The Heart Gallery NYC Event
(Photo Credit: Linda Grant/NYC Single Mom)
During this November’s Adoption Awareness month, the Heart Gallery NYC kicked off an incredible exhibit showcasing the beautiful faces of children from New York foster care who are available for adoption and hoping to find loving “forever families” Utilizing the talents of celebrity and award-winning photographers, the children, ranging in age from 8 years old to 18, had the opportunity to participate in a one of a kind photography experience that could capture their true spirit. The event was produced in collaboration with Casey Family Programs and ACS
www.casey.org; www.nyc.gov/html/acs.
Heart Gallery, NYC is a unique not-for-profit organization that combines the artistic talents of notable photographers with children in need of families and a place to call home. The project is dedicated to raising awareness of children living in foster care and encourages New Yorkers to make a difference in the life of a child.
At the event held at the Times Square Visitors Center, all the incredible images were brought to life in massive billboard style photos that will be exhibited throughout the five boroughs – stopping first at Penn Station where it will be displayed from November 11-18 in the Amtrak Rotunda. Additionally, Clearchannel, the organization’s Heart of Gold sponsor will display the gallery photos in Times Square as well as billboards in the tri-state area.
Laurie Sherman Graff, the Executive Director for the Heart Gallery NYC event spoke about the importance of helping foster children find permanent adoptive families and hopes that the organization’s efforts will continue to raise awareness to these incredible kids.
The organization’s initiatives also include mentoring, internships and scholarships for children who are at risk of aging out of the foster care system without finding a home.
During the event, I got to meet a soft spoken young teenager named Jasmine who told one reporter that she “felt like a star” when she was being photographed. When asked what she hoped would happen from people seeing her photo, Jasmine said “I hope I find a family who will love me.” If that doesn’t bring tears to your eyes, I don’t know what will.
At another point in the evening, rap superstar Darryl McDaniel from Run DMC took to the stage to talk about the moment he found out he was adopted (he first learned the news at age 35) and emphasized the importance of finding adoptive parents for foster kids.
In addition to Penn Station, the pictures will also be showcased in traveling gallery exhibits and via the Internet to reach prospective adoptive parents and encourage them to open their hearts and homes to the children.To find out more about the children featured in the exhibit, visit the Heart Gallery NYC.
The organization’s initiatives also include mentoring, internships and scholarships for children who are at risk of aging out of the foster care system without finding a home.
During the event, I got to meet a soft spoken young teenager named Jasmine who told one reporter that she “felt like a star” when she was being photographed. When asked what she hoped would happen from people seeing her photo, Jasmine said “I hope I find a family who will love me.” If that doesn’t bring tears to your eyes, I don’t know what will.
At another point in the evening, rap superstar Darryl McDaniel from Run DMC took to the stage to talk about the moment he found out he was adopted (he first learned the news at age 35) and emphasized the importance of finding adoptive parents for foster kids.
In addition to Penn Station, the pictures will also be showcased in traveling gallery exhibits and via the Internet to reach prospective adoptive parents and encourage them to open their hearts and homes to the children.To find out more about the children featured in the exhibit, visit the Heart Gallery NYC.
HOLIDAY SALE! FREE SHIPPING! orders over $50.00.
GREAT BUYS!! HOLIDAY DRESSES, BOY’S SUITS, GIFTS, TOYS ON SALE! SHOP NOW BEFORE WE ARE SOLD OUT!!
CHRISTMAS IS ALL MOST HERE AND DON’T FORGET NEW YEAR!!!!
Will You Have Family or Friends for Thanksgiving?
