston area in one place via the ParentingHelp Dropbox. ParentingHelp invites all agencies and partners to share their programs’ referral forms and information flyers to help facilitate resource sharing and make it easier for the families we serve to be informed of and access services. These Referral Forms and Flyers are available for all agencies and direct service staff to view and download via the ParentingHelp Dropbox. Share or update your programs’ referral forms and flyers by sending them to parentinghelp@depelchin.org.