Grocery Shopping for a Cause

Several grocery stores have incentive programs like Tom Thumb's Reward Card or Kroger's Plus Card. These can be linked to The Stewpot and a percentage of the purchase benefits us! Easy, right?

The three stores you can do this at are Tom Thumb, Albertson's, and Kroger.

Tom Thumb: Link your Reward Card to #1507. This remains active year round.

Albertson's: Scan a barcode each time you purchase groceries. To receive this barcode email stephaniem@thestewpot.org. This also remains active year round.

Kroger:  Link your Kroger card to The Stewpot annually after July 1st. The program runs from July 1-April 30.

If you have any questions please contact Lee Hutchins (leeh@thestewpot.org) or Stephanie McKee (stephaniem@thestewpot.org).

Let's eat!

In 1975 First Presbyterian Church saw a need to start feeding the homeless and hungry. They called the meal service "The Stewpot". By the early 1990s, the program, which now included casework services, had grown so much we moved across the street into our present building. Over 30 years and several additional programs later, The Stewpot is still working hard to make sure our friends on the streets have the most basic need - food.


In May 2008 The Stewpot became the sole meal provider at The Bridge, Dallas' homeless assistance center. Instead of five meals a week, we began serving 3 meals a day every day of the year. A huge jump, but our volunteers and staff have stepped up to the challenge in a big way!


Just to put it in perspective:
Almost 50,000 meals are served each month. So far we've served 19,600 meals in June. With an average of 43 volunteers per day we have approximately 1,300 volunteer slots a month.


Since the Bridge opened in 2008, Stewpot staff and volunteers have helped prepare and serve 1,856,900 meals! Since 1975 The Stewpot began in 1975, we have served over 4,158,668 meals!


It really is incredible! So, how can you be involved? Of course you can always sign up for a meal service. All sign ups are done online through our website.


Another option is to donate to our Loaves and Fishes program. The Loaves and Fishes Program allows you to "underwrite" part of the cost of a meal or a day of meals. Individuals, groups, businesses and congregations are coming together to make this happen. Adopting a meal or a day of meals makes a great gift!  Acknowledgement cards are sent to honorees per your instructions and posted on this website. Our Calendar is updated weekly.  For more information you can call Lee Hutchins: 214.746.2785 ext. 236.


A huge, huge thank you to everyone who has played a part in our meal service!

Staying Connected

You know how disconnected you feel when you leave your phone at home or in the car? No one can reach you and if something happens you won't know. Now imagine not having a phone and how disconnected you would be all the time.

The Stewpot serves as the host agency for Dallas Community Voicemail, a program providing free voicemail numbers to those who need it. People receive a phone number with a Dallas area code that they can use to apply for jobs, receive information from doctors, or just stay connected to their friends and families.

The really cool thing about this program is the broadcast messaging feature. Our Community Voicemail program director, Betty Heckman, is able to send out one message to all CVM participants at once. Each week she sends out messages including information on job openings, community events, healthcare, and even inspirational messages.

Listen below to some of the responses from a recent survey about the benefits of Community Voicemail!

Message 1

Message 2

Message 3

Learn more about CVM National

Learn more about Dallas CVM



Dallas Heritage Village Partnership

The Stewpot's STEP program targets homeless individuals living on the streets or in a shelter. Participants are placed in small groups led by Stewpot caseworkers who offer job readiness training, job search assistance, case management, voice mail, and other benefits.

The STEP program has partnered with Dallas Heritage Village to give participants a special opportunity. Clients have been hired to do restoration work on several buildings throughout DHV. To identify the best candidates for these positions the Stewpot casework team worked together and discussed each client's experience. Clients were also interviewed by the manager of casework services. One participant had prior engineering experience, so he was a great candidate. The work so far has been very rewarding for him.

Several clients have worked on this project. They are currently working on the Worth Hotel. Below you can see the progress they're making.

Picture Courtesy of Dallas Heritage Village

Stewpot Children & Youth Programs Director named Alumna of the Year

Suzanne Dwight

Suzanne Dwight, LMSW, Director of Children & Youth Programs at The Stewpot, is an inaugural graduate of Baylor University's Masters program at the School of Social Work. Suzanne was named Alumna of the Year, and was recognized at a dinner at Baylor on April 28th.

Chosen for her work as a congregational social worker with children and youth in inner-city Dallas, Suzanne received the Louise Brandon scholarship for graduate school. At The Stewpot, she oversees 38 college students who are receiving scholarships through The Stewpot's children and youth program. "As I see the difference that the scholarship makes to those students it has helped me to appreciate the scholarship that I received even more."

Suzanne joined The Stewpot in 2004 and coordinates all Stewpot programs for Dallas inner-city and homeless children and teens ranging in grades from first grade through college. When she started, she reports that "there were 13 scholarship recipients and now with program expansion we are able to help many more students achieve their dreams. Many of the students I work with are first generation college students and also the first person in their family to graduate from high school. It has been a pleasure to be able to help them through the process of preparing for college as high school students and then also to follow them through their college career."

Since joining The Stewpot, children and youth program attendance has increased by 25%, and the number of youth attending college has increased by more than 50%. "I am expecting ten of our students to graduate from college this year," reports Suzanne. "To many of the students the thought of going to college is a completely new experience and The Stewpot programs are able to provide guidance and support they may not receive otherwise."

Suzanne initiated the formation the ESL program for parents of the Stewpot’s Saturday School, and implemented the formation of Junior Crew to hold and recover former Saturday School participants that otherwise would not have participated in the programs. Suzanne has built programs and increased participation in events through surveys, evaluation tools, and new initiatives. This summer she will be supervising a bi-lingual Exxon Mobile Intern to work with the parents of the children in our program, and to evaluate curriculum.

"During a typical year, my staff and I work with about 350 or more students in 1st grade through college doing enrichment programs and also 20 parents in an English as a Second Language class that I was instrumental in implementing. These are individuals and families that live in the downtown Dallas area but they themselves do not attend First Presbyterian Church. They are however able to experience the ministries that the church has to offer. In fact the two summer camps that we implement each summer utilizes the church space as much if not more than the church members do during that time. This is what being a community ministry and living out the Christian faith is about. I love that I am able to do that as part of my job."

"If I could make a recommendation to the students that are here today, it would be to take every opportunity to learn from what the faculty has to offer and teach. Also, in your field placement don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn as much as you can. I have found from being a field instructor that some days especially during supervision, I learned as much as the student did."

Homeless artists to paint murals in Deep Ellum’s Pillar Park

The Stewpot Open Art Program has 20 artists working on proposals for Pillar Park. Their work will be displayed April 13 at an exhibit, where guests can vote on the eight best pieces for the eights sides of the pillars. The winning artists will each receive a $200 stipend and paint supplies.

The art exhibit and judging will be from 4:30 to 6 p.m. April 13 at the Deep Ellum Foundation, 2630 E. Commerce St., Dallas.

Read all about it at the DMN.

The Stewpot Open Art program shares similar strategy with a homeless art program in Atlanta.

for more information about The Stewpot Art Program, go to www.thestewpot.org\art.asp