Sometimes the hardships of our community as a whole can feel too overwhelming to remedy, and often we are asked how families can make a tangible difference together. Fortunately, there are many ways families can work together to lend a hand up to other families facing hardship in a way that blesses the giver and receiver. Here are three opportunities to involve your family that will make an impact before we reach the end of next weekend: Cultivate growth at the Community Gardens The GRACE Community Garden is hosting a Garden Service Day next Saturday, June 24, from 8:00 a.m. until lunchtime. The morning will be spent planting tomatillos, pruning tomatoes, and planting melons and cucumbers. Garden Service Days are crucial to the success of the initiative to provide wholesome, organic produce to families facing hardship at the GRACE Food Pantry. Sign up here. Want to see what a tangible

GRACE was honored to welcome the team at Johnson & Johnson to support the mission of GRACE at the Food Pantry. Johnson & Johnson aspires to make a profound impact on reducing infant and mother mortality rates around the world, along with the support and tools to see local families thrive. The monthly struggle with competing financial priorities or unforeseen circumstances makes it difficult for many families to reach a healthy place. The total estimated cost for diapers and wipes for one child approaches $1,100, and baby formula can set a family back $150 or more a month for mothers who aren’t able to breastfeed or do not produce breastmilk. With the average number of children ranging from 2-3 children per GRACE household, the residual costs can be detrimental to a family that relies on a fixed income to make ends meet. That’s why the GRACE Food Pantry also dispenses

Two years ago Grapevine Lake experienced one of the more devastating floods in recent memory. Businesses and parks all around the lake were deeply affected, among those being Big Daddy’s Ship Store. In keeping with this phenomenal community, the City of Grapevine, Chamber of Commerce, and community residents responded with an outpouring of support after the flooding caused considerable damage and extended loss of business. Big Daddy’s Ship Store prevailed. The lakeside restaurant continues to be a local hub for juicy burgers, fresh seafood and live entertainment. Now, Big Daddy’s Ship Store wants to give back. “The community was there for us during the worst of times, and what better way to show our appreciation than to pay it forward through our local non-profit GRACE?” said Matt Armand, co-owner of Big Daddy’s Ship Store. GRACE sees a seasonal decline during the summer months for essential items, including canned food and

This week the six Feed Our Kids centers came alive with animated children, delicious food and energetic volunteers. Who could kick off week one of Feed Our Kids better than our beloved men and women in uniform at the Grapevine Police Department? In just one day, the officers fed over 200 children at the Outreach Community Center, partnering with the McDonalds in Grapevine. The Grapevine Police Department has long been a strong ally with GRACE to protect our families from high-risk situations over the years. The department’s close proximity to our Transitional Housing program not only gives the residents an enhanced sense of safety, the police officers have made it their priority to get to know these families on a personal level and extend their professionalism wherever it is needed. There are so many internal examples that these men and women have gone above and beyond to respond to the

Leave it to the children of families in this community to take advantage of the summer by serving their neighbors in need. We are awe-inspired by the third graders of Dove Elementary, whose grand exit for the schoolyear was a significant collection of care packages for at-risk children. Thanks to their detailed collection, hundreds of children participating in Feed Our Kids this summer will enjoy a gift package of their own, which includes an activity book, chalk, snacks, crayons and other delightful trinkets. GRACE’s youngest chef, seventh grader Daniel Henrick, put his skills to good use by selling his self-curated cookbook to friends and family, giving 100% of his profits to the GRACE Food Pantry. We were inspired this weekend to have visit from Peyton and Matthew Mobley at GRACE Donation Station, where they gifted their toys so that other children could enjoy them. Adults tend to complicate things when

This week Style & GRACE celebrated six years of operation by welcoming regulars to the shop and offering 60% off storewide! The secret to the upscale resale boutique’s success is their personal approach to customer needs. Here’s what the new and loyal customers alike have to say about Style & GRACE: “I needed a special length sterling chain and Jana called me when she got the size I needed. Try this shop just once and you will be back again and again…” -Virginia “[The shop] is a marvelous place to find excellent prices on designer clothing and accessories …With the help of Jana and the other delightful ladies, I seldom leave without finding a special treasure!” -PJ “Love this boutique! I have gotten some fabulous deals, the workers are volunteers, and the proceeds go to charity, it’s always a WIN-WIN!” -Maure New customers become “regulars” once they discover the “VIP

On Monday, Sarah Armand’s family and colleagues took a brief trip to Fort Worth to celebrate Sarah being among the finalists in this year’s Fort Worth Admin Awards. The annual event recognizes the invaluable contributions made by professionals who often work behind the curtain to ensure the organization thrives. Sarah was a finalist in The Achiever Award, who demonstrates resourcefulness and relentless perseverance in a project that will make strides in refining high-level operations. In addition to making sure every donor is thanked, gift acknowledged and auction item is accounted for, Sarah is charged with developing an understanding of GRACE’s relationship and accounting database. The project that aptly entered Sarah into The Achiever Award category is her determined approach at integrating the two in order to streamline her processes. Sarah has been with GRACE for over four years as the Development Associate, and continues to the glue that bonds the

Each Friday this summer, a couple dozen volunteers will stand under the sun unloading fresh produce, thoughtfully lining crates under an awning to create a colorful marketplace. Some people might wonder if it would be easier to simply bag all the items and disperse to families in assembly-line fashion. Perhaps they would be right, but we’d like to share why our self-select approach is of profound importance at GRACE. But first, some quick background: The Mobile Food Pantry was born to utilize groceries donated at the end of the week at the peak of freshness so families could enjoy wholesome food over the weekend. More commonly referred to as GRACE Grocery Giveaway, the food is loaded in large trucks and set up at a predesignated Feed Our Kids site. Families are giving advanced notice of our arrival, and are usually participating in Feed Our Kids for easy access. Staging the

Colleyville Woman’s Club (CWC) members recently celebrated their 39th birthday and the approaching hallmark of over four decades of service, fellowship and support. With philanthropy being the backbone of CWC, followed by embracing friendships, the group has raised over $3.5M in charitable funds. A charitable grant of $10,000 for program funding was presented to GRACE at their annual Caring with Commitment Celebration. Funding for the grants and scholarships is fueled by proceeds from the annual CWC fashion benefit and prestigious Holiday Home Tour, along with donations from generous sponsors and individual gifts. GRACE thanks the Colleyville Woman’s Club for their continued support and congratulates all the award and scholarship winners – many thanks for all you do in our community. Charitable grants, scholarships and service projects are only a few of the many ways CWC programs and member volunteers assist its neighbors in need. Those interested in membership can view