Leadership Blog: Heat Relief, Youth Education Town, North Texas Giving Day & More!

Dear Friends, 

We hope you're having a wonderful remainder of the summer season. Here are some updates!

HEAT RELIEF: TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

Summer is almost over but it’s still hot as the blue blazes! At The Salvation Army we take the heat, and its possible consequences for those who spend much of their time outdoors, very seriously.

In addition to our 15 Cooling Stations that have been open since June, our volunteer disaster team in Fort Worth provided an extra share of relief this summer. Multiple times, the volunteer team distributed cold water on Lancaster Avenue in Fort Worth, cooling folks down and keeping them safe.

The service is important in this part of town because there are three homeless shelters along Lancaster Avenue, including our own Mabee Social Services Center.

Here's coverage of our volunteer disaster team in Fort Worth:

An event per day for 30 days
at the YET in Arlington!
Visit salvationarmyyet.org for more info!

NORTH TEXAS YET OPENING: COUNTING DOWN!

We’re inching closer to the opening of the North Texas Youth Education Town (YET) at our community center in Arlington!

Set to officially open on October 14, the YET will provide programs for children and youth focused on education, sports, fitness, technology, and fine arts.

We’ll be counting down to the grand opening with a month-long "30-for-30" series of events. From September 14 to October 14, the YET will host 30 events in 30 days. Events will include an arts extravaganza, a cooking demonstration, free health screenings, a job and career fair, a college boot camp, and more!

Clarice Tinsley, Emmitt Smith, and Charlotte Jones Anderson
filming the YET PSA for FOX 4, slated to air through October!

In addition, FOX 4 graciously produced a new TV spot promoting the YET and also provided it to other TV stations. The PSA will feature YET advisory council chair, Emmitt Smith; The Salvation Army’s National Advisory Board chair, Charlotte Jones Anderson; and YET advisory council member, Clarice Tinsley; along with a few YET youth members. Keep an eye out: the PSA is already airing on FOX 4.





Here's footage of the PSA:

Learn more about the YET and the 30-for-30 events at salvationarmyyet.org.

Multiply the impact of your giving
on North Texas Giving Day!
Coming Thursday, September 19!

NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY: 
GET UP & GIVE! 

Set your alarm. Request a wake-up call. Or stay up all night waiting on 7 a.m. to arrive on Thursday, September 19. It’s North Texas Giving Day, sponsored by the Communities Foundation of Texas.

This isn't your typical fundraising event. When you make an online donation of $25 or more designating The Salvation Army as the benefiting charity, a portion of your donation will be matched, multiplying the impact of your giving!

An online donation is a great way to make a difference in your community.

Use this form to make a pledge today! We'll process all pledges on September 19.

Rowdy and kids from our community center
in Arlington showcasing designs
for a soon-to-be-built playground.

UPCOMING KABOOM! PLAYGROUND BUILD 

Children served at our community center in Arlington recently demonstrated their creativity by designing their dream playground. The kids’ ideas will be included when a brand new playground will be built by volunteers on October 1.

Sponsored by the Dallas Cowboys, Dr. Pepper Snapple, and KaBOOM!, the playground will be part of the Youth Education Town and will be a safe place for fun and fitness.

Kelsey Patterson of the Gary Patterson Foundation
(back row, left of door) standing beside
Lieutenants Markel and Carrie Banks of our
Northside community center in Fort Worth.

ACTIVITY IN THE METROPLEX 

We’ve had lots of recent activity from our partners and supporters!

In July, Hitachi held a month-long online fundraiser benefiting The Salvation Army, raising $6,843.06. 

Meanwhile, the Gary Patterson Foundation donated a brand new handicapped-accessible mid bus. The bus will serve children at our community center in Fort Worth.

Lastly,Team Up, Inc. donated bikes for 25 children served at our community center in Garland.

CONNECT WITH US!

Lots of news and events are on the horizon. Stay up-to-date by connecting with us our Facebook and Twitter pages!

Warm Regards,

 

Captain Michele & Major Ward Matthews
DFW Command Leadership

Recapping During The Summer Season!

Dear Friends,

Summer is here and we have plenty of hot updates for you!

Charlotte Jones Anderson addressing
guests of the hard hat tour of
the North Texas YET in Arlington.

ARE WE THERE YET? NORTH TEXAS YOUTH EDUCATION TOWN

It’s almost ready! Community leaders were treated with a hard hat tour at the nearly complete North Texas Youth Education Town (YET) made possible by Super Bowl XLV. 

