Newsletter 26-3 - Caritas of Waco
Transcription
Newsletter 26-3 - Caritas of Waco
NeWs: Volume 26 Number 3 Food for Families Goes Into High Gear I t doesn’t take long for a year to roll around—it seems almost as if it were yesterday that we were getting ready for the 2011 Food for Families Food Drive, but it’s already a year later, and plans for the drive—headed up by KWTXTV and sponsored by H-E-B Food Stores, the Texas National Guard and the Boy Scouts of America— have already begun. Last year’s record contribution of 400,000 pounds of food was a blessing for the pantries participating in the drive, but all of this food is usually distributed by early in the next year. Caritas continues to serve more than 100 families a day with supplemental food, and other pantries have also seen record-high numbers of people needing assistance. Because of continued on page 3 fall 2012 Waco, Texas Renovation of Caritas Facility Begins F ollowing two years of planning—and almost an equal amount of time in raising funds—major renovations to the Caritas building began in earnest on July 9th. John Erwin General Contractor, Inc. received the contract for the project and wasted no time in moving forward with an aggressive schedule for completing the construction. Much of the initial construction phase has involved demolition of the old food pantry and the rooms on the second floor, as well as a portion of the former thrift store area, which will house the expanded new food pantry and new offices for Caritas interviewers. The food pantry has been temporarily relocated into about half of the old thrift store—with large plastic sheets separating the pantry from the construction area. Clients now wait in the entrance foyer of the old thrift store while food orders are prepared. "Although there is a certain degree of inconvenience associated with these changes, the clients, staff and volunteers have all pitched in to make the effort work," said Caritas Director Buddy Edwards. Phase I—construction of the new pantry and the second floor—is scheduled to be completed by late September. Phase II—which will encompass the new entrance, waiting area and staff offices— should be finished by the end of October. The entire project is expected to be completed in January 2013. n Above: The former Caritas thrift store location at 15th & Mary is being renovated to accommodate the food pantry and private interviewing areas. The thrift store is now located at 3116 Franklin. From the E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r : I ’ve been at Caritas five years now (WOW! How time flies!), and the amount of change that has taken place in the organization in this short period is amazing. We have been engaged in a significant fundraising effort, which is financing the most important building modifications that Caritas has had in a decade—improvements that the board and staff believe will enable us to better help clients and allow us to have a facility that will serve us well for many years. At the same time, the board is actively thinking about the future in terms of our programs and how we will address the large-scale problems facing our community. Last fall, we opened a new thrift store that has performed well and allowed us greater visibility in the area. With the help of the Cowley Group, we are evolving our “corporate image” and making strides to more effectively communicate our role and purpose to the public. All of these efforts result from a team spirit that exists within Caritas—from our board, staff and volunteers, from the organizations with whom we collaborate, and from the community, which supports our efforts through donations of food, money and thrift-store items. I know that Caritas would never be able to progress and improve its services without the mutual support of all these individuals and groups. We are excited about the future and the challenges and opportunities we have before us. Thanks for all you do to help us along this path! Caritas Board Thinking About the Future T he Caritas Board of Directors has committed a significant amount of time to engage in a strategic planning process that hopefully will result in enabling Caritas to better address future client needs. One major decision by the board was to modify the Caritas mission statement from “to provide emergency support to people in need in our community” to “provide urgent support to people in need in our community.” The board decided to make this change because the word “emergency” does not describe to the community the nature of the situations faced by Caritas clients. Emergencies are generally seen as a special circumstance where people face sudden and significant impacts, such as loss of property or physical injury (such as events where Red Cross might respond). Caritas clients face a pressing need, but one that is not necessarily life-threatening. 