Carrie's Heart Embraces Special-needs Youths

Memorial-based nonprofit works to provide access to education for all children
Houston Chronicle Date: Thu 10/18/2007 Section: This Week Page
By KIM HUGHES, Houston Chronicle Correspondent

Carrie Conn is founder and president of Carrie's Heart, a Memorial-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring children around the world have access to quality education and community programs.
"We work in cooperation with other local nonprofit organizations, and the local and state level governments," Conn said.
"Our goal is not to replace local services, but instead help the families learn how to advocate for their child and assist them in coordinating services."
The organization is based at 14354 Memorial Drive, Suite 1006.
Conn's compassion for children with disabilities goes back to her childhood.
Her mother was a nurse, and Conn always asked her a lot of questions about children in the neighborhood who had a disability.
"I remember there was a girl in my third-grade class who had a cleft palate," Conn said. "I was always concerned that people were treating her OK."
Conn, a graduate of Spring Branch school district's Stratford High School, spent a summer working as a camp counselor at Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority when she was 14.
She earned a horticulture degree from Stephen F. Austin State University and worked at The Brookwood Community, a residential and entrepreneurial community in Brookshire for adults with disabilities.
After receiving her teaching certificate through the Region 4 Education Service Center, 7145 West Tidwell, Conn began working with students with disabilities at Cinco Ranch High School. But she still felt a desire to somehow do more.
When it finally came to her that what she wanted to do was reach disabled children in other countries, the name Carrie's Heart seemed fitting.
"It's about me following my heart in terms of realizing what my purpose is in the world," Conn said.
"It's to further my belief that children with disabilities have rights."
Alejandra Socorro Tello Yam, a resident of Cozumel, Mexico, said she believes her daughter Valerie would not be alive today if it weren't for Carrie's Heart.
Valerie, 8, has severe cerebral palsy and was extremely malnourished due to her inability to orally ingest nutrients.
"Carrie's Heart brought my daughter to the United States (in May 2006) to have a gastric feeding tube placed so she could begin to receive adequate nutrition," said Alejandra, through Conn, who was acting as translator.
"Upon our return to Mexico they have continued to help provide resources for the care of Valerie on a monthly basis."
Valerie's story has inspired the creation of the Valerie Project, under which Carrie's Heart is sponsoring nine Mexican families with a combined 12 severely disabled children.
Conn also works in the Houston area.
"The community in Katy and west Houston donate things like wheelchairs, walkers, diapers, nutritional supplements, medical supplies, money," Conn said.
"I want to make sure I give back locally, even though it's a different level of need here. Here they have their medical needs and educational needs met, so I address the special needs, by having social events for the kids."
Once a month, Conn takes the children on an outing, such as the movies or a trip to the zoo.
Coffee Talk is a monthly meeting for parents of disabled children who just need to talk to somebody.
That group is led by Paige Whitten, who teaches a Teen Leadership program at Beckendorff Junior High School, 8201 S. Fry Road in Katy.
"It's about having others to talk to who understand where you're coming from when you talk about feeding tubes and respiratory issues," said Whitten, whose daughter Anna was born with cerebral palsy. "It's nice to sit across the table from someone who has been through those same things."

CARRIE CONN
Community connection: Founder of Memorial-based nonprofit
Visit http://www.carriesheart.org/ , call 281-856-6251 or e-mail info@carriesheart.org.