Hope House News

Hope House Foundation is awarded the National 2008 AAIDD Full Community Inclusion Award

February 4, 2008

Hope House Foundation was just chosen as the recipient of the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) 2008 Full Community Inclusion Award! This national award is bestowed annually upon a program/organization which is designed to assure full community inclusion and participation for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, empower communities to fully include individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and serve as an inspiration to other community efforts at the local, state, national and/or international level. Nominations and letters of support were sent from colleagues, organizations and community supporters in Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Missouri and England. Hope House Foundation extends a thank you to all of our supporters and to the Hampton Roads community for embracing inclusion, independence and true citizenship for citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This marks the first time AAIDD has bestowed this award upon an organization in Virginia. The award is made all the more meaningful due to the fact that Virginia ranks near the bottom in the nation for funding to support and include people with disabilities in the community.

Based in Washington DC, AAIDD (formally the American Association for Mental Retardation) promotes progressive policies, sound research, effective practices, and universal human rights for people with intellectual disabilities.

For more information, please visit www.aamr.org.

Dave Hingsburger discusses Darius Goes West

January 10, 2007

Dave Hingsburger is a well known speaker, consultant, writer, and champion for people who have been ignored, abused, or mistreated by society. He is a primer leader in the field that supports people with intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities. And, he’s a great guy. Hope House loves Dave Hingsburger (probably more than he knows). As you’ll soon discover (if you read the following): Lynne Seagle and Dave Hingsburger were both floored by an independent movie. The following is a blog entry Dave Hingsburger made that we’d like to share.

DGW

"Last year when Lynne Seagle came to do a presentation here in the Toronto area, we had dinner together at a Irish Pub style restaurant. Lynne was full of stories about the most recent staff retreat that had been held for her organization called Hope House which serves people with intellectual disabilities in Virginia. She went on and on about a film that she had seen and told the story of how she came to get rights to show the film at the staff retreat. That was the first time I had heard of Darius Goes West. Lynne spoke of her staff watching the film and alternately laughing, crying and cheering.

When Lynne wrote me a few days ago asking for my home address because she had something she wanted to send me, I thought that she was probably going to send me the new sexuality policy that we’d worked on together or a draft of our plans to do a workshop day together. Both things I wanted, so when the package arrived, I tossed it aside for a few minutes because I was talking to my boss on the phone.

As soon as I was done, I ripped open the package to find a note from Lynne and a DVD copy of Darius Goes West. All I remembered about what Lynne had said about the movie was that it was about a group of young men who take another young man with Muscular Dystrophy on a road trip to California to see if they can get his wheelchair ’pimped’ on the MTV programme Pimp My Ride. A wonderful concept. We had company staying with us and everyone gathered around the television."

We popped it in and pushed play. Within seconds my eyes began to fill and I had to look away. I wished I was seeing this on my own. Why didn’t Lynne warn me about ... oh yeah ... she did. But no shame here, everyone was reacting the same way. The movie is full of laughs, real laughs ... but it’s also full of moments of real, true, tenderness. It encourages the viewer to reevaluate what community means, what caring means ... they were documenting two road trips - the one made by the 15 year old man with Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy to California, but they were also documenting the journey that each was making in relation to the other. At first the young men travelling with Darius learned little lessons about the big issue of assessibility - but they began to learn big lessons about the little issue in life.

All the money from the sale of the DVD is going to raise money for research into MD, that’s cool, but even if it wasn’t - this isn’t a DVD you buy to support a charity, this is a DVD you buy because for the time watching it, you are with Darius as he goes west. And for 90 minutes, there’s no better place to be.

Note to Readers: I don’t know how to buy this film, I looked it up on the web, but I’m not all that good at these kind of searches. It’s not on Amazon ... so if you know or if you are a computer whizz that can find these ... could you post in the comments section about purchase information. This is a must see, must experience, movie.

Note to Lynne - Thanks."

From the Darius Goes West site:

DGW ON MTV!

The headline is for real! Only we’re talking about MTV/Canada.

Tonight at 6:30 PM, Darius and Logan appeared on MTV Live, a show produced by MTV/Canada and based in Toronto. The three-minute segment was taped via webcam at Athens Academy (thanks, Jarrard!), and within seconds of airing, we were getting fan mail. Woo-hoo!

We were quite surprised when we got the call a few days ago. They said they had read about our film and seen Darius and Logan on The Today Show. They asked for a copy of the movie so they could show clips from it, and we thought for sure when they saw it, they would back out. But they didn’t!

