WHO IS THE “WORKING POOR”?

On January 20, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

In recent days the plight of the “working poor” has been highlighted to reveal a sinister reality for many low-income families in our country and our neighborhoods. The “working poor” are defined as employees whose total income falls below the poverty level, and comprise 6.3% of all individuals in the labor force.   Nearly half of all GRACE clients are the “working poor”, whose paycheck-to-paycheck cycle potentially sends families with unexpected bills into a downward spiral without intervention. This is especially true for workers who do not have paid time off and have to take a pay cut when their child gets the flu, for instance.   What’s even more alarming is that a great majority—80%—of all GRACE client households are headed by women, meaning there are many single mothers working long shifts, often facing hardships alone.   Of the 5,100 individuals GRACE serves on average each year, 44% are children. Despite

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STUDENT GROUPS MAKE THE GRADE

On January 20, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that intelligence plus character is the goal of true education. In this case, character was being formed even as school was out of session.   While most students were sleeping in during Martin Luther King, Jr. day, two special groups came to Donation Station to greet donors and sort goods that would later become material assistance and resale merchandise for families in need.   The local Delta Sigma Theta chapter sorority wanted to serve on this important day to honor the late Reverend King by showing unity through serving one another in love.   The national sorority is 200,000 women strong, whose focus is to nurture African-American women through education and public service.   On the same day the Southlake Carroll High School Freshman Student Council took the torch for the next shift at Donation Station to meet the needs their peers whose families might not be

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FOOD PANTRY NEEDS ESSENTIALS

On January 20, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

GRACE Pantry Manager Rusty Thigpen sent his January Food Pantry Needs List out last week. It was long and covered in red highlights indicating items that are completely out of stock, and yellow highlights on those items that are running “very low.”  His message was direct: “We have received many food donations over the holidays, but with our numbers of clients growing, the food we receive now goes out same day.”  The heroic efforts of the Food Pantry over the holidays supplied meal baskets for nearly one-thousand families for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This amazing service was provided in addition to the day-to-day needs for GRACE clients.  The many holiday food drives, and the volume of food donated in November and December is so deeply appreciated. Rusty truly wants everyone who participated in food drives with their company, church, club or school to know how much their work and generosity is

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WINTER RESTAURANT WEEK GOES INTO “OT”

On January 20, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

The first week of Winter Restaurant Week is behind us, but there is still time to enjoy the fare of some of the finest restaurants in the region!   360 West magazine’s Winter Restaurant Week is going into “overtime” with many participating restaurants extending to a second, and even a third, week. The dining promotion supports the efforts of the Fort Worth Dream Park, the Tarrant Area Food Bank, and GRACE.  The restaurants offer three-course prix fixe dinners for $29, $39 or $49, and then donate proceeds of $5, $6 or $7 per dinner to one of the three agencies.  Some remaining restaurants will close out their promotions on Sunday, January 22: Dino’s Steak & Claw, Mac’s On Main, Piola Restaurant and Garden, Prime Farm to Table, Righteous Foods, and Terra Mediterranean.   Five other restaurants are going the distance, and will conclude their Winter Restaurant Week on January 29. These are

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THE KING’S UNIVERSITY PARTNERS WITH GRACE

On January 20, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

Dozens of The King’s University students gathered on Saturday to serve at two of our resale sites with the sole purpose of mobilizing for others. One team stocked the shelves and welcomed item donations at GRACEful Buys Grapevine while the other sorted goods and greeted donors with a smile a Donation Station.   The King’s University is a unique, accredited evangelical university that was co-founded by Senior Gateway Church Pastor Robert Morris. The school’s vision for its students is to train men and women to develop the skills and talents to become influential ambassadors for Christ across all industries.    “It’s encouraging when a group reaches out on their own accord to respond to the needs of families in their community,” notes Volunteer Manager Lara Hohweiler, “there’s an ongoing reality that GRACE relies on groups like this to keep our operations running smoothly.”  If your group is interested in serving GRACE through

