HIPPY Program

Donate to HIPPY Program!

OUR MISSION

HIPPY’s mission is to help parents prepare their children for success in school and beyond. The model supports parents as their children’s first teacher by providing them the tools, skills, and confidence to teach their young children in the home.

Our Vision

We support our families in a compassionate, respectful, non-judgmental environment through praise, guidance and educate our future leaders.

Why HIPPY?

HIPPY offers parents support, training and materials so they can engage in effective, developmental and fun activities with their children in the comfort of their own homes. The HIPPY program works because it is based on a well-designed curriculum, parents learn by doing and children love the special time with their parents.

Learning begins at home HIPPY | Home Instruction for Parents and Preschool Youngsters

Other Programs Under Texas Home Visiting

Highland Park PATNurse Family Partnership HIPPY

HIPPY Coordinator

Veronica Elizalde

I have been dedicated to supporting families and strengthening early childhood education through the HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program in Amarillo since its launch in 2012. My journey began as a HIPPY parent from 2012 to 2014, where I experienced firsthand the impact of early learning in the home. Inspired by my own experience, I transitioned into a HIPPY Home Visitor, working directly with families to guide them in preparing their children for school success.

With a deep commitment to early childhood education, I advanced to Assistant Coordinator/Acting Coordinator in 2018 and officially became the HIPPY Coordinator in 2023. In this leadership role, I ensure that home visitors receive the training, resources, and support needed to engage and support parents—helping them become their child’s first and most important teacher.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development, I am passionate about advocating for school readiness, fostering parent leadership, and building community partnerships that strengthen family support systems. One of the most fulfilling aspects of my work is seeing the growth of both children and parents—not only as they prepare for school but also as they achieve the personal and family goals they set for themselves.

I am always looking for new ways to connect with families, organizations, and community leaders who share the vision of equipping children with the skills they need to thrive. Let’s work together to create a brighter future for our youngest learners!

HIPPY Assistant Coordinator

Leona Garcia,

Proud mother of 4 children Married 20+years to my husband. I have been with the COHS-HIPPY for 6 wonderful years. They have all been by far my most important support to be where I am now.

As the Assistant Coordinator, I am dedicated to empowering parents to embrace their pivotal role as their child’s first and most influential teachers. My journey from a home visitor to this leadership position has been fueled by a passion for fostering family growth and development. Witnessing the transformative progress within families as they engage more deeply in their children’s education is profoundly rewarding.

I am committed to nurturing strong partnerships between families and educational institutions, recognizing that such collaborations are essential for student success. By facilitating open communication and providing resources, I strive to create an environment where parents feel confident and equipped to support their children’s learning journey.

Beyond my professional responsibilities, I am actively involved in leadership for our Home Visitors and our community initiatives, understanding that a supportive community is the cornerstone of thriving families. Volunteering and giving back are integral to my mission, as they reinforce the bonds that hold our community together and contribute to a culture of mutual support and growth.

In essence, my role is not just a profession but a calling to inspire and uplift families, ensuring that every child has the foundation they need to succeed, both in school and in life.

Thank you,

Dallana Martinez
HIPPY Home Visitor
Lourdes Garcia
HIPPY Home Visitor
‍Angela Martinez
HIPPY Home Visitor
‍Monica Morales
HIPPY Home Visitor
‍Becky Criel
HIPPY Home Visitor
Jesseka Bermea
HIPPY Home Visitor
Krystal Sanchez
HIPPY Home Visitor
Coalition Of Health Services

HIPPY Program Servicing the Amarillo, Texas Area

The HIPPY Program at Coalition of Health Services is a home visitation program dedicated to helping families throughout Amarillo, Texas and communities across the Texas Panhandle prepare young children for lifelong success. HIPPY, which stands for Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters, believes that learning begins at home and that parents are a child's first and most important teacher. Through structured home visits, educational activities, and ongoing encouragement, families receive the tools they need to build confidence while preparing their children for kindergarten and beyond. The HIPPY program has served families in Amarillo since 2012 through Coalition of Health Services as part of the Texas Home Visiting Program.

Children develop many of the skills they need for school long before they ever walk into a classroom. Reading together, talking throughout the day, solving simple problems, and playing educational games all contribute to healthy development. The HIPPY Program helps parents understand that everyday moments can become valuable learning experiences that strengthen both their child's education and their family relationship.

