Posts By: Sondra Lehmann

This week, TNOYS is publishing profiles on how several member organizations are responding to COVID-19. We hope that this information sharing will assist organizations in our community as they plan strategies, allocate resources, and work to keep youth and families safe. For additional information and resources on COVID-19, please visit TNOYS’ Emergency Response Resource Center…. Read more »

After eight years with TNOYS, Executive Director Christine Gendron gave the TNOYS Board of Directors one year’s notice in August 2019 that she’d be stepping down from the organization in August 2020. TNOYS has grown substantially under Christine’s leadership, and her work has greatly strengthened our mission, services, and partnerships. TNOYS is excited to build… Read more »

This post was authored by Alex Polk, as a follow-up to his previous piece on supporting LGBTQ youth. In researching this post, Alex drew from his own experience as an advocate, as well as multiple conversations with youth who identify as transgender and have lived experiences with homelessness.   Here at TNOYS, we’re encouraged by… Read more »

Our latest member spotlight is on The Montrose Center, a Houston- based organization that provides community support and care for LGBTQ individuals. The Montrose Center is one of several TNOYS member organizations working to improve equity for a diverse population of youth, including those in the LGBTQ community. Their Youth Services programming is an excellent… Read more »

We’re excited to announce that TNOYS was one of 28 Texas organizations to be awarded funds by The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health and the Texas Communities Count initiative. This statewide initiative aims to ensure that every Texan is counted in the 2020 census, with a particular focus on hard-to-count (HTC) populations, communities, and geographic… Read more »

  In our final blog post as part of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we sat down with Allison Franklin, Senior Director of CARES for TNOYS member organization SAFE Alliance. Allison is an experienced leader and advocate for youth victims of commercial sexual exploitation, having worked with The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition and advocated for policy changes… Read more »

In honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, TNOYS is profiling member agencies and organizations working to tackle this important issue. One such agency, TRIAD, is a branch of Harris County Protective Services (HCPS). TRIAD acts as the Care Coordinator for Harris County’s multi-disciplinary team (MDT).  Care coordination is an effort spearheaded by the Texas Governor’s… Read more »

Youth in foster care are at high risk for child sex trafficking, and many TNOYS member organizations are leading Texas’ work to protect them from exploitation and facilitate their recovery. But what supports do young survivors in foster care need to help them recover from the trauma they have suffered, and to thrive in the… Read more »

TNOYS member Clothed by Faith was created when founder Abi Fourie noticed a growing need for suitable clothing for children experiencing poverty. As a recent expat from the U.K., Abi was surprised to learn the extent to which poverty was an issue in her community — even within the affluent areas surrounding her new home… Read more »

Last week, TNOYS convened stakeholders working to protect youth during natural disasters. Cross-systems collaboration is important to us at TNOYS, and this event was a unique opportunity for experts in emergency response, child welfare, disaster relief, and others to discuss best practices and build relationships. Texas unfortunately leads the nation in natural disasters, with one… Read more »