GRACE staff are some of the most hardworking and dedicated people in the community. These staff members have dedicated their time, whether short or long, to become a part of the GRACE family and to serve alongside many others to help those in need. Over time, many of our staff often find new ventures calling them from beyond GRACE doors. Kelly Prond was the GRACEful Buys Euless Manager for about 5 years. She started her GRACE journey working at Donation Station. There she realized the importance of all of the wonderful donations that GRACE receives from the community and in turn what is given to our clients. When she started working at GRACEful Buys Euless, Kelly focused on the value of each item and adjusted pricing accordingly. “Kelly is a “Thrifter”, said Jennifer Rawls, Director of Resale and Operations. “Her attention to detail and excellent customer experience is what helped
Read more →GRACE would like to introduce our new Client Services Caseworker, Ana Fores Tamayo. Residing in the beautiful city of Keller, Ana has always had a wonderful motherly instinct. As she is listens to our clients, she is quick to remind them, “Keep working hard. Keep the faith. And keep dreaming positive dreams.” She loves listening to those who come to GRACE for help and getting to know their stories. This is the first of her many attributes that everyone notices. It’s also what makes her perfect for the GRACE team. Before joining GRACE, Ana worked as a literature consultant at various colleges. She taught for 11 years, teaching English and writing composition. One of Ana’s favorite phrases is “Once a teacher, always a teacher”, which shows when she is interacting with clients. When she is not at GRACE, you can find her watching a play or writing poetry. Recently, Ana
Read more →Do you know which items are some of the most requested at the GRACE Clothing Room? If you guessed socks and underwear, you are exactly correct! Specifically, BRAND NEW socks and underwear! Many children outgrow all kinds of clothing during the summer months and are in need of new and freshly fitted clothes for back to school preparations. With prices going up on almost everything lately, many families are not able to provide underwear and socks for their children. This can become very uncomfortable at times. Here at GRACE, we strive to help families in any situation that may arise, all of which comes from our mission, which “is to be a steward of God’s blessings and resources in the community, by demonstrating compassion for those less fortunate by providing assistance to individuals and families in crisis and guidance toward self-sufficiency.” Our community makes all of this possible with the
Read more →GRACEful Buys Grapevine is one of our upscale resale stores that funds a large portion of our annual budget. This storefront is generated by donations given to us by our extraordinary community, who are always eager to give back to GRACE and its programs. Within the community is the lifeblood of GRACE: our volunteers. GRACE volunteers are always searching for new ways to spread the message of GRACE, in hopes of delivering a brighter tomorrow to our clients. A couple of months ago, GRACEful Buys received a large donation of books of all genres. GRACEful Buys Manager, Sandy Laquey, had a brilliant idea of having a library room inside GRACEful Buys for customers to visit. The room would be filled with different kinds of books for customers of all ages and interests. Unfortunately, Sandy was too busy to take this on by herself while running the store. However, Gateway Church
Read more →One of the most impactful moments in the GRACE calendar is the welcome a new Transitional Client receives when she first enters her new apartment. After several years of blessing homes over Zoom, old traditions were restored, and GRACE staff and volunteers piled into the small efficiency to wish clients well. This week, GRACE was blessed to embrace two wonderful ladies into their new homes. Representatives from Abiding Grace Lutheran Church in Southlake and White’s Chapel United Methodist Church were in attendance as well. Members of the congregation volunteer their time and expertise to fully renovate each apartment as one family moves on and another comes in. From the moment a client enters the program, all the furniture used in the space is theirs to take with them. This not only allows for less daunting expenses when a client graduates and finds a new home, it also provides a blank
Read more →GRACE would like to introduce our Fabulous Client Services Manager, Eliza Marentes. Growing up in San Jose, California, Eli has always been the one to help people. She is motivated by joy, teamwork, and her deep compassion for others, and that is why she is an awesome fit for her position. Before joining GRACE, Eli worked as an Advocate for protective caregivers and neglected children at the Alliance for Children. Working there, Eli says that she became more accustomed to nonprofits and fell deeply in love with motivating clients. Here at GRACE, Eli has already made an amazing impact on the GRACE staff and more importantly our clients. She is always giving advice and encouraging clients to “ focus on the day-to-day goals first, and once those goals are completed consistently, you will know that you are going in the right direction.” In the office, Eli is known for her
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