FOCUS

FALL 2012 Hunger Doesn’t They Got Milk! Take A Holiday Hunger doesn’t take a holiday, and we need your continued support of the Food Pantry now through the holidays to help stamp out hunger! Your ongoing financial and food donations during the fall and winter months are greatly appreciated, as increasing client volume places a greater demand on food distribution Sitting at our respective desks child’s exclamation that makes us to needy residents of Irving. just down the hall from the Food realize how fortunate we are in our Pantry, we heard a young child own lives that we have food in our As November and December (with his parents receiving their homes, the rent is paid, and the approach, please consider food order) exclaim in a most lights come on when we turn the a special Thanksgiving and excited voice, “Oh goodie, we’ve switch. Christmas holiday food drive got milk!” at your business, church, club, The Food Pantry served an average or school. The earlier the food You can imagine, we all choked out of 700 families per month last is donated, the more clients a collective gasp. year; however, this summer was can be served during this brutal – an average of 930 families special time of the year. So many days we get caught up per month. Spending for items not in the business part of serving donated is currently $36,979 over Some families have to choose our clients. It’s hearing that young budget. between buying groceries or Please see Milk on Page 4 sending a child to the doctor

Please see Holiday on Page 4 Inside 2,3 The Great Harvest Report 6 Ranchview HS Volunteers 7 Earn It! Keep It! Save it! 4 Mercury One Volunteers 6 Holiday Gift Opportunities 8 What Your Cash Gift Can Do 5 Agrilogic Volunteers 7 Employment Success Story 5 Patient Transportation Story 7 Utility Assistance Success Story 5 Hygiene Products Needed 7 Food Pantry Success Story 6 Donor Bridge Results 1 Board of TGH Sponsors Directors Annette & Tom Morton Monica Reyes Plentiful Providers Diane & Jesse Orsini Chair D A D S Donor Advised Fund Monica Reyes Fluor Corporation Mass Electric Construction Co. & Rick’s Independent Car Kare Services, Kiewit Inc. Marvin Bond Barbara & Brock Scott Vice Chair Flor Smith Greater Irving – Chamber of Commerce Maize Teddie & Ken Story The Clements Family Linda Taylor Julie & Mike Esstman Chandra Hill Kay & Harry Weaver Treasurer Susie & Curt FitzGerald Jana & Jeffrey Whaley Greater Irving – Las Colinas Friends of Irving Cares Chamber of Commerce HMS TXU Energy Harvest Basket Mary Ann Burns Bob Bevier Secretary Julia Black BB&T Golden Pumpkin Francess & Robert Blakely Sandra & Kyle Ahlfinger Law Office of Carmen Blankenship Tarique Baloch Jane L. & Charles A. Beach Karen & David Bratton Community Trust Bank Big State Drug & Brown’s Pharmacy Vickie Bumpass Fran & James Cassels Yolanda Carroll Carol Bell Rita & Tom Chasser Connie & Jerry Dunn Community Volunteer Exxon Mobil Corporation Vicki & Bill Dearing Bob Hagestad Sandy & Steve Ferney Andy Bennett Nancy & Chris Heckman Merrill Lynch Global Jensy & Mike Gregory Insperity Wealth & Investment Management Kathy & Clint Howard Nancy & Carl Klinke Kimberly Humphries Angela Brooks Joe McQuillan Irving Convention & Visitors Bureau Citi Kimberley & Scott Sheffield Jacqueline & Richard Gamble Sam Smith in Memory of Carla Smith Bonita & Troy Kelley Lori Bunger VHA Clem Lear HOLT CAT Jolene & Dick Lear M&H 66 Chris Carathers Cornucopia Mammen Glass & Mirror, Inc. Irving North Christian Church Paul Anderson Alicia Fernandez-Mott & Dr. Charles Mott Anonymous Oncor Electric Delivery Company Yolanda Carroll Suzy Beeman R. Mills Roberts, MD BNSF Railway Carol & Steven Bell Linda & Larry Schorn John & Kitty Boyle and Family Mechelle Davidson Mr. & Mrs. Burnell R. Stehman TXU Energy Angela & Michael Brooks Caton Consulting Group, PC Tom Morton Sylvia & Walter Chiang Independent Bank of Diann & Joe Contestabile Grace & Thom Davis Valet Sponsor Allstate Insurance Company Candi Richardson Angie & John Drake Insperity Arlene & Steve Dunston Fluor Corporation Volunteer Sponsor Vicki & Jim Fox The Clements Family Chris & Bob Horner Irving Cares Board of Directors Irving Firefighter Association Local #2073 VIP Reception Sponsor Beverly & Richard Martin Friends of Irving Cares Corinne & Paul B. McCully

