Friday Night Fun

On Friday, February 24th, Uncle Calvin's Coffehouse presents a family friendly concert featuring George Gagliardi and Tom McDermott with all profits benefitting The Stewpot. Uncle Calvin's is located within (and sponsored by) NorthPark Presbyterian Church.

This promises to be a fun, relaxed evening of good music, delicious coffee and desserts - and a great way to support our homeless and at-risk friends!

For more information or to order your tickets go to www.unclecalvins.org.

Hope to see you there!

Rock My Soul

The Stewpot hosted a Community Concert in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church on Valentine’s Day for our friends. The concert was underwritten and sponsored by the David Nathan Meyerson Private Foundation.

Eye-popping dancers and soul stirring music by artists young and mature have always strikes a "high note" but the true SHOW STOPER is the spur of the moment STEWPOT CHOIR! People sign up for the choir the day of the evnet and they rehearse, share pizza and perform.

If you heard them, you'll want to here more voices from the street-put the Annual Stewpot Talent Contest (2pm on October 31st) in INK on your calendar. You'll love it!

Today's Stewpot choir was under the direction of the Rev John Thornburg accompanied by Daniel Harp. Tom Froelich shook the house playing the 3000 pipe organ of 1st Presby, where he has been the organist for 35 years.

Floramay Holliday stirred our "ripe for the picking" Valentine hearts with guitar and vocal. Pieces of her own composition and a Hank Williams favorite: "I Saw the Light" all did just that: Shared the Light!

It was a first in our concert series to have a Mother/Daughter performance. Mom, Norlynn Price on piano accompanied her daughter, Hannah, on violin. Hannah is a sophomore at Dallas' Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts. Wow!

Gary Floyd, singer and pianist and world renown jazz vocalist, Terry Loftis delivered the Grand Finale. It was a return performance for Gary. They were stunning and inspiring!

We thank all who shared their gifts.

Other gifts were shared as people left the concert-backpacks stuffed with great things were handed out-people made a beeline to the Stewpot, across the street for the drawing of the VERY POPULAR door-prize of TWO NIGHTS in a Dallas Hotel.

There were no losers, everyone was a winner!

All pictures taken by the David Nathan Meyerson Private Foundation. 

Saturday School

On a typical Saturday morning you will find Byrd Hall and the 3rd floor children’s area alive with activity. 110 children from City Park Elementary and other surrounding areas come to FPC to eat breakfast and lunch and to participate in a variety of educational and fun activities. The children enthusiastically participate in learning musical genres, making a volcano in science class, learning how to play chess, and reading a new story in library. The children describe Saturday School as “Fun!” and “Cool!” while volunteer groups from around the city have called the program “Engaging, organized” as well as commenting on the “interactive and loving environment” that has been created for the children. The student’s delightful and well mannered behavior has even garnered sponsorship offers from a few local bowling leagues!


Leading the group of staff and volunteers on Saturdays is the new Assistant Director of Children and Youth, Lilli Curtis. Lilli has worked with Saturday School for 6 years on a part time basis. Four of the staff are current community ministries scholarship recipients and are now able to be great role models to the younger children. Many of the volunteers are participants in the Venturing Crew on Wednesday nights and are giving their time back to the programs.

For more information on volunteering with Saturday School contact Lilli Curtis at 214-746-2785 x326 or lillic@thestewpot.org.

Birthday Fun

I love birthdays! I love my own, and I love celebrating the birthdays of my friends and family. I get so excited about presents for my husband that I can never keep the gift a secret. Birthdays are so fun!

A lot of people have a birthday tradition they love. It may be a meal at a certain restaurant, or a special breakfast each year. Our staff here at The Stewpot is like a family, and we've started this tradition of funny homemade birthday cards. The cards usually include a funny picture of staff members. We went all out for our executive director's birthday in December. Staff, volunteers, and clients made a book of custom cards for Bruce that will be a great gift to keep and look back at. 

We were thinking about starting a new tradition. Why not include our clients and do a giveaway? So, this morning we started with Suzanne, our Children & Youth program director. Suzanne wanted to hand out warm winter hats to everyone. Everyone was grateful for the gift and Suzanne received a lot of birthday wishes!

