SEARCH's Company Kitchen Joins End Hunger Network
The WorkSource-Midtown at SEARCH
In the Spotlight: Council of Congregations May "Day of Giving"
Join SEARCH's Young Ambassadors
SEARCH's 2nd Annual Water for Life Drive
End Hunger creates unique community collaborative with SEARCH’s Company Kitchen
SEARCH and End Hunger Network Celebrate the Opening of Innovative Hunger-Relief Meal Preparation Facility, the First of its Kind in the United States
On June 6, End Hunger Network will celebrate the grand opening of the “Building to End Hunger” and its community collaboration with SEARCH, putting into action a revolutionary program that changes the historical approach to hunger relief in Houston. The newly constructed 14,950 square-foot building with a state-of-the-art kitchen facility, cold and freezer storage, and food distribution will impact the current approach to hunger relief in Houston by partnering End Hunger’s facility with our Company Kitchen business enterprise. The Company Kitchen is the culinary arts part of SEARCH's client program which offers job skills, life skills, and sous-chef training.
“Ending hunger is more than moving food from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’,” said David Davenport, Executive Director of End Hunger Network. “We are beginning a program that will directly impact lives and affect hunger in Houston. The collaboration with SEARCH is a new fundamental approach to ending hunger one person at a time while serving those who are still suffering from food insecurity.”
The facility is expected to provide 1.7 million individual meals for Houston’s hungry in its first year of operation. It will be the only facility of its kind in the America’s Second Harvest Network dedicated to the collection, preparation, storage, and distribution of meals prepared from surplus donated meat. Currently the Meal Prep Program, which is distributed by the Houston Food Bank, collects short-dated meat from local grocery distribution centers, prepares it into protein-rich meals, and delivers these meals to food pantries, emergency shelters, and more than 30 hunger-relief organizations throughout the greater Houston area.
In addition to its ability to produce meals and train the needy, the new facility will directly impact partner hunger-relief agencies that will see a 30 to 50 percent reduction in costs related to food acquisition and production. Current partner agencies will not have to use their own resources to transport and prepare food, allowing for savings that can be directed to other services.
“As a leading organization serving Houston’s homeless, SEARCH is proud to participate in this dynamic partnership with the End Hunger Network,” said Thao Costis, Associate Executive Director of SEARCH. “This new facility provides our Company Kitchen with the opportunity to prepare nearly two-million nourishing, high quality meals every year, helping us fulfill an important part of our mission to change lives and end homelessness by addressing one of our clients’ most basic needs.”
Among the building highlights are features like generators and emergency supplies to serve Houston during future disasters.For more information about End Hunger, please visit their website.
The WorkSource-Midtown at SEARCH
The WorkSource recently moved in to SEARCH! This kind of cooperation with area agencies exemplifies SEARCH's committment to working with other agencies. Letting each agency do what they do best promotes efficiency; more people are served for less money.
The cooperation between SEARCH and the WorkSource-Midtown is the topic of an article in the WorkSource's newsletter.
Chapelwood United Methodist Church
This month, SEARCH salutes Chapelwood United Methodist Church – one of the strongest supporters of SEARCH and its mission to change lives and end homelessness.
Chapelwood has pledged a total of $17,000 to SEARCH this year. A gift of $13,000 will help us meet the ever-increasing demand for services for homeless men, women and children in Houston. In addition, the congregation pledged $4,000 for the House of Tiny Treasures, Houston’s only accredited early childhood development program exclusively serving homeless children.
Over the years, Chapelwood funding has been essential in helping SEARCH provide programs to help homeless people in Houston rebuild their lives. But beyond the congregation’s contributions, Chapelwood also has been a wonderful source of individual volunteers and donors to SEARCH.
Many thanks to the congregation of Chapelwood United Methodist Church for all you do for SEARCH.
Join SEARCH's Young Ambassadors
Many young professionals are deciding which organizations they want to support. These individuals and couples choose to join an organization’s group based on their personal convictions, interests, and lifestyle. SEARCH’s Young Ambassadors group aims to communicate the issues of homelessness by connecting with young professionals between the ages 25 and 45 in a fun and meaningful way.
The SEARCH Young Ambassadors is having their first mixer at the home of Co-Chairs Leslie and Hedley Karpas on Thursday, June 8, 2006. Please join us for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres between 5:30 and 7:30 in the evening. Socialize, talk about the issues, and meet the Executive Committee, consisting of Co-Chairs Leslie and Hedley Karpas, Randy Canche, Melissa Nicks, and Larry Bubela.
