Who We Are

By Jennifer Carson
Texas State University Student

Organization Logo, Courtesy of Hope & Love 4 Kids

 
Hope & Love 4 Kids is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves children and families in need within Hays County. Based out of Kyle, Texas, HL4K has served its community since September 2005 and was founded in January 2006.

HL4K serves its public by by providing children and families basic necessities, comforting them in their time of need and uplifting them through service and outreach. The sole purpose of HL4K is to help children and families in need when needs arise.

Hope & Love 4 Kids' story began with a natural catastrophe that tore through some of the poorest neighborhoods in Louisiana, Hurricane Katrina. Because so many children and families were displaced into our communities, founder Mia Hendricks saw the need and acted. Realizing the need was present without Katrina, Hendricks founded HL4K. 

In its sixth year, HL4K now provides assistance to more than 100 families. We serve them in various ways through the year via five fully running, successful programs. Various children and families within our communities also receive assistance throughout the year through other HL4K service and outreach.

Hope & Love 4 Kids has no paid staff and is solely run by a 12 member, volunteer board of directors. Currently, our board of directors is growing in number to support our expansion efforts, as is the organization itself.

As a non-profit organization, HL4K heavily relies on the support of surrounding communities. In order to continue our mission, HL4K holds charity fundraisers throughout the year to fund programs. Events include a spaghetti dinner, a HL4K birthday celebration and merchandise sales at various community events. HL4K is primarily supported through the generosity of our donors.

Find out how Hope & Love 4 Kids is changing lives  by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter!

What We Do

By Jennifer Carson
Texas State University Student

Hope & Love 4 Kids currently serves children and families through five annual, fully-functioning programs.

An Annual School Supplies Drive - HL4K holds a supplies drive for families and schools in Hays County who seek support in providing children with the tools to be successful throughout the school year.  In 2011, HL4K provided more than 200 students with backpacks filled with school supplies specific to each student's grade level's needs. Any student attending a public school in Hays County, regardless of their age, is offered assistance through this program.


Holiday Dinners - HL4K holds the Thanks-4-Giving Food Drive in order to aid our mission of providing Hays County families with two, eight-person traditional holiday dinners. The dinners are distributed at Thanksgiving and Christmas. In 2011, HL4K provided 80 families with turkey dinners and all the trimmings. Clients received eight pound turkeys, six traditional side dishes, milk, cereal, dessert and condiments.


Angel Tree Program -  Through the angel tree program, HL4K gives one want-based and one need-based gift to children within the families that HL4K serves. With the help of surrounding communities who adopt the angels, the children in need, in 2011, HL4K provided more than 200 children with a minimum of two gifts to unwrap Christmas morning.

Empowerment Workshops - The newest of the five programs, HL4K held its first Girl Power Empowerment Workshop in the fall of 2011. This emerging workshop series is a part of the HL4K Soar Program, a self-esteem and personal growth program for youth in Hays County. With the help of communities leaders and inspirational female speakers, HL4K aims to empower and educate young females through round-table discussion, engaging activities and literature. HL4K anticipates the creation of similar programs for young men in upcoming months.

Hendricks Hope Scholarship Foundation - Named after the founder of HL4K Mia Hendricks, the Hendricks Hope Scholarship Foundation annually awards three, $500 scholarships to high school and college students in Hays County. The Hope Scholarship is awarded to a student with demonstrated financial need. The Love Scholarship is awarded to a student with HL4K volunteer merit. The Dream Scholarship is awarded to a first generation college student. In 2012, HL4K created the Dare2Dream campaign to not only increase the amount of existing scholarships but increase the number of scholarships as well. The campaign will raise $50,000 by the end of 2012.

Hendricks Hope Scholarship Foundation Logo
Logo design by Jennifer Carson, Courtesy of Hope & Love 4 Kids

Upcoming Events

By Ana Perez
Texas State University Student

Save The Date!

Upcoming Hope & Love 4 Kids 

Events and Appearances

April 2012

• 21: Earth Day Share Fair-Lake Kyle, 9 a.m. - Noon

• 28: Thunderhill Races-Thunderhill Raceway, 6 p.m.

• 28: BBQ Pit Raffle-Thunderhill Raceway, 6 p.m.

• 28: Dare 2 Dream Unveiling-Thunderhill Raceway, 6 p.m.

• 28: Hendricks Hope Scholarship Foundation Awards-Thunderhill Raceway, 6 p.m. 

May 2012

• 5: Thunderhill Races- Thunderhill Raceway, 6 p.m. 
  
