2 The Great Harvest Update2 Working With Other Agencies3 Volunteers Make the Difference3 The Wilsons Say “Thanks”4 Fiscal Year Home Stretch4 Tax Services Available

5 A Happy Holidays at Irving Cares6 Now Hiring6 Feinstein Fundraiser7 Virtual Food Drives7 Corporate Foundation Grants Magnify Impact8 Employment Services Success Story

WINTER 2012

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F O C U S

Inside

Corporate Partners Step Up

Oncor Electric Delivery has been a great partner for Irving Cares for many years, both with food drives and sponsorship of The Great Harvest. In top photo, Jerry Bates, Oncor Area Manager, delivers a recent donation received by Irving Cares CEO Teddie Story.

On December 15, Irving Cares received $2,000 at the Monitronics International holiday celebration. In lower photo, Irving Cares CEO Teddie Story receives the check from Mary Jensby, 2011 Monitronics International Christmas Committee Chair. This year the committee voted to increase gifts to agencies providing food in recognition of the huge need communities are facing. At Irving Cares, food pantry requests have increased 30% over last fiscal year.

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Board of DirectorsYolanda CarrollPresidentBNSF Railway

Monica ReyesVice PresidentFluor Corporation

Chandra HillTreasurerGreater Irving – Las ColinasChamber of Commerce

Mary Ann BurnsSecretaryBB&T

Carol BellCommunity Volunteer

Marvin BondGreater Irving – Las ColinasChamber of Commerce

Angela BrooksCiti

Chris CarathersIrving North Christian Church

Mechelle DavidsonTXU Energy

Sharon IkelerLas Colinas Medical Center

Allan MeagherUnited Parcel Service

Tom MortonIndependent Bank of Texas

Eunice Kim NakamuraVincent, Lopez, Serafino& Jenevein, P.C.

Candi RichardsonInsperity

Krista York-WoolleyBNSF Railway

Harvest PlanningThe Great Harvest ~ An Evening to Care

Site visits have begun, themes are being tossed around, menu ideas are cooking – this means The Great Harvest committee is already hard at work to create a fabulous evening. Father and son co-chairmen Larry Clements and Chris Clements have grand plans for a special event you won’t want to miss. Look for more details soon as we announce the site and date for our annual fundraiser.

Irving Cares is part of a group working together to streamline processes with all kinds of service providers in our community: charities, churches, hospitals, government, civic groups, schools and individuals.

We want to update you on some of the exciting work we are doing. The Poverty & Homeless Coalition and the Human Services Council began monthly joint meetings in efforts to combine the two groups as well as bring together providers who didn’t know about either group.

One of the most difficult challenges we face is keeping up with who is doing what. The Poverty & Homeless Coalition’s website (www.irvingpovertyandhomeless.org) will become the hub of information for entities providing service as well as those who need service. We envision it being the starting point for anyone wanting to participate, whether they are a provider, client, donor, volunteer or casual observer.

We will be better able to share information about resources so that we can better serve our community.

If you’re interested in participating, contact Teddie Story at 972-721-9181 x 203 or tstory@irvingcares.org to be added to the distribution list.

Working Together

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The Wilsons Say “Thanks”The Wilson family had a tough year in 2011. Mrs. Wilson who is visually impaired, is a stay-at-home mom for three children; ages 11, 8 and 5. She receives disability income that normally supplements the family’s income. But when her husband lost his job, the disability payments weren’t enough to pay their bills. In August when the electric bill was past due, she called TXU Energy and was referred to Irving Cares for help. The Case Manager, Beverly Wilborn, was able to pay a large portion of the bill, and referred Mr. Wilson to the job search seminar for help with employment. Beverly received this Christmas card from the family.

Volunteers Make the Difference

Visit our new website at

www.irvingcares.org

“Like” us on Facebook.