Think of Others This Thanksgiving by Helping a Child In Need
In our August 2002 issue, Kenneth Cole and Tommy Hilfiger posed with New York City children who have benefited from the work of Help USA and The Fresh Air Fund, charities supported by the designers. For more information on these organizations, visit www.helpusa.org and www.freshair.org. Check out the sites below for information on volunteer and contribution opportunities for 10 other worthy charities that serve the needs of children.
www.bbbsa.orgBig Brothers Big Sisters of America establishes one-on-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteers and children who are generally from single-parent families.
www.booksforkidsfoundation.orgThe Books for Kids Foundation promotes literacy, especially among young and disadvantaged children, by donating books, creating libraries, and supporting reading-initiative programs.
www.childrensdefense.orgWith the mantra “Leave No Child Behind,” the Children’s Defense Fund seeks to provide all children with a healthy start, a head start, a fair start, a safe start, and a moral start in life, as well as to educate the nation about the needs of children
The Children’s Miracle Network raises funds for and awareness of 170 childrens hospitals throughout the United States.
www.drawbridge.orgAn expressive arts program for homeless children, Drawbridge offers weekly classes that stimulate creativity and enthusiasm as well as offer comfort and stability to those who participate.
www.gktw.orgA nonprofit resort for children with life-threatening diseases, Give Kids the World grants the wish of a trip to the amusement park attractions of Central Florida.
http://www.believeintomorrow.org/Believe In Tomorrow Children’s Foundation provides families with critically ill children incredible hospital and respite housing services to allow them to rejuvenate and reconnect while in the midst of a medical crisis.
www.firstbook.orgFirst Book provides children from low-income families the opportunity to receive, own, and read their first new books.
www.wish.orgThe Make-a-Wish Foundation brightens the lives of children suffering from life-threatening illnesses by granting their requests to visit a special place, meet an admired person, receive a longed-for gift, or fulfill a secret fantasy.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Your Four-Point Plan For Holiday Hosting Success
Do Your Homework
Endure 14 hours of labor? Check. Nurse throughout the night, forgoing months of sleep? Check, check. Serve a Thanksgiving meal for your family — with everything just the way everyone loves it? Help!
Let’s face it: This task can be daunting, even after you’ve mastered motherhood, the toughest job around. After all, how do you get the bird on the table, juicy and piping hot, before the candied yams and green bean casserole go stone cold? Rest easy. We talked to moms to find out how they worked though the hiccups of hosting their first Thanksgiving to help yours go smoothly.
Sure, hosting means you don’t have to travel, but it also means you’ll probably have some houseguests. That can be great (think extra sets of hands to hold the baby), but it also means getting your house ready. One month before Thanksgiving, LaShaune Stitt-Clemons, of the Bronx, New York, begins tackling tasks: “I start working on a color scheme for the table, the guest list, and the number of courses I’ll serve.” You might need to dig out a good tablecloth from storage. As the mother of four kids (Darren Jr., 16, Alexis, 5, Taryn, 21 months, and Tariq, 3 months), this mom has learned that hosting overnight guests properly requires advance thought. “Start working on sleeping arrangements no less than three weeks before the big event,” Stitt-Clemons says. “This helps you figure out what you don’t have enough of — such as towels, linens, and extra toothbrushes — and you can determine if you have enough dishes, glasses, and serving trays.”
Take Sides
“You’re a new mom with lots to do, so this is not the time to prove that you’re Betty Crocker,” says Sandy Jones, coauthor of Great Expectations: Baby’s First Year (Sterling), who is also a grandmother. “Make it as easy as you can.” That’s why Camille Bodnar, of Pittsburgh, hosts a potluck. “I do the turkey and stuffing with my mother’s help, and I ask my guests to bring something specific,” says the mom to Dominic, 1. “We also use Crock-Pots for items like the green bean casserole so we can free up some room in the oven. So far, each year has been a huge success!”
One Big, Happy Family
Many people shuttle between both sides of their family at the holidays, which can be a drag. The year her first son was born, Lisa Shenton, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, put an end to that exhausting tradition: “We were really tired of eating two turkey dinners, so we invited both sides of the family and planned a dinner for 20!” says the mother to Cole, 3, and Luke, 1. To make it work despite having only one oven, Shenton and her husband invested in a turkey fryer: “We fry one turkey and bake the other.” Since she asks each person to bring something, “we never feel overwhelmed, and we don’t have to worry about everything coming out of the oven at the same time or about overcrowding the oven. It makes the day a treat for everyone!”
