The Buzz at Southpointe . . .

* Best Buddies has begun.  Best Buddies ® is an international nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.  Southpointe is paired us with the chapter at University of Texas.  The match party was on 9/26/08 where the residents of Southpointe met their college buddies for the first time.  Most of the Southpointe residents participate in this program.

* Rock the Boat is an event put on by Austin Parks and Recreation which occurred on 9/28/08.  It is a canoe and kayak event on town lake for people with disabilities.  Many of our residents went on this event and had a great time!

* Special Olympics swimming regional meet was on 9/27/08.  2 of our residents, Laura and Brandy went to Burnet, Texas for the meet.  They received medals and will go on to the state meet in October, which is in College Station, Tx.  Great job Laura and Brandy!

* Cema Mastroleo, M. Ed.  From Disability Services ASAP of SafePlace comes to Southpointe to do trainings on safety and awareness trainings for our residents.  She came out  on 9/27/08 and the topic was Respect.  Around 15 of our residents attended the session.

Sinclair Children's Center Pecan St. Campus gets 'Extreme Makeover'

Randalls offers customers a way to direct donation dollars to their favorite church, school or other non-profit organization. Since the program began in the fall of 1996, Randalls and Tom Thumb have donated more than $20 million to over 7500 participating organizations. Through the Good Neighbor Program, organizations sign up to have an exclusive account number. Members of an organization can then link the account number to their Remarkable cards. You can link your favorite participating charity to your Remarkable card by completing a Remarkable Application Form at any Courtesy Booth. Fill in the top portion and the "Good Neighbor Program" section, indicating what account number to link to your card.

Help us help our community - link your Randall's Remarkable Card to the

Mary Lee Foundation.

Once again the University of Texas Athletics department and Bevo's Buddies has put smiles on the faces of the MLF clients. Bevo's Buddies is a complimentary ticket program designed exclusively for Title 1 elementary and middle schools and non-profit organizations that work with physically or intellectually challenged individuals and underprivileged youth. These tickets provide an opportunity for our clients to go to Longhorn games that they would otherwise not be able to attend. Robbi Smith, the program coordinator, has been with the Bevo's Buddies program for the past three years. She and her colleagues contact the many qualified organizations in and around the city of Austin throughout the year to offer tickets to the Longhorn games. Along with the many student volunteers that help with producing the vouchers used for the sporting events, Courtney Williamson, Bryan O'guin, Katy Crump, and Robbi Smith and the heart and soul of the program. The Mary Lee Foundation has enjoyed going to baseball and softball games, and the men's and women's basketball games these past few years and want to thank the University of Texas, Bevo's Buddies, and Robbi for their hard work and dedication.

MARY LEE CONTINUUM OF CARE ON TRACK

A major goal of the Mary Lee Foundation continues to be to create a continuum of care which will enable adults to "age in place."  Currently, Mary Lee adult programs serve persons age eighteen and above. To complete this continuum of care, housing for the elderly and a nursing facility are needed. Rehabilitation of a twenty-two unit apartment complex is expected to begin in the next few weeks which will house low income elderly persons. This project should be completed sometime in August. Persons who are eligible for this project must be age sixty-two or above and must meet certain income requirements. Financing for this project, called The Flagship, comes from Section 202 of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The contractor is Trinity Construction. Here is a before and after picture of 1312 Lamar Square Drive.

Using Gardening as Therapy; it soothes the soul, spirit, and mind.

Mainly, we're talking about people tending to gardens, and in the process, tending to themselves, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually.

Most of us probably don't need such formal therapy. We have our plants by the window, out on the porch, in our offices, or we walk in a park or on a tree-lined street and we feel refreshed.  It's important to buy flowers, shrubs, and trees to beautify your home, neighborhood, and city. Have you ever been given tomatoes from a neighbor or friend? The time and effort it took for them to produce those dozen or so tomatoes, peppers, or what ever they gave to you probably was pleasant. Giving is the satisfaction, joy and fulfillment which is felt from knowing that your action has, in some way, empowered, contributed to, and made a difference in your own life as well as another's.  Nature is good for all of us. This is why hospitals develop healing gardens for patients. It's why people go to botanical gardens for therapy -- to work the soil, and clear their minds. The therapeutic benefits of gardening have been well documented for some time now. Formal programs called horticultural therapy recognize and use the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of gardening to help their patients.  While the Mary Lee Foundation does not have a structured program of therapeutic gardening at this time, quite a few of our clients from different programs do enjoy gardening on a regular basis.  A life of good health and wellbeing can be achieved by embracing the simplest of fundamental elements found in nature. Just as an animal, a plant, or tree requires the right air, nutrition, water, and sunlight for optimum health, so do we.

The Mary Lee Foundation Food Pantry

Mary Lee Foundation operates and stocks a food pantry that is open to all residents in the Square.  Open every Tuesday of the month, the food pantry provides nourishing foods and a little bit extra into the kitchens of the MLF community.  Please help keep the shelves full by donating either food or funds today.

Brochures

The Mary Lee Foundation brochure

Brain Injury Services brochure

Children's Center brochure

The brochures and Newsletter are in PDF files. 

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Make a Donation today?

Our caring and dedication is ongoing.  Please think about donating today so that we may continue our mission serving those less fortunate than ourselves. 

Thank you.  MLF