2 TGH Raises More Than $220,000

“These are the faces of the people served at Irving Cares: a baby whose family received rent and food, a young man who found a job, an older gentleman who got a ride to the doctor.”

Over 300 friends of Irving Cares arrived on Friday, September 28 at Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas to raise money for their neighbors in need. Co-chairmen Larry Clements and Chris Clements welcomed everyone to the lavish auction and ballroom for a sumptuous plated dinner and a short program featuring stories about Irving Cares clients who benefited from their generous gifts. The live auction featured spectacular pieces of jewelry, vacations in Canada and Port Aransas, fabulous private dining packages, a crawfish boil for 50, a guided hog hunt in East Texas, and use of the Lou Brock Suite at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington for a Texas Rangers game vs the New York Yankees. The silent auction held over 200 items for your home, dining events, sports memorabilia and more. A lively game of Heads or Tails raised nearly $2,000 as guests hoped to win tickets to a Texas Rangers game and a autographed by Josh Hamilton. Several people made donations to a plea for support for a technology upgrade that will improve efficiency in service delivery. Thank you to all who donated resources – time, talent, and treasure. The steering committee pulled together a fantastic event for Irving Cares. Last fiscal year, we served over 42,000 people. We could not do this work without you!

3 Mercury Rising Holiday Continued from Page 1 with an earache. Irving Cares provides groceries for families who need help because of unexpected expenses and for clients in the food stamp application process.

A family’s food order for one week is an average of 85 pounds of groceries. At current service levels, we need nearly 72,000 pounds of groceries every month.

There is a suggested “shopping list” and holiday food drive registration form on our website. Please use this form or contact Kyle Taylor, Coordinator of Volunteers, at 972-721- 9181 X209 or ktaylor@ irvingcares.org and to make arrangements to either deliver the food or to Mercury One, the philanthropic request a pick-up. arm of , delivered much needed summer food relief to the Food Pantry at Irving Cares. Mercury Milk One conducted their own research, Continued from Page 1 visited and toured the facility and Please consider a really connected with our motto, ‘It’s donation to the Food a hand up, not a handout’. Two things Pantry. Your cash gift happened for Irving Cares after they goes further because connected with Irving Cares. our procurement methods through the The first was in June with Lemonade North Texas Food Bank Irving Cares was one of 12 food banks and retail are at lower Day that Mercury One holds through across the to receive pricing. Your donation another great partner of Irving Cares, a 52 foot trailer full of donated food of items not donated Liberty Mutual, which sent a group of from the “Restoring Love” food drive also helps. Holding a employees who collected 600 pounds held at Dallas Cowboys Stadium. food drive for peanut of food. The Liberty Mutual group butter, jelly, soups, It is through partnerships like these canned meat, or toilet sorted and shelved the donated food, paper means we don’t and even took turns filling client that Irving Cares can continue to have to buy those orders in the Food Pantry. provide food and services to the items. people of Irving Texas. The second was during July with the Every gift counts, and lets Irving Cares delivery of 40,000 pounds of food. provide milk for families who need it.