Visualize Success
For Fern Lehmann, of Richmond, a play-by-play plan is key to taking stress out of the holiday. What works for this mother of four boys — Brad, 24, Andrew, 19, Eric, 17, and Benjamin, 11 months — is to “sit down and write a menu of everything I plan to serve.” Next to each item, Lehmann notes who will prepare it. Then she makes her grocery list according to the menu. “Write on your calendar which days you are going to do each task,” she says. For example, if she’s serving dishes that can be prepared in advance, she notes when she’ll make them. “You can also jot down when you plan to clean, shop, and decorate your home,” she says. “Writing it down helps you visualize your schedule and plan for anything you might have otherwise forgotten.”
Copyright © 2007. Used with permission from the November 2007 issue of American Baby magazine.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!
Enjoy families and friends!
Should We Throw Baby Out With Bath Water?
Tell us what you think?
Basic Baby Bath Fun
Make your baby’s baths fun, safe, and stress-free with our tips
After your child’s umbilical cord has fallen off, it’s safe to hit the baby tub a few times a week. Water should be warm but not hot. Use a dab of mild dye- and perfume-free baby wash, and follow safety precautions such as keeping one hand on baby at all times. Go slow and enjoy this sweet ritual.
When to Start Tub Baths?
Give your baby a sponge bath until his umbilical cord has fallen off. (If he’s been circumcised, wait until that heals too.) After that, he’ll be ready for a baby bathtub. Choose one that has a contoured design or an internal sling that prevents your baby from sliding. Never use a bath seat — these can tip over when the suction cups fail, trapping your child underwater.
What’s the Right Temperature?Fill the tub with a couple of inches of lukewarm water. “Before you place your baby in the tub, check the temperature by dipping your elbow into the water — it should be warm but not too hot,” says Parents adviser Jennifer Shu, M.D., coauthor of Heading Home with Your Newborn. Keep testing the temp as you go. When it gets too cool, bathtime’s over.
When & How Often to Bathe?Your baby doesn’t need a bath every day; two or three times a week is fine as long as you clean his face, neck, hands, and diaper area daily. As for time of day, some newborns find the water stimulating, so it’s great to get them splashing first thing in the morning. Others mellow out in the tub, which makes it perfect right before bedtime.
Which Soap to Use?Use a washcloth with water and a mild baby wash. “Look for products that don’t have added perfume or dyes, which can irritate sensitive skin,” says Parents adviser Ari Brown, M.D., coauthor of Baby 411. Work a good lather into a washcloth before you start. Cradle your newborn’s head with one arm while you bathe her with the other.
Which Shampoo to Use?If your baby’s hair seems dirty, wet it down using a damp washcloth sans soap every day — no need to bring out the tub. Once or twice a week, during his baths, use baby soap or a drop of mild, tear-free shampoo. If he’s developed cradle cap (scaly patches that appear on the scalp) loosen the scales with a soft-bristle baby brush while you shampoo.
How to Keep Baby SafeSet everything you’ll need within arm’s reach — soap, washcloth, towel, diaper, change of clothes — before you start so that you can keep one hand on your baby at all times. When you’re done bathing him, quickly wrap him up in the towel so he doesn’t lose too much body heat. Dry him thoroughly, being sure to get into the creases, before you diaper and dress him. Also, don’t forget to:
* Learn infant CPR. And never leave your baby alone in a bathtub or in the care of another child, even for half a minute.
* Set your water heater to 120 degrees F. so your baby won’t get scalded if he accidentally turns on the faucet.
* Use a spout cover so he doesn’t hit his head on the faucet.
