Holiday Project

Can you believe October is almost over? Thanksgiving is just 4 weeks away! Each holiday season we are blown away by the generosity of so many people in our community. Our holiday meal services are already full, however, we have a great opportunity for you and your families (or co-workers, church groups, book clubs, etc.) to serve our homeless friends. Every year we ask for people to donate a "Holiday Box for the Homeless". We collect thousands of these to hand out around the holidays. They make an incredible impact.

How to make a holiday box:

 

1. Use an empty shoe box (standard size). Please only use boxes that have a separate bottom and lid. Please wrap the lid and the box separately. The box should not be wrapped shut when finished.
2. Fill the box with a variety of small, inexpensive gifts. Use the gift ideas listed at the bottom of the page. Please fill boxes with ADULT, UNISEX items only.
3. Once filled, place a rubber band around each box.
4. In a separate envelope you may enclose a holiday card or note from you/your family or group. (Please do not include addresses or phone numbers.) Place your note inside the box.

Delivery:

Boxes may be delivered between Thursday, December 1 – Wednesday, December 14, 2011. Drop off at The Stewpot, 1822 Young Street, Dallas, 75201, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 3:30 pm

 

PLEASE DO NOT DELIVER HOLIDAY BOXES TO THE BRIDGE

 

Gift Ideas

• knit hat
• small flashlight w/batteries
• pens, pencils
• knit gloves
• disposable stick razors
• stationary or cards w/stamps
• tube socks
• small umbrella
• phone calling cards
• plastic poncho
• fast food gift card ($5 or less)
• hard candy or gum
• chapstick
• small hand sanitizer
• travel size Kleenex
• small Bible or book of inspiration

DO NOT INCLUDE:

• used or damaged items
• knives or weapons
• chocolate or food
• liquids
• medications or vitamins
• breakable items or glass containers
• aerosol cans
• money

We've already had a great start to the holiday boxes! 160 associates from the Frito Lay Controller's team in Plano donated holiday box items this week!
Questions? Call 214-746-2785, ext. 320: Jean Jones, Stewpot Volunteer Director

The Value of Volunteers

It's no secret that the staff of The Stewpot is unable to accomplish everything we do on our own. Our volunteers play a vital role in all of our programs. Did you know we have 42 volunteers each day just for meal services?

On top of that volunteers help us:

• sign people up for services
• hand out toiletries
• sort mail
• teach computer classes
• manage budgets for Representative Payee clients
• teach art
• sort donations
• give eye exams
• teach Bible study
• tutor students
• teach ESL and so much more!

We really couldn't do it without you all! According to http://www.independentsector.org/ the estimated dollar value for volunteer time is $21.36/hour. According to that number, the estimated value of our meal service volunteers only for one month is over $54,000!

Thank you for helping us serve second chances each day here at The Stewpot!

phoneless. not hopeless.

Today we want to share some encouraging feedback from one of our Community Voice Mail clients. He receives a free voicemail number through our program.

“Good afternoon, this is Richard Sams.  Listen, I just can’t thank you enough to First Presbyterian Church and Community Voice Mail for providing me this number – it has helped me get into a veterans rehabilitation program, it’s also working right now as I’m on my journey for permanent employment for employers to contact me, and it’s also been a number for my family, by my family being out of town, to contact me and leave me a message if there is an emergency or if somebody gets sick such as my mother since she is in a nursing home now.  So I just want to thank you and I just pray that you continue this service – it helps get homeless people off the street and get employment.  It’s just been a blessing to me – it’s just been all positive.  I just thank you…”

It's hard to imagine that someone might not have access to a phone. So many of us are constantly connected to hundreds (maybe even thousands) of people through our phones - phone calls, texts, Facebook, e-mails. We forget what life was like before the never-ending stream of status updates and mass text messages. Thanks to programs like Community Voice Mail, people are able to stay in touch with family, employers, and health care!