Dallas Fort Worth Nonprofit Business Journal

Tag: DFW nonprofit news

  • Trinity Habitat for Humanity provides update on Neighborhood Revitalization Effort

    Trinity Habitat for Humanity released a progress report for their current Neighborhood Revitalization Effort. Since 2015 they have helped build 57 new homes in Como, 49 in Hillside Morningside, and 25 in Carver Heights East. Trinity Habitat for Humanity has also rehabbed 37 homes in Como, 10 in Hillside Morningside, and 6 in Carver Heights East. Trinity Habitat for Humanity partners with people in the community to help them build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. While the majority of efforts are focused in Fort Worth, their service area includes all of Tarrant, Johnson, Parker,and Wise counties. 

    ABOUT TRINITY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

    Fort Worth Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc. was founded in 1989 as an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, serving Fort Worth. In 2006, the name was changed to Trinity Habitat for Humanity to include the four counties we now serve, Tarrant, Parker, Johnson, and Wise. Having grown from a handful of dedicated founders into a volunteer corps of thousands, today Trinity Habitat for Humanity is ranked #13 out of 1,293 Habitat affiliates in the nation in new home production and completed rehabs.

  • Gladney Center for Adoption celebrates as 25,000th adopted child heads to college

    On Dec. 13th Gladney Center for Adoption released a blog post stating that they are thrilled to announce that the 25,000th child adopted through Gladney is headed to college. In 1999, when the child, Evan, was adopted,  Gladney celebrated this occasion by purchasing a $25,000 bond as a scholarship for the child when they reach college age. 

    Evan is now planning to attend college. He will be running track and plans to go to medical school. Below is a “thank you” from Evan that was written his parents, Tom & Lori, told him about the scholarship.

    “It has been 19 years since the 25,000th baby was adopted through Gladney and 19 years since I was born. I thank you so much for the scholarship.

    I hope that I make the Gladney organization proud of the young man I have become and I am very thankful that I was adopted to the family I am today. They pushed me on the field of academics and nurtured me on the field of athletics, even if for them this was uncharted waters. Today they created a young man who is an excelling athlete at what some people call a “New Ivy” school. Who later on has hopes to go on to medical school. And then to follow in his parents footsteps and join the military. This path my life has taken is entirely because of the parents that Gladney matched me with. I would like to thank Gladney for the perfect match they created 19 years ago and also for the scholarship that is helping to pay for the enrichment of my education that my parents have so lovingly given me the opportunity to pursue. I hope Gladney is around for another 19 years so that I will be able to adopt from them, when it comes time for me to have kids.

    Thank you again,

    Evan, Son of Tom and Lori “

    ABOUT THE GLADNEY CENTER FOR ADOPTION

    The Gladney Center for Adoption in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, provides adoption and advocacy services. Following its 1880s origins, when it focused on locating homes for orphans during a period of mass migration. It evolved into lobbying, international adoptions, counseling, maternity services, education and philanthropy.

  • Fort Worth Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign behind goal due to shortage of bell ringer volunteers

    The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Dec. 15th that the Fort Worth division of the Salvation Army is desperately looking for people to be bell ringers as it expects to fall $100,000 short of its donation goal. 

    Patrick Patey, Marketing & Communication Director of Fort Worth Salvation Army, said they’ve had a shortage of volunteers for their annual red kettle campaign. “The Red Kettle Campaign is our largest public fundraiser of the year, it’s a very important time and campaign for us,” Patey said. “So not having enough bell ringers is really creating a problem because the way it looks, we’re tracking about $100,000 behind.” 

    The Salvation Army provides services such as emergency family shelter, free daily meals, addiction recovery programs, food pantry, after-school program for children, summer day camp, senior adult activities, youth and character building programs, Christmas assistance and cooling stations during the summer.

    Groups can register and select a location near them by going to RegisterToRing.com.

  • Cleburne Opportunity Resource Services receives computer science grant

    The Cleburne Times-Review reported on Dec. 11 that Opportunity Resource Services, which is affiliated with the Educational Opportunity Center in Cleburne, recently received a computer science supplemental grant of $40,000 for its Upward Bound program. The Upward Bound program is for students who come from low-income families or students who will be the first in their families to attend college. The EOC opened in December 2016 with the mission to serve rural communities and is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which is held by ORS.

    “We are looking forward to all the new knowledge and exposure the students will acquire from these opportunities,” ORS CEO James Jesse said in the article. “We could not have done it without the constant support of our partners.” 

    For more information, call 817-224-2248 or visit orstx.org

    ABOUT OPPORTUNITY RESOURCE CENTER

    ORS is a nonprofit community-based organization that’s committed to community engagement. The organization secures long-term investments for local communities, which provide resources and create opportunities for constituents to achieve educational, financial and personal success.

  • Prestonwood Christian Academy announces new private school will open in Bonton/South Dallas this fall

    In a press release on Dec. 12th,  Prestonwood Christian Academy announced the opening of a new private school in South Dallas.