* Place a nonskid mat beneath your baby tub to prevent it from slipping.
* Empty the tub completely immediately after each use — a baby can drown in as little as 1 inch of water.
* Keep the toilet seat and bathroom doors closed after you leave
What If Baby Hates Bathtime?Some babies absolutely love taking a baths. Others not so much. “If your baby hates the tub, don’t force him to stay in the water,” says Dr. Shu. Instead, put him on a blanket or a towel and use a damp, warm washcloth to clean his face and body. Work on one body part at a time and keep the rest of him covered. Ease him back into the tub routine slowly. You might buy a few bathtime-only toys so he gets excited to play with something new. First, let him watch as you dunk the toys into the bathwater. After a few minutes, let the toys float and see if he reaches for them; if he does, try dipping his feet then his legs into the tub. “Babies aren’t naturally afraid of the water,” says Dr. Shu. “But they can be scared of the noise of running water or if water gets in their eyes.” Fill the tub when he’s out of the room, and be extra careful when you wash his face.
The True Meaning of Thanksgiving
Child’s Play
Benjamin Aha, 4, may not fully understand why his family is spending Thanksgiving at the Ronald McDonald House in Camden, New Jersey. But the little volunteer fills an important role: helping make sure the sick children who are staying there are having a good time. “Ben is a really compassionate boy,” says his mother, Maureen. “He knows if people aren’t feeling well or need an extra boost.”
The Ronald McDonald houses serve as a temporary home for families of seriously ill children who are being treated at a nearby hospital. Holidays can be particularly difficult, so volunteers like Ben and his family try to create as normal an atmosphere as possible. “Most people in this situation are consumed by their child’s illness, and a holiday meal provides a welcome distraction,” says Maureen, a school-benefits assistant who has volunteered here for ten years. She got involved through her mother, Judi Godor, who has devoted one weekend a month for the past 17 years to the Ronald McDonald House. Maureen’s husband, Chris, who works in the technology field, and sons Ben and baby Jeffrey often come along. Maureen knows her children are too young to understand why they’re there. But she believes that including them will help shape their values.”Children are open to all kinds of experiences,” she says. “If you instill the idea of volunteering early on, they’ll want to take some time out to help others when they’re older.”
Happy Thanksgiving
The True Meaning of Thanksgiving
Serving Dinner, Spreading Joy
The morning air is clear and cold as the Watz-Hittler family piles out of the car by a small white building in downtown Minneapolis. Annemarie, Caroline, and Nicholas — ages 10, 13, and 15 — have come here with their parents to serve Thanksgiving dinner to 75 elderly people, just as they’ve been doing for years. “My kids have grown up with this,” Donna explains. She and husband Bill, both attorneys, have spent almost every holiday here since the kids were born. “This year, we asked the children if they’d rather have dinner at home or with relatives instead, and they all said no,” Donna says.
Inside the festive hall, Nicholas and Bill tie on white aprons and begin chopping fruit and washing dishes. Donna and the girls set the tables with china, crisp white cloths, and centerpieces of balloons and flowers. “When the kids were younger, they couldn’t play an active role like this,” Donna says. “To keep them occupied while we worked, we had them do things like coloring pictures of turkeys.” Over time, though, the children have grown increasingly helpful and comfortable with the volunteer work. As the guests arrive for dinner, the kids help take coats and fill out name tags. When it’s time to eat, they spread out among the guests. “Initially, the kids would only sit with us, but now they feel comfortable enough to take any open spot,” Donna says.
These occasions make Donna and Bill particularly proud of their children. “If there’s a job to be done — if someone needs butter, say — they’ll handle it,” Donna says.”The things we nag them to do at home seem to come naturally here.” What’s more, the children truly enjoy sharing the holiday with people who might otherwise be alone. “Some of the elderly have few chances to interact with young people. Our kids bring them as much joy as they bring to us.”
Happy Thanksgiving
