Starting it off right!
Since 2010, LTlov has organized school supply drives in the Lake Travis community to provide LTISD students coded Economically Disadvantaged with the supplies they need to succeed in school. Project Supply Pack was officially established and successfully completed for the 2016-’17 school year after piloting it last year. This initiative, part of LTlov’s School Supplies Program, allows us to purchase prepackaged campus and grade specific school supplies directly through each LTISD elementary and middle school’s supply ordering program. Students receive these supply packs on their desks at each campus’ Back to School Night events. We received applications from 95 families for 199 students. Following the deadline we received an additional 65 applications for 98 students in need of help. These requests were filled by community donations.
Our sincere and heartfelt thanks belong to the Ladies of Charity-Lake Travis who provided $5000 in funding for Project Supply Pack, the Lake Travis Crisis Ministries and PODER who promoted and provided our Project Supply Pack Application, LTHS student Caroline Storm who collected surplus 2015 supplies from LTISD campuses that were used to fill Pre-K application orders, Austin Ridge Church who donated 25 backpacks filled with supplies for Lake Travis High School application orders and HEB, Lakeway for their generous donation of 40 backpacks. As qualified participants in For the Children, Inc, we received 30 boxes of basic supplies. As always, we are humbled and extremely grateful for the consistent generosity of the Lake Travis community who provided 130 backpacks, many basic supply items and $2,420 in cash donations which were used to purchase specific supply items and to fill campus with list requests, including a request from Lake Travis Elementary School for 100 personal head-sets. Thank you to the businesses who hosted our collection bins: Lake Travis Community Library, Strandz Salon, Chick-Fil-A, Kuper Sotheby’s, Bee Cave Family Chiropractic, Moreland Properties, Elite Wellness, the World of Tennis and WOT Pilates.
In total we served over 300 students in the LTISD school area with the supplies required by each child’s campus and grade level. Remaining supplies were used to stock “teacher’s closets” at the high school coordinated by Ms. Jennifer Gidley, AP Environmental Science teacher and at Lake Travis Middle School. We would also like to extend our considerable gratitude to the Lake Travis School District and Mr. Darnell Horton who kindly coordinated a room for us at the LTHS Annex to receive, sort and re-distribute supplies to students whose families missed the Project Supply Pack order deadline and to the many volunteers who dedicated approximately 100 service hours to this much-needed program.
On August 17th local dental professionals, LTlov and community volunteers came together for our 6th annual Kids Free Dental Day at the Lakeway Dental Office. It was an honor to provide oral health care to 53 local children whose financial circumstances impede basic dental visits. Each patient received a thorough cleaning and dentist’s exam including x-rays and sealants as needed. Services such as fillings and extractions were performed on the spot in most cases so patients went home with a healthy mouth and a sparkling smile. Thirty-three children were return patients and fourteen patients will require follow-up care for additional work that was beyond the scope of the event day. We will work to place those patients with local dentists willing to assist pro bono or at a reduced fee as quickly as possible.
The Dental Day committee would like to thank the following dental offices and staff for providing excellent and compassionate care to the children whose parents entrusted us with their oral health: Lakeway Dental Office and Dr. Robbie Robinson, Dr. Chris Kimball, Cat Willsey, Chelsee Brown, Rachel Fenley, Kat Dallo and Penelope Amaya; Sage Dentistry and Dr. Trisha Kimes, Heather Schramm, Laurie Lisciandro, Roxanne Crawford, Martha Woodhouse and Cindy Clark; Sky Ridge Dental and Dr. Laura Cook, Dr. Lisa Mertz, Yvette Thomas and Cara York; Eaddy Dentistry and Dr. Daniel Eaddy and Alexis Houston; Tomasik Family Dental and Dr. Joshua Tomasik and Regina Drake and Hygienist Cassie Nutter from the St. David’s Mobile program. Spanish translations were facilitated by Pearl Watson and Alicia Gay from Emmaus Parish.