Volunteers from BNSF Railway recently spent time some quality time in the Food Pantry. Left to right: Marjie Lowe, Marina Malamis, Mike Pagel, and Lisa Culos

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As you’re reading this newsletter, Irving Cares is finely focused on our fiscal year end of March 31. Calendar year-end giving was lively, and though total revenue is right on pace, donations are arriving from different categories than we expected. Some categories are ahead, some are on track and some are behind, but simply said, we need to raise at least $80,000 in our Annual Appeal in order to continue the fight against hunger in Irving, Texas.

We have some powerful allies in this fight: the $25,000 challenge grant from Belmont Foundation, Feinstein Foundation’s proportionate match, and YOU.

The Food Pantry at Irving Cares is seeing unprecedented requests for service. We always experience an increase in summer months, when kids are home from school and need to eat three meals a day at home; however, the requests usually drop back to normal by August. The numbers went up and stayed up this year.

More and more families need help with food because of job loss, reduced hours at work, or any unexpected expenses. When families live from paycheck to paycheck, extra expenses cause financial trouble right away. 30% more families requested help.

Another factor lies in this: though donations of groceries

to the Food Pantry have remained relatively consistent, donations haven’t increased at the same rate as requests for service.

We will use these donations to purchase food items not donated, providing nutritionally-balanced meals for hungry Irving families.

Please help us in our fight against hunger with a gift to the Annual Appeal.

In the Home Stretch

Food Donations

Families Assisted

Now Open! Free tax preparation site at Irving Cares helps people who make less than $50,000 file 1040EZ, 1040 and 1040A for no charge. IRS certified preparers available Monday-Saturday. Call 214-978-0081 or visit www.UnitedWayDallas.org/EKS for more information.

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A Happy Holiday at Irving CaresThe Holiday Assistance Program helps qualifying families by paying a large portion of their rent or mortgage in December. Instead of providing toys, this program provides “…assistance and training to promote self-sufficiency,” allowing families to budget for their own holiday giving. This note from a client expresses their thanks.

In December 2011, 46 families, including 159 children, received more than $18,000 in financial assistance with rent or utilities and a generous grocery gift card.

All the families also completed a money management class to provide skills for future holiday budgeting. Cookies and hot chocolate were served after the class by Irving Cares staff.

Volunteers are crucial to our ability to deliver this service. THANK YOU to the volunteers who served as case workers for holiday assistance, and to Consumer Credit Counseling of Dallas who conducted the money management class.

Consider volunteering at Irving Cares. We have all types of jobs available, from interviewing clients to filling food orders to picking up donated groceries to service on the Board of Directors. If you have a passion for helping

others, you can do just that by volunteering at Irving Cares. Contact Leigh Eitson at 972-721-9181 x 209 or leitson@irvingcares.org for more information.

Spare time on your hands? Want to get out of the house?

Now Hiring

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Irving Cares has been selected to participate in the 2012 ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program, funded by ExxonMobil and administered through Sunwest Communications. Each year the ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program provides full-time college students with eight-week paid internships to gain experience in a wide range of nonprofit community organizations. Our Employment Service Manager, Mary Shelton is now accepting applications for an Employment Services Case Worker Intern.

During eight weeks this summer, the intern will be responsible for learning about the Employment Services Program at Irving Cares, working with clients to help them obtain employment, building community partnerships, brainstorming marketing ideas, and conducting a

Job Search Seminar. The applicant must be willing to commit to Irving Cares for eight weeks this summer and be a full-time (minimum 12 credit hours per semester) college sophomore, junior, or senior - in the fall of 2012.

This is a terrific opportunity for the right candidate to gain practical experience in a busy social service agency environment. “As a case management intern for the Irving Cares Employment Services Program, I considered it a welcome challenge to be a resource for clients during their time of personal crisis. Also, through my internship, I was fortunate enough to gain valuable insight into the inner workings of a non-profit organization,” remarked one former intern. “I have no doubt that it’ll be a great experience for the student chosen this year!”

If you, or someone you know, wants to make a difference in the lives of needy families and do more this summer than answer the phones, contact Mary Shelton at 972-721-9181 x 207 or mshelton@irvingcares.org. The deadline for submitting a cover letter with resume and writing sample is March 16, 2012.