2 Caritas Newsletter Consequently, the board decided that “urgent” is a better way of expressing the situation. In addition to the mission statement, the board is evaluating external and internal forces that affect the agency’s operations now and in the foreseeable future. This evaluation will help the board identify actions Caritas should be undertaking to better cope with changes and to become more effective in delivering services. Such actions would include the possibility of adding new services or enhancing existing services. Collaborating with other community organizations and looking for ways to work together to deal with “big picture” issues—including hunger and poverty—will play a key part in the organization’s future. The board will continue its strategic planning deliberations in the early fall. n Fall 2012 Food for Families Goes Into High Gear continued continued from page 1 this, organizers are hoping for another record-breaking drive on November 16. Food for Families includes the “Chairman’s Cup Competition.” This effort pits organizations of like sizes and types in friendly competition as to how much food is donated. For some organizations, the competition means elaborate and creative approaches to generating excitement (and thus, lots of food) for the drive. Early planning focuses on the recruiting of businesses, schools, civic groups, faith-based organizations and others to begin collecting non-perishable food items and to be ready to donate those items on the day of the drive. Without volunteers, the drive would come to a grinding halt, and Khalilah Warren, Volunteer Coordinator at Caritas, works diligently making phone calls, organizing groups, filling gaps and doing what needs to be done to secure enough volunteers for the effort. Fall 2012 Volunteers are particularly needed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of the drive to stand at the entrances of area H-E-B Food Stores, Wal-Mart Supercenters, Sam’s Club and Brookshire’s in Robinson, and encourage customers to make donations of food or cash. Many other volunteers work in helping to receive and sort donations at the KWTX-TV studios that day. National Guard volunteers help with the pick-up and delivery of donations throughout the community, at KWTX and at Caritas. Boy Scouts and their leaders also play a crucial role in accepting and recording donations. The Food for Families goal for McLennan County this year is 450,000 pounds of food. The folks at Caritas invite you to help them reach this amount, which would enable Caritas and other pantries to better serve people in need. —If you would like to serve as a volunteer, or if you are interested in participating in the Chairman’s Cup Competition, call Caritas at 254-753-4593. To volunteer, ask for Khalilah Warren. To participate in other ways, ask for Buddy Edwards. n 3 Caritas Newsletter Fresh Produce MakesImpact onCaritasClients A s nutrition experts know, fresh produce is extremely important to maintaining a healthy diet. Caritas leaders have increased efforts in recent years to supplement the canned goods, bakery items, and other food stuffs they distribute with fresh fruits and vegetables. “Caritas has received funding support from both the Beaumont Foundation and the Walmart Foundation that enables us to purchase fresh produce from produce companies and area farms,” Caritas director Buddy Edwards said. “Because of low availability and higher purchase prices, many Caritas clients are unable to secure produce on their own. “However, with foundation funding and donations of produce from such sources as the Walmart Supercenter in Hewitt, we have been able to boost the nutritional value of food being given to Caritas clients,” Edwards said. “We periodically conduct surveys of clients to assess their considerations regarding the type of produce they would like to receive, and their suggestions are considered as we acquire food items.” Typically, such food as fresh tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits, apples, carrots, cabbage and potatoes are given to clients in their food orders. When