September 2005
It’s a sad tale replicated far too often in communities across America: families torn apart by disasters, both natural and man-made, the children shuttled into a foster care system that can be as navigable as a tidal wave.
With both of her parents in jail — her father was an alcoholic — Tania Michaels, then age 7, and her three siblings were taken to Child Haven, a county-run facility providing temporary care and treatment for abused, neglected and abandoned children.
Separated from her siblings — two sisters and a brother — Michaels feared she might never see them again. Or worse.
“When you go in, you have no idea what’s going to happen, you think you are going to die,” said Michaels, who works in land acquisitions for Focus Property Group. “Once you get there, though, the people are so nice and kind. They make you feel like you are in a loving environment. I remember them putting me to bed, brushing my hair, giving me pajamas to put on and telling me a (bedtime) story.
“There is a misperception about Child Haven that the kids are not treated well. It’s the complete opposite. They put huge resources into hiring and training the right people. I walked the campus as a child and as an adult. Those memories remind me that there are great people out there.”
When Focus created Community 911, a unique program that pitted Focus employees and their counterparts at real estate firm LandTek in a competition to see who can do the most for charities of their choice, Michaels remembered Child Haven. One of four team captains — other charities include Olive Crest (serving abused children), the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Shade Tree Shelter for homeless and abused women and their families — Michaels’ targeted group is Mended Hearts, a program that assists Child Haven and the nonprofit Children Services Guild with buying supplies Child Haven can’t and covering services it won’t, such as dental care.
“Not everyone with an abused, abandoned, or neglected past ends up a criminal. I’m proof,” said Michaels, noting that her team will participate in everything from adoption carnivals to expanding shelter capacity. “Child Haven saves lives, saves futures.”
Focus Property Group Chief Executive Officer John Ritter hoped for such passion. Always philanthropically inclined, he wanted to engage his 120 employees in life affirming community service. The answer came from media maven Lynn Purdue in the form of an “American Idol,” “Survivor” and “The Apprentice” hybrid initiative, where randomly formed teams representing a cross section of the companies made presentations for the chance to win $2,500 for causes of their choice.
Floored by the presentations — “the teams did a lot of research and brought in executive-level representatives from the charities,” Ritter said — Community 911 grew. Teams received $20,000 to $30,000, with the winning squad promised a “substantial” gift to its charitable cause.
Ritter said his employees turned a service initiative into marching orders, promising outreach beyond a dollar figure raised or time period set forth. LandTek Development Manager Moe Seebeck is captain of Team Endeavor, whose charity is the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada. “We chose this charity because it struck a chord with a lot of people,” he said.
For Make-A-Wish’s annual picnic in October, Team Endeavor plans on staffing the function, giving out ice cream, organizing an arts and crafts table and bringing in the Girl Scouts to make necklaces and bracelet. Later that month, when members of the Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts take Make-A-Wish children on rides, team members will hand out drinks. And in November, Seebeck’s team will be present when country music star Kevin Sharp meets a child whose wishes are to meet a record producer.
Long-term, the plan is to build what would be only Make-A-Wish’s third permanent facility (called A Wishing Place) among 77 global branches; the world the others are in Salt Lake City and Orange County, Calif. Perennially plagued by leasing issues and space contracts, Seebeck’s team wants to build a $500,000 - $600,000 office. Though fund-raising ideas are still being vetted, lots of folks — from a block wall mason to a cabinet company — have pledged support. Amenities will include office and parking spaces and a media room; square footage hasn’t been determined. “We’ve identified a potential site,” Seebeck said, “and think that the project is doable in 12 to 18 months.”
Similarly, the Michaels-led team is going to bat for Child Haven. On top of establishing an ongoing care package project — packages containing baby formula, diapers and other items will be given to new mothers — members are repainting faded walls, participating in county- sponsored adoption fairs, recruiting volunteers to mentor to youth and to spend time cradling drug-addicted babies. The biggest project involves turning a 2,700- square-foot building currently used for office space into a 3,700-square-foot shelter.
“Given the growth of the population and the rise of use of methamphetamine, the number of kids needing help is outpacing the supply,” Michaels said. “We’re basically adding 3,700 square feet of capacity, which will extend the length of stay by one month for an additional 180 children. We’re trying to raise $400,000 for this. We have an architect and a civil engineer donating time. Ritter Charitable Trust is willing to match funds. We have people in the community who are big Child Haven supporters who are willing to give. The Children Services Guild is also looking to raise money. We would like to have the money raised by December. Once we have it, we expect completion of building in roughly 12 months.” Michaels sees working for a program
that she benefited from as more than mere coincidence.
“Everybody who has taken a tour of Child Haven has felt moved to do something,” Michaels said. “We’ve had grown men walk out of that campus sobbing and wanting to help.”
