Network of Community Ministries
Editor’s Note: In each issue of Richardson Life Magazine, we will focus on philanthropies that are making a difference in our community. If you would like to nominate a nonprofit to be celebrated in the pages of the magazine, email pmotte@hylogroup.com. NETWORK OF COMMUNITY MINISTRIES Offering Respect and Dignity to Our Richardson Neighbors By Ben Jones Since 1985, Network of Community Ministries (a.k.a. Network) has been working to provide important resources for our neighbors in need. The organization has become deeply intertwined with the Richardson community, partnering with Richardson ISD and the City of Richardson to better meet the needs of its citizens. However, Network’s services don’t stop at providing food and clothing for those within Richardson’s city limits. This organization’s services reach much further and deeper than many know. Network’s service area consists of the fourteen zip codes that make up Richardson ISD, which means helping families from parts of Dallas, Garland and Plano in addition to Richardson. With a service area spanning from White Rock Lake to the President George Bush Turnpike and consisting of more than 400,000 individuals, Network impacts a diverse population coming from a variety of circumstances. Additionally, Network’s neighbors may not be what people expect. More than half of those receiving services are employed, retired, or on disability. With the economic difficulties of the past two years, many neighbors who were scraping by are no longer able to make it on their own. “The day that you have to walk into a food pantry and ask for help is not a good day,” said Abbie Kauffman, Network’s President and CEO. “A big part of our mission is listening to our neighbors, treating them with the respect and dignity that they deserve, and working with them to improve their quality of life.” Although Network is most closely associated with the Community Food Market and Clothing Closet, the organization also works to provide deeper and more personalized care. Network offers stabilization programming to help neighbors in need and to improve their situations—including budgeting, career readiness, job fairs, childcare assistance and a continuing education fund. Stabilization coaches meet with neighbors and assess barriers to success. Whether neighbors need childcare, job skills training, GED classes, or a variety of other resources, stabilization coaches make the connections that change lives. “Our neighbors all have unique stories and this program allows us to sit with them, understand their situations, and connect them with resources to improve their quality of life,” said Kauffman. Of the 26,000 individuals served by Network in 2022, a quarter were retired. Many retirees are on a fixed income and, while costs have risen over the past few years, their income has not. Network knows that this age group has unique needs and serves them through the Seniors’ Net program. In addition to access to basic needs assistance and stabilization services, neighbors over the age of sixty benefit from Seniors’ Net programming, including home deliveries for those who are homebound, companion calls to ensure their connection to the community, and access to seniorspecific items in the Community Food Market. After moving to its new facility in 2021, Network began hosting Senior Day every Thursday. This program provides a chance for seniors to get connected with the community, make friends, and enjoy a hot meal! Each Senior Day features some sort of entertainment, whether it be a presentation on emergency preparedness, a local choir, or a troupe of tap dancers! Network’s Mobile Market Community Career Fair Senior Day at Network “For many of our attendees, this is the only chance they get during the week to socialize,” said Jane Kovacs, Seniors’ Net Coordinator. “We want to make sure that they know we are here to serve them as a vital part of our community.” “The past few years have really shown the importance of organizations like Network,” said Kauffman. “When times are hard, it’s important to know that your community is there to support you. To me, Network is a symbol of how deeply our neighbors care about each other. As we look to the future, Network is excited to serve the community in even deeper, more rigorous ways.” To learn more about Network, visit http://thenetwork.org or call 972-234-8880. YOU CAN HELP TODAY!!! Big Meals for Little Kids Network’s Big Meals for Little Kids Program supplies school-aged children with healthy and convenient food options during the summer months when they are no longer receiving breakfast or lunch from their school’s free or reduced cost meal program. You can support this critical program by donating school-age appropriate items like individually wrapped snacks, shelf-stable kid friendly meal items like Macaroni and Cheese or Chef Boyardee, or a monetary donation to support purchasing different items for our youth! Volunteer opportunities are available to assist with both the Summer Snack Pick-Up and Mobile Market that distribute these items to children throughout the summer at http://thenetwork.org/volunteer. Big Meals for Little Kids recipient Tools 4 School Network’s Tools 4 School Program provides backpacks filled with supplies for school-aged children. Send or bring donations of your new school supplies to 1500 International Parkway in Richardson, Texas 75081. You can also make a donation online at http://thenetwork.org/donate to support Network’s sponsorship of the RISD Backpack Bash! Tools 4 School volunteer School Supplies REGARDLESS OF THE TIME OF THE YEAR, NETWORK IS ALWAYS IN NEED OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: Food: Hygiene products (Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) Diapers Canned Meat and Fish Baking Items (Oil, sugar, flour, etc.) Single Serve Snack Items Clothing: Toddler Clothes Baby Clothes New Socks New Underwear Kids’ Shoes