    School leaders celebrated the announcement recently with a reception at Buckeye Commons Recreation Center.

    The new private Christian school will be called The King’s Academy and will be located in the Bonton/South Dallas community. In its inaugural year of 2019-2020, the school will be open to students PreK-4 through first grade and plans to continue to add a grade every year until completion. 

    The King’s Academy will offer families a faith-based education that focuses on the heart, mind and soul of each student. Through a collaborative effort with several existing ministries, Prestonwood Christian Academy School System, and programs like Bonton Farms and BridgeBuilders, they have developed strategic partnerships to not only start the school but continue the authentic transformation taking place in the community.

    “We are humbled and excited about our partnership with The King’s Academy, which will provide a rigorous academic program combined with an effective spiritual and character development plan,” said Dr. Larry Taylor, Superintendent of Prestonwood Christian Academy School System, in the release. “Establishing a Christ-centered school focused on a child’s mind and heart is our mission. What an honor it will be to develop these boys and girls into men and women—our future leaders in areas of law, business, medicine, engineering, education, ministry or any assignment in which God calls them to excel!”

    For more information on how to enroll in or support The King’s Academy, please visit www.tkadallas.org.

  • Mosaic advocating for Money Follows the Person program

    In a recent post on Facebook, Mosaic and its advocacy partners announced they need the community’s in advocating for the re-authorization of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program. MFP was designed to help states transition people with disabilities from institutions into the community and to assist states in re-balancing long-term services and support systems to increase access to home and community-based services.

    Since MFP began, 47 states have participated and over 75,000 people with disabilities have been moved out of institutions. Unfortunately, MFP expired on September 30, 2016, and states have started to wind down their MFP programs. On December 11, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to renew the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program for three months.

    Now the IMPROVE Act moves on to the Senate. Ask your U.S. Senators to vote YES to help people with disabilities live in the community!

    ABOUT MOSAIC

    Mosaic is a faith-based organization serving people with intellectual disabilities. They believe that every individual is a person of worth. Together Mosaic staff members, volunteers and members of the community work as partners. They are passionate about opportunities and partnerships that create meaningful lives, in caring communities, giving a voice to the needs of the underserved. 

  • FWISD Libraries receive significant gifts from Gary Patterson Foundation

    Fort Worth Star Telegram reported on Dec. 17th that Monday marked a monumental day for the Gary Patterson Foundation as it wrote its biggest check in the organization’s 13-year history, $325,000, that will go toward upgrading the libraries of the 38 elementary schools. 

    Kelsey Patterson made a formal check presentation to students at Worth Heights Elementary, a school located about three miles east of TCU.

    Gary Patterson addressed the significant day for his foundation after Monday’s football practice. “It’s the Gary Patterson Foundation but there’s a lot of people, Number 1. Kelsey is the driving force behind all of that, she’s the one that does all the legwork along with our board of trustees that are on it,” Gary said. “We had a couple of dinners that we were able to raise that kind of money, so there’s a lot of people in the community that have really helped us be able to do that, write that kind of check. I have a job because of kids and that’s why my whole foundation’s thought process has always been about how do we help kids with an education.” 

    Kelsey said the foundation, which partnered with Education Foundation for Fort Worth Schools (EF4FW), was able to grant funds of up to $10,000 to every school that applied. The foundation plans to do grant opportunities for additional schools this spring and next fall.

  • Arts Council of Fort Worth and Trinity Metro Calling all Artists for Dec. 19 Meeting

    The Arts Council of Fort Worth and Trinity Metro announced they are hosting an information session at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19 for artists who are interested in creating public art for the #TEXRail stations.

    The meeting will be held at the Intermodal Transportation Center, 1001 Jones St., in Fort Worth and will take place in the Community Room on the second floor.

    Application deadline is January 7th.

  • Hope Farm Boys to Spend Time on Novacek Ranch as Holiday Treat

    NBC News DFW reported on Dec. 17th that Jay Novacek, former Cowboys tight end, will host boys from Fort Worth’s Hope Farm for Christmas. This will be the fifth year of the tradition for the Novacek family. 

    “These are inner city boys that do not have a father figure in their lives,” Novacek said. For him, his father made all the difference.

    Kids like 14-year-old Jay Royce get to benefit from the Christmas event. Royce’s dad is stationed in Germany, but with the help of Hope Farm, he has a male mentor while his dad’s serving our country. “It provides me someone to look up to and talk to and just kinda watch out for me,” Royce said. 

    Photo courtesy of Jay Novacek Facebook Page

  • Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dallas thanks Cowboys Tyrone Crawford and DeMarcus Lawrence

    Fox4News reported on Dec. 10th that several Dallas Cowboys spent their day giving back. The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas showed their appreciation to Academy Sports + Outdoors and Tyrone Crawford and DeMarcus Lawrence of the Dallas Cowboys for handing out bikes and spreading holiday cheer. The kids earned the honor with good grades,behavior and attendance.