| |  | Dear Friends, Many of us are welcoming 2021 by establishing our New Year's resolutions with hopes the COVID-19 pandemic will subside, real change for social justice will be realized, we can begin to safely visit with friends and family again, and that normal programming, activities and events at the Historic Emancipation Park can be resumed. Amidst the many challenges we faced in 2020, the Emancipation Park Conservancy continued its innovative approach to deliver programs and resources to the community. With your help and support, we successfully hosted over 120 virtual programs and events, directly served over 1,000 families, and touched over 100,000 individuals through our virtual platforms. In December, we ended 2020 with the successful implementation of several impactful programs: Bridging The Gap Financial Literacy Program, Tech Pivots Series, and a season full of holiday giving: Holiday in the Tre activities including a Virtual Celebration on Facebook, Volunteer Bike Build and Giveaways, Care Packages for Third Ward Seniors, Adopt-A-Family/Angel Tree Program, and a Holiday Meal Distribution and H-E-B Giftcard Giveaways.    Would you like to contribute to Emancipation Park Conservancy's growing impact in 2021? Please include supporting Emancipation Park on your list of New Year's resolutions. Whether it is through a one time contribution, recurring/monthly donation, or volunteering, your support helps us remain at the center of positively impacting the Third Ward community and beyond. In the meantime, join hundreds of others who will be taking a few minutes of their time to participate in our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service ‘Virtual’ volunteer project as we uphold his legacy of service. Click HERE to register. On behalf of everyone at Emancipation Park Conservancy and all of those who benefit from its services and resources, we thank you for your continued support to perpetuate the story of the Historic Emancipation Park. We are truly grateful to be a part of the living and ongoing history of Emancipation Park! Engaging with EPC just got easier. Stay connected to Emancipation Park all in one place. Remember, we're in this together!  Lucy Bremond, Executive Director Emancipation Park Conservancy  | | | | | | | | We are working proactively to bring you interactive virtual events that keep you connected to Emancipation Park from the comfort of your home. For special event and marketing inquiries or to share your ideas, contact Kynetta Moore at events@epconservancy.org. | | | | Holiday in the Tre Virtual Experience presented by H-E-B | | | |  | Thank you to all our sponsors, partners, volunteers, and you, the community, for making our Holiday in the Tre Virtual Experience presented by H-E-B celebration a major success. We couldn't have done it without you! The video has reached 18,000 people, received over 8,000 views and more than 1,000 engagements on Facebook. We are glad to see that you love the show as much as we loved creating it for you! The show aired Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. on Facebook hosted by ABC13 Houston News Anchor, Samica Knight. The entertainment, sponsored by Chevron, featured multi-Grammy award winner David De La Garza, The Voice finalist Shawn Sounds, Houston favorites Nesha Cortez and Patrice Dominique. Families sang and danced to some of their favorite holiday classics from the comfort of their home. The virtual celebration also included bike and H-E-B gift card giveaways, holiday greetings from our event sponsors and community partners, and a virtual tree lighting sponsored by Reliant. Replay the show and experience the magic all over again by clicking the video or visiting our website. | | | | 100 Second Graders Receive Bikes for Christmas | | | | | | | | | | Seniors Receive Holiday Care Packages | | | | With the support of H-E-B, Reliant and UnitedHealthcare, we provided 25 amazing Third Ward Seniors with H-E-B gift cards along with holiday care packages filled with EPC branded collateral, United Healthcare blankets and COVID-19 safety packs, Reliant chargers, and much more on Thursday, December 10, 2020. | | | | Russell Westbrook Helps Provide 250 Students with Christmas Gifts | |  | We partnered with Houston Independent School District (HISD) and Russell Westbrook's Why Not? Foundation on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 to provide 250 students with wrapped Christmas gifts during a challenging year. Thank you Russell and HISD for partnering with us to bring joy to families during the holiday season! | | | | Angel Tree Program Supports Families During Holidays | | | | | | Through the generous support of several sponsors, we participated in the Angel Tree program to provide assistance to families in need for the holidays on Thursday, December 17, 2020. Thank you Baker Hughes, AIG, ExxonMobil, Target, UnitedHealthcare, Perkins&Will and a few individual sponsors for adopting a family and fulfilling everything on their wishlists! Thank you volunteers for helping us with the distribution! | | | | Congratulations Facebook and YouTube Winners | | | | During our Holiday in the Tre Virtual Experience presented by H-E-B virtual celebration we gave away 6 C.Y.C.L.E. bikes and 4 loaded H-E-B gift bags filled with EPC branded goodies and much more. Viewers had to answer trivia questions about the park and Emancipation Park Conservancy during the show in the comments section. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you for tuning in to the show on December 12, 2020. | | | | 5,000 Meals Distributed at Emancipation Park | |  | We couldn't have wished for a better holiday treat for 1,000 Third Ward families than providing them with 5,000 meals and a $100 H-E-B gift card at Emancipation Park. Thank you to our partners (Lucille's 1913, the Kinder Foundation, Doug and Sarah Foshee, and Houston Texans player Deshaun Watson), community and volunteers (special thank you to Simone Biles, retired Houston Rockets player Steve Francis, Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and Nancy and Rich Kinder for giving back) and all that helped make this opportunity possible! The turnout was amazing both by car and on foot. It may be a year we want to forget but Wednesday, December 23, 2020 will definitely be a day we will always remember! | | | | | | | | Even in light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, Emancipation Park Conservancy strives to maintain programs in the areas of economic empowerment, health and wellness, and education that are resourceful, fun, culturally relevant, informative, and offer unique opportunities to our community. For program or partnership inquiries, contact us at program@epconservancy.org. | | | | | | Bridging the Gap Financial Literacy Series | |  | Last month we hosted our free Virtual First Time Home Buyers Fair where viewers gained direct access to industry representatives who answered questions about the homebuying journey. The video can now be viewed on our YouTube Channel. The Emancipation Park Conservancy Bridging the Gap Financial Literacy Program is made possible through our sponsor Veritex Community Bank and community partner National Association of Black Accountants (NABA)-Houston Chapter. Please also take the time to fill out our anonymous survey here. Your responses allow us to cater our programs to your specific needs and keep track of our community impact. | | | | Tech Pivots Series for Small Business Owners | |  | Did you miss an event? Be sure to visit our YouTube Channel to replay our workshops! Last month we wrapped our final session, Taxes and Bookkeeping, by providing strategies to manage your business. The workshop dove into the best apps and programs to help you manage your business accounting and finances. Participants also learned about available tax benefits and everything needed to be prepared to file their 2020 taxes. Click the video above to view. | |  | The Emancipation Park Conservancy Economic Empowerment Small Business & Entrepreneur Technology training program, made possible through our sponsor Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation and community partner Emancipation Economic Development Council, provides training for small businesses and entrepreneurs. In the Fall, participants learned how to use technology to effectively brand and market their business online, conduct online sales and e-commerce, and to navigate their online taxes and accounting software for successful business management. In the Spring, participants will receive two technology-specific, hands-on training opportunities that will help them use and navigate online financial tools such as Excel and QuickBooks, and will teach them how to track sales on the website and analytics. Registration dates coming soon. | | | | | | Get Fit in the Tre Virtual Experience Get Fit in the Tre virtual experience is still going strong. EPC is continuing to provide virtual fitness programming, encouraging our community to stay vigilant and do our part in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. It is important for us to continue taking care of our minds and bodies by eating healthy and participating in some form of physical activity. Each week Get Fit in the Tre offers fitness options that can be accessed on our YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram pages at your convenience. All of our workouts can be completed from the safety of your home. Be sure to take photos and videos of your workouts and tag @EPConservancy to be featured on our social media pages. | | | | Cooking with the Garcias The Garcias are still cooking up some great recipes in the kitchen! Cooking with the Garcias provides kid-friendly snack and meal options you can prepare with your family. Every other Thursday our very own staff member, Iris Garcia, and her beautiful family join us on Facebook to share some of their favorite recipes. Last month Iris, Cam, Ava, and Elle showed us how to make some warm, tasty holiday sugar cookies! | |  | | | Hip Hop Step Aerobics with Gretchen Jean Join us every Monday and Wednesday on Facebook at 6:00 p.m. for a 30-minute intense workout with Gretchen Jean. Gretchen guides us through a fun, interactive fitness experience that is appropriate for all levels. This workout can be modified to participate with or without an aerobic step platform. | |  | | | Fitness Tips with Tia of Grace and Grit Fitness Check out this video of Tia demonstrating great exercises you can add to your daily routine. Each week, Tia shares fitness and wellness tips from healthy recipes, beauty/hair regimens when working out, to workouts you can complete right at home. | |  | | | | | National MLK Day of Service Emancipation Park Conservancy will be participating in the national MLK Day of Service virtually on Monday, January 18, 2021. We invite you to participate in this very important project which is instrumental in helping the Conservancy enhance its educational, historic, and entertaining virtual tour. As the purpose of the MLK Day of Service is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems and move us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community," your service will help us achieve our mission - to enhance Emancipation Park by preserving its integrity and enriching its heritage as a local, state, national, and international landmark. To learn