Get to Know Brother Bill’s Helping Hand

Dec 28, 2015

Brother Bill’s Helping Hand

Website: www.bbhh.org

Twitter: @BrotherBills

1. What do you see as one or two of the greatest challenges to helping the homeless and the hungry in North Texas?

One challenge is getting a wide variety of food to stock the shelves of our free Grocery Store (food pantry).  

2. How would you describe your mission, and how are you specifically helping the homeless and the hungry?

Brother Bill’s Helping Hand enriches the lives of men, women, and children in West Dallas by empowering through learning, encouraging through relationships, and ensuring the essentials of life.  Brother Bill’s Helping Hand provides food for the hungry, quality health care for uninsured adults; educational classes for adults; job training for women’ and camp, birthday parties and Christmas gifts for children.

3. Can you give us an example of a person (named or unnamed) who has benefited from your services? How have they benefited? If it’s appropriate, tell us a short story.

Each month, Brother Bill’s Helping Hand provides home delivery of food to senior citizens who can cook, but are unable to drive. Volunteers do more than just drop off their deliveries, they stay to visit with these special neighbors, listen to their stories, and share some joyous moments.  Over the last couple of months, several of our Home Delivery neighbors have had birthdays. Two turned 98. Volunteers went the extra mile by bringing a birthday party to their front door with cupcakes, candles and birthday wishes.

4. Is there anything new that you are focused on for the coming year? Any new initiatives?

In January, Brother Bill’s Helping Hand will begin a financial training program for men. The group will meet for Saturday morning breakfast over an eight-week period and work through “Faith & Finances,” a program designed by The Chalmer Center in Atlanta.  PathWays, a 120-hour job and financial training class for women held twice a year at BBHH, has used the program for the past three semesters. Participants in this program have experienced success as they learned to manage their money and their lives. Our expectation is that the men’s class will do the same.

5. What else should North Texas residents know about your work?

Brother Bill’s Helping Hand has served West Dallas for 75 years. The ministry provides opportunities for lives to be changed for the present, the future, and for eternity.

Help charities like Brother Bill’s Helping Hand by donating to The Dallas Morning News Charities today: http://bit.ly/1QGHGrE

Get To Know The Bridge

Dec 23, 2015

Website: www.bridgenorthtexas.org

1. What do you see as one or two of the greatest challenges to helping the homeless and the hungry in North Texas?

The two greatest challenges to helping members of our community who are experiencing homelessness are the lack of affordable and supportive housing and the increasing poverty in Dallas. An estimated 22 percent of Dallas residents live in poverty and 48 percent of renters in Dallas live in housing that is unaffordable given their income.

2. How would you describe your mission, and how are you specifically helping the homeless and the hungry?

The Bridge’s purpose is to end adult long-term homelessness in Dallas and the surrounding region by providing assistance and recovery services to citizens in need. Guests at The Bridge are provided with emergency and transitional shelter, meals, primary and behavioral health care, income and housing placements, educational and recreational services, and much more. The Bridge last year served more than 9,000 individuals, and since opening in 2008, it has surpassed more than 2,000 job placements and 2,000 housing placements.

3. Can you give us an example of a person (named or unnamed) who has benefited from your services? How have they benefited? If it’s appropriate, tell us a short story.

When you lose someone you love, your life can spiral out of control before you know what hit you. That’s what happened to Judith when her husband unexpectedly died. She became overwhelmed by depression and started living on the streets.

It was the most difficult time in her life. Not knowing where her next meal would come from or where she would be sleeping each night took a huge toll on Judith emotionally, physically and mentally.  She had little hope, and the only thing that kept her spirits up was the companionship of her dog, Budwizer. (Judith intentionally misspells the name to avoid confusion with the beer.)

When she decided to seek help, Judith learned that The Bridge was the only place that would allow her to keep Budwizer, whom she had grown to love like her own child. While he stayed in The Bridge’s on-site kennel, Judith was able to receive meals, shelter and treatment for her depression.

After a full recovery from homelessness, she was placed into an apartment in June 2015. Judith expressed her appreciation to the fantastic staff at The Bridge for helping to save her and Budwizer.

4. Is there anything new that you are focused on for the coming year? Any new initiatives?

The Bridge is endeavoring to continue to partner with organizations and government agencies to increase developments inclusive of affordable housing and link such developments to support services for people with long-term needs. The Bridge is also working to increasingly partner with contributors and agencies to expand services, programs, facilities and other related assets in order to sustain positive impacts in light of increasing community needs.

5. What else should North Texas residents know about your work?

Since The Bridge’s campus opened in 2008, serious (Part I) crime has dropped 49 percent, and millions of dollars have been saved through reductions in the number of people experiencing homelessness who spend time in the jail, hospital and court systems.

The Bridge is supported by the Downtown Residents Council and downtown corporations through fundraising and other volunteer activities, and The Bridge has been collaborating to help develop the surrounding area.

The Bridge is supported by Dallas voters, as evidenced by overwhelming support at the polls for two bond referendums that funded its development and a survey in April 2015 of registered voters by The Dallas Morning News, which indicated that more residents favor reducing funding for law enforcement and parks than cuts to homeless services should the City of Dallas’ budget need to be reduced.

Help agencies like The Bridge by donating to the DMN Charities here.

Today is North Texas Giving Day!

Sep 17, 2015

Today is the big day! North Texas Giving Day is an online giving event for people in North Texas to come together and raise as much money as possible for local charities in less than 24 hours. The Dallas Morning News Charities funds 24 local organizations that help those who are homeless, hungry and able to rehabilitate. You can find the full list of organizations by clicking here.

Donations can be made up until midnight tonight, so there’s still time to give and make a difference in our community! Head HERE to make a donation, then share with your family and friends so they can participate, too.

Here’s a little bit more about us:

Mission Statement
The Dallas Morning News Charities raises money to support programs and services for the hungry and homeless in North Texas. The Charities fulfill this mission through a close alignment with the Communities Foundation of Texas and selected nonprofit agencies that serve those in need by providing food, clothing, transitional housing, financial assistance and other forms of short-term relief to the homeless and those on the verge of homelessness. This is a fund at Communities Foundation of Texas.
Agency Needs
Together we can make a difference. Poverty robs people of dignity, hope and the power to determine their own future, but together we can make a difference. The problem of both chronic and transitional homelessness needs donors from across our North Texas community. Donations help provide food, clothing, transitional housing, financial assistance and other forms of short-term relief to the homeless and those on the verge of homelessness. The Dallas Morning News Charities funds 25 local organizations that help those who are homeless, hungry and able to rehabilitate. The News pays all administrative costs of the campaign, which means 100% of all gifts go directly to the agencies for basic needs like food, shelter, emergency assistance and job training. Making a difference only takes a moment. Thank you!