Community Highlights!
Recognition of the Month:
On September 22nd, Coordinated
School Health (CSH) Team members
from 10 78744 and 78745 GAVA
schools attended the GAVA CSH
Team Training at the Dove Springs
Recreation Center.
PE/Dance
Teachers, Principals/Assistant Principals, Parent Support Specialists,
Parents, Classroom Teachers, Counselors and Community Volunteers gathered around topics such as Breakfast in the Classroom,
Marathon Kids, Brighter Bites, School Garden Trainings and grant
opportunities. The CSH Teams were also given time to meet and
talk about strategies to enhance their school health environment.
The Brighter Bites
eight-week
fall
program kicked
off at seven GAVA
sites this week!
We filled over
1,860 bags of
fruits and vegetables for families
with kiddos in Pre
-K through 2nd grades at the elementary schools
and for families with kids in Pre-K through 5th grade
at the Sierra Vista/Sierra Ridge after school programs. That's more than 56,000 pounds of produce
distributed to families living in or near the 78744
and 78745 zip codes.
Congratulations to Geo Team Armadillo Park Neighborhood Association for
their great work as park adopters! The
Geo Team’s Armadillo Park Committee
participated
in the National Public
Lands Day,
and the Geo Team’s Odom Elementary
School Park Committee secured installation of two benches from the city that
were installed in September.
Out of the hard work of Austin Interfaith and GAVA leaders, the
Mayor and Council adopted a 2015-2016 City Budget that includes
seven of Austin Interfaith’s thirteen budget priorities. These include the GAVA priorities of $150,000 for healthy food incentives,
and $3 million for parks, summer park programming,
pools, and libraries. Other wins include funding
for Parent Support Specialists, after school programming, City employees' living wage, and more.
Congratulations to leader Maribel
Reynoso for adopting her local corner store Bread Basket, and helping
to arrange and display produce in the new baskets.
Special recognition to Lupe Luz for adopting her
local store - 7-Eleven and to store Owner - Khawar
Hasan for his collaboration with community.
The GAVA Advisory
Council met for it's
first
quarterly
meeting this week!
Members of the
Advisory
Council
will help guide GAVA in a variety of ways, including providing feedback on implementation questions, advice on strategic decision-making, and guidance on ways to
allow for sustainability. As a resident led coalitionGAVA's advisory council will be 50% or more residents plus representatives from the 8 GAVA organizational partners and external allies from across the
city.
Join us for our GAVA Coalition Meeting for
78744 and 78745!
Oct. 27th, 2015 5:00-8:00 PM
Houston Elementary School:
5409 Ponciana Dr.
Soccer, zumba and fitness 5-6pm,
Free food and childcare provided!
About GAVA
GO! Austin/VAMOS! Austin (GAVA) is a partnership of residents, community leaders and nonprofit agencies who are devoted to
improving the health of our children and community. More importantly, we are a neighborhood united for health through improved nutrition and physical activity.
Meeting / Event
Weekly soccer game in 78745
Let’s play soccer, meet neighbors, build a soccer activities and a park adoption team for our
neighborhood park!
Date
Every Sunday
5:30 PM
St. Elmo Park
4312 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78745
Austin Parks Foundation Grants
Information Class
The class will cover the application process,
eligibility requirements, how to work most
effectively with the city, project ideas, and
more. Potential ACL Music Festival Grant
applicants are strongly encouraged to attend prior to applying.
Wednesday, October 14th
12:30 - 1:30
Austin Parks Foundation
507 Calles Street
Suite 116
Austin TX 78702
Physical Activity Sector Meeting (78745)
The group will be prepping for the GAVA Coalition Meeting on October 27th
Tuesday, October 20
6:30-8:00pm
El Buen Samaritano, 7000
Woodhue Drive 78745
Thursday, October 22, 2015
7:00 - 8:30pm
Wildflower Universalist Unitarian Church, 1314 E Oltorf St,
Austin, TX 78704
Cynthia Rodriguez
Austin Parks Foundation
GAVA Physical Activity Community Organizer
[email protected]
Kathleen Davis
Lead Organizer with Austin Interfaith
512.944.43.44
[email protected]
Friday, October 23
1:30—3PM
Southeast Branch Library
5803 Nuckols Crossing Rd.
Laura Olson
Early Childhood Sector Manager
[email protected]
512-472-6267
Monday, October 26
7-8:30pm
Manchaca Library
Henrietta Cameron-Mann
APNA President: [email protected]
Ivanna Neri
Geo Teams Organizer- 78745/ 512-998-3648
[email protected]
Thursdays, Oct 8-Nov12
6-7:30 PM
HEB
IH35 & William Cannon,
6607 IH35S Austin, TX 78744
Simone Benz
Community Outreach Coordinator
512-220-1146
Austin Interfaith Leaders Meeting
Monthly meeting with GAVA partner Austin
Interfaith, a non-partisan, multi-issue organization of 30+ institutions that work together
to address public issues.