Canada loves DGW. In fact, another huge TV  show out of Toronto, called "The Hour" (think "60 Minutes, only edgier) wants to interview Darius for their show. Since the movie is playing at the Sprockets International Children’s Film Festival on April 17 in Toronto, we decided to take Darius to Canada , and he will be interviewed for "The Hour" while there. Darius Goes (Extreme) North! Thanks to new DGW fan Mona Sidler-Hosios for making this happen!

We’re making news all over the place...

→ Check out the awesome review on DVDTalk by film critic David Walker. He saw our film in Portland, OR at the Longbaugh Film Festival and has been a huge DGW fan ever since. To access it, go to http://www.dvdtalk.com/ and put "Darius Goes West" in the search box. Please leave a comment!

→ We also love what Canadian blogger Dave Hingsburger had to say about DGW.

Hope House art show looks for local talents

By Eric Feber, The Virginian-Pilot

Norfolk, VA. – (December 2007) – The Norfolk-based Hope House Foundation is seeking artists for its reactivated Chesapeake Arts Show.

The Chesapeake show, which will be moved to the spring, is a cousin of Hope House’s popular Stockley Gardens Art Festival in Norfolk’s Ghent.

Artists have until Jan. 31, 2008 to register for the show. The fundraising event, which was on a hiatus for a few years, will be held in Lakeside Park in the South Norfolk area of Chesapeake.

Applications are available by calling 757-625-6161 or at Hope House’s Web site, http://www.hope-house.org/.

The event is looking for artists adept at everything from pottery to basket weaving to sculpture. Items will be judged and cash prizes will be awarded to the winning artisans.

After the last show, which was in September 2005, organizers decided a break was needed to tweak and retool the event.

“After the 2005 show, we struggled with the weather,” said Elena Berry, director of the Stockley Gardens and Chesapeake shows. She’s also development director of Hope House, a nonprofit regional group that provides supportive living services for people with developmental disabilities.

We thought either keep it during hurricane season at the end of the (outdoor) arts season or hold it in the spring. A variety of people came together to work this out.

“The show will be heavily promoted beginning in February,” Berry said.

She said not only will it offer another outlet for area artisans to display their work, it will be part of South Norfolk’s rebirth.

“We want to push it so people can come here and push the area,” she said. “It’s a gorgeous, hopping place.

It will grow to be like Stockley Gardens. People like that area, it has a neighborhood feel.”

East Beach Holiday Porch Tour December 8 and 9

Festivities and celebration benefit Hope House Foundation

Norfolk, VA. – (November 2007) – The East Beach Holiday Porch Tour is a celebration to support Hope House Foundation. The event will be held on Dec. 8 and 9, from noon and 5 p.m. Homes will be decorated for the holidays as part of the tour. It starts at 4487 Pleasant Avenue, Norfolk and winds through the neighborhood to the Bay Front Club.

The homes are located in East Beach, the same community that hosted Homearama in the summer of 2004, was featured in Coastal Living as the 2005 Idea House and was named Community of the Year in 2006.

The East Beach Holiday Porch Tour will bring people from all over Hampton Roads to participate in this festive seasonal event. There will be carriage rides, carolers and a unique holiday shopping experience in the Bay Front Club “The Holiday Gift Gallery” featuring several local artists who participate in the Stockley Gardens Arts Festivals.

The event is free and open to the public – Donations will be accepted.

East Beach is situated on 100 acres along the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk. Surrounded by water, the neighborhood is fashioned after classic Southeastern seaboard coastal villages. The master plan for this $400 million development includes 700 residences, neighborhood restaurants, boutique shops, a Bay Front Club and offices. Public space, walking paths and bay front greens enhance the vistas and create open spaces for the beachfront community. Boating, fishing and water sports of all types are steps away from the neighborhood. East Beach is a unique initiative between the developers, East Beach Company LLC, the City of Norfolk and Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority.

Hope House Foundation provides independent living opportunities, support services and affordable housing for people with disabilities in Hampton Roads. The agency was founded in 1964 and is one of the leading agencies providing community-based services for adults with developmental disabilities in Hampton Roads. For more information contact 757-625-6161 or visit http://www.hope-house.org/.

Changing your Look Changes LIVES!

Hampton Roads, VA. – (November 2007) – Changes Hairstyling, City Spa and Jake’s Place are hosting a Fashion Expo Competition between several of their top stylists all to benefit Hope House Foundation on Sunday, November 25, 2007 at Toques on 21^st Street in historic Ghent from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm.  Doors will open at 2:30 pm.  Tickets are $10.00 and available at Changes Hairstyling and City Spa as well as at the door.