the building renovations at Caritas are completed in early 2013, clients will also receive, in addition to food, nutritional information and suggestions on how to serve fresh vegetables and fruits. Facility improvements will allow the staff to do more presentations and to show educational videos in the waiting room. An educational room will also be created to permit clients to take classes and hear presentations without the distractions of the waiting room. These additions are designed to help people in need take greater control of their lives in the management of their eating habits and scope of food they consume. n 4 Caritas Newsletter Caritas Charity Golf Classic Seeks Players and Sponsors T he first annual Caritas Charity Golf Classic will be held Thursday, October 25, 2012, at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course. This tournament will be a four-player-per-team Florida Scramble, with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Lunch and registration will begin at 11:30 a.m. The entry fee to play in the tournament is $100 per player ($400 per team) and includes the green fee, cart, range balls, a hamburger lunch, three adult beverage (beer) tickets, soft drinks, water and an Adidas golf shirt. With a donation of five canned goods you can get one mulligan and, for a donation of 10 canned goods, you can get two mulligans (with a maximum of two mulligans per player). Prizes will be awarded for: • First, seventh, 15th and the next-to-last-place teams • Closest to the pin on all par 3s • The longest drive There will also be a Hole-in-One contest on Hole 17 with a grand prize of an $11,000 golf vacation for two to your choice of: • Pebble Beach, CA (four nights) • Hapuna Golf Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii (seven nights) • St. Andrews, Scotland (six nights) Prizes for a Hole-in-One on any of the other par 3s will include a Sharp LCD flat-screen TV, a set of Callaway Diablo irons and roundtrip domestic airfare for two. All proceeds from the Caritas Charity Golf Classic will benefit Caritas. Entry into the tournament will be limited to the first 120 players (30 four-player teams), so please don’t delay. Sign up now! —If you would like additional information about the tournament and/or sponsorships available, please contact Carolyn Hurst, Eddie Sherman or Buddy Edwards at Caritas by calling 254-753-4593. n Fall 2012 Thanks and Acknowledgements: Caritas sincerely appreciates those listed below for their support of our efforts: April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 • Hilton Blue Energy Committee bake sale at Farmers Market • Atmos Energy Volunteers • Mart Correctional Facility Volunteers • Tejas Travelers Volunteers • Brownie Troop 7004 for their food donation • Historic Waco Foundation for their donations to the thrift stores • Powers Embroidery—for their donation of coats • Baylor University—for their end of school and summer donations • Frugals—for supporting a food drive • Tejas Travelers—for their help with the letter carriers food drive and the Caritas newsletter • Bosqueville HS—for the donations from their vegetable garden • Letter Carriers—for sponsoring a major food drive • Mercury 1—for their Lemon Stand Event and donated food • Carino’s—“Dine to Donate” event for Caritas • Katie’s Frozen Custard—“Dine to Donate” event for Caritas July 2012 • Odyssey Hospice—for their food drive • Central Texas Marketplace/Power 108 FM Christmas in July—for their food drive for Caritas August 2012 • Members Choice Credit Union—for a food drive for Caritas Volunteer Corner Volunteers needed for Food Drive As you know, it is only with the help of our volunteers that we are able to do the work of Caritas. We are extremely grateful for you. At this time, our most crucial volunteer need is for people to sign up for two-hour slots on November 16, the day of the Food For Families drive, to stand at the entrances of area H-E-B Food Stores, Walmart Supercenters, Sam’s Club and Brookshire’s in Robinson, encouraging customers to make donations of food or cash. The hours for this opportunity are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. We also need more volunteers in the food pantry and in the thrift stores. Please call me at 753-4593 x203 or email me at kwcaritas@ grandecom.net if you are interested in helping. With your help, we will continue to serve our neighbors in need. Many thanks, Khalilah Warren Caritas Volunteer Coordinator Administrative Assistant