Early Childhood Sector Monthly Meeting
Come implement strategies to support
the health of young children!
Armadillo Park Neighborhood Association
We'll elect new officers at this meeting. Come
prepared to nominate yourself or your neighbors and make a difference in your neighborhood!
With Sustainable Food Center’s
The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre®
Learn good nutrition for you and your family.
Learn how to get the most food for your money.
Learn how to cook local, seasonal produce.
Have fun and meet new people!
Classes meet once a week for 1½ hours for 6
weeks. After each class, you will receive a free
bag of groceries. Students must register for
the full series.
Contact
Mariano Di Vincenzo
GAVA Community Organizer at
Foundation Communities
(713) 854-2527
[email protected]
Cynthia Rodriguez
Austin Parks Foundation
GAVA Physical Activity Community Organizer
[email protected]
Register here:
http://www.austinparks.org/park-grantsprogram.html
[email protected]
Register by: October 15
Contact Us
For more information about GAVA or these meetings, contact: Alba Sereno, GAVA 78745 Community Director
At 214-799-3767 or [email protected].
Powered by the people of
Dove Springs-78744.
Dove Springs 78744
Join us for our GAVA Coalition Meeting
78744 and 78745!
Oct. 27th, 2015 5:00-8:00 PM
Houston Elementary School: 5409 Ponciana Dr.
Soccer, Zumba + Fitness from 5-6PM, Meeting from 6-8PM.
Food + Childcare provided.
Photo: 78744 resident Frances Pedraza with owners of Teri Food
Mart and Stassney Food Mart
Community Highlights!
Healthy Corner Stores:
Teri Food Mart and Stassney Food Mart have introduced at least four new Healthy Products and were
presented with the $100 incentive check by a local resident. Thanks to resident Frances Pedraza for getting
involved with her local stores: Teri Metro Mart; Owner
Ray Modi; 2008 Teri Rd Austin, TX
78744 (near Rodriguez Elementary) and Stassney
Food Mart; Manager Sohil Momin; on Stassney Ln.
near Houston Elementary.
Brighter Bites Kicks Off:
The Brighter Bites eightweek fall program kicked
off at seven GAVA sites
this week! Volunteers
filled over 1,860 bags of fruits and vegetables for families living in or near the 78744 and 78745 zip codes.
Next week, Brighter Bites begins the eight-week distribution cycle at a total of 10 Brighter Bites Austin sites,
all of which are part of the GAVA initiative! Families
with kiddos Pre-K –2nd grade can register at the following 78744 schools: Houston, Rodriguez,
Perez, Widen & Langford Elementary schools.
First GAVA Advisory Council Meeting:
The GAVA Advisory Council met for its first quarterly
meeting this week! Members of the Advisory Council will
help guide GAVA in a variety of ways, including providing
feedback on implementation questions, advice on strategic decision-making, and guidance creating sustainability
for the initiative. As a resident led coalition, GAVA's advisory council will be 50% or more residents plus representatives from the eight GAVA organizational partners and
external allies from across the city.
Community Highlights continued…
Austin Parks Foundation recently recognized the Onion Creek
Greenbelt Team as the Park Adopter Team of the year. Annie Harton
and Sara Torres received the Golden Shovel award; Richard Maness
of 78745 was also recognized as the Ultimate Volunteer.
Thank you and congratulations to all the 78744 Adopt-a-Park teams
that participated in National Public Lands Day on September 26 th!
Teams that participated were: Onion Creek Greenbelt, Ponciana
Park, Franklin Park, and Kendra Page.
GAVA Coordinated School Health Team Training
On September 22nd, Coordinated School Health (CSH) Team members
from 10 GAVA schools attended the GAVA CSH Team Training at the
Dove Springs Recreation Center. PE &
Dance Teachers, Principals, Assistant
Principals, Parent Support Specialists,
parents, classroom teachers, counselors and community volunteers gathered to hear topics such as breakfast
in the classroom, Marathon Kids/WOW
time, Brighter Bites, school garden
trainings and grant opportunities.
