Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The HEART Program
The HEART Program provides education and job training to low income adults with developmental disabilities. This core program provides classroom education taught by special education certifed instructors Monday - Thursday from 9am-4pm. The program is open from 7:45am-5:15pm to allow for pick-up and drop offs at no charge to students. HEART is also unique because it provides a hands-on job training environment focusing on job training activities such as money management, warehouse management, inventory, and much more.
HEART Vending and Concessions
HEART Vending and Concessions is an employment program for low-income adults with developmental disabilities. In this program, trainees are employed through partnerships with Papa John's Pizza, Levy Restaurants, Spectrum Catering and other local employers. HEART Vending provides a safe, supervised, and instruction-based employment opportunity where all participants are paid at least minimum wage or higher for all hours worked. (This differs from other programs which typically pay a "piece rate" negotiated with the DOL rather than paying the minimum wage.) Trainees work in high profile environments including at the Houston Texans NFL Football games, at the Houston Rockets NBA Basketball games, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's, and for major outdoor events such as for the Houston Open PGA Tournament, In Bloom Music Festival, or the Freedom Over Texas 4th of July Festival downtown.
HEART Transportation
HEART Transportation provides shared van rides to low income adults with developmental disabilities to and from job training and employment locations.
HISD-HEART Transition Program
The HISD-HEART Transition Program began in the 2015-2016 school year between the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and HEART, held Monday-Friday during the school year and hours onsite at the Houston Food Bank. Through this program, HISD high school seniors with developmental disabilities continue with their regular school curriculum with the addition of practical job skills preparation and hands-on work training on HEART's vending machines at the Food Bank and at the Food Bank’s Texans Café concessions stand. These students learn many of the skills that are taught to HEART adult trainees, so they become prepared to understand what it will take to hold a job. They practice vocational skills in the categories of Customer Service, Basic Food Handling, Basic Food Service, Basic Vending Machine Operations, and Basic Warehouse Operations. First-year success shows that all parties are interested in continuing this program for the foreseeable future.
HEART Summer Internship Program
In 2015, we began the HEART Summer Internship Program for youth with developmental disabilities ages 16 and up. This internship, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm for two four-week sessions, gives young participants work experience for a resume that other teens would also get through a summer job. Interns learn and practice most of the same skills as HEART trainees, in a self-contained program at the Houston Food Bank. Through vending and concessions work, they practice vocational skills in the categories of Customer Service, Basic Food Handling, Basic Food Service, Basic Vending Machine Operations, and Basic Warehouse Operations. These job and life skills can help them in future jobs. This program has been so important because other summer programs are unable to accept I/DD youth over 16 years old; through our Internship Program, they get to learn valuable vocational skills.
Where we work
Awards
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Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Educational Programs Inspiring Communities, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 11/04/2022
Mrs. Jane Borochoff
Westside Regional Center
Term: 2022 - 2022
Sue Davis
Sue Davis Communications
Heather Morgan
EDP Renewables North America
Jane Borochoff
Westside Regional Center
Tanya White
Harris Center
Gary Yeoman
Infinity Power Partners
Sakina Lanig
Aspire Special Needs Services
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/02/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.