4 Agrilogic Volunteers Volunteers from Agrilogic Hygiene recently spent a few hours Products at Irving Cares. They toured the agency, learning about Needed the application process and programs that we offer. One We are seeing an team worked in the Food Pantry unprecedented request preparing orders for clients, and for personal hygiene another team worked in the products. These products warehouse sorting, stocking are very important for those and readying their food individuals who are looking donation of nearly 300 pounds. for work and for those After some meaningful time children who are attending together, they left Irving Cares school. Feeling good energized and ready to do more about oneself is a key to for their fellow Irving citizens. performance, whether you They vowed to maintain and are looking for work or your strengthen their relationship child is spending the day with Irving Cares. in a classroom and being successful in your pursuit of life. More Than Just a Ride We have several gracious by Monica Oliver, donors who donate cash to purchase hygiene products Patient Transportation Program driver for our clients, but more help is needed. Please consider a Donna and Diane are twin sisters. Recovering from breast cancer and cash gift or donating these mastectomy, Diane needed transportation to physical therapy for complete products. recovery of her arm motion following complications. Patient Transportation Program was able to get Diane safely to and from her appointments, and You can mail a check to today she is recovered and is doing well. P O Box 177425; Irving, TX 75017-7425 or make a Donna, on the other hand, has had many concerns over the past three years. secure credit card donation Like Diane, she recovered from breast cancer and a mastectomy; shortly at www.irvingcares.org. followed by a heart attack, and most recently has undergone two knee replacements at the same time. •• Soap •• Shampoo Diana suggested Donna contact Irving Cares for transportation to her •• Deodorant biweekly physical therapy following knee replacements. Donna is a brave and •• Toothpaste determined lady, already walking without the aid of a walker. •• Toilet paper “This program has been a real blessing,” says Donna. “It was impossible to ride •• Feminine hygiene products the bus with a walker and protect my knees from all the commotion that takes (pads) place on the bus. The expense of a cab was out of the question. All I have •• Powdered laundry detergent is disability income, and I am so very grateful to Irving Cares.” Door-to-door Thanks for all the support transportation has contributed to a more rapid recovery time. you provide for us, so that Driving the van, I have seen first-hand the difference individual attention to we can provide for others. the patients’ care can make. My job is a blessing to me.

5 Donor Bridge Results Many thanks to the 38 philanthropic investors who chose to participate in the North Texas Giving Day on September 13. Generous contributions through Donor Bridge raised more than $4,000 to support Irving Cares. North Texas Giving Day 2012 raised more than $14 million in 17 hours to benefit over 900 local nonprofit agencies. We were proud to have participated and gained a portion of the matching funds.

Ranchview High School Vocational Volunteers

Meet the newest members of the Tuesday and Thursday Food Pantry volunteer crew. They arrive each morning to help perform a number of very valuable tasks from helping unload deliveries, keeping the pantry stocked and full of donated food items, and performing tasks that allow the food pantry to serve the ever-growing number of clients. “It is a great honor and privilege to have these great kids volunteering at Irving Cares. Not only do they provide a great service, but they are great ambassadors for ,” states Kyle Taylor, Coordinator of Volunteers.

Consider a Holiday Honorarium or Memorial Gift

We’ve all got them! Everyone has people on their holiday list who don’t need a thing. Solve your gift dilemmas with a 2012 Holiday Honorarium or Memorial gift in the name of a friend or family member. We’ll send a beautiful holiday card to the honoree or remembered family to let them know a gift was made by you in their name. Click the “Donate Now” button on our website to make a secure gift online. You can email your information to Kimberly Humphries at khumphries@ irvingcares.org, or mail your gift including the name of the person/s to be acknowledged. Anyone would be thrilled to get the gift of helping; please, consider an investment in community hope this season.