All ten GAVA schools at the CSH training
The CSH Teams were also given time
to meet and talk about strategies on their GAVVA Action Plans that
enhance health and health promotion at their campuses
City Funds Austin Interfaith and GAVA Priorities
Out of the hard work of Austin Interfaith and GAVA leaders, the
Mayor and Council adopted a 2015-2016 City Budget that includes seven of Austin Interfaith’s thirteen budget priorities. These include the GAVA priorities of $150,000 for healthy
food incentives, and $3 million for parks, summer park programming, pools, and libraries. Other wins include funding
for Parent Support Specialists, after school programming, City
employees' living wage, and more.
Date
Contact
Austin Parks Foundation Grants
Information Class
The class will cover the application process, eligibility requirements, how to work
most effectively with the city, project
ideas, and more. Potential ACL Music Festival Grant applicants are strongly encouraged to attend prior to applying.
Wednesday, October 14th
12:30 - 1:30
Austin Parks Foundation 507
Calles Street
Suite 116
Austin TX 78702
Cynthia Rodriguez
Austin Parks Foundation
GAVA Physical Activity Community Organizer
512-477-1566 Ext: 11
[email protected]
Physical Activities Sector Meeting
Both the 78744 and 78745
PA meetings
will be held on October 20th. The group will
be prepping for the GAVA Coalition Meeting on October 27th.
Tuesday, October 20th
6:30 - 8PM
El Buen Samaritano
7000 Woodhue Dr.
Austin, TX 78745
Cynthia Rodriguez
Austin Parks Foundation
GAVA Physical Activity Community Organizer
512-477-1566 Ext: 11
[email protected]
78744 Farm Stand Block Walk
Residents from Arbor Ridge are interested
in getting more community members involved in running a neighborhood farm
market in the Mendez/Widen area! As part
of the planning and team building process,
we’ll be doing block walking to collect surveys and identify residents who would be
interested in participating on the team,
and eventually helping to operate the farm
market.
Coffee with the Principal and parent
wellness team meeting at Perez
Elementary.
Thursday, October 15th
6-8PM
Widen Elementary
5605 Nuckols Crossing
Meet in the front parking lot
Simone Benz
Sustainable Food Center
Community Outreach Coordinator
[email protected]
512-220-1146
&
Estrella de Leon
Geo Team Organizer 78744
[email protected]
512-477-1259 X1703
Friday, October 16th
8-9AM
Rm 706
Perez Elementary School
75oo S. Pleasant Vally Rd.
Rosalinda Rivera
Perez Parent Support Specialist
512-841-5695
[email protected]
Dove Springs Community-School Alliance
Meeting
Friday, October 16th
8:30- 10AM
Mendez Middle School Library
5106 Village Square Dr.
Leonor Vargas
Mendez Middle School, Family Resource
Center Director
512-841-1016
[email protected]
October 2015October 2015
Austin Interfaith Leaders Meeting
Monthly meeting with GAVA partner Austin Interfaith, a non-partisan, multi-issue
organization of 30+ institutions that work
together to address public issues.
Early Childhood Sector Monthly
Meeting
Come implement strategies to support the health of young children!
With Sustainable Food Center’s
The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre
Learn good nutrition for you and your
family. Learn how to get the most food for
your money. Learn how to cook local,
seasonal produce. Have fun and meet new
people! After each class, everyone will
receive a free bag of groceries.
Thursday, October 22
7 - 8:30PM
Wildflower Universalist
Unitarian Church, 1314 E
Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704
Friday, October 23
1:30—3PM
Southeast Branch Library
5803 Nuckols Crossing Rd.
Thursdays, Oct 8 through Nov
12
6-7:30 PM
HEB@ IH35 & William Cannon,
6607 IH35S Austin, TX 78744
Register by Oct. 15th:
512-220-1092 or
[email protected]
Kathleen Davis
Organizer with Austin Interfaith
512.944.4344
[email protected]
Laura Olson
Sector Manager Manager GAVA
[email protected]
512-472-6267
Simone Benz
Sustainable Food Center
Community Outreach Coordinator
[email protected]
512-220-1146S
Learn how to use the repair station at the rec center and how to best secure your bicycle!
Saturday, October 10th. Repair classes begin at 10 AM & 12 PM. Bike rodeos and repairs from 1112pm
Dove Springs Recreation Center 5801 Ainez Dr.
About GAVA
Go! Austin/VAMOS! Austin (GAVA) is a partnership of residents,
community leaders and nonprofit agencies who are devoted to
improving the health of our children and community. More importantly, we are a neighborhood united for health through
improved nutrition and physical activity.
Contact Us:
We want to hear from you! What goals do you have for creating a
healthier Dove Springs? To share your ideas or for more information
about GAVA or these meetings, contact: Carmen Llanes Pulido, GAVA
78744 Community Director at 512-633-4312 or [email protected]. Find us at www.goaustinvamosaustin.org