Respite Care in March

If you're a parent/caregiver looking for a super affordable, super convenient option for respite care, Sammy's House is here to help! 

Our March respite sessions will be on Saturday, March 10th from 10:00am-2:00pm, and Saturday, March 24th from 10:00am-2:00pm. Each session will feature fun springtime activities: we'll make popcorn bluebonnets, have some fun with the color green, do some rain painting, and make hand print flowers. 

As a reminder, here are the respite guidelines:

• Children ages 0-8 with and without special needs are welcome. Children do not have to attend Sammy's House to participate -- it's open to anyone!
• $25 per session, per child
• $8 per additional sibling, limit 3
• Care is provided at Sammy's House (2415 Twin Oaks Dr. Austin, TX 78757)
• Please contact our Respite Coordinator, Brittany Hill, no later than the Wednesday before the session you are wanting to sign up for. You can call her at 512-453-5258 or email her at b.hill@sammyshouse.org.

We hope to see you at one or both of the March sessions!

Bowling for a Cause - Strikes for Tikes

Do you love bowling, and want a fun way to support your favorite nonprofit?

Then you should sign up for the 2012 Strikes for Tikes event, happening Friday, March 30!

This annual event benefiting Sammy's House is hosted by the Texas Hill Country Chapter of Meeting Professionals International. Last year they raised $11,000 for us -- let's break that record this year!

Here's the schedule for the evening:
5:00-5:30pm - Networking
5:30-8:30pm - Bowling!

Here's the bowling alley's address:
300 AMF Showplace Lanes
9504 North IH-35
Austin

Check out the Strikes for Tikes website for more information and make sure to RSVP by March 15.

We're Hiring!

Do you love kids and want to make a difference in your community? We currently have a teacher position open in our toddler room and are looking for a high-energy, dedicated individual to join our team! Visit our Employment page for more information about the position. All questions and correspondence should be directed to our Program Director at sammyshousecenterpd@yahoo.com.

Reminder About Feb. 11 Respite Session

Valentine's Day is approaching...as you think about loved ones this year and what they mean to you, take a moment to send some of that love to Sammy's House by making a donation.

Also, if you sign up for our respite session on Saturday, February 11th from 6pm to 10pm, the kids will have a little Valentine's party to celebrate. It's sure to be a ton of fun! Contact our Respite Coordinator at (512) 453-5258 or b.hill@sammyshouse.org if you're interested in signing your child up.

Lastly, check out this resource for caregivers, the Texas Child Care newsletter. They have a variety of articles for parents and other caregivers. Happy reading!

Looking for Respite Care?

Having access to regular, affordable respite care is a must-have for parents of children with special needs. Everyone needs a break from the kiddos to catch up with errands, have a date night, or de-stress with some alone time. The Sammy's House respite program is the perfect way to do that, with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your child is being cared for by certified Sammy's House teachers in a safe, enriching, and inclusive environment. 

This month, we're offering two Saturday respite sessions: Saturday the 11th from 6pm - 10pm (the perfect chance for a Valentine's date!) and Saturday the 18th from 10am - 2pm. Sessions are open to children with or without special needs, ages 0-8. The cost of each session is $25 per child, and $8 per additional sibling with a limit of three. Care is provided at Sammy's House, which is located at 2415 Twin Oaks Dr. Austin, TX 78757.

To register for an upcoming session or to be added to our respite email list, contact our Respite Coordinator, Brittany Hill, at:

Phone: 512-453-5258
Cell: 512-796-0606
Email: b.hill@sammyshouse.org

Vote for Us!

Go down to Monkey Nest and vote for Sammy's House to receive a certain percentage of their sales next month! Monkey Nest is a local coffee shop located at 5353 Burnet Rd. in Austin, and they have a "give back to the community" initiative where they select a nonprofit each month to receive a portion of their profits. This is a really easy way to help out Sammy's House!

How to vote: When you walk into the cafe from the main entrance (not the side entrance), there's a sign/advertisement straight ahead of you, in front of the counter where you pick up drinks. You'll see a little plastic box stuck to the front of the sign. Just write Sammy's House on a piece of paper and put it in that plastic box. Thanks!

Join Our Email List!

Are you interested in receiving occasional emails about the wonderful work going on at Sammy's House? 

Sign up for our email newsletter

We anticipate sending no more than 6 emails per year, and you can always unsubscribe later if you want to stop receiving the emails altogether. 

Sammy's House Family Stories

Are you the parent or caregiver of a child who attends Sammy's House? If so, we want to hear from you! We are continually in need of stories from the families we serve for several different reasons. Here's a couple of examples of how your story can help Sammy's House:

1. We sometimes use quotes from families in our grant proposals when we're requesting funding for our programs. These quotes are extremely valuable for showing funders how we affect the lives of real families -- demonstrating our mission in action.
2. Another place we use family stories is when we send updates and thank-yous to agencies that have given us funding. This is an excellent way to show them the impact we're having in our community thanks to their support.
3. Stories from families are also a great addition to the materials we hand out at fairs and events where we're raising awareness about Sammy's House. These events often result in funding for the organization, but are also a great way for us to connect with families in the area who could benefit from our services.