Each stylist will work with a team to makeover 1 to 2 models to prepare them for a fashion show. Some stylists will compete in a Wella Trend Vision contest, while others will compete for bragging rights and trophies. An impartial panel of judges will judge the competition. 

Come out and watch each model work the runway presenting their final results of a complete makeover. Enjoy this exciting competition and cheer on your favorite stylists from one of the premiere salons in Hampton Roads. There will be dancing, adult refreshments, and music! You don’t want to miss this edgy and creative event!

To learn more about Hope House Foundation and this event, please visit http://www.hope-house.org/ or call 757-625-6161 or contact Donna Lemoine/Ashley Hebert at Changes Hairstyling 757-625-5300.

Artists Being Sought for the 4^th Annual Chesapeake Arts Show

Hampton Roads, VA. – Mark your calendars! Hope House Foundation, longtime host of the Stockley Gardens Arts Festivals, is pleased to announce the 4th Annual Chesapeake Arts Show. The festival will be held at Lakeside Park in Chesapeake April 26^th and April 27^th, 2008.

Applications will be available November 28, 2007 for artists wishing to be juried for the 4th Annual Chesapeake Arts Show. Hope House Foundation is looking for artists in a variety of categories, including pottery, fiber, soap making, basketweaving, candle making, painting, wood, etc. The show will also feature entertainment, food, children’s activities, and an artists’ reception. There will be judging and cash prizes will be awarded to the winning artists.

Hope House Foundation is also looking for volunteers to be on the Chesapeake Arts Show Committee.

All proceeds from the 4^th Annual Chesapeake Arts Show benefit Hope House Foundation, which provides support services for people with developmental disabilities. For more information, log onto our website at www.hope-house.org.

Hope House Foundation Election of Board of Directors

Norfolk, VA. – On Thursday, June 21, 2007 Hope House Foundation celebrated their 29^th Annual Dinner.  Over 400 people attended the celebration and the foundation elected the following officers during the dinner meeting: Richard C. Mapp, III, Kaufman & Canoles, president; Caron Crouse, Goodman & Co., Vice President; Matthew Fine, The Safe Place Mini Storage, Secretary; Pam Katrancha, Hickory Farms & Garden Gazebo, Treasurer.

Other board members include Richard Reass, Reliant Title; Kathy Powell, Corporate & Small Business Leader; Janet Davis, Kaufman & Canoles; Tom Moss, HBA Employee Benefit Design Group; Peter T. Leddy, Otto Design & Marketing; Dave Willman, Stratum Marketing; John Redding, Chesapeake Hardwood Products; Grey Persons, The Virginian Pilot; Rachel Silver, Otto Design & Marketing; Dorothy Clark, Beach Packaging; Joshua Harris, Smith Barney and Joyce Schmidt, Sentara.

Hope House is honored to have these individuals as their Board of Directors. Also honored this evening was Bob Aston, TowneBank; Bobby Wright, Wright Companies and Bart Frye, East Beach Norfolk.  Each of these individuals received community awards for there support for Hope House Foundation.

Hope House Foundation is a local not for profit organization providing supported living services to adults with developmental disabilities in Hampton Roads.  For more information contact 757/625-6161 or visit our website at http://www.hope-house.org/.

Announcing the 2007 Stockley Gardens Fall Arts Festival Award Winners

Norfolk, VA. – Hope House Foundation is pleased to announce the award winners of the 2007 Stockley Gardens Fall Arts Festival, held in Norfolk on October 20-21^st.  During this festival, Hope House Foundation awarded over $3,000 in prizes thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.  Prizes were announced Saturday evening and awards were presented by festival judge Mary Mullaney. Corporate Sponsors of the festival included TowneBank, Harris Teeter, Target, Pella Windows, Southern Hospitality Automotive Group, The Ghent Business Association, Miller Oil, Levins Brass Beds, Mayor Paul Fraim, and QVC Chesapeake. Media Sponsors included PortFolio Weekly, WHRO, WNIS/WTAR/Bob-FM, and HR Monthly.

Futures Awards: College Student Exhibition

The arts festival is organized by Hope House Foundation and all proceeds raised are used to support people with developmental disabilities in Hampton Roads. The festival’s revenue helps with medical and housing subsidy, clothing and household needs, daily living services and various needs of people served by Hope House Foundation.

The 24^th Annual Stockley Gardens Arts Festival will be held May 17^th and 18^th 2008.