Whether families are raising their first child or adding to a growing family, HIPPY provides practical guidance in a supportive environment where every parent is respected, encouraged, and empowered.

Support the HIPPY Program

Your donation helps empower parents, strengthen early childhood education, and prepare children for lifelong success. Every contribution provides families with learning materials, guidance, and support that build confidence at home. Together, we can help more children enter kindergarten ready to learn and ready to thrive.

Donate to HIPPY

Our Mission

Building Strong Families Through Early Childhood Education

HIPPY's mission is to help parents prepare their children for success in school and beyond. The program supports parents as their child's first teacher by providing the tools, skills, confidence, and educational resources needed to teach young children at home. Rather than replacing parents as educators, HIPPY strengthens the role they already have while helping children build a strong educational foundation before entering kindergarten.

Coalition of Health Services is proud to bring this nationally recognized early childhood education program to families throughout Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle. Every home visit is designed to strengthen parent involvement while helping children develop the language, literacy, thinking, and social skills that support future academic success.

Our Vision

Supporting Families With Respect and Compassion

At Coalition of Health Services, our vision is to support every family in a compassionate, respectful, and nonjudgmental environment through praise, guidance, education, and encouragement. We believe every family deserves access to resources that help children grow into confident learners and future leaders.

Every parent wants the very best for their child. Sometimes families simply need someone to walk alongside them, answer questions, and provide activities that make learning both enjoyable and meaningful. HIPPY Home Visitors become trusted partners who encourage parents while celebrating each child's accomplishments along the way.

The goal is not only kindergarten readiness but also stronger families, greater parent confidence, and children who enjoy learning from an early age.

Why Choose the HIPPY Program in Amarillo, Texas?

Learning Begins at Home

The HIPPY Program offers parents support, training, and educational materials that make learning fun, practical, and developmentally appropriate. Families receive carefully designed activity packets and children's books that allow parents to teach through everyday interactions instead of complicated lessons. Each activity is simple to understand while encouraging important developmental milestones.

Parents learn by participating in role-playing activities with their Home Visitor before completing the lessons with their child. This approach builds confidence because parents have already practiced the activities before teaching them at home. Children benefit by spending quality one-on-one time with the people who know and love them most.

Parents often discover that learning does not require expensive toys or complicated lesson plans. Reading together, counting objects around the house, talking during meals, identifying colors, singing songs, and exploring nature all become valuable educational opportunities.

What We Believe

Every Child Deserves a Strong Start

The HIPPY Program is built on a simple but powerful belief that every parent wants their child to succeed and every child deserves to enter kindergarten prepared to learn. We believe parents have the greatest influence on their children's early development, and with the right support, they can help build a strong educational foundation that lasts a lifetime.

Through the HIPPY curriculum, Home Visitors empower parents to strengthen relationships with their children while introducing learning activities that encourage curiosity, creativity, communication, and confidence. The program inspires positive parent-child interactions that prepare children academically while also strengthening emotional connections within the family.

Children who enter school prepared often experience greater confidence, stronger reading skills, improved classroom participation, and increased enthusiasm for learning. Those early successes frequently continue throughout their educational journey.

What We Teach

A Complete Early Learning Curriculum

The HIPPY curriculum is a developmentally appropriate early childhood education program designed for children between the ages of two and five. The lessons promote cognitive, language, literacy, social, emotional, and physical development while encouraging families to make learning part of their daily routine.

Each family receives educational activity packets and high-quality children's books that guide parents through age-appropriate learning experiences. Activities are designed to be enjoyable while helping children develop important skills such as recognizing letters, counting numbers, solving simple problems, following directions, expanding vocabulary, and developing fine motor coordination.

Parents are never expected to figure everything out on their own. During regular home visits, Home Visitors demonstrate each lesson through role-playing so parents feel comfortable teaching the activities independently. Most Home Visitors come from the same communities they serve and many are former HIPPY parents themselves, allowing them to connect naturally with participating families. Every Home Visitor receives ongoing supervision and support from a professionally trained Program Coordinator to ensure families receive consistent, high-quality services.