If you're hesitating to share your story because you feel like anything you have to say will be boring or unimportant, never fear! What may seem like old hat to you may be very interesting and insightful to a donor who has never interacted with a special needs child, or a foundation that isn't familiar with child care. Rest assured that your story matters, and it can have a real impact on helping Sammy's House, no matter what your child's needs are or how long you have been with Sammy's House.

If you would like to share your story with us, feel free to use the following questions as a starting point:

• What is your child's name?
• What is your child's date of birth?
• What year did your child start attending Sammy's House?
• Why did you choose Sammy's House over other daycare centers?
• What did you use for child care before you found out about Sammy's House (if applicable)?
• How has Sammy's House helped your child and/or your family?
• What are some of your child's unique needs and how does Sammy's House address them (if applicable)?
• What is one thing about Sammy's House that you appreciate the most or take the most comfort from?
• Is there anything else you would like someone to know if they were considering whether to make a donation to Sammy's House?

Once you've developed your story, you can email it to our Development Director at sammyshousedev@gmail.com. If you're concerned about privacy, we can make your story anonymous by changing your name and your child's name. Just let us know and we'll be happy to accommodate your situation. If you prefer to talk about your child in person or over the phone, just email sammyshousedev@gmail.com to set up a time to meet. 

Will You Be Our Friend?

One of the many challenges faced by a small nonprofit is finding cheap (or free!) ways to get the word out about what we do, engage our donors and supporters, and keep everyone informed about our mission and how it's addressing important needs in the community. Social media is a great tool for accomplishing all of these goals...but only if people connect with us!

As we go through the first week of the new year, please stop and spend a few minutes to connect with us online if you haven't already done so. We make a concerted effort not to have too much cross-posting between all the different websites, so rest assured that you won't be reading the same things over and over again.

Friending us on Facebook or following us on Twitter not only keeps you informed about what we're up to, but is also a fantastic way to spread the word about Sammy's House to others who may not have heard of us. That's why it's so important to share our Facebook posts with your friends or re-tweet our Twitter posts to your follower list. If we can reach just one additional person who didn't know about us before, that's one more person who is now a potential donor or supporter. 

Here's where you can find us: 

Facebook

Twitter

Also, don't forget about GoodSearch, which makes a donation every time you search online. We already have 29 supporters, and we'd like to see even more! Read our past posting about GoodSearch in this blog to get the details.

Happy New Year from Sammy's House

Now that a new year is upon us, it's beneficial to stop and reflect about goals and priorities for the coming year. If you're like many Central Texans, you are committed to making our community a better and more welcoming place for people of all abilities. It can be difficult to find the time to make informed decisions about charitable giving, and in a philanthropically minded city like Austin, there are always an abundance of worthy causes but limited dollars to go around. 

We hope that as you make plans for what's important to you in 2012, you spend a few moments considering what role you can play in supporting Sammy's House. If you made a donation in 2011, we are deeply grateful for your generosity. If you want to support Sammy's House but haven't been able to yet, please know that even volunteering a few hours of your time can make a real impact to our organization. Also remember that any donation, of any size, can represent meaningful support to the fragile children who rely on us. If you still aren't sure who we are or would like more information about us, contact our Development Director at sammyshousedev@gmail.com and we will be happy to help. We are providing a crucially needed service to children with special needs in Austin, and our staff members are committed to giving these children the tools they need to succeed.

This year, renew your commitment to giving back, and consider how you can personally help Sammy's House remain a special place for special children.

Donate Now

Happy Holidays from Sammy's House!

Just a reminder that Sammy's House will be closed for the holidays starting Thursday, December 22 and will re-open on Tuesday, January 3.

This holiday season, please keep Sammy's House in mind as you make your year-end charitable giving plans. Every donation -- no matter how small -- is appreciated and put to immediate good use in our classrooms. For many children at Sammy's House, their needs are so specialized or intense that Sammy's House is the only child care center in Austin equipped to care for them appropriately. In recognition of the unique work that Sammy's House does every day, please consider making a donation today. 

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Another Chance to Help This Holiday Season

If you've read our multiple calls for donations over the last few weeks, but aren't in the financial position to make a monetary donation right now, consider another way you can give -- donating supplies.

This time of year, Sammy's House works hard to make our budget stretch through the end of our fiscal year (which corresponds to the calendar year), and practical donations are deeply appreciated. One item we currently need more of is paper towels, which we use for everything from serving lunch, to sanitizing our classrooms, to cleaning up paint and glue after art projects.

Donating something so apparently simple can nevertheless make a huge difference to our operations at this time of year!

Family Testimony

In this entry, we want to showcase testimony from parents who send their children to our center. The impact represented by these four quotes is just one small piece of our overall impact on the Austin community, which includes not just early childhood interventions, but also job creation and the opportunity for parents to keep their jobs. To support these families and other families in Austin with children who have disabilities and special needs, please consider making a donation today: http://sammyshouse.org/donate/.

