HeartGift Houston: How This Nonprofit Saves Children's Lives with Free Heart Surgery | Janna Altmann

What does it take for a mother to trust complete strangers with her child's life 10,000 miles from home? As a Houston broker, Misty Bacon has spent her career connecting people to this city but some of the most powerful Houston stories have nothing to do with real estate at all. If you've ever wondered how you can actually make an impact in your community beyond writing a check, this episode is for you. On this episode of Bits by Bacon, Misty sits down with Janna Altmann, second-generation native Houstonian and Executive Director of HeartGift Houston the nonprofit that brings children born with congenital heart defects from around the world to Houston for life-saving surgery. Janna shares her journey from board member to ED, and pulls back the curtain on what it really takes: visas, host families, months of care, and a "greatest day on earth" when a doctor tells a mother her child will be okay. Together, Misty and Janna break down exactly how everyday Houstonians realtors, families, businesses can get involved, whether that means hosting a child for six weeks or simply showing up to an event. If you care about this city and the people in it, this conversation will change how you see what community impact really looks like. 🎧 Hosted by: Misty Bacon 🎤 Featuring: Janna Altmann Janna Altmann is a second-generation native Houstonian and Executive Director of HeartGift Houston. After serving four years on the organization's Board of Directors, she stepped into the Executive Director role in 2022, driven by a passion for saving children's lives and connecting donors directly with the families they support. 💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️Why 90 cents of every dollar donated to HeartGift goes directly to helping children, not overhead ✔️ What it actually takes to bring a child across the world for heart surgery visas, passports, and host families ✔️ The unforgettable story of a young patient who bonded with Janna without sharing a common language ✔️ How hosting a child (even for just a few weeks) can change a family's life ✔️ A lesser-known symptom of congenital heart defects that most parents have never heard of ✔️ Simple, low-cost ways anyone can get involved from volunteering to donating diapers and clothes ✔️ How HeartGift finds and connects with families in need across the globe ✔️ Details on the "Songs for the Heart" fundraiser happening October 7th in West University Place ⏳ Timestamps (Click to Jump to Sections!) 📌00:00 - Cold Open: "The Greatest Day on Earth" 📌00:28 - Meet Janna Altmann 📌01:40 - Houston Pride & Her Path to HeartGift 📌02:51 - HeartGift's History and Global Mission 📌04:24 - A Day in the Life: Visas to Surgery Day 📌05:21 - Anna's Story: A Bond Beyond Words 📌06:26 - The Impact of Hosting and Volunteering 📌07:35 - Songs for the Heart: How the Event Began 📌09:15 - Ways to Get Involved & Becoming a Host 📌10:56 - Wish List and the Big Dream 📌12:00 - Lessons from the Children and Their Mothers 📌12:46 - Event Details: Songs for the Heart, Oct 7 📌 13:25 - Fun Facts, Wisdom & a Family Health Story 📌 15:56 - Warning Signs, Global Outreach & Closing Thoughts 📌 18:48 - Thank you & wrap up Connect with Janna Altmann: 🌐 Website → http://www.heartgift.org/ 💼 LinkedIn →   / janna-altmann-257204266   ⭐Instagram →   / jannaaltmann   🎧 Follow Misty Bacon: 🌐 Website → https://www.thebaconrealtygroup.com/ 👻 Facebook →   / thebaconrealtygroup   💼 LinkedIn →   / mistybacon   ⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/ 🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below! #HeartGiftHouston #BitsByBacon #HoustonRealEstate #HoustonNonprofit #CongenitalHeartDefect #GivingBack #HoustonCommunity #ChildrensHeartSurgery