September 8, 2020 – MySweetCharity – Jeanne Prejean
According to Family Gateway President/CEO Ellen Magnis:
With everything 2020 has thrown our way, it is now more important than ever that our community comes together to support one another. North Texas Giving Day on Thursday, September 17, is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
For those new to Family Gateway, our mission is to provide stability and life-changing supportive services to children and families affected by homelessness. There are less than 100 shelter rooms for families in Dallas, and we operate the only emergency shelter in our city that serves families of all kinds that no other shelters will accept.
When I reflect on these past few months, I can’t begin to describe how proud I am of the families in our care and of our staff. The resilience displayed every day is truly inspiring. At the onset of COVID-19, our team rallied to quickly implement recommendations from the CDC.
It humbles me to witness…
- Kids in our emergency shelter receiving homework help from the hallway.
- The creation of a second shelter at a hotel in order to manage disease spread and system capacity constraints.
- Parents celebrating new employment despite the economic impact of COVID-19.
- Families continuing to transition from shelter to positive housing.
- Staff members working tirelessly day and night to ensure the safety of our families, all while supporting them on their journey to regain stability and self-sufficiency.
- The citizens of Dallas coming together in creative (and socially distant) ways to give back.
This playground artwork created by a child in our care sums it up better than I’ll ever be able to: Family Gateway is truly a safe place for families during a stormy season of their lives.
In May on North Texas Giving Tuesday Now, our agency had a record giving day total of nearly $60,000! With this amount of support, we can:
- Help 15 families prevent an eviction to keep them from needing emergency shelter, or
- Provide a deposit and a couple months of rental assistance to help 24 working families transition from shelter to housing, or
- Support a year of case management services for 30 families.
No matter how you spin it, funds donated on North Texas Giving Day enable organizations like Family Gateway to accomplish big things for those they serve. I know I speak for all nonprofits in North Texas when I say our work would not be possible without support from our community.
I encourage you to find a cause that speaks to your passions and if you are able, to give generously on North Texas Giving Day. With the unique circumstances we’ve all experienced this year, I am confident this philanthropic day will have a greater impact than ever before.
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