“The summer camp has been fantastic for my son to be involved in. I would recommend the Sammy’s House camp program to any parent of a special needs child.” - Christopher Morrison 

“Seeing my son so excited each morning to go and make close friendships with other children for the first time was worth more than words can express.” - Kiley Fascia

“At Sammy's House, all kids belong and differences are celebrated. The staff recognize that my

daughter is not just a child with Angelman Syndrome, but a capable, excited learner. They know that kids with special needs are first and foremost kids!” - Suzanne Andrews

“Before we heard about Sammy's House, we struggled to find a day care that was equipped to provide our son with the professional level of care and attention he needed to thrive. Please help by giving to make sure that this precious community resource is available to other families such as ours.” - Connie Gonzales

Toy Wish List

Interested in brightening a child's day? How about a whole classroom of children? Here's your chance!

Our toy wish list continually grows as we refresh and restock our classrooms with age- and stage-appropriate toys and learning aids. We select the toys in our list to be as accessible to as many children as possible and we make sure that every age and developmental stage is represented from birth to 8 years old within our overall stock of toys and games.

The following chart lists the toys currently on our list, along with the skill that the toy reinforces and its price. We make a point of spreading out these donations equally throughout the year so that our classrooms have a continuous stream of new toys and equipment each month to replace older or damaged toys, or to accommodate a specific child with unique needs and skills.

If you would like to sponsor any of the following items, please contact our Development Director at sammyshousedev@gmail.com. Thank you!

Sammy's House Toy Wish List

As of December 2011

All items are from www.constructiveplaythings.com

Toy/Learning Aid	Skill Type	Price
Animal Stack & Count Number Sort Animals Counters	Counting	$35.99
Musical Puzzle Roller	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$19.99
Friends-in-a-Row	Problem-Solving	$24.99
Colors Book Series	Alphabet/Reading	$79.50
Crayola Washable Tempera Paint – Gallon	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$158.99
Exploring the 5 Senses Library	Alphabet/Reading	$44.99
Counting Cans	Counting	$44.99
Bean Bag Bonanza	Counting	$49.99
Magnetic Fishing Fun	Alphabet/Reading	$39.90
Sand Sensory Set with Lid	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$99.99
5 Green & Speckled Frogs Prop Set	Counting	$29.99
Plastic Binding Spines (for homemade books)	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$9.89
Classroom Book Binding Machine	Art/Tactile/Sensory Classroom Storage/Equipment	$219.99
Soft Touch Arctic Animals	Imaginative Play	$44.99
Dress-to-Nest Dolls	Imaginative Play Art/Tactile/Sensory	$25.99
Magic Magnetic Play Table	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$399.99
Tweeze Bees	Art/Tactile/Sensory Problem-Solving	$29.99
Clear Colors Magna Tiles	Art/Tactile/Sensory Problem-Solving	$51.75
Hand Washing Posters	Life Skills	$29.99
Rolling Pathways	Art/Tactile/Sensory Problem-Solving	$129.99
Aquatic Play Cube	Art/Tactile/Sensory Problem-Solving	$499.99
Sweet Treats	Classroom Storage/Equipment	$39.99
Wooden Ice Cream Game	Problem-Solving	$59.99
E-Z View Magnifiers	Imaginative Play	$32.99
The Five Senses Series	Alphabet/Reading	$39.95
See-Through Activity Center	Imaginative Play	$379.99
Lock & Roll Storage Tubs	Classroom Storage/Equipment	$44.99
Discover Your Body Puzzles	Life Skills	$37.99
Mega Washable Stamp Pads	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$23.99
Activity Tub Covers	Classroom Storage/Equipment	$25.99
Sand & Water Frameworks	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$299.99
Children of the World Felt Boards	Life Skills	$14.99
A Rainbow of Colors Book Set	Life Skills Alphabet/Reading	$32.50
Wooden Prism Scopes	Imaginative Play	$15.99
Frameworks Water Play Accessory Kit	Classroom Storage/Equipment	$59.99
Nature Exploration Set	Imaginative Play Art/Tactile/Sensory	$94.99
Ball-Go-Round	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$29.99
Classroom Magnet Kit	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$59.99
I Never Forget a Face Matching Game	Problem-Solving	$14.99
Toddler Discovery Tubes	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$47.99
Image Captors	Art/Tactile/Sensory	$29.99
Visual Explorers	Imaginative Play	$24.95
2-in-1 Scent Match	Art/Tactile/Sensory/Sensory	$46.99
Color Sorting Crayons	Art/Tactile/Sensory/Sensory	$49.99

Read Our Newsletter Right from this Blog!

You may have noticed the "Community Newsletter" page at the top of this blog. This is yet another way you can find out what's going on at Sammy's House and learn about the impact we're having on the community. Please take a look and let us know what you think by leaving a comment! We're always on the lookout for new ways to engage, educate, and inspire our donors and supporters. Happy reading!