News

HOUSTON —The Glenda Jean Mostyn and Joe E. Moreno Educational Foundation (Mostyn Moreno Foundation) has partnered with the H.E.A.R.T. Program to support the “Give These HEARTs a Ride” campaign on fundraising site Razoo.

The Health, Entrepreneurship, and Readiness Training (H.E.A.R.T.) Program is a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to helping adults with disabilities obtain meaningful employment and independent lives. The “Give These HEARTs a Ride” campaign is hoping to raise enough funds to expand the program’s vehicle fleet, which transports adults with disabilities to work and training.

“Every person deserves a chance to support themselves,” said Monte Osburn, executive director of the Mostyn Moreno Foundation. “The HEART program provides a realistic option for Texans with disabilities to train for a job and obtain sustaining employment.”

HOUSTON —The Glenda Jean Mostyn and Joe E. Moreno Foundation (The Mostyn Moreno Foundation) has recently announced that Port Neches – Groves High School senior Kasey Almonte has been chosen as the recipient of its 2014 Prom Spa Day.

Kasey will get to prepare for her prom by spending the day at Beau Visage Spa in Nederland. The experience will include a variety of spa treatments, such as hair styling, makeup, and manicure and pedicure. The Foundation also provides money for a dress, shoes, and any other incidentals that might be needed.

By Kathi Nailling | Athens Daily Review
Original Story: http://www.athensreview.com/local/x853081961/Early-Christmas

ATHENS — Students from the Athens Independent School District were treated to an early Christmas on Monday.

The Athens ISD Life Skill class kicked off the Mostyn Moreno Foundation 2013 Christmas Lights Program with 57 children being treated to a shopping spree at Walmart. Each student had $50 to spend on anything they wanted.

This year, the foundation will treat 1,034 students from 12 school districts that will include Galveston, Southeast Texas and East Texas to the Christmas shopping spree and lunch. The children from Athens range in age from 3-years-old to high-school students.

By Erinn Callahan | The Port Arthur News

BEAUMONT — Meagan Moss returned from her Walmart trip with a toy car to take her stuffed Mickey and Minnie Mouse for joyrides, a toy camera to capture the moments around her, and an extra dose of holiday cheer.

“She loves Christmas,” Amy Moss said of her 6-year-old daughter, a Life Skills student at Helena Park Elementary. “This was very special for her. She had a good time.”

Meagan joined 33 other Nederland Independent School District Life Skills students at the Twin City Highway Walmart in Port Arthur on Tuesday. Each student was given $50 to spend however he or she pleased, and teachers utilized the opportunity to teach life skills such as budgeting money and decision making.

“Not only was it fun, but it was a learning experience,” Johnna Smith, Helena Park Elementary Life Skills teacher, said. “It was an educational trip.”

AUSTIN — Special Olympics Texas has received a $2 million donation—its largest individual gift ever—from Houston attorneys Amber and Steve Mostyn.

The donation, which was made to the SOTX Capital Campaign, will go toward building a new SOTX headquarters in northeast Austin. The contribution joins a $2 million lead gift from the GEO Group, which sponsors a yearly golf tournament benefiting Special Olympics Texas.

The Mostyns’ gift honors Amber’s mother, Christi Stanley, who passed away recently.

Amber Mostyn said, “My mother had a special place in her heart for those with special needs. One of her first jobs was at the Fort Worth State School. I grew up hearing her talk about what a privilege it had been to work there. I cannot think of a better way to honor my mother than to contribute to Special Olympics Texas. I am blessed to be able to do so and to have a husband who shares my mother’s passion for giving to others.”

Red Ritch’s Raiders BBQ Cook Team and the Mostyn Moreno Foundation have formed a partnership to host Ritch’s Little Raiders BBQ Party held Friday morning, February 22nd at 9 am, during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo’s World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. For over 20 years, Ritch’s Raiders BBQ Team has entertained a group of 400-500 very special children from various state schools and institutions in Houston and the surrounding area. These special children are known as Ritch’s Little Raiders.

The morning is filled with performances by some very talented singers and clowns. The children also have the opportunity to meet and visit with celebrities such as Bob Tallman, the Voice of the HLS&R, Cactus Jack from 93Q radio station and some of Houston’s finest Firefighters! This year includes an appearance by Houston Texans Cheerleaders and country singer William Michael Morgan! The children dance and sing and have a wonderful time! Every child gets plenty to eat and leaves with a “goodie bag” of stickers, pencils, key chains, coloring books, koozies, etc.

Mostyn Moreno Foundation has partnered with ReelAbilities: Houston Disabilities Film Festival 2013. ReelAbilities was initiated in New York in 2007 and is the largest film festival in the nation committed to promoting appreciation and awareness of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with various disabilities. ReelAbiilites: Houston Disabilities Film Festival 2013 will present award winning films by and about people with disabilities in multiple locations throughout the city. Post-screening discussions and other engaging programs will bring together our community to explore, discuss, embrace, and celebrate the diversity of our shared human experience.

The Mostyn Moreno Foundation will serve as a collaborating partner and sponsor of this new cultural event in Houston’s arts and human services arena. The festival is scheduled for February 6-13, 2013. Several screening venues will be announced soon.

More information on the first film festival of its kind in Houston can be found at www.houston.reelabilities.org

Special education students from Jacksonville elementary schools visited Wal-Mart Wednesday morning to do Christmas shopping.
Teachers carted small groups of children from aisle to aisle, buying up clothes, toys and whatever else caught the students’ fancies.

Dr. Leslie Brinkman George, director of special education for the Jacksonville Independent School District, said it was the school’s annual shopping trip for its physically and cognitively impaired students.

TYLER, TX (KLTV) – Only nine shopping days until Christmas, but dozens of East Texas students are covered.

Tuesday, special needs students from St. Louis School in Tyler checked off their lists for their families and themselves. KLTV 7 photojournalist Philip Stauts went along as their carts filled up with a lot more than just presents.
Click on the video below to see how the trip went.

This is the ninth year St. Louis School has been with the Mostyn-Moreno Foundation. There is one more shopping spree set for Wednesday in Jacksonville.

By Philip Stauts | Posted: December 15, 2009

http://www.kltv.com:80/Global/story.asp?S=11683333

(Houston, TX) A grant received by Mostyn Moreno Foundation means students with special needs in Jefferson County area public schools will learn needed life skills.

Entergy Texas has awarded a $1,500 grant to the Glenda Jean Mostyn & Joe E Moreno Educational Foundation. The funds will be used by the foundation for its annual “Christmas Lights” program benefiting public school students with special needs in Jefferson County school districts.

“We are grateful to Entergy Texas for their support of our program. For years, the Foundation has focused on empowering children with special needs with the opportunities they deserve,” said Monte Osburn, executive director, Mostyn Moreno Foundation. “With recent cuts in public education funding, programs that serve this special segment of students are urgently needed.”