Alignment

Today was a great day for DePelchin Children's Center. A Board Strategic Planning Retreat produced marvelous alignment in board and staff priorities.

Multiple constituents, much research and many internal and external experts were included in the process leading to today.  Passion, commitment and balancing resources drove the consensus for our strategic initiatives.

Alignment is a beautiful thing!

Amazing Generosity!

As the Board Chair for DePelchin Children's Center, I got to participate today in the closing celebration for their incredibly creative United Way campaign.  The generosity, enthusiasm and commitment for helping others was contagious! And the dollars raised will benefit 1 in 2 Houstonians.

This amazing team of non-profit employees invests its time and talent, daily, to turn lives around for children and families.  And they also share their treasures to complete a United Way campaign far more generous than many for profit company campaigns.

It takes incredible time, talent and treasure to consistently address community needs.  The DePelchin Children's Center staff's passion, professionalism and monetary contributions are amazing multi-faceted commitments to the children and families of Texas.

Follow Passion when Volunteering

My day has been filled with varied volunteer activities for DePelchin Children's Center, March of Dimes and Junior Achievement.  The activities were different for each organization, but the common element is that each benefits children.  There are unlimited opportunities to make a difference and we need to assess the best fit for our skills and interests.  Fortunately, I learned early in my volunteer experience that just because an organization is worthwhile, I may not be the best volunteer for the organization.  When we are passionate about a cause we bring our best to the opportunity and tend to maintain involvement. 

Seeing Things Differently

Orange sunglasses are one of the visual indicators that it's a bright new day at DePelchin Children's Center.  For fun, I've been wearing these bright orange sunglasses while running, driving and participating in a Trash Bash weekend.  I thought it would raise awareness that exciting things are happening at DePelchin.  Surprisingly, no one has asked me about my unusual eye wear.  (Perhaps it is because orange is one of spring's hottest colors.)

We sometimes take for granted people or organizations that are always there.  We hope or expect that they will do what we've expected.  It's a "New Day" when we see an old friend in a different context.

My hope is that you will embrace DePelchin's 120 year history of creating brighter futures for children and families through mental health, foster care and adoption services in a "New Way".  We need your time, talent and treasure to continue to turn lives around.

I see things differently each time a new or established family shares their story.

Passion for Children

DePelchin Children's Center has been serving the needs of Houston children and families since 1892.  Services have expanded through the years and include mental health, residential treatment, foster care, adoption, education and prevention.

The vision is aspirational: We envision a world in which every child is safe and healthy.

And the mission is to strengthen the lives of children by enhancing their mental health and physical well-being.

I've had the privilege of serving on the board of this amazing organization for many years and am thrilled with the commitment, professionalism and passion consistently demonstrated by the staff and board.

There are so many ways to make a positive impact for all who have a passion for the well-being of children and all of our children need opportunities, resources and advocates.  Many of us had the privilege of growing up in loving homes with supportive families.  Not every child has this experience.  If you're looking for a chance to change the world, consider sharing your time, talent and/or treasure with one of the many terrific organizations committed to strengthening the lives of children.

Multi-Media Families

I attended a presentation last evening, hosted by DePelchin Children Center's Kezia DePelchin Society, "Texting Instead of Talking?" by one of DePelchin's many talented staff members, Jennipher Cole, MA, LPC.  Jennipher highlighted the importance of appropriately combining multiple modes of communicating.

She shared 6 important tips:

• Set the standard - Model for your children what it means to use technology responsibly.
• Establish "no-tech" times - There is no substitute for interpersonal dialogue.
• Use texting for appropriate communications - It is not the tool for serious, formal conversations.
• Emphasize technology's unforgiving nature - Stress the ease with which information can be forwarded to unintended recipients.
• Monitor online, talk offline - If you see something online that worries you, calmly address the issue face-to-face.
• Friend moderately - Never post anything on a site like Facebook that might embarrass your child.

Transforming Lives at DePelchin Children's Center

DePelchin Children's Center has been an important part of my volunteer life for the past decade.  This remarkable organization, founded in 1892, is now in its 119th year of transforming lives.  It's easy to see how the children who receive counseling, foster care, adoption or residential treatment are positively impacted.  But the transformation doesn't end there.  The lives of the talented, dedicated staff delivering services and committed volunteers sharing their talents are also transformed. 

Do You Really Want to Walk a Mile in Someone Else's Stinky Shoes?

We don't have to do an in-depth analysis to readily discover that generally we'd much rather live our own lives than trade issues with others. We typically wish for media ready aspects of others' lives rather than considering the whole enchilada.  We used to refer to these opportunities as "walking a mile in your shoes".  

There are many reasons for re-choosing our own lives:

• we love our lives
• we like our lives better than we like change or uncertainty
• we know what to expect
• we consciously made the decisions to create our current environment
• we know how to deal with our issues
• we are afraid of the unknown
• other people's shoes stink

In my many cherished years of volunteering at Texas Children's Hospital, I never left the premises without being profoundly grateful for my blessings and thankful that mine were the only issues I faced.  This sentiment is ever present as I currently spend countless joyful hours at DePelchin Children's Center.

I don't know about you, but I've never really wanted to walk in anyone else's stinky shoes.