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A Buyer’s Market at GRACE

On January 12, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

All three of GRACE’s resale stores are now brimming with wonderful clothing, housewares, decorator items, furniture and more—the abundance of a Christmas season and generous people making room for their new treasures. Brimming stores are a buyer’s market, and the GRACEful Buys stores in Grapevine and Euless and Style & GRACE are pulling back prices to make it even better for shoppers. Style & GRACE is leading off this weekend with a Fishbowl Sale good through Saturday. Shoppers can draw for up to 75% off their purchase at the register. Beautiful jewelry, wonderful designer fashions, accessories, shoes, scarves, and décor items—everything in the store. Jana McGlone, the manager of Style & GRACE, is following that up with a series of 40% off sales the next week: January 16-19: 40% off storewide (except jewelry, you’ll have to wait until January 26 for an amazing sale on jewelry) January 20-21: 40% off dresses, skirts,

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Last Call for GREASE!

On January 12, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

The time for “boppin’ ‘round the clock” is almost here! The CBI Brotherhood’s “GREASE Is the Word” Casino opens its doors at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow night, Saturday, January 14, at the Good Shepherd Parish Hall, 1000 Tinker Road in Colleyville. The sounds of the Fifties will be everywhere as the DJs spin “stacks of wax.” Mac’s on Main will lay on a spread worthy of the Big Bopper. And the tables will be humming with wheels, deals, and squeals. Baby. [Okay, we can break for a second while everyone googles why vinyl 45 rpm records were once called “wax”. Fascinating, really.] For sure, there will be great food, great music, great gaming, and now, all the great raffle prizes! Congregation Beth Israel has devised an amazing raffle with a limited number of tickets that greatly increases the odds of winning. For the very first time, the CBI Brotherhood Special Raffle

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Texas Health Partners with GRACE

On January 12, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

  The GRACE Outreach to Health Community Clinic is now joined each month by the Texas Health Resources Mobile Health Unit. The Wellness for Life Mobile Health Program of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital provides the service that offers the best-known defense against breast cancer – early detection. The Mobile Health Unit will see GRACE clients who are in need of mammograms and meet the mammogram screening criteria set by the American Cancer Society.  All appointments are scheduled through the GRACE Community Clinic. The partnership with Texas Health began in 2013 with quarterly mammogram screenings. With the long waiting list of women who needed screenings, and the growing volume of clients coming to GRACE for all services, the upgrade to monthly visits was an essential and vital resource to the Community Clinic and to the community at-large. The majority of GRACE clients are women, and women-headed households comprise a large

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VITA Welcomes Tax Season

On January 12, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

In 2016, GRACE provided 287 families with tax assistance, financial coaching and nearly $400,000 in tax refunds, thanks to the resources of volunteers and community supporters, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, program. The results were astounding. Each family averaged nearly $2,000 in Earned Income Tax Credit, in their pockets. Earned Income Tax Credit and other credits, such as the Child and Dependent Care Credit, and many deductions are often left unclaimed or given a fraction of the return with a costly tax service. For those on limited budgets or fixed incomes, a well-earned return from the Internal Revenue Service has a significant budget impact, and creates a ripple effect that is far reaching, including the intangible support given during tax season for financial stewardship awareness, job coaching, and continued education resources to increase each family’s earning potential. “The value of this service could not be overstated,” said

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Transitional Housing Graduation Date Set

On January 12, 2017   /   Uncategorized  

  With all the pomp and circumstance of a commencement event, six women and one man are completing the GRACE Transitional Housing program, and will celebrate their achievement on Monday, January 30, at the Bessie Mitchell House in Grapevine. Though Ada A., Camille H., Crystal F., Felicia B., Luther H., Nadia A., and Jessica S. have reached life-changing goals already, the graduation will mark the conclusion of their two-year program with GRACE. “Each participant has accomplished long and short term goals that lead them to independent and successful lives,” said Shonda Schaefer, GRACE Executive Director. “It is a true celebration, but also a chance to say our ‘goodbyes’ as well.” The highly-structured two-year program focuses on improving life skills, education, employment and physical, emotional and spiritual health. Strong bonds grow among the participants, many who have created lifelong friends through the experience. It is also natural that the same type of

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