If you are an active, take-charge young professional interested in changing lives and ending homelessness in Houston, join the SEARCH Young Ambassadors. SEARCH is a fantastic, vibrant organization working to make the world a better place while helping the homeless. We are planning on doing some great stuff, and if you want to get in and get serious leadership experience by exercise your skills at marketing, public speaking, event planning, or coordinate donation drives then this is the group for you! We’re also planning some great quarterly mixers, what better way to network with Houston’s young professionals, and make a difference in your community through awareness and education.
For further information contact Joni Robertson at 713-276-3064 or jrobertson@searchproject.org.
Hurricane season is upon us – time to remember that every day is a disaster for the 14,000 homeless men, women and children in Harris County who are struggling to survive. Join SEARCH and its founding body, the Council of Congregations, for The Call to Commitment. Later this summer, South Main Baptist Church will host an interfaith service with congregations from all over Houston and Harris County. Please check back for more details or for more information on attending this ecumenical service, contact Leonora Friend, 713-276-3066, at SEARCH.
Most of our success stories focus on clients and how SEARCH helped them change their lives and create a brighter future. Sometimes, however, we change the lives of the people that come here to help.
Dear Friends, Colleagues, Teachers, Mentors at SEARCH,
Yes, you are all of those and more. When I talked to the field office at U of H about my first practicum, I told them I wanted a placement that would provide new experiences and client interactions. I had no idea what was ahead!!!! The insights I have gained over the last five months from working with you and your clients have been beyond anything I could have imagined. It is one thing to hear someone talk about climbing a mountain, it is quite another to have a group of dedicated professionals walk with you up the mountain. I want to thank each of you for taking the time to make that climb with me. I am forever changed by the time I have spent with you.
When I began with SEARCH, I had no experience working with people suffering from homelessness, addiction, or mental illness. I salute your compassion, knowledge, skills, and energy in tackling these social problems. I hope to emulate those qualities as I find my place in the world of social work. As I write this, I think of all of the fortunate people who are searching for help today and will someday make their way to SEARCH and into your care. They have a wonderful surprise ahead. Good luck in working with them and in your future journeys.
I hope our paths cross again,
Steve Riester
Please join many like Steve and change your life by helping us in our mission to end homelessness. A wide range of volunteer opportunities are available. Please visit out Volunteers section of the website or contact Nancy Rocha at 713-739-7752, ext. 160, or by email at nrocha@searchproject.org, for more information.
Read SEARCH's Client Success Stories
SEARCH's Second Annual Water for Life Drive
July 10-16, 2006
Houston – last fall you showed the world we’re a city with a big heart.
Let’s do it again! Thousands of homeless men, women and children are without shelter from Houston’s brutal summer heat. Help protect them by donating the following items to SEARCH.
Drop-off locations at all 26 Sterling Bank Locations, or bring your donations to SEARCH.
Water for Life Sponsors:
AIG American General
Houston Astros
Houston Chronicle
KTRH Radio
Sterling Bank
For more information call Joni Robertson at 713-276-3064.
The Volunteer Program is excited to announce its new volunteer positions with The Company Kitchen at its new location, 2445 North Freeway! With the collaboration with End Hunger, we are recruiting committed, dedicated volunteers. Four (4) positions are available, Monday – Friday, with two shifts available, for a Vegetable Preparation position, Food Packager, Stewart position and an Office Assistant. Details are listed below. No experience is necessary - we will train you! A mandatory volunteer training is required as well as a good attitude and ability to work well with others. More volunteers are also needed in the Resource Center Kitchen at SEARCH, Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. You will be responsible for serving and preparing meals for more than 150 people in the Resource Center, SEARCH’s homeless day shelter.
SEARCH’s Company Kitchen, 2445 North Freeway
Food Packager
Responsible for packaging and resorting food in proper location.
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. or Monday – Friday, 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.Vegetable Preparation
Responsible for preparing vegetables to be cooked; includes washing, slicing/ peeling vegetables.
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. or Monday – Friday, 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.Stewart Assistant
Responsible for keeping the kitchen clean and safe from any hazards.
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. or Monday – Friday, 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.Office Clerk
Responsible for light clerical work and filing.