Together we made a difference to our neighbors and to the health of the children in our community who struggle with the basic demands of daily living.
Through our Grants Funding Program, LTlov provides financial support to other non-profit organizations aligned with our mission statement. The money we use to grant funds is collected from a diverse list of individuals, corporations, and foundations who believe in the mission of LTlov and trust our organizational efficiency to be good stewards of their donations. M2016, we funded 12 organizations with a total of $37,994 dollars. In through our Annual Grants Funding program. In addition, LTlov also reserved funding in the amount of $11,835 dollars for three internal programs: College Scholarships, Kids Free Dental Day and Project Supply Pack.
LTlov’s mission is neighbors helping neighbors and usually we are filling the “helper” role. But sometimes the tables are turned! Sometimes upside down is right side up! Sometimes the givers become the receivers! We are honored to have been chosen as the sole beneficiary of the Lake Travis Lions Club’s 2016 Spaghetti and Jazz fundraiser on Friday, May 6th from 5:00 – 8:00pm at the Lakeway Activity Center. Past beneficiaries include the Lake Travis Community Library, LTISD, the Lakeway Police Department and All Things Wild. Come join us for some Do-Good Deliciousness! Dine in and enjoy the fabulous Lake Travis Jazz Band, a silent auction and the spirit of community fellowship, or take out and give yourself a break from Friday night meal prep! Either way, LTlov is so blessed to live in a community where neighbors love to help neighbors and those who usually do the giving, can enjoy the the bounty of receiving!
Lake Travis is home to many non-profit organizations serving various segments of our community. Regular communication between us is the key to staying informed, which allows us to work together to find solutions that benefit the community as a whole. One of the most difficult problems 501c3 organizations face is not just meeting the needs of the folks that count on our help, but managing our resources effectively so there is enough to go around. One way we do this is by each knowing what the other is doing. If LTlov is providing school supplies to Lake Travis students, the Lake Travis Education Foundation can put their efforts toward meeting other district needs. If the Lake Travis Youth Association is providing scholarships for athletes who cannot afford their fees, then LTlov does not need to fund a grant to meet that need. I am happy to say that LTlov stays connected to our non-profit friends and neighbors. As a member of the Lake Travis Outreach Partners, we meet with other organizations serving our low income population. As a participant in Amplify Lake Travis, we proudly support other Lake Travis 501c3 organizations who are fundraising through the AmplifyAustin platform. Would you like to learn more about some great local orgs? Join us on Tuesday, March 8th from 6pm-8pm at Table 620 in the new HEB for free appetizers, live music, and the opportunity to get to know some of our non-profit friends: LTEF, LTYA, TexARTS, Youth2Seniors, Colin’s Hope, Spicewood Arts Society and Help our Wounded.
Community Comes Out Big For LTlov Back to School Supply Drive
Through generous donations of school supplies, backpacks and cash the Lake Travis community came together and provided our district’s economically disadvantaged students with a great start to the new school year. Nearly 300 campus and grade appropriate school supplies, most of which came neatly packed in a brand new backpack, were distributed directly to students in need through the Lake Travis Crisis Ministry and PODER prior to the start of school. We consider ourselves blessed with the phenomenal outpouring of support and compassion from this great lake community. In addition, as part of a new LTlov initiative, Project Supply Pack, 102 LTISD students coded economically disadvantaged received pre-purchased school supply packs on their desks at campus “Meet the Teacher” events. Applications for this program were made available through PODER and the Crisis Ministries. Plans are underway to expand this opportunity to help even more students through both the gift of preparedness and the gift that comes with avoiding the social stigma associated with being a child in constant need. We especially thank the Ladies of Charity, Lake Travis for the generous donation that helped launch Project Supply Pack.
