Restaurateur and special needs advocate Tom Landis will receive the inaugural Ryan Albers Lifetime Achievement Award at the “Emerald City Connects” fundraising event, hosted by Connecting Point of Park Cities (CPPC) on April 13, 2016 at the Belo Mansion. 

The Ryan Albers Lifetime Achievement Award was created to honor an individual who is a champion for the special needs community by impacting, influencing and advancing awareness of individuals with disabilities. Connecting Point of Park Cities is thrilled to award Tom Landis for his achievements and commitment to enhancing the lives of those with special needs.

Born and raised in Washington, DC, by a mother who beat polio and made a career teaching high school dropouts, Landis has always been a fan of the underdog.  After graduating from the University of Texas and pursuing a successful marketing career, Landis opened his first restaurant in 1996. Each one of his concepts has provided an avenue for the marginalized to succeed, whether teaching English classes during slow hours or creating jobs for those with mental disabilities at his Texadelphia locations. In 2004, Landis was the recipient of the Center for Nonprofit Management's Social Entrepreneur of the Year.  After opening 13 restaurants in 19 years, Landis turned his efforts to open Howdy Homemade, the first for-profit restaurant designed to employ people with special needs.  Howdy Homemade is a tribute to Coach Gene Stallings and every parent of a child with special needs. All of Tom's business can be summed up in five words that he learned from a high school coach: God.  Family.  Other employees.  Customers.  Self.

“We could not be more excited to present this first annual Ryan Albers award to Tom. He is truly a champion of the special needs community and fully embodies the spirit this award was created to celebrate,” said Jan Osborn, Emerald City Connects Co-chair.

“Emerald City Connects” will take place at the Belo Mansion from 6-10 p.m. and feature entertainment by the Emerald City band, as well as a silent auction. Funds from the evening will assist Connecting Point of Park Cities in continuing to build and expand its all-inclusive day program for adults with disabilities. Football Hall of Fame Reciepient and special needs advocate Gene Stallings to speak at 8pm. 

Individual tickets for the event are $175 each and sponsorship opportunities begin at $750.  More detail on ticket pricing can be found at http://mycppc.org/emerald-city-connects/. For additional tickets or sponsor information, please contact Connecting Point of Park Cities at 972.773.9937 or email info@mycppc.org. Space is limited and reservations are required.

The Junior League of Dallas (JLD), along with presenting sponsor Texas Instruments (TI), recently honored 43 Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) teachers and educators, as a part of its 2015-2016 Grants for Innovative Teaching (GFIT) program. GFIT is a signature project of the JLD designed to encourage and support excellence in education by awarding grants of up to $2,000 per selected Dallas ISD teacher and educator to fund a special and unique project. Sponsors this year include: Texas Instruments (presenting sponsor); MoneyGram Foundation; BBVA Compass Bank; and The Agnes Cluthe Oliver Foundation.

Each funded grant addresses one or more of the following: reading and literacy enrichment; diversity; special education; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); or arts and cultural enrichment, across one or more grade levels. Recognized Dallas ISD teachers and educators submitted written grant proposals for their original projects to the JLD last spring.

A few of the grants selected include: Creating a Sustainable Garden Using Aquaponics IV: Effective Germination; Bookworms in the Garden; Cloning, Over-Expression, Purification and Crystallization of Master Regulators Involved in the Developmental Cascade of Pancreas Development; and Act Your Page!

Creating a Sustainable Garden Using Aquaponics IV: Effective Germination is a multidisciplinary project created by Teacher Donielle Edwards-Tyeskie, that combines aquaculture with mathematical application, zoology, advanced plant science, hydroponics, biotechnology, chemical analysis, as well as compares the amount of crop yield produced by using two different germination strategies. This project allows the students of Trinidad Garza Early College High School to see the biogeochemical cycles in real time and encourages them to think critically beyond the scope of high school biology.

Teacher Catherine Southwick of Arthur Kramer Elementary designed a unique program where students are invited to attend a garden class during their specials rotation. Bookworms in the Garden engages the students in a fun, educational, hands-on investigation of nutritious foods and vegetables. The activities include matching games, scavenger hunts, as well as elaborate planning and cooking projects.