more and to register for this volunteer opportunity, click HERE! | |  | | | Historic Emancipation Park Audio Guide on Geotourist App Visit Emancipation Park through our virtual Historical Audio Tour. This tour has been funded in part by a grant from the Fondren Fund for Texas of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Experience the rich history and heritage of Emancipation Park and explore its thoughtful architecture and state-of the art recreational facilities. The GPS-led audio guide can be streamed by downloading the free GeoTourist App on your mobile device and visiting the park at the designated sites. Can’t make it to the park? Stream the audio tour from your computer in the comfort of your home by scanning the QR code or clicking the link below. | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Event Reservations, Rentals and Permits during COVID-19 Pandemic Please note updated information regarding event reservations, rentals, and special event permits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Mayor’s Office of Special Events (MOSE) have advised that all parades, fun runs and walks, bike rides, and festivals are on hold until further notice. For more information, contact MOSE at 832-393-0868 or specialevents@houstontx.gov. | |  | | | Emancipation Park Reminders: All indoor facilities are closed. Most outdoor facilities are closed including the playground, basketball court and baseball field. Yellow signs have been placed around the park to remind patrons of closures. If you must visit the park, we strongly caution you to comply with social distancing as directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization. City of Houston officials have increased park patrol to ensure patrons' safety and compliance. Non-Compliance should be reported to HPARD Dispatch at 832-395-7100. Updated Reservation/Rental Message from HPARD: "In an effort to reduce the community spread of COVID-19, the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) has extended its cancellation of all private permitted reservations until further notice. Currently, no reservations are being accepted. Please be advised that this is an ever-changing and ongoing situation and we will continue to adapt to any directives or guidelines we receive from Mayor Turner as it relates to the health and safety of the City of Houston’s citizens. We appreciate your patience as we continue to work diligently through this global pandemic that is impacting our normal operations." For more information, contact 832-394-8805 or askparks@houstontx.gov or visit HPARD website. | | | | | | | | | | | | Our mission is to enhance Emancipation Park by preserving its integrity and enriching its heritage as a local, state, national, and international landmark. Your support will help us with capital initiatives, operational improvements, programs, and events to benefit current and future generations. For donation or sponsorship inquiries, contact Patrina Johnson at development@epconservancy.org. | | | |  | Happy New Year! We started 2020 with the goal to provide dynamic in-person workshops, events, youth activities and workout sessions. Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, we had to pivot to virtual platforms. Because of your incredible support, we were able to seamlessly transition to virtual experiences to continuously provide the community we serve with phenomenal free programming! For this we are grateful! We would like to encourage you to make a New Year’s commitment to make a recurring monthly gift to help us continue this great work! Your support will not only help Emancipation Park Conservancy to do even more, but your support will make a lasting impact. Thank you for all you do! | | | | | | | | | | | |  | Holiday in the Tre was a phenomenal event that reached thousands of individuals by promoting holiday cheer through the collaboration of community and corporate partners! We would like to acknowledge and thank H-E-B for their financial support as the title sponsor of this memorable event. Funding received from H-E-B allowed us to not only provide a platform for fun, family-friendly programming, but also to promote community talent through great music and entertaining performances. To become a corporate partner or to learn more on how you can support Emancipation Park Conservancy, contact Patrina Johnson at (832) 883-5114 or development@epconservancy.org | | | |  | As you continue holiday shopping and prepare for online Black Friday deals, shop at Amazon Smile select us, and Amazon Smile donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Emancipation Park Conservancy at no cost to you. Your donation will help us continue free, engaging online programs and events that keep your family connected to Emancipation Park such as collaborative live webinars and performances, movie night, fitness and cooking videos, park updates and much more! | | | | | | OTHER WAYS TO GIVE Giving is not just about making a donation, it’s about making a difference”
~ Kathy Calvin, CEO & President of the United Nations Foundation. You can play an integral part in helping enhance Emancipation Park by preserving its integrity and enriching its heritage as a local, state, national, and international landmark. Consider making a gift today! Choose one of the various ways to support: | | | | | | Your support will make a huge impact within the community we serve through our education, health and wellness, and economic empowerment programs and events. Thank you for considering joining us! | | | | | | Emancipation Park Conservancy
3018 Emancipation Avenue
Houston, Texas 77004
(713) 528-1872
info@epconservancy.org | | | | | |  | | | | | | |
