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MyEmma chose Abeona House from 122 applications to receive free e-newsletter services |
Many thanks to the generous grants we received in 2007 from:
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RosaMary Foundation, for a planning grant to open a second location |
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Junior League of New Orleans, to support our curriculum on "Home & Family" |
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Save the Children, for classroom equipment, learning materials and art supplies |
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Oak Street Main Street Facade Improvement grant for our wooden sign |
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For bringing local musicians such as
Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots and the Paulin Brothers to the school. |
And for the support of our neighbors on Oak Street, including Amman Landscaping, Oak Street Ace Hardware, Queen of the Ball, Graffiti Graphics, Gelato Pazzo, and Asian Cajun. And especially Oak Street Assocation and the generous donations we received from the Po-Boy Preservation Festival.
Parents
Over the nearly a year of preparation to open, many parents helped whittle away at our list of things to do to make Abeona a reality. They babysat, shoveled, drywalled, painted, cleaned, organized, brainstormed, fundraised, hammered, screwed, drilled, cut, chopped, planted, baked, moved, mowed, and fixed. Our community of parents includes old Gris Gris House parents, newly enrolled parents, parents of wait-listed children, parents-to-be, and even parents whose children will be in child care somewhere else.
Among the many who've helped, here's a small glimpse into the roles our parents have played:
Kathe Logan donated the design of the Abeona House logo and website.
Erik Arnold of Arnold Landscaping installed the grass, fence, and pavers.
Holly Scheib, Janine Guzzo, Paul Wisneskey, and many more parents who documented the process of building and opening Abeona in photographs.
Cade Roux installed porch spindles, ramp handrails, and provided valuable IT advice.
Billy Carter made our bathroom ADA compliant.
Joe Kimbrell created the front stair gate and Dora and Paul Cullen finished the gorgeous wooden tables in the preschool room.
Katrina Turillo figured out what we need to do for the Board of Zoning Adjustments parking waiver -- so we went into the hearing knowing what to say and expect.
Aron Belka's handiwork will be visible for years to come in those beautifully finished ramp posts, and Joy Sonnier got us going as the founding Board President. (They donated their time and expertise to a center that, for different reasons, their respective children ultimately won't be attending.)
Many parents participated in the ramp build, drywall hanging, and other general set-up, assemblies and errands, including Christine Lehmann, Richard Bourke, Jennifer and Erich Weishaupt, Sarah Gillen, Jean-Marc Duplantier, Renee Rednour, Mark Morris, Kathe and Chris Logan, Katrina and Carmelo Turillo, Jennifer Lindsay, Stephen Getman, Nahoko Kawayku-O'Connor, Dean Gancarz-Davies, and Lisa Rubenstein.
Two dads, Paul Wisneskey and David Ross became our indispensable go-to guys for a wide array of last-minute, logistically complicated schemes to come into compliance with all of the sometimes-conflicting permitting and licensing requirements. They spent many long nights, early mornings, and extended weekends getting the job done. Paul set up the computer and internet, coordinated the stair-build and finished the ramp-build, and applied his many home renovation skills to small and large projects around Abeona. David installed the ADA compliant handrails, shelves, bulletin boards, and many other projects around the house, and managed some of our more difficult contractors.
Board and Staff
Board members Lisa Keleher, Joy Sonnier, Janine Guzzo and Paulette Carter played so many roles that they can't be detailed. Lisa and William Keleher offered their home as the meeting place for the planning of Abeona House for months after the storm. They convened legions of friends and colleagues for big workdays (like hanging drywall in the kitchen to meet fire code). Joy got us set up with an architect, attorney and web hosting company; Janine pulled off our very-successful SIP/Cochon fundraiser, as well as tackling painting, mudding, yard maintenance, hanging mirrors, dress-up clothes racks, fire
extinguishers, etc; Paulette and her husband participated actively (and with great home renovation skills) in workdays; Denice Warren Ross volunteered to navigate the final city and state bureaucracy, and help create the web site content.
And a special thanks to our teachers who patiently waited for months for Abeona to open -- especially Renee Rednour and Britt Hullender. And Director Emmy O'Dwyer, her husband Kevin, two small children, and mother for all of the long days, nights and weekends they all contributed to getting Abeona House set up.
Local nonprofit organizations
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Agenda for Children provided assistance navigating the systems, moral support during the tough times, media connections, and office and art supplies, books and toys. Special thanks to Theresa Falgoust and Judy Watts for helping us get on the map! |
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Habitat Restore provided materials and expertise to build a wheelchair ramp to ADA guidelines, as well as connections to legions of motivated volunteers. Special thanks to Oliver Burke for making it happen! |
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Success by 6 provided professional development (that we're still talking about!), outdoor play equipment and books. Thank you Todd Battiste, and consultant Jane Arsenault. |
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Children's Bureau and St. Louis Cathedral Academy donated furniture. |
Vendors & Friends
Bob Biery, of Robert Biery & Son Architects drew up our plans and gave us sage advice on navigating the City of New Orleans' permitting process.
Battle and Susan Bell, and Battle Bell IV have given continual support for our modifications to their property for this facility.
Oak Street Merchants Association and all the neighbors supported our Board of Zoning Adjustments waiver request and have welcomed us warmly into the neighborhood.
Ed Horan in the City of New Orleans Safety and Permits was a beacon in the fog of City bureaucracy.
Attorney Michael Carbo helped us incorporate.
Robert & Becky Wyche, and Ron, of R. Wyche Metal Crafters rushed our ADA compliant handrailings to completion just in the nick of time for the Fire Marshal.
Pat Blackwell, Ph.D. of Parent Source donated staff and parent training on the much-needed subject of Disciplining your child from zero to three.
Devon Hardy conducted pro-bono first aid and CPR classes for our staff.
Dr. Keith Capone provided pro-bono medical physicals for staff -- state requirement for licensing.
Andy Workinger of Security Fence Company rushed the ADA compliant hand-rails out to us from Pennsylvania.
Oak Street Cafe supplied donuts for the volunteer ramp-builders, and has agreed to serve as our emergency meeting shelter.
Paul Bary and Claudia Cohn donated the piano in the preschool room.
Office Max donated paper.
Friend Cameron MacPhee offered last-minute metalworking support before our final State Fire Marshal Inspection.
Katie Clements, Henry Alpert, Frederick Streich, Steve Bass, Sebastian Boegerhausen, Kage King, Lynette Ledoux, Steven Shalit and Allison Plyer are among the many friends, colleagues and neighbors who helped hang drywall, remove banana plants, build the ramp, paint the walls, and much more.
Sip Wine Store and Cochon Restaurant co-hosted our July Fundraiser, and we had many contributions from local companies, organizations, parents, and teachers:
Crescent City Automotive, Southern Animal Foundation, Paul Wisneskey, Holiday Inn at South Padre Island, Whole Foods Market, Crescent City Farmers Market, Kittee, Zoe Triste, Ralph's On the Park, Juan Kincaid, Emmy O'Dwyer, Britt Hullender, Audubon Zoo, C & J Pest Control and more.
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