Hillcrest High School students will work in conjunction with Dr. Raymond MacDonald at UT Southwestern to obtain crystals for X-ray crystallographic analysis of a novel heterotrimeric transcription factor complex, PTF1, which is a key regulator of embryonic pancreatic development.  Cloning, Over-Expression, Purification and Crystallization of Master Regulators Involved in the Developmental Cascade of Pancreas Development, created by Teacher Dr. Ward Coats, gives students the opportunity to understand the magnitude and scope of basic and applied research that is being conducted at universities across the U.S. and identify possible areas of study and career paths.

Teacher Rachel Harrah’s Act Your Page! is a project carried out at Thomas Jefferson High School allowing students to act out Shakespearean plays, as well as write plays and scenes based on Shakespearean literature assigned in English classes. By acting out the plays, the students will have a better understanding of the story, while differentiating instruction for visual learners. A reading area will be created for students to come together for this process before and after school.

“We could not be more excited about the 43 grants chosen through our Grants for Innnovative Teaching program this year.  These grants allow each deserving school and dedicated teacher the opportunity to further their ingenious projects, as well as continue the education of our youth. We look forward to seeing each project come to fruition and the impact it will have on these students’ lives,” said Sarah Hefton, 2015-2016 GFIT Chair. “This program would not be possible without the wonderful and continued support of many businesses and foundations, including our presenting sponsor, Texas Instruments.” 

DALLAS – September 21, 2015 – Junior League of Dallas (JLD), with the support of AT&T, is proud to announce a recent combined donation of $30,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas’ (BGCD) Collegiate STEPS Mentor program. The Collegiate STEPS Mentor program (Striving Toward Excellence Preparing for Success) is a yearlong college prep program offered through BGCD, in which staff and JLD volunteers meet with participating high school students in grades 9^th through 12^th twice a week to help mentor, guide and navigate the college admissions process.

Since 2005, the Junior League of Dallas has led Collegiate STEPS with a total of 264 volunteers and $108,864 in funding. Each year, volunteers not only help facilitators in the preparation and presentation of the sessions, but each are assigned a student to mentor. This provides the opportunity for one-on-one support for each student; where staff and volunteers can assist with college applications, essay writing, preparation for ACT/SAT tests, as well as the financial aid and scholarship process. Offerings also include goal-setting and financial literacy training.  

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with AT&T to further support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas’ Collegiate STEPS program. It is an honor to participate in this program each year, as our volunteers continue to build lifelong relationships with the students,” said Meredith Mosley, president of the Junior League of Dallas. “We ensure every donated dollar works its hardest to help those in Dallas who need it most and cannot think of a better way to spend our dollars than furthering the education of our city’s youth. Education is one of the League’s key issue areas, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact this program will have on the lives of these students.”

Graduating seniors who successfully complete the program are recognized at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas’ annual TOPPS (Threshold of Opportunities) Celebration, where students are presented with special awards and over the last 5 years we have had the opportunity to distribute annually more than $100,000 in scholarships. Throughout the evening, students share personal stories, and the graduating seniors are presented with a gift box filled with items they will need for college. For most of these students, they will be the first in their family to attend college thanks to grants and scholarships.

“We want to express our sincerest gratitude to the Junior League of Dallas and AT&T for their support of our Collegiate STEPS program this year. This program encourages students, who may not otherwise feel they have the resources both academically and financially to consider higher education, explore their interests and find the resources to pursue them,” said Charles English, CEO and president of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas. “Our goal is to increase the Dallas area high school graduation rate and prepare those students to enter college, join the military or enter the workforce with the academic, technical and soft skills to do so. It is thanks to the generous donations from AT&T and Junior League of Dallas, BGCD continues to reach more than 300 students in college preparedness each year.” 

In 2015, AT&T also provided funding for BGCD’s A+ Certification program, an additional $25,000 for program funding and $10,000 for the Aspire Academy. Through United Way Campaign and Employee Giving Foundations, AT&T has given more than $70,000 in contributions and donations.  Their committed employees volunteer at various Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas’ programs, such as summer Coding Camps, Day for Kids celebration, and job shadowing and mentoring.