September 2012• Baylor University Greek Week Food Drive Fall 2012 5 Caritas Newsletter Gifts of Honor compiled by Khalilah Warren In Honor of: Ashley Peoples From: Kappa Kappa Gamma /Baylor University Dr. William Hillis From: Nancy & Fred Gehlbach Bill Foulds From: The Kewleys David Hoppenstein, From: Rabbi & Mrs. Gordon Fuller Dorothy DeVries From: Charles & Lynda Packard From: Tom & Shirley Crockett Dr. Martha Lou Scott From: Kappa Kappa Gamma /Baylor University Dr. & Mrs. Harry Slade From: Mr. & Mrs. Charles Gervig Florence Hersh From: Rabbi & Mrs. Gordon Fuller Jeff Anz From: Kappa Kappa Gamma /Baylor University Linda & Bill Foulds From: John & Deborah Mayne Lorraine Hoppenstein From: Rabbi & Mrs. Gordon Fuller Mallory & Elliott Sorelle From: Jim & Cindy Sorelle Max & Kenny Schwarz From: Alice Todd Mike Morissette From: Rabbi Mordecai Podet Mr. & Mrs. George Ahrens From: Tim & Beverly Goldman Mr. Dan Ingham From: Kappa Kappa Gamma /Baylor University Mr. Holt Getterman From: Mr. & Mrs. Robert Braswell Mr. & Mrs. Frank H. Wiedemann From: Mr. & Mrs. M.D. Allen Mrs. Bill Williams From: Kappa Kappa Gamma /Baylor University 6 Caritas Newsletter Mrs. Carmen Roth From: Tim & Beverly Goldman Mrs. Claudia McLatcher From: Tim & Beverly Goldman Mrs. Julie Hays From: Kappa Kappa Gamma /Baylor University Mr. Matt Burchett From: Kappa Kappa Gamma /Baylor University Mrs. Paula Moerbe From: Tim & Beverly Goldman Rabbi Gordon & Sharon Fuller From: Alice Todd Rev. Jimmy Johnson From: Nancy & Fred Gehlbach Spanish Class, McLennan Community College From: Matthew Roach Tam Dunn From: Kappa Kappa Gamma /Baylor University Tracie Hermann From: Rabbi & Mrs. Gordon Fuller Virgil & Patsy Teter From: John & Deborah Mayne Memorials Anthony Kelly From: Katherine Kelly Arthur James Loesch & Family From: Margaret Abel David Austin From: Eolior Yokus Elizabeth Seaton Haynes From: Susan D. Kallus Evelyn Miller Massey From: Rev. Denise Bell Blakely & Members of M. Zion UMC Grace V. Saxenian From: Patricia Goss Harold Woodward McNabb Jr. From: Kay & Lyndon Olson Jacob Agnew From: Charlene & Howard Agnew Nan Conlee Felton From: Patricia Goss From: Mrs. Mary Rolbiecki From: Gayle & Walter Lacy Thelma White From: Betty Oxley Henry Hank Fielder From: Lisa Carmichael Payne Hallmark, Jr. From: Patricia Goss Ben Krupicka From: Lorraine Hooper Dale Dewitt From: Farmer Masonry, Inc. From: Patricia Goss Frank & Frances Eisenbeis From: Their Parents Fred Collins From: The Hirsch Family Gene Shields From: Betty Oxley Grace Saxenian From: Allen R. Miller III Henry “Hank” Fielder From: Dr. & Mrs. Robert Ray From: Tom & Marlene Proctor From: Mr. & Mrs. James Hurst, Jr. From: Sheehy, Lovelace, & Mayfied PC From: Bible Study Fellowship From: David & Kay Cherry From: Dr. J. Scott Jones From: Jack & Vicki Smith From: John & Judy Peetz From: Jonathan Williams & Jeffrey Balter From: Linda & Bill Foulds From: Louise A. Dolly- Cook From: Mr. & Mrs. Frank Traplena From: Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Allen From: Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Michaelis From: Mr. & Mrs. Fred Gehlbach From: Mr. & Mrs. Henry Juren From: Mr. & Mrs. James Fulcher From: Mr. & Mrs. James Schwarz From: Mr. & Mrs. Karl Miller From: Mr. & Mrs. Philip McCleery From: Mr. & Mrs. Robert Kendrick From: Mr. & Mrs. Steve Browning From: Mr. & Mrs. Terry Stevens From: Mr. & Mrs. William L. Clifton Jr. From: Mr. & Mrs. L. Hayes Fuller III continued on page 7 Fall 2012 “T ‘Because Hunger Hurts…’ Becomes New Caritas Tagline he folks at Caritas have known since the organization first opened its doors that hunger does, indeed, hurt. In fact, this is the very reason Caritas was created in 1967. Generally, when people think of Caritas, they associate us with food assistance and our efforts to combat hunger. But, when many people in our community hear the name “Caritas” mentioned on television or see it in the newspaper, they don’t know exactly what the agency does or who it serves. So, on the recommendation of Susan Cowley, of the marketing firm The Cowley Group, the Caritas Board of Directors has approved attaching “because hunger hurts” to the Caritas name when it appears in publications—such as our website, Facebook page and newsletter—and on our stationery. You’ll hear this phrase also used on television and the radio in conjunction with Caritas. “Because hunger hurts” opens the door for Caritas to tell its story and the stories of its clients. It allows us to describe how