Serving Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle

Local Families Helping Local Families

Coalition of Health Services proudly provides the HIPPY Program to families in Amarillo while supporting communities throughout the Texas Panhandle through the Texas Home Visiting Program. The organization works to improve early childhood education by partnering with parents, schools, and community organizations that share a commitment to helping children succeed.

Families appreciate that the program is built around their schedules and takes place in the comfort of their own homes. This familiar environment allows children to learn where they feel most comfortable while helping parents become active participants in their child's education every single day.

Our Story

A Program With Global Success

HIPPY began in Israel during the 1960s as a research project developed by Hebrew University with funding from the Ford Foundation. What started as an innovative approach to early childhood education has grown into an internationally recognized program serving families in numerous countries around the world. Throughout its growth, HIPPY has remained committed to research-based educational practices that strengthen families and improve school readiness.

Research conducted over several decades has consistently shown positive outcomes for both children and parents. Children who participate are often better prepared when they enter kindergarten, while parents report greater confidence in supporting their children's education. Families also become more involved in school activities as children grow older, creating stronger partnerships between home and school.

Preparing Children for a Bright Future

Investing in Families Today

The HIPPY Program is much more than an early childhood education program. It is an investment in families, children, and communities throughout Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle. By giving parents practical tools, encouragement, and confidence, Coalition of Health Services helps create learning environments where children can thrive long before their first day of school.

When parents feel empowered, children benefit. When children begin school prepared to learn, entire communities grow stronger. Through the HIPPY Program, Coalition of Health Services continues its commitment to helping families build brighter futures, one home visit, one lesson, and one child at a time.

Veronica Elizalde

HIPPY Coordinator

Krystal Sanchez

HIPPY Assistant Coordinator

Lourdes Garcia

HIPPY Home Visitor

Monica Morales

HIPPY Home Visitor

Becky Criel

HIPPY Home Visitor

Dallana Martinez

HIPPY Home Visitor

Angela Martinez

HIPPY Home Visitor

Jesseka Bermea

HIPPY Home Visitor

Rosie Gonzalez

HIPPY Home Visitor

HIPPY Coordinator

Veronica Elizalde

I have been dedicated to supporting families and strengthening early childhood education through the HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program in Amarillo since its launch in 2012. My journey began as a HIPPY parent from 2012 to 2014, where I experienced firsthand the impact of early learning in the home. Inspired by my own experience, I transitioned into a HIPPY Home Visitor, working directly with families to guide them in preparing their children for school success.

With a deep commitment to early childhood education, I advanced to Assistant Coordinator/Acting Coordinator in 2018 and officially became the HIPPY Coordinator in 2023. In this leadership role, I ensure that home visitors receive the training, resources, and support needed to engage and support parents—helping them become their child’s first and most important teacher.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development, I am passionate about advocating for school readiness, fostering parent leadership, and building community partnerships that strengthen family support systems. One of the most fulfilling aspects of my work is seeing the growth of both children and parents—not only as they prepare for school but also as they achieve the personal and family goals they set for themselves.

I am always looking for new ways to connect with families, organizations, and community leaders who share the vision of equipping children with the skills they need to thrive. Let’s work together to create a brighter future for our youngest learners!

HIPPY Assistant Coordinator

Krystal Sanchez

Krystal Sanchez serves as the Assistant Coordinator of the HIPPY Program, where she is deeply committed to empowering families and strengthening the community through early childhood education and meaningful parent engagement. She believes that parents are a child’s first and most important teacher, and she works daily to support families as they build strong educational foundations in the home.

As a proud mother of two amazing sons, Krystal understands firsthand the importance of nurturing young minds, encouraging curiosity, and leading with patience and love. Her personal experience as a parent shapes the compassion and understanding she brings to the families she serves.

Krystal’s heart for service is rooted in her faith, which guides her dedication to uplifting others and helping parents grow in confidence. She firmly believes that when we invest in children and provide parents with the right tools and support, we create lasting change that benefits the entire community.

She values education and lifelong learning. Krystal earned her associate’s degree in business administration and continues to pursue her bachelor’s degree, strengthening her leadership and organizational skills.

With perseverance, integrity, and a spirit that refuses to give up, Krystal is dedicated to building meaningful relationships, inspiring growth, and spreading compassion in every role she holds.

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