“We are honored to work with the Junior League of Dallas to continue our support of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas,” said Holly Reed, Regional Vice President- External Affairs of AT&T. “A big part of helping students graduate and succeed is mentorship. More than one in three students at-risk of not graduating high school grows up without an adult mentor in their life. We are proud to support BGCD’s Collegiate STEPS program that aims to address this issue by providing high school students with mentorship and guidance to help better prepare them today for success tomorrow.”

“Investment in education and our students is key to broadening opportunities and helping to ensure our city, and our state, continue to flourish for many generations.” said State Representative Eric Johnson (D-Dallas). “I would like to commend the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas, AT&T and the Junior League of Dallas for their continued commitment to our students’ future, our education systems and our communities.”

ABOUT JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS

The Junior League of Dallas is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Founded in 1922, the Junior League of Dallas trains members for effective participation in the community and is dedicated to the belief that volunteer service is an essential part of responsible citizenship. Whether tutoring students, rocking infants, providing basic needs to families in crisis or serving on non-profit boards and coalitions, the 5,000 Junior League members provide more than 130,000 hours of community service each year, while making sure that each donated dollar works its hardest to help those in Dallas who need it most. Active members range in age from 22 to 49 and 74 percent are employed outside of the home. For more information, please visit www.jld.net. 

ABOUT AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high speed Internet and voice services. We’re the world’s largest provider of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. In the U.S., our wireless network offers the nation’s strongest LTE signal and the most reliable 4G LTE network. We offer the best global wireless coverage*. And we help businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility and secure cloud solutions.

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ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER DALLAS

In 2015, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas is celebrating 50 years of providing life-changing services for more than a quarter of a million youth in Dallas and surrounding areas. BGCD’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Programming in three core areas meets the diverse needs and interests of their 6,000 Club members. These core areas include: Academic Success, Good Character & Citizenship and Healthy Lifestyles. For more information, please visit www.bgcdallas.org.       

Luxury Garage Sale, the premier consignment service and boutique from Chicago, now known as LGS, is pleased to announce its new location at Snider Plaza in Dallas. The more than 1,500-square-foot store is the second LGS location and is expected to open in late summer 2015.

The boutique, which will be named “LGS”, will feature an impressive collection of curated designer merchandise with a focus on new items with tags. Not only will customers be able to purchase new and gently used luxury clothing and accessories ranging from traditional to fashionably chic, they will also be able to drop-off merchandise to consign. LGS specializes in selling standout designer and vintage pieces from Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Celine, Oscar de la Renta and more. With a strong focus on providing white-glove customer service, LGS promises each customer a curated, high fashion experience.

LGS was co-founded in 2010 by Brielle Buchberg and Lindsay Segal. With combined backgrounds in fashion, retail, styling and marketing, their expertise runs deep. Their keen eye and unabashed passion for fashion is reflected in everything they do.

“We cannot imagine a better place to open our second boutique, and we look forward to bringing our fantastic, high-end offerings and unique approach to luxury consignment to Snider Plaza. LGS is committed to providing top-notch, personal service to our clients, and we cannot wait to serve the Dallas community,” said Lindsay Segal, co-owner of LGS.

Dallasites have already gotten a dose of luxury at a series of local pop-up shops at Mecox Dallas, Blue Print, Ceylon et Cie and Traffic. Each pop-up shop offered a unique shopping experience featuring wide variety of LGS’ hard-to-find items, including: jewelry; women’s fashion; handbags and shoes.

 Co-founded by Brielle Buchberg and Lindsay Segal, LGS is a designer consignment service known for its impressive collection of current and vintage clothing and accessories. In 2012, LGS opened its first boutique located at 1658 N. Wells St. in downtown Chicago. LGS takes only 40 percent commission on the final selling price of the item and offers free FedEx pickups all over the country, in addition to drop off and in-home pickup options in Dallas. In November 2013, LGS launched its e-commerce platform. The website features standout designer handbags, clothing and accessories. The Dallas store is located at 6805 Snider Plaza, Dallas Texas 75205. For more information, go to  www.luxurygaragesale.com, call 312.291.9126 or email consign@luxurygaragesale.com.