You’re Restoring Life to the Homeless and Hurting

R E S T O R I N G H O P E T O T H E H O M E L E S S T H R O U G H YO U

F A L L 2 0 0 9

A message from the director...2

From homeless teen to college student — thanks to YOU...3

Volunteers are changing lives...3

You make all the differencefor families in need...4

SSHHEELLTTEERR

PRESIDENT Mike McCoy, The Meadows Foundation

VICE PRESIDENT, EVALUATION & PLANNING Larry Olive, Texas Health Resources Arlington Memorial Hospital

VICE PRESIDENT, FUND DEVELOPMENT Mark Strand, Bank of America

SECRETARY John Jenkins, City of Dallas

TREASURER Scott Reading, Frost Bank

Kate Baird, First Rate

Carolyn Casselberry, Ebby Halliday Real Estate

Harry Davis, Net Lease Solutions

Sissy Day, Day and Associates

Melissa Holland, Bell Helicopter Textron

Doug Peters, North Davis Church of Christ

Richard Sherman, Arlington Family Practice

Zeb Strong, Jr., University of Texas at Arlington

Lauren Tune, Brad Cecil & Associates

Gigi Westerman, Strategic Image

LIAISON MEMBERS Karen Flynn, PALS Auxiliary

Russ Greene, Arlington Police Department

Justin Jarvis, Arlington Youth

Lisa Jarvis, Arlington Community

BOARD LIAISON Sissy Day, Day and Associates

Councilman Jimmy Bennett, City of Arlington

State Senator Wendy Davis

Trustee Bowie Hogg, Arlington ISD

Councilman Mel LeBlanc, City of Arlington

Trustee Gloria Pena, Arlington ISD

State Representative Paula Pierson

Dr. Allan Saxe, University of Texas - Arlington

Commissioner Marti Van Ravenswaay, Tarrant County

Council Member Kathryn Wilemon, City of Arlington

Becky Orander EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

board of directors

advisory council

dear friend,

Just before school started this year, I was in line at the grocery store and overheard a conversation between a girl, probably about 12 years old, and her mother. They were using a Star card – the modern equivalent of food stamps – and I could tell from their exchange that they’d had to account for every penny of what was in their basket. No room for “extras.”

As they approached the register, the daughter looked at the cashier’s nametag and turned to her mother, “Mom, I want to be just like her when I grow up, with my own nametag and everything!” Her mother, seeing a teachable moment, responded, “You’ ll have to stay in school.”

This little girl’s mom knew that getting an education would change her daughter’s horizons...she probably wouldn’t aspire to being a cashier once she really knew what was out there. Hopefully she’d be able to make a better life for herself than her mom had.

It’s nearly impossible for families earning minimum wage to make ends meet. To afford housing, food and childcare in the Metroplex, a household has to have two full-time wage earners, each making at least $14.94 an hour, with no vacation or sick days. More “working poor” families are on the verge of homelessness than you can imagine.

But thanks to you, there’s a safety net for those who fall on hard times. Your support of the Arlington Life Shelter means that families and individuals in our community who face the desperation of homelessness have a lifeline to hold onto – just long enough to get back on their feet. And in the case of our precious children, long enough to get on academic solid ground.

And because we want to do a better job of expressing to you just how much you’re impacting people’s lives, we’ve redeveloped our newsletter to be able to share more real stories and pictures of the lives you’ve touched and transformed through your generosity. Please take a moment to read about just a few of the success stories you’ve made possible.

From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of the shelter residents you help serve every day, you have our sincerest thanks.

Volunteer Linda Lettes Provides a Literary Lifeline

Linda (right) and Vanessa (left) practice reading a Sonic menu.

“Education is the key to everything,” says Linda Letts, GED and literacy volunteer at the Arlington Life Shelter. “Once a person discovers how to read, life opens up and takes on a brand new meaning.”

Linda’s skills as a teacher are invaluable in helping residents—children and adults —learn vital skills like reading. Most of us take reading for granted, but Linda knows for some, not being able to read is a serious roadblock.

After seeing countless successes in the residents she’s tutored, Linda says the most rewarding part of her volunteer experience is being able to increase the confidence of new readers as they sound out words – sometimes for the first time.

Vanessa is a current shelter resident who’s working with Linda on her reading skills. Vanessa, now a grown woman and mother of 9-year-old Julia and 7-year-old Javier, had repeated fourth grade when she was a child. Unfortunately for her, the teachers passed her to the next grade every year after that even though she couldn’t read.

When Vanessa realized recently that she couldn’t help her children with their

elementary school homework, she decided that the time was right to learn to read. She wanted to be able to read notes sent home from their teachers and fill out job applications on her own. Linda was there to help.

Vanessa told Linda that she had a real fear of the public library because the big, thick books were more than a little intimidating. Linda, being a creative and resourceful teacher, picked up a menu from Sonic, Vanessa’s family’s favorite place to eat. Every week, Vanessa and Linda read a new part of the menu.

Now Linda has one more success story to add to her collection – Vanessa recently checked out The Swiss Family Robinson from the library!

