THE STRONG FAMILY

Andrew and Denise Strong have worked to serve their community since 1996. They donate hundreds of hours of volunteer service that has positively impacted disadvantaged children and inspired other volunteers to engage in volunteer service.

Andrew served as the Chairman of a Houston Young Lawyers Association Committee that recruited volunteers to work with the Aspiring Youth After-School Program. He started out as a volunteer for Aspiring Youth before becoming the Chairman of the Volunteer Recruitment subcommittee and then Chairman of the entire leadership capacity, he was chosen to be the Volunteer Chairman for recruiting lawyers for Aspiring Youth Programs in cities statewide. He also has personally tutored and mentored the students many times in the afternoon.

Denise has worked with the Aspiring Youth students on an etiquette course to learn manners and appropriate business etiquette. As a reward to the students who completed the course, she recruited Morton’s of Chicago restaurant to open the restaurant during lunch for a special luncheon just for the Aspiring Youth students. Many of these students had never been in a nice restaurant, and this experience will enable them to feel more comfortable in the business environment someday. The impact on the students and their parents and friends has allowed the Aspiring Youth After-School Program to recruit more students.

Andrew relays his story to the students. He is blind in one eye, but he overcame this disability to play college athletics and also achieve academically. He wants to motivate the children and show them that they, too, can overcome their own challenges and succeed.

In addition, Andrew has worked with the Houston and Texas Young Lawyers Associations, to develop partnerships so that Aspiring Youth can recruit more volunteers. This year, he is devoting many hours of service as the President of the 20,000 lawyer Texas Young Lawyers Association. In that role, he is spreading the Aspiring Youth “College for a Day” Program to eleven cities statewide and is involved in many other public service projects.

Andrew and Denise have also served together as Co-Chairs of the Silent Auction Committee for the Aspiring Youth gala for the past four years. These silent auctions have raised in excess of $50,000. In addition, they recently worked to repair a house for a 93-year old disabled woman. Their working together as a team is always an inspiration to the Aspiring Youth students.

President George W. Bush has said, “Children are the face of our future.” Andrew and Denise’s volunteer service has positively impacted numerous children and their families. They inspire others to come together as a family time to make life better for the next generation.