Dallas Cowboys Vice President and Salvation Army National Advisory Board Chair Charlotte Jones Anderson, toured DFW corporate leaders through a sneak peak of the YET and showcased corporate program sponsorships and high-visibility naming opportunities.

Located at our community center in Arlington, the YET is expected to open this fall. Learn more here: http://www.salvationarmyyet.org

From left: Ally Davidson, founder of Camp Gladiator,
Lieutenants Jeremiah and Missy Romack,
Casey Ballard of the United Way of West Ellis County,
and Take It Off For Life founder Renee Byrd.

TAKE IT OFF FOR LIFE IN WAXAHACHIE

Salvation Army friends are getting in fighting shape through the new Take It Off For Life fitness program.  

Founded by trainer and nutritionist, Renee Byrd, Take It Off For Life fights childhood and adult obesity by promoting proper nutrition and exercise. Volunteers and guests celebrated the new program at our community center in Waxahachie.

Of course, the banquet featured super nutritious foods! 

Hear Renee and Take It Off For Life participants share information about the program:

Plenty of activities at our summer day camps
across the Metroplex.

SUMMER DAY CAMP

There is cool and there’s “COOOL!”

Parents looking for a “cool” place for their kids to go this summer can sign them up for one of our extremely fun day camps across the Metroplex. The day camps offer plenty of cool things for kids to do, like games, swimming, and field trips. The children also receive lunch at   

The Salvation Army each weekday during the summer. This is a huge benefit especially for families whose children are on the school lunch program. 

Learn more about our summer day camps at SalvationArmyDFW.org.

Our Cooling Stations provided North Texans
a safe, cool environment to escape the heat
and be properly hydrated.

Then there’s LIFE SAVING COOL: COOLING STATIONS

Summers in North Texas can be stifling and outright dangerous.

To prevent heat-related illness, we’ve opened 15 Cooling Stations at our community centers and shelters. The Cooling Stations offer cold water in a cool environment for those trying to escape the heat.

More information about our Cooling Stations can be found at SalvationArmyDFW.org.

A GREEN SUCCESS: THE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Our Social Enterprise program has been
expanding since opening
two years ago.

Our Social Enterprise program has operated a landscaping company for two years, with the purpose of giving residents of our Dallas homeless shelter job training and a work history to help them get back on their feet. Fifteen crew members have now received full-time employment and are on their way to self-sufficiency.

We haven’t let any grass grow under our feet. We’ve acquired new properties and new equipment and are continuing to expand this startup business.

Led by a state-certified irrigator and landscape expert, our landscaping crew now take care of 45 properties across the Metroplex, including the Circle Ten Council Boy Scouts of America headquarters and the Dallas Opera Rehearsal Hall.

Trucks donated by Chesapeake Energy
will help our landscapers
be more effective and efficient!

But wait, there’s more! On May 30, Chesapeake Energy donated two Chevy Silverado trucks to benefit the program. The trucks are used to transport equipment to job sites as our crews keep corporate and residential properties looking great.

Learn more, including how to receive a FREE estimate.

People Report employees
at our Pleasant Grove community center
in East Dallas.

PEOPLE REPORT VOLUNTEERS AT OUR PLEASANT GROVE CENTER

Employees from People Report, a company that provides human resource analytics for the service industry, put on their work gloves at our Pleasant Grove community center in Southeast Dallas to spruce things up by painting, mulching, and organizing things in the facility.

With more than 70 volunteers on hand, the group worked in various parts of the center, including the basketball gym, the playground, bathrooms, and the attic.

CONNECT WITH US

We wish you and your loved ones a wonderful summer. Be sure to stay up-to-date with the latest news by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Warm Regards,

Captain Michele and Major Ward Matthews
DFW Metroplex Command Leadership

Leadership Blog: Disaster Relief & Recap

Dear Friends,

This spring has been an especially trying time for our neighbors in Texas and Oklahoma. With the horrific explosion in West and the devastating tornadoes in Granbury, Cleburne, and towns in Oklahoma, many homes have been razed leaving people without a roof over their head. 

The Salvation Army has responded quickly to all these disasters. Our mobile disaster kitchens were deployed to meet the immediate needs of victims and first responders. Salvation Army workers also provided emotional and spiritual support to help people with the difficult process of dealing with what happened to them. 