Watch your mail for a brown paper bag, telling you how once again this spring, Alan Feinstein is presenting an opportunity to leverage your contribution to the fight against hunger. This 15th annual $1 million giveaway distributes proportionately matching funds among nonprofits throughout the country that are helping feed their community.

We appreciate your past support, and we are counting on you again.

Additionally this year, the Belmont Foundation is offering a dollar-for-dollar match for monies raised through the Fiscal Year End Appeal. Every dollar you donate between March 1 and March 31 will be doubled; up to $25,000 is available,

and we need it all to feed our community.

Your generous gift of $50, $100, $150 or more, will double your impact in the fight against hunger in Irving, Texas. Thank you.

At Irving Cares, it’s not a handout, it’s a hand up.

Feinstein Fundraiser Coming Soon

A Food Drive With No Shopping, Lines or Lifting!

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Irving Cares procures food items from the North Texas Food Bank by paying a shared maintenance fee of .28 per pound. We spend an average of $25,000 per year at NTFB to receive nearly 90,000 pounds of food.

Your participation in a virtual food drive benefiting Irving Cares creates a credit on our NTFB account, helping us feed more families in a cost-effective way.

Use these steps to help Irving Cares:

1. Register your food drive online at http://www.ntfb.org/d_fund_food_drive_info2.cfm

2. Include IRVING CARES in the name of your food drive

3. After the event send a letter with the results to the NTFB and to Irving Cares

Please contact Kimberly Humphries at 972-721-9181 x 202 or khumphries@irvingcares.org if you have any questions.

You can help close the gap on hunger with hassle free giving; no lifting required!

Check with your HR department to find out if your company has a gift matching or volunteer time matching program. Retirees too, will find that many companies match community service with

community grants. These funds are invested back into the Irving community. If you have questions, contact Kimberly Humphries at 972-721-9181 x 202 or khumphries@irvingcares.org. Generally, forty hours of service is the threshold for a volunteer incentive program grant, and some companies will allow spouses to participate in their program.

In a recent example, the ExxonMobil Pipeline Company in Irving provided eight individuals who donated over 120 hours working in the Food Pantry sorting and stocking shelves during 2011. One of the

volunteers qualified for a $500 grant. This same company provides safety incentives for its drivers. As their charity of choice, Irving Cares benefitted from their exceptional safe driving record with a $7,000 grant dedicated to our operations.

Other retired corporate employees have cumulatively qualified for over $5,000 in volunteer matching grants. These grants, combined with the volunteer service that earned them, make it possible for Irving

residents to receive a hand up when they are in need.

Volunteers contribute thousands of hours of service to Irving Cares every year, and volunteer opportunities are abundant. Contact Leigh Eitson at 972-721-9181 x 209 or Leitson@irvingcares.org to

find out how you can make a difference today.

Corporate Foundation Grants Magnify Impact

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Irving Cares, Inc.440 South Nursery Road, Suite 101P.O. Box 177425Irving, TX 75060

TEL (972) 721-9181FAX (972) 438-7345

www.irvingcares.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

NON-PROFIT US

POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT #4043 DALLAS, TX

Shortly after Thanksgiving, the Employment Services Manager received this voicemail:

This is Ken. Remember me? I just wanted to say …

Thanks for all your help. Without you there’s no telling where I might be. I’m working now for the security firm I told you about, and they’re working me anywhere from 40 to 55 to 60 hours a week. It’s a little much, but I’m not griping about it. Thank you for all your help. You’ve been an angel when I was in distress. You’ve been great and again, thank you very much.

Ken came to Irving Cares in July because he was looking for a job but wasn’t having any luck. Because of his recent disappointments in his job search, he was negative and not very hopeful. He met with Austin Christenberry, our Community Summer Jobs Program intern with the Employment Services Program. Austin assisted Ken in updating his resume, and Ken also used the computer lab to apply for jobs.

Ken was hired on 7/28/11, and we assisted him with a $20 gasoline voucher to enable him to get to work for the first week. With the assistance he received in the Employment Services Program, Ken’s gainfully employed and on his road to self-sufficiency.

A Client Says “Thanks”SU

CC

ESS STORY