Old 75 Beer Garden Brings Patio Vibes To the Richardson
Brand New Richardson Hot Spot Now Open By Raquel Henry Richardson’s newest casual retreat for the Holy Trinity of a Texas good time—live music, great food and cold beer—Old 75 Beer Garden is now open for business. Located just off Central Expressway between Beltline and Spring Valley, the 20,000-square-foot beer garden and venue celebrated its Texas-sized grand opening in April. The tables were filled all weekend long and live music set the tone for a perfect weekend retreat. Showcasing Texas hospitality from the moment guests enter to the second they leave, Old 75 prides itself on warmth, friendliness and community within its Texas-style beer garden. With two bars featuring the ‘friendliest bartenders in DFW,’ a stage with regular live music performances, an open lawn area with backyard games, a variety of seating options for kicking back, and themed private cabanas, including a She Shed, He Shed, Ski Shed and Cowboys Cabana which are available to rent for any guest’s party needs, Old 75 is an excellent spot to take a load off and escape the everyday. “Old 75 embodies the pride of Texas with Matthew McConaughey vibes— cool, casual and designed to simply unwind, no matter the occasion—and we hope guests enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it,” says Kirk Hermansen, owner and founder of Old 75 Beer Garden. “Pick your poison… all in all, and not coincidentally, we have over 75 drinks to choose from.” Both the Drink Bar and the Tap Bar feature covered and outdoor seating, designed to encourage guests to put phones down for a while and talk to their neighbors. With 34 beers and six specialty drinks on tap (and a large variety of canned and bottled beverages), guests are sure to find something to wet their whistle. And the kitchen offers a handcrafted menu rooted in South Texas flavors with a touch of New Mexico personality. Old 75’s specialty Coctails “Don’t let our easygoing vibe and casual hospitality fool you…Old 75 serves only premium meats, fresh produce and made-from-scratch Texas dishes daily,” states Hermansen. “Our friendly employees and atmosphere encourage others to do good, which is why we even included a ‘side of nice’ at no charge on our menu.” Old 75 allows guests to book out the entire beer garden or just a specific section. They will also host pop-ups and events throughout the year, including Backyard BBQs, Crawfish Boils, Steak Night and Oktoberfestivities. “We pride ourselves on community and giving back as often as possible,” said Hermansen. “Our goal is to treat every deserving person in Dallas-Fort Worth to an ice-cold beer or delicious burger at some point or another, while also supporting the charities in our community who are doing good.” For more information about Old 75 Beer Garden, visit http://Old75BeerGarden.com or on Instagram @old75beergarden. Live music at Old 75 Opening Day Celebration Fun at Old 75
The Core Theatre
Local Playwright and Performers Celebrating Richardson’s 150th Actors Miracle Lewis and David Keller Photo By Autumn McNamara Not many cities can point to a play based on their history. Far fewer the size of Richardson can make that claim. As part of Richardson’s 150th celebration, the “City of Richardson History” will be performed for local audiences from June 16 – July 16, 2023, at the Core Theatre, a hidden jewel currently in its fifteenth season of performances. James Hansen Prince, founder and creative director, is often the playwright and director of the plays performed at the Core Theatre and the “City of Richardson History” is no exception. For the past fifteen seasons, Mr. Prince has used the theatre, located just around the corner from City Hall on Arapaho Road, to perform more than fifty plays hundreds of times. “I established the Core Theatre to create productions that entertain, educate and elevate society by instilling hope and understanding. We looked around the Metroplex and felt like Richardson was a perfect location to serve the residents of Richardson, Dallas and the suburbs to the north and east especially,” noted Mr. Prince. “We do classic and iconic plays for audiences because we know that people want to see performances and stories they are familiar with, stories like ‘Driving Miss Daisy.’ But one thing that separates us from many theatres is that more of our plays are written and performed by artists from the local area. I am a playwright myself, so many of our plays are ones I have written over the years, such as ‘Inferno! Fire at the Cocoanut Grove’ and ‘Behind the Cotton Curtain: Remembering Medgar Evers.’ These are plays based on important moments in our nation’s history. There is always something for us to learn in the present, by watching plays based on our past,” says Mr. Prince. This passion for history and focus on giving artists a chance to shine on the stage is one of the many reasons the City approached Prince to ask if he would be willing to write and produce a play about the history of Richardson. Prince jumped at the chance and looks forward to performing the play for Richardson audiences. Prince notes that this play will be performed with a twist: “I don’t want to give everything away, but I like doing plays that involve the audience and create a sense that you are part of the story. This play is what we call devised theatre. We did this not long ago when local art patron Charles Eisemann gave us funding to write and perform a play that told the story of international students attending school at UT-Dallas. It was great fun because we used actual students from UTD to perform the play and asked the audience to participate in some things that all international students experience when they come to school here.” Prince’s goal is to entertain, but also to teach Richardson residents about the community’s history. He states, “The history of Richardson play will be performed in the same vein [as the UTD play]; we will ask the audiences to imagine themselves in the story and, with the help of well-rehearsed performers, participate as a way of discovering the history of the city. Richardson’s history is not unlike most cities in the South. We will not shy away from parts of its troubled past, such as the topic of segregation, but in keeping with our mission to instill hope, we are also going to show how Richardson became one of the most diverse and economically vibrant cities in North Texas.” While the Core Theatre is already busy preparing the anniversary play, area residents can attend “Portal to the Keep,” a science fiction “steampunk” popcorn melodrama right now. A lively show, audiences are even invited to throw popcorn at the actors performing in the play! The Core Theatre is located at 518 W. Arapaho Rd. For tickets, dates and times of all upcoming performances, visit http://thecoretheatre.org.
Backpack Bash 2023
Editor’s Note: In each issue of Richardson Life Magazine, we will highlight an individual or organization making a difference in the lives of Richardson Independent School District students. If you would like to nominate an RISD teacher, staff member or organization, email pmotte@hylogroup.com BACKPACK BASH 2023 RISD’S Economically Disadvantaged Students Need Our Help By Patti Otte Within the Richardson Independent School District, 57% of all students are economically disadvantaged, which means that more than 20,000 kids go hungry at least part of every day. 20,000 kids depend on getting a solid meal at school…and in some cases, that school lunch may be the only meal they eat each day. Imagine if every single citizen in Celina or Wylie or Stephenville, TX, went hungry every day. Each town has approximately 20,000 residents. That’s how many kids living in RISD’s borders are hungry. Every. Single. Day. And if meals are being skipped due to financial need, school supplies are an even lower priority. Ask any teacher what happens when one of those 20,000 children comes to school hungry and/or lacking school supplies. Anyone who has ever taught in a Title I school—and 31 of RISD’s 55 schools fall in that category— has a story to tell of a student suffering from hunger or a lack of preparedness due to no fault of the child. Four years ago, members of the Richardson community decided to change the narrative and the Backpack Bash program was born. In the years since, the program has grown to two Backpack Bashes each summer, thanks to the generous support of RISD’s invaluable sponsors. States Dr. Carrie Thomas, Director of Community Engagement, “Our donors’ contributions ensure that every student is ready for the first day of school. The two events connect RISD families to programs and services in a festive back-to-school fair atmosphere.” Backpack Bash 2022 “We have a motto in RISD that we serve every student, every day,” Superintendent Tabitha Branum says. “That means we are going to fill in a gap wherever that gap exists. And if 60% of RISD students qualify for free and reduced lunch, that means about 20,000 students need access to backpacks and school supplies to be ready to learn every day. This is hard work, educating and growing 37,000 kids, but our sponsors make it easier for us to focus on that academic growth.” The annual Backpack Bash provides RISD students with a backpack full of school supplies and gives families access to hygiene kits, haircuts and much more in a fun environment. Last year, the program raised more than $120,000 to help fund the event, at which more than 6,000 backpacks and school supply kits were distributed to RISD families. As successful as the program is, approximately 14,000 RISD students still need help each year. With Richardson citizens’ individual and collective sponsorship, donations and volunteer hours, the program will continue to grow and even more backpacks and supplies will be distributed. To achieve that goal and maximize this event’s impact, Dr. Thomas and her team need community support. They can also accept in-kind donations of goods or services. To learn more about this worthwhile program, visit http://risd.org/backpackbash. If you have any questions or would like to set up a meeting to chat about the best option for your participation, contact RISD Director of Community Engagement Dr. Carrie Thomas at carrie.thomas@risd.org Please note that all funds provided through sponsorship or donation are tax deductible. Backpack joy Happy recipients of school supplies