Heart House Free Afterschool Program Comes to Austin: Local Leaders Welcome Safe Haven for Children

Heart House is a non-profit agency providing free afterschool programs for low-income and at-risk children in inner city areas. Heart House's primary focus is on raising academic achievement. Heart House is coming to Austin, Texas to set up sites in that city.

(PRWEB) May 2, 2001 -Heart House, the nonprofit agency dedicated to providing free afterschool programs for low-income and at-risk children, is coming to Austin! Recently, the local board of directors and community organizations welcomed Anna Land, co-founder of Heart House, to Austin to begin work on implementing a Heart House program in the city. Mrs. Land is committed to working with city leaders to open the first Austin Heart House by 2002.

"The evidence is overwhelming: early, positive influences such as the programs of Heart House yield long-term, positive results in a young person's life," said Mrs. Land. "Austin is clearly a community committed to its children, and I am both excited and eager to bring hope to this great citys at-risk kids."

Heart House targets neighborhoods that statistically reflect high levels of juvenile delinquency and low academic performance. Sites are chosen based on where the children are dropped off by school buses. The intention is to minimize the possibility that children will be intercepted by negative influences, so the centers are instrumental in providing children with afterschool programs that influence higher academic achievement, prevent juvenile crime and promote social skills that are vital for self-confidence and success. The Austin center will serve school-age children in grades K-8. All services are free.

In Dallas, Heart House has already received great support. "The Heart House Free Afterschool program represents everything that is commendable. Here our community's children are safe, happy, challenged and improving their academic skills. I urge all concerned citizens to support Heart House in its endeavors," said Ron Kirk, Mayor of Dallas.

Heart House is supported through the generosity of the community, and a wide variety of volunteer activities and tax-deductible corporate sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, visit the Heart House website at www.hearthouse.org.

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About Heart House:
Heart House (www.hearthouse.org) is a non-profit agency providing free afterschool programs for low-income and at-risk children in inner city areas. Heart House's primary focus is on raising academic achievement, achieved through homework assistance, tutoring, and mentoring. Additional learning opportunities are provided through art enrichment classes, computer literacy classes, and programs in personal and public safety. Heart House offers children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade the opportunity to socialize in a structured and supervised environment, to develop new interests through educational experiences, and to learn the skills and behaviors necessary to become productive, contributing members of the community. All services to the children are free. Heart House is working with communities nationwide to plan and open Heart House sites.
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