Press Releases – Evas Heroes

Eva’s Heroes Celebrity Casino Night Presented by L’Oréal Paris Will Mark Major Milestones at the 8th Annual Fundraiser on Oct. 3

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 02:25:15 +0000

September 9, 2015 — Celebrities, poker professionals, and Eva’s Heroes supporters will attend a night of classic casino fun presented by L’Oréal Paris to benefit the non-profit organization serving individuals with intellectual special needs in the San Antonio area.
Themed “Masquer8de,” the October 3 event at the Éilan Hotel & Spa will focus on Eva’s Heroes accomplishments in the nine years since Eva Longoria, the actress, director and producer, and philanthropist co-founded the organization with her friend, Christiane Perkins-Garcia.
“As we move closer to a decade of service to our community, Eva and I look forward to celebrating the growth of our organization and honoring the individuals we’ve been privileged to work with,” said Perkins-Garcia, board president of Eva’s Heroes.
More than 600 guests are expected for the traditional celebrity red carpet, Texas Hold ‘Em Poker tournament, live & silent auctions, and food specially prepared by celebrity chefs. The event is sponsored by H-E-B, the Éilan Hotel & Spa and many other notable corporate supporters.
“We look forward to sharing our organizational milestones and unveiling our community- wide plans to celebrate them during our upcoming 10th year anniversary,” said Shawne Zakaria, executive director of Eva’s Heroes. “We encourage everyone to join us for what will be a memorable event.”
Proceeds from Eva’s Heroes Celebrity Casino Night go toward Eva’s Heroes mission to enrich the lives of individuals with intellectual special needs. Eva’s Heroes currently offers Sibshops, Monthly Activities, Summer Enrichment, and After School Programs.
To make reservations for Eva’s Heroes Celebrity Casino Night, visit www.evasheroes.org.

EVA’S HEROES TO HOST FAMED “SIBSHOPS” TRAINING SESSION

Fri, 28 Aug 2015 02:27:46 +0000

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Eva’s Heroes is holding a two-day training that will educate attendees about sibling’s experiences across their life span. The nation’s leading trainer and educator on sibling support will lead the workshop on Friday, August 28 – Saturday, August 29, 2015 at the Whitley Theological Center in San Antonio.
Don Meyer, Director of the Sibling Support Project and founder of the Sibshops model, will lead the workshop. Meyer has conducted hundreds of workshops for siblings, fathers, and grandparents of children with intellectual special needs throughout the United States as well as Canada, Ireland, England, Italy, New Zealand, and Japan.
“This training is a wonderful opportunity to expand the services provided to families of individuals with intellectual special needs,” explained Shawne Zakaria, executive director of Eva’s Heroes. “The goal of the workshop is to provide participants with an understanding and appreciation of what it is like to grow up with a family member who has a child with intellectual special needs and how parents, teachers, and service providers can be a support system for siblings.”
Individuals who attend both days will become certified Sibshops facilitators and will receive education on how to start, plan, and conduct the activities for future Sibshops. Sibshops are a spirited mix of meaningful discussion activities and games designed to honor and increase the self-esteem of siblings of individuals who have special needs.
It is expected that seats for this training session will sell out fast. Parents, service providers, educators, clinicians and adult siblings who are interested in attending should visit www.evasheroes.org/sibshops to register for the event.

Eva’s Heroes to Commemorate 25 Anniversary of ADA

Wed, 25 Feb 2015 02:28:53 +0000

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 25, 2015 — To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the historic passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA25), Eva’s Heroes will host the much-anticipated ADA Legacy Tour as it makes two stops in San Antonio on Friday, February 27, 2015. The first stop will be at the H-E-B at 410 and Bandera and will last from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The second stop will be at Morgan’s Wonderland and will last from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be no cost to attend either stop.
The ADA Legacy Tour is a traveling exhibit designed to raise public awareness and generate excitement about ADA25. The tour is produced by The ADA Legacy Project, Disability Rights Center, ADA National Network, and the Museum of disABILITY History. Eva’s Heroes proudly welcomes a visit from the year-long, nationwide tour, which will culminate in Washington, DC on July 26, 2015, exactly 25 years after President George HW Bush signed the ADA into law.
“Eva’s Heroes was founded with the purpose of enriching the lives of young adults with intellectual special needs, and one way we can do that is by raising awareness about the disabilities rights movement,” said Christine Perkins-Garcia, co-founder and board president of Eva’s Heroes. “The ADA Legacy Tour offers San Antonians an opportunity to learn more about the ADA and how it has enriched the lives of persons with disabilities in our community, workplaces, and our economy.”
The ADA Legacy Tour will feature the ADA Bus, a four-panel display on the history of self-advocacy, a disability film, displays on the preservation of disability history, celebration of significant events in disability history, and efforts to educate future generations of disability advocates, and more.
It is fitting that the ADA Legacy Tour will stop at both H-E-B and Morgan’s Wonderland, as both organizations have done a tremendous amount to enrich the lives of persons with disabilities in San Antonio.
“H-E-B employs more than 85,000 Partners (employees) and we are committed to making each of their lives better. Our commitment to diversity stands on the foundation that Each and Every Person Counts, and that includes people with disabilities,” explained Sonia Quirino Canales, diversity manager, H-E-B. “We also believe that our community benefits when all people have the opportunity to contribute their talent and energy to the workforce, and that is why H-E-B continues to hire more individuals with disabilities.”
The City of San Antonio has demonstrated a commitment to protecting the rights of all San Antonians, including those with disabilities. Over the past two decades, the City has eliminated architectural barriers to inclusivity and improved wheelchair accessibility to the River Walk. While the City of San Antonio works to make the city’s cultural resources, businesses, and government buildings accessible, The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation has opened a fully accessible amusement park designed with inclusivity and accessibility in mind so that all guests can enjoy Morgan’s Wonderland many offerings.
“Inclusion is the overarching objective for Morgan’s Wonderland,” Gordon Hartman, founder of Morgan’s Wonderland and the Gordon
Hartman Family Foundation, explained. “Our vision is to play an instrumental role in helping establish more ultra-accessible family fun th
parks throughout the nation and the world. Morgan’s Wonderland is truly a beautiful place, and as we prepare to celebrate the 25 Anniversary of the ADA, Morgan’s Wonderland serves to demonstrate how inclusive and accessible environments benefit the entire community, not just those with special needs.”
The mission of the ADA Legacy Project is to preserve disability history, to celebrate significant milestones and accomplishments of the disability rights movement, and to educate the public and future generations of advocates.
About Eva’s Heroes
Eva’s Heroes is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual special needs by providing an inclusive setting built on four tenets: interact, grow, learn, and love. Based in San Antonio, the organization helps teens and young adults 14 years of age and older, who have intellectual special needs, to integrate and flourish in society. For information, visit: www.EvasHeroes.org.