6 Employment Services SUCCESS STORIES The Employment Services Program at Irving position with a local sports team. She received a Cares provides the ultimate in self-sufficiency: a gasoline voucher, followed up on the lead, was job. Clients in this program attend a Job Search hired and started her need job on September 11, Seminar where they learn how to complete 2012. Debbie was also able to receive financial job applications, practice interviews, update assistance with her utility bill. Great things resumes and dress for success. After the seminar, happen at Irving Cares. clients meet one-on-one with the Case Manager where they receive job leads tailored for their Shantelle came to the program in May 2012. She skill set and circumstances. We can also provide had been studying toward a career in Criminal referrals and resources to eliminate barriers to Justice. The Case Manager worked with Shantelle employment. Last fiscal year, 100 people got a on a weekly basis giving her job leads and job and kept it for at least 90 days through this assisting her with bus passes to get to job sites to program. apply. Shantelle was about to give up when she received a lead that a day care had a part-time Debbie first came to the program in 2009, found a job opening. She applied, interviewed, and was job, and kept it until she was laid off in July 2012. hired part-time as kitchen help and bus driver. Debbie came back to the program and got a job In September, she was promoted to a full-time lead from Trinity Employment for an accounting employee. Utility Assistance Ms. Williams is a 28 year old mother of 4 children disconnection. She couldn’t afford to pay the ages 8 years to 14 months. She works part–time entire amount and had exhausted her extension in the health services field, and is trying to obtain privileges with the electric company. a technical degree in order to make life better for her and the children. Irving Cares was able to assist Ms. Williams with a portion of her electric bill. She was so delighted Ms. Williams contacted Irving Cares for assistance and relieved that service wasn’t disconnected so with her First Choice electric bill. She was behind she could focus on her family and studies. because her work hours were cut and was facing Food and Utilities Ms. Jones is a single mom of two. She was laid unemployment would stop before she received off her job six months ago, and was receiving her first paycheck. Because of the generous unemployment and food stamps. Ms. Jones funding Irving Cares receives from TXU Energy came into Irving Cares for food pantry assistance. Aid, we were able to provide financial assistance While she was being interviewed, Ms. Jones for her, and now she can concentrate on her mentioned she was worried about paying her children and new job. TXU Energy bill. She had found a new job, but her

Earn It! Keep It! $ave It! Coming in 2013! Free tax preparation site at Irving Cares helps people who make less than $50,000 file 1040EZ, 1040 and 1040A for no charge. IRS certified preparers available Monday-Saturday. Call 214-978-0081 or visit www.UnitedWayDallas.org/EKS for more information.

7 What Your Cash Gift Can Do Services delivered have increased in most programs offered by Irving Cares: $10 Fresh milk for 5 families •• Food Pantry is up 21% $25 Bus passes for 10 people to •• Financial assistance for water is up 17% get to a job interview $50 Water bill for one month •• Case management hours in Employment Services is up 32% $75 Prescriptions for 3 sick children or elderly clients •• Number of clients in Patient Transportation Program is $100 67 nutritious meals up 21% $350 A portion of a family’s rent for We raise money from various sources – individuals, one month corporation, foundations, faith community, and government. Funding streams with some sources remain relatively constant, but many more are shrinking every Come see your investment at work. Contact Teddie Story, year. CEO at [email protected] or 972-721-9181 x 203 to schedule a tour or to learn more. Irving Cares wants to be your charity of choice. Please consider a calendar year-end gift. Your investment will be

used wisely.

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED SERVICE RETURN

www.irvingcares.org

FAX (972) 438-7345 (972) FAX

TEL (972) 721-9181 (972) TEL

Irving, TX 75060 TX Irving,

P.O. Box 177425 Box P.O.

440 South Nursery Road, Suite 101 Suite Road, Nursery South 440

DALLAS, TX DALLAS,

Irving Cares, Inc. Cares, Irving

PERMIT #4043 #4043 PERMIT

PAID PAID

POSTAGE POSTAGE

US US NON-PROFIT NON-PROFIT

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