With the Dallas Cowboys, Albertsons, and CBS-11
we held telethons to raise funds for our
relief efforts in West, North Texas, and Oklahoma.

Through it all, we weren’t alone. With the help of the Dallas Cowboys, CBS-11, and Albertsons, we held three TV telethons for our relief efforts, raising nearly $95,000. We also received support from Verizon, Mary Kay, 94.9 KLTY and others towards our relief efforts in West.

Our disaster services continue to help meet the needs of those affected. These services would not be possible without the strong support from North Texans like you. Thank you so very much!

Stan Richards of The Richards Group
addressing guests at the
Executive Leadership Breakfast.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST

We held our second annual Executive Leadership Breakfast at the Crescent Hotel in Dallas. Attended by some of DFW's leading business leaders, the breakfast featured Stan Richards, founder and President of The Richards Group, as keynote speaker. Stan spoke about The Salvation Army's brand and how that brand is communicated to the public.

We also announced plans to celebrate 125 years of Salvation Army operations in Dallas-Fort Worth during 2014. Charlotte Jones Anderson, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer for the Dallas Cowboys, will chair this year-long event. Gene and Jerry Jones will serve as honorary chairs.

We will also hold an Executive Leadership Breakfast in Tarrant County this fall. The breakfast will be an opportunity to give Fort Worth business executives a clearer picture of how their companies can engage with The Salvation Army to make a difference in the community.

RELIANT HOME RUN DERBY 

 Jason Hatcher (winner of the home run derby),
Captain Michele and Major Ward Matthews,
and Manny Rodriguez of Reliant Energy.

Reliant Energy hosted a Home Run Derby at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington with Dallas Cowboys players slugging away to raise funds for The Salvation Army. 

With each home run worth $1,000 (and each final pitch worth $2,000), Dallas Cowboys players raised $43,000! The winning slugger was Jason Hatcher. Also swinging bats were Miles Austin, Jason Witten, Demarco Murray, and head coach Jason Garrett.


ORGANIZATIONS VOLUNTEERING IN THE METROPLEX

BNSF employees volunteering at our
homeless shelter in Fort Worth.

Several companies were active at our centers the past couple of weeks. BNSF Railway employees worked together to paint rooms and renovate the playgrounds in our community center and homeless shelter in Fort Worth.

In Garland, Reliant Energy employees sorted food from the National Association of Letter Carriers' “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive at our local community center. Their diligent efforts benefited the center’s food pantry. 

Dr. Pepper-Snapple Group employees were all smiles as they painted various rooms geared towards children served at our community center in Plano, providing a safe, clean—and colorful— environment for children in the community. 

We thank all these companies for their great volunteer service!


WOMEN’S AUXILIARY FASHION SHOW

The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary of Dallas held a wonderful fashion show and luncheon at Brook Hollow Golf Club on May 6.

Kicking off with the Chic Boutique—where guests purchased designer items at great prices—the show featured a runway-style fashion show produced by Jan Strimple Productions. Gloria Campos of WFAA Channel 8 emceed this year’s event.

Proceeds from the fashion show benefit Salvation Army programs across the Metroplex. 

The Women’s Auxiliary is currently selling two quality dresses from the fashion show for a discount price. Click here to learn more. 

 

Former Air Force pilot Scott O'Grady
giving the keynote address at
our Annual Luncheon in Denton.

DENTON ANNUAL LUNCHEON

On May 1, we hosted a luncheon at Apogee Stadium at the University of North Texas, benefiting our programs and services in Denton.

Serving as the luncheon’s keynote speaker, former Air Force pilot Scott O’Grady described how he survived being shot down over Bosnia and being in enemy territory for six days. 

ECHELON 30M GALA WEEKEND

 Designer Kelly Wearslter (left) being interviewed
by Kimberly Schlegel Whitman during
the Echelon 30M Gala at the Joule Hotel.

Echelon, The Salvation Army’s young professional’s group, celebrated the work of The Salvation Army through its first-ever 30M Gala Weekend.

The weekend-long event began with a luncheon at the Joule Hotel in Dallas. Guests watched a live on-stage interview with designer Kelly Wearslter by lifestyle expert Kimberly Schlegel Whitman.       The celebration continued the following night with a dinner and dance at the Dallas Country Club. 

CONNECT WITH US!

A lot has happened and we have more on the way. Connect with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest updates on events, disaster response, and more.

Warm regards,

Captain Michele and Major Ward Matthews
DFW Command Leadership