We'd like to open this up to volunteers also. If you're interested in celebrating your birthday the same way, you can! Contact me (stephaniem@thestewpot.org) a week or so before your birthday. You can choose what you'd like to hand out. You can bring something (we usually plan on 175 people) or hand out something we have here. It can be a seasonal item (hats, gloves, water bottles, baseball caps, etc.) or food. Any food item must be pre-packaged. Hopefully we can start a new birthday tradition!

Stephanie 

Women's Tea

Women's tea was a huge success thanks to our staff, visiting agencies, and volunteers! This year we had representatives from:

• Parkland Hospital
• Turtle Creek Recovery
• Attitudes and Attire
• Genesis Women's Shelter
• Martha's House
• Crossroads Community Services
• Dallas County Health and Human Services 
• Planned Parenthood (HIV Testing)

Each agency came to share the services they provide, and how the women we serve can access those services to reach their potential! Every lady received a gift bag filled with makeup, perfume, jewelry and a few necessities. Crossroads Community Services sponsored a fashion show. And of course that was a hit. The ladies looked beautiful! Santa even stopped by and took pictures with our guests. 

We had so many donations thanks to you all! Thank you for helping out! Here's a video and pictures from the afternoon. 

Feline Newsmakers

Any visit to the Stewpot needs to include saying "Hello" to Precious, our 2nd floor feline resident. She's a "Working Cat" and keeps other four legged visitors and some two-legged ones as well in check. She's a great companion and is very well informed about the Fine Arts (a la the Stewpot's Open Art Studio) and knows the ins and outs of Food Pantry management. About three weeks ago Precious came face to face with another of her species in a surprise encounter.

On a Sunday morning the mournful sounds of a cat were heard on the Stewpot first floor. A search to locate the Meow-er found Precious safe and sound and suspicions that another cat was nearby. Two days later without benefit of séance several people were enveloped by the calling of a cat from "beyond".

As best we can figure a cat wandered into the 15feet of space above the suspended ceiling of the 1st floor and the floor-boards of the 2nd. Most of us thought only the likes of John Malcomvitch inhabited these inter-floor zones. "Cat" was spotted, fed and wooed. She was captured in a stunning "Have-a-Heart" adventure. With the hopes she would be a suitable companion for Precious.

"Cat", an 8 month true calico, was taken to a vet where she spayed and determined she was feral. We were advised the most humane thing was to release her back downtown. She was given a casework referral letter, several bus passes and the number of Judy's special hot-line.

Over the years the Stewpot has rescued many animals. "At risk" dogs, cats, birds and rabbits have gotten 2nd chances along with people. Food, water and respite have long been de facto Stewpot service. Many of us have taken home "just temporarily" an animal that became a long-time companion. Oh well, we also have a shelter for unwanted 8-track tapes.

Bruce

Precious the Cat

A Day of Celebration!

Last Thursday was truly a special day here at The Stewpot. We had our 24th Annual Stewpot Talent Show and a special lunch honoring Dr. and Mrs. Elgin Ware.

Dr. and Mrs. Elgin Ware were instrumental in bringing medical services here to The Stewpot in 1999. For 12 years, Elgin and Karen served our clients each Friday with the help of several volunteers. In June, Dr. Ware retired, and we were finally able to honor him! We invited past medical clinic volunteers and donors to a lunch. We enjoyed a great meal, great conversation, and a video of client/staff testimonies about the impact Dr. Ware and the medical clinic have had. The lunch ended with a special presentation to the Wares.

Parkland Hospital received a grant to expand our medical clinic. We are so excited about this new season. Construction should begin shortly. When it is complete the "Karen and Elgin Ware Stewpot Medical Clinic" will be open five days a week to serve our clients!

Following the lunch, we had our annual talent show. Clients are able to compete in five categories: performance, poetry, essay, art, and costume. There are cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. The theme this year was "Stewpot Hospital: Reflections on Healing". We are always so impressed with the creativity and talent of our participants.

We had a great day celebrating the gifts of so many people here - the gift of writing, the gift of singing, and the gift of healing.