• 12: 2nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser & Silent Auction-Historic Kyle City Hall, 5:30 p.m.
• 18: Nascar Car Wash- Thunderhill Raceway, Time TBA

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Dare2Dream Campaign Unveiling

Dare 2 Dream campaign logo
Logo design by Aaron Brungot

Press Release

For release Thursday, April 19, 2012

Mia Hendricks
512.585.1393
mia@hopeandlove4kids.org

Hope & Love 4 Kids prepares to unveil its $50,000 challenge

SAN MARCOS, Texas (April 28) Hope & Love 4 Kids will unveil the Dare2Dream campaign, on April 28, 2012 at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas. The campaign efforts will raise $50,000 for the Hendricks Hope Scholarship Foundation.

The Dare2Dream Campaign unveiling is an event in which the six Hays County high schools, Hope & Love 4 Kids and TBS Racing will launch the $50,000 challenge, hoping to bring in proceeds to the scholarship foundation.

The current, three HL4K scholarships will also be awarded to qualified applicants the same night. The Dream Scholarship will be awarded to a first-generation college student. The Hope Scholarship will be awarded to a student that demonstrates financial need, and The Love Scholarship will be awarded to a participant with volunteer merit.

“We’re excited to award our scholarships to deserving students and even more excited to launch our efforts to increase the amounts for next year,” said Aaron Brungot, Hope & Love 4 Kids scholarship committee chair.

The three scholarships that the Hendricks Hope Scholarship Foundation awards are $500 each. The Dare2Dream campaign is the gateway in which HL4K will increase the number of scholarships from three to six and the amounts of each.

The high schools that participate in the Dare2Dream unveiling will not only be spectators at the race but will also be competing for a monetary donation that will be awarded to the school with the largest representation at the race track.

The Dare2Dream #50 stock car will also be unveiled the same night and driven by the HL4K committee chair, Aaron Brungot in the Thunderhill stock car races.

“Being a professional racer, I love what I do and knowing I can use my passion to help others in need really makes it worthwhile,” said Brungot. 

Hope & Love 4 Kids prides itself in continuing to raise awareness for underprivileged students and aiding them with tools to succeed.


Hope & Love 4 Kids anticipates the Dare2Dream campaign's results and hopes that the community will join in helping students reach their fullest potential.

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Past Events

By Patrick Dunn
Texas State University Student

Whata-School Supplies Drive 2011

Whata-School Supplies Drive Kickoff, Kyle, Texas
Photo courtesy of Hope & Love 4 Kids

Hope & Love 4 Kids began its “Whata School Supply Drive” in July 2011.

This event was the sixth annual school supplies drive for the organization in which they were able to provide hundreds of children with backpacks full of supplies.

“When it was said and done, I stepped back to see rows and rows of backpacks full of supplies; the image was overwhelming. I thought to myself we really are helping so many kids,” said Mia Hendricks, founder of Hope & Love 4 Kids.

Donors, organization members and volunteers assembled the backpacks that were generously donated to Kyle Elementary School.

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Girl Empowerment Workshop 2011

Girl Power Empowerment Workshop Advertisemnet
Design by Mia Hendricks, Courtesy of Hope & Love 4 Kids

Hope & Love 4 Kids held its first ever “Girl Power” event in October 2011.

“Girl Power” is a female empowerment workshop that gives young girls the opportunity to meet with many powerful and successful women in hopes to inspire these young ladies with the confidence and courage to go out and do whatever it is they want to do.

The event, hosted by Thunderhill Raceway, included workshop speakers: Casey Bellows, Hope & Love 4 Kids board member, Diana Blank, City of Kyle Director of Economic Development, Mary Ann Naumann, Thunderhill Raceway owner and former race car driver, and Judge Beth Smith, Hays County, Precinct 2.

The small group of girls that attended made for a more personal session allowing the young ladies to interact more with the guest speakers enabling them to have a more impactful and positive experience. The personal session not only helped the young females in attendance, but also instilled some confidence in the speakers themselves.

“I was very impressed with the girls in attendance. I feel confident and encouraged to know that these young women are our future leaders,” said Blank.

Hope & Love 4 Kids is already looking to do another workshop and is excited to help more young girls on the way to success in the future.

Girl Power Empowerment Workshop, Kyle, Texas
Photo by Jennifer Carson, Courtesy of Hope & Love 4 Kids

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Ride 4 The Kids 2011

Ride 4 The Kids Adverstisement
Design by Mia Hendricks, Courtesy of Hope & Love 4 Kids 

Hope & Love 4 Kids held its first ever “Ride 4 Charity” event in August 2011.

The ride started off with free coffee at The Thunderhill Raceway where all the riders got to be a part of the opening ceremonies. The participants rode along the events track and ended back at the raceway. Live music and food were provided to the riders, and all proceeds were donated to local charities, HL4K being one of them!

Check out the video below for a virtual experience of last years event. Video courtesy of Hope & Love 4 Kids.