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. or Monday – Friday, 11:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
SEARCH’s Resource Center Kitchen, 2505 Fannin
Kitchen Volunteer
Responsible for preparing meals to SEARCH’s day shelter clients and maintaining a clean, safe kitchen. This will include filling cups with ice, slicing / peeling vegetables, cooking, and /or maintaining the kitchen floor.
Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Join our Volunteer Team today and help SEARCH’s Company Kitchen and Resource Center Kitchen rise to their full potential! For more information about volunteer opportunities, please visit the Volunteer section of our website or contact Nancy Rocha, 713-739-7752 ext. 160 or nrocha@searchproject.org.
In-kind donations are essential to each of our programs. Thank you to all those who support us by giving in-kind donations. We know we would not be able to feed, clothe, and provide the basic necessities to the homeless men, women and children we serve. With summer here, we are in need of more than usual in-kind needs because children are home with their families. Listed below our SEARCH’s immediate needs. These needs are great to coordinate for large group drives or for individuals! We have worked with corporations, organizations, Boy/Girl Scouts, Charity Leagues, youth groups, universities, sororities, schools, and individuals.
IMMEDIATE NEEDS
Non-perishable food
Non-perishable food is very essential to all of clients; especially those in our housing and education programs. We try our best to provide them with enough food to take home for themselves and their family. With summer here children will now be at home with their families and will need food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We collect canned meats, juices, canned vegetables, rice, cereal, applesauce, crackers, beef jerky, granola bars; any food that may be stored in a food pantry.
Hygiene Packets
Hygiene packets are very essential to all of our clients in all of our programs, especially those in our Resource Center (SEARCH’s day shelter), Scattered Site Housing Program, Mobile Outreach Program and our Employee Education Program. We try our best to provide large zip lock hygiene packets that include a new toothbrush, toothpaste, razors, shaving cream, deodorant, body soap, shampoo / conditioner, hand sanitizer, body lotion and sunscreen. In large Zip-Lock bags we are able to distribute them easily. For woman packets, please include pads or tampons. Please note that if you are unable to provide zip lock packets, we will still collect the items.
Baby Items
The families we serve both through our Scattered Site Housing Program and at the House of Tiny Treasures, an early childhood care center for homeless children and their families are constantly in need of baby items. We are always in need of diapers (sizes 3 and 4), baby wipes, baby food, baby formula and gently used baby clothing.
Cleaning / Housing Supplies
Adults and families in our Scattered Site Housing Program need your help in maintaining their resident and in basic home supplies. Food stamps do not cover cleaning supplies at grocery stores; therefore any cleaning supplies are greatly appreciated. We collect dishwashing soap, sponges, paper towels, 409, cleaning wipes, bathroom cleaner, brooms, mops, laundry detergent, glass cleaner, furniture polish. Housing supplies collected are matching dish sets, towels, electric fans, light bulbs, toilet paper, blankets, bedding sheets, etc.
Summer Clothing
With the hot summer here, we are in need of gently worn summer clothing for both men and women. This includes shorts, pants, dresses, t-shirts, blouses and / or men’s casual shirts. We also collect hangers! This benefits all of our clients when they are allowed to visit the clothing room once a week to collect their clothing for the week.
Work-ready clothing
Our collaboration with the Work Source has helped so many of our clients help find jobs! Therefore, we are in need of collecting gently worn work ready professional clothing for both men and women. Khaki pants are very much needed. Clients meet with their case manager and together they gather their clothing for their interview.
Sandwiches for the Mobile Outreach Program
Sandwiches are distributed through our Mobile Outreach Program to individuals who live on the streets Monday – Friday afternoons and on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. If you or a group would like to help, SEARCH is always in need of at least 75 – 100 sandwich sacks each day. Sandwiches are very essential to the program and without enough sandwiches the program is unable to feed the homeless. We ask to please put the sandwiches in a small zip lock bag and include both sandwiches in a brown paper sack so we have 2 sandwiches per sack. Sandwiches should be dry/no condiments, just the bread and meat, turkey or ham or peanut butter & jelly, and may be delivered to SEARCH Monday through Thursday by 12 p.m. If you would like to make a complete sack lunch, include chips, a piece of fruit, a granola bar and water or juice box.
Donations are accepted Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at SEARCH. Please contact Nancy Rocha prior to donation delivery and/or for any questions or concerns.
Thank you for helping us meet our ongoing needs! For more ways to help, please visit the Get Involved section of our website.
If you would like to receive our FANS Newletter, please send
an email to info@searchproject.org or call 713-739-7752.
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SEARCH Homeless Center is a proud member of the United Way.