Posts By: Sondra Lehmann

Update (4/14/20): Governor Greg Abbott has announced a new partnership between the Texas Military Department (TMD) and Prestige Ameritech to increase the production and distribution of masks. TNOYS is working with the Office of the Governor and others to ensure that those who provide social services for children, youth, and families are designated as first responders, and… Read more »

TNOYS has been in close communication with our membership and service providers across Texas, and we are now working with state agencies and partners on securing needed supplies for organizations. Through one of our initiatives, we established a partnership with the Office of the Governor and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) to help our members access… Read more »

The COVID-19 outbreak has officially been categorized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. In the United States, the total number of people infected and the number of people who have died grows daily.  Within this atmosphere, Texas youth service providers are working to provide support and services to their clients while also keeping… Read more »

This blog post is part of an ongoing series that aim to assist youth service providers in their COVID-19 response efforts. My more information and resources, please visit TNOYS’ blog, or visit the COVID-19 resource page. As COVID-19 spreads and public health officials recommend everyone practice social distancing and limit their exposure to others, many… Read more »

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 »

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 »