LTlov would like to thank everyone who donated to this great program, in particular Austin Ridge Church and For The Children, as well as our amazing donation stations: World of Tennis and WOT Pilates, Strandz Salon, Bee Cave Family Chiropractic, Chick-Fil-A, Prosperity Bank, Elite Wellness, Kuper Sothebys, Lake Travis Community Library, Luxe Salon, Moreland Properties, Café Lago and both the Cielo and Madrone Apartments. LTlov also recognizes the hard work of the volunteers at the Lake Travis Crisis Ministry and our student and community volunteers who generously donated their time to make our sixth annual school supplies drive so successful this year.
Thanks to the Lake Travis community, support for Green Santa exceeded our expectations by providing gifts and family meals to 620 children from 203 families in the Lake Travis area. The generosity of this community to give and share so that others can have a joyous holiday, and the amazing volunteers that spent their time collecting, sorting and packing the family toy boxes made this happen. Neighbors helping neighbors is the cornerstone of LTlov’s mission and this was in full swing during the Green Santa program.
Green Santa could not have provided toys to fill every registered child’s wish list without the support of our amazing Lake Travis businesses: our underwriters, Ladies of Charity- Lake Travis, HEB and Restaurant 620, Woofs Pet Salon, Mangieri’s Pizza Cafe, Lakeway A/C & Heating, Lakeway Dermatology, Whitakers Auto Body & Paint, Terrell Veterinary Clinic, Strandz Salon, A to Z Dog Ranch, Coldwell Banker United Realtors, Bee Cave Family Chiropractic, BBVA Compass and Level 12 Salon; and our donation stations: LTISD school campuses, the Lake Travis Community Library, Lakeway Activity Center, Bee Cave Chick-Fil-A, World of Tennis and WOT Pilates, Prosperity Bank, Strandz Salon, Moreland Properties, Don Rucker Tire & Wheel, Bee Cave Family Chiropractic, Kuper Sotheby’s, Luxe Salon, Elite Wellness, Lakeway Eye Physicians, Learning Express, Body Balance, Lakeway Eye Physicians, Bee Cave Family Chiropractic, and Water District 17.
We are also grateful to have been the beneficiary of events hosted by Sing Along, Point of Origin, Youth2Seniors, the Ladies Tennis Association of The World of Tennis and The Hills Ladies Golf Association, Wink Medical Aesthetics, the Ladera Neighborhood Association, 3F Fitness, Prosperity Bank, Life Enrichment Book Club, Julie St. Onge, Neighbors Play Bunco, Hudson Bend Middle School and Emmaus Middle School Youth.
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the residents of the Lake Travis community who donated toys, gift cards, and money so that each registered child would have presents and a special holiday meal to enjoy with their family. Finally, a very hearty Ho Ho Ho of thankfulness to Western Industries who donated our collection and gift boxes, and to LTISD for providing the space needed to store, sort, box and distribute the more than 1900 gifts we received.
Is a toy frivolous when your family is struggling to pay bills and provide food? Our Green Santa program provides two age appropriate gifts and books plus HEB cards to purchase food for the holidays. Some feel that we should do away with the gifts and increase the food donation, but is that really best for the children? Children need to play. They need opportunities to be creative, to spend time outside kicking a soccer ball and to gather together as a family to play a board game. The legos received might launch a love for engineering, the art set a career in design or the building blocks chart a course toward architecture. That football can motivate a sedentary child to run and play and even Barbie can allow the chance to work out social experiences within the context of imaginary relationships. Maybe a couple of toys is just what kids living in poverty need.
Founded in October 2007, the Lake Travis Labor of Love works to identify local needs, inspire community involvement, and distribute contributions through projects that assist and empower families in the Lake Travis area.
LTlov funds local projects/organizations each year by general membership vote through individual member and community donations to the Corporation and by sponsoring fundraising programs and events.
LTlov is currently accepting applications for funding. Presentations are limited but encouraged. Contact Michelle Zogas at president@ltlov.org to be considered for a meeting presentation. Grants funding decisions will be made in May.