Without the faithful support of our many, many dedicated volunteers, the Arlington Life Shelter couldn’t possibly do the work of restoring the lives of homeless families and individuals. We are so grateful for Linda and for everyone who gives of themselves to help make a life for someone less fortunate through service to the Arlington Life Shelter.

College Bound...Thanks to YOU!Robert is the very picture of a young

life brimming with potential. He’s smart, polite, well-spoken and always ready to help anyone who needs it. He’s the oldest of two boys and his parents couldn’t be more proud of him.

You see, Robert is setting off to become the first college graduate in his family.

Like many high school graduates, Robert spent his senior year studying hard and applying to colleges. But unlike most high school seniors, Robert didn’t get to fill out his college applications at home...because he didn’t have one. His family had become homeless when his dad lost his job and couldn’t find new work.

Robert beat the odds when he finished high school – only 25 percent of homeless teens actually graduate. But the fact that he just started his freshman year at Tyler Junior College puts Robert heads above others in his situation.

It’s because of you and your support of the Arlington Life

Shelter that Robert and his family could be a part of a thriving program that made it possible for Robert not to skip a beat. He credits his parents’ values, instilled in him since birth, for giving him the drive to succeed no matter what the circumstances.

“When my family became homeless, my parents chose to come to the Arlington Life Shelter because of the structured program, the strong expectations for the residents and the focus on education,” says Robert, grateful for the chance to experience a very different type of homeless shelter than what he’d expected.

Now, thanks to you, Robert, his brother and their parents are well on their way to being back on their feet. They’ve been living in an apartment of their own through the shelter’s Transitional Housing program and Robert’s mom Lisa has also started taking college classes. But Robert’s studies won’t end in Tyler. Once he’s completed his courses at the junior college, he hopes to attend TCU’s School of Architecture.

On behalf of Robert, his family and all the hundreds of families like theirs who come through our doors each year, thank you.

thank you for all you do to help those who have less2 3

With a successful career earlier in life, Diane said her biggest concern was that she didn’t feel

right about making so much money. In fact, she gave away much of what she had.

With three young children and a working husband, Diane decided to fulfill her dream of becoming a full-time mom. It also gave her more time to write — another passion of hers.

Sadly, life took some unexpected turns and Diane found herself alone when her husband left. She couldn’t find full-time work so she did odd jobs and pursued her writing.

Eventually Diane settled down again and got re-married. She had two children, Jeffrey, now 9 and Andrew, now 7. But in just a few years, Diane and her boys were on their own again – barely making ends meet, although managing to get by. Until August.

She’d been substitute teaching, but with no paycheck all summer, Diane just couldn’t make the rent. She and the boys quickly ran out of places to go.

“We are really, really thankful,” Diane says about the chance to come to the Arlington Life Shelter.

Not only was her family welcomed into a safe and loving environment, but she didn’t have to worry about things like school supplies for Jeffrey and Andrew as they started their first week of the new school year. They now have a place to do homework with their mom every night and plenty of nutritious food to keep their developing minds sharp.

Diane is substitute teaching again and she’s talking to a publisher about her first potential book deal. She just needed a little help to save up some money before she’s back on her feet – and you’re making that possible!

When asked what she’d say to generous friends like you for giving her family this life-restoring experience, Diane had trouble finding the words.

“I just can’t express enough how thankful we are.”

You make all the difference for families in need

A.P. PETSCHE

ARLINGTON FAMILY PRACTICE

COOK CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

COSTCO

BELL HELICOPTER

BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY

FIRST RATE

FROST NATIONAL BANK

JC PENNEY

JOHN PETER SMITH HOSPITAL

KOHL’S

NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR

NORTH TEXAS HEALTHCARE LAUNDRY

REGIONAL ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION

SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE

SPRING CREEK BARBECUE

TANDY BRANDS ACCESSORIES, INC.

TEXAS HEALTH ARLINGTON

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

TOM’S MECHANICAL, INC.

WELL’S FARGO

Adopt a sleeping room to

decorate in a theme requested by the

residents. Residents could be sleeping

in the Cowboys dorm instead of the

“C” dorm. A young family might stay

in the Winnie the Pooh or Sponge Bob

room while participating in the shelter’s

program. We invite you to get creative

and bring your hard workers and all the

supplies you need to make the shelter

more like home for our residents on

their journey to self-sufficiency.

Adopt a holiday to spruce up the

shelter with festive décor. There are still

several holiday opportunities remaining

in 2009 including Thanksgiving and

New Years! Once again, we invite you

to be creative and bring your friends

and family and all the supplies you’ll

need to make the shelter a place

residents can celebrate!

Up for Adoption: Group OpportunitiesGreat ways to get the whole group involved!

If you’d like to take advantage of these or any other volunteer opportunities, please contact Alex Davis, volunteer coordinator, at adavis@arlingtonlifeshelter.org or 817-548-9885 x 2108.

THANK YOUto the following businesses for

continuing to make a difference:

A very special

Together, we shepherd homeless men, women and children towards a lifestyle

of self-sufficiency.

Jeffrey, Diane and Andrew take a break from homework.

4