hunger affects people physiologically, cognitively, behaviorally, psychologically and philosophically—our bellies, our brains, our GGA Pest Management “Gives Back” to the Community by Helping Caritas I n today’s world, more businesses and corporations are looking for effective ways to promote worthy causes by devoting a portion of profits to support a cause’s efforts. GGA Pest Management is such a business. The people there will be donating a portion of their contract sales of yearly pest and termite control to Caritas. In order to accomplish this, customers will be asked to mention the name “Caritas” when signing up for their pest or termite control. Those who are already clients of GGA may donate food items to Caritas at the time regular pest control services are provided, and GGA will deliver those items to Caritas. Anyone interested in a free quote for pest or termite control, may contact GGA at 254-666-3439 in Waco or toll free at 800-924-3160. Fall 2012 behavior, our belonging and our beliefs—and what we are doing to address these affects of hunger. “The tagline says that Caritas is going to do something about hunger. Donors support Caritas because hunger hurts, and they don’t want people to hurt—hunger hurts the whole community,” said Susan Cowley, who spent a significant amount of time coming to understand Caritas and the important niche it plays in the community. Much of the insight into how hunger hurts will come from the people Caritas serves. You will be hearing about why families need food assistance, learning about the unique circumstances that have created deficits in their lives and coming to appreciate the fact that rising above these problems is a long and difficult journey. So be looking for more information and insight into how hunger affects people and what Caritas is doing to deal with this problem. The more we all learn about how hunger hurts, the more likely we all are to participate in bringing it to an end in our community. n Memorials, continued From: Mr. Kent Reynolds, Christian Mission Concerns From: Ms. Bety Oxley From: Ms. Nancy Callen From: Romark Logistics & Lebovitz Family From: The Elo Zatopek Family From: Tom & Nancy Bratcher From: Tim & Beverly Goldman From: Ben & Carla Dever From: John & Jennifer Meiners From: Lisa Carmichael Harlin R. Barfield, Jr. From: Patricia Goss Helen Mc Dougal From: Ridge & Janie Johnson James Pearson From: Byron & Margaret Brown Jonathan A. Lindsey From: Tom & Marlene Proctor Kathy Smith From: Ms. Carla Farley Kenneth Mueller From: Nancy & Fred Gehlbach Lorraine Edgemon From: Patricia Goss Mildred Bennett From: Patricia Goss Mildred Martha (Schmidt) Bone From: Susan D. Kallus Mr. Bernard Rapoport From: Drs. Jim & Cindy Sorelle From: Nancy & Fred Gehlbach Mr. Derwood Robinette From: Mary Bezdek From: Ben & Carla Dever From: Tim & Beverly Goldman Mr. Mike Bowerman From: Mr. & Mrs. Homer Dickenson Nancy Sipes From: Dr. B. B. Brown Parents of Roland & Rose Goertz From Roland & Rose Goertz Phil Southerland From: Joyce Heckmann Shirley Marlow From: David & Kay Cherry From: Dr. & Mrs. Charles Gamble From: Mary Jane Rolbiecki Welton L. Kelley From: Robert J. Brooks n 7 Caritas Newsletter Caritas of Waco 300 S. 15th Waco, Texas 76701 Caritas Calendar Mark your calendar for these important events! Sunday, October 14 Heart of Texas CROP Hunger Walk Thursday, October 25 Caritas Charity Golf Classic Friday, November 16 Food For Families Food Drive Tuesday, February 26, 2013 Feast of Caring Non-Profit Organization U. S. Postage PAID WACO, TX 76701 PERMIT NO. 322 Caritas Board of Directors: Tammy Allen, Betty Bauer, Emily Buck, Bill Carden, Mike Chatman, Connie L. Clark, Ben Dever (Pres.), Judy Ducharme, Steve Fontaine, Rabbi Gordon Fuller, Rose Goertz, Bob Ibarra, Frank Klinkovsky, Arnold Miller, Tom Newsom, Derrel Parks, Rev. Charles Packard, Mark E. Smith, Susan Silver, Chelle Samaniego Executive Director—Buddy Edwards Assistant Executive Director—Eddie Sherman Marketing Manager—Carolyn Hurst Dir., Emergency Assistance—Lidia Chavez Administrative Assistant/Volunteer Coordinator—Khalilah Warren Dir., Warehouse Operations—Sally Norlie Manager, Gifts in Kind Program—James Hurst Newsletter Editor—L. Katherine Cook Food Donations—Call 254/753-4593 Volunteers—Call 254/753-4593 Thrift Store Donations—254/753-4593 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.caritas-waco.org The Caritas Newsletter is published quarterly by Caritas of Waco, 300 S. 15th, Waco, TX 76701.