2022 Impact Report

IMPACT REPORT 2022

A WORD FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRENDA SNITZER

It takes all of us, together, to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Friends,

As I look ahead and plan for 2023, I find it crucial to reflect on all we did last year. Since I started at The Stewpot five years ago, I’ve been consistently humbled by what we have been able to and continue to accomplish- and I’m always reminded that we can’t do it without your support!

We saw a lot of wins in 2022, including the addition of two programs - our College and Career Readiness Program and Permanent Supportive

Housing Program - but there is always more work to be done. For 2023, my Stewpot goals are:

1) Continue to grow people, processes, and programs;

2) Continue to develop the resources to support these areas; and

3) Engage all Stewpot staff in creating a culture of excellence and the best for our clients, volunteers, supporters, and staff.

It takes all of us, together, to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

BRENDA SNITZER

OUR MISSION

The Stewpot meets people where they are, often at life’s lowest point. Our mission has remained consistent since we began operations in 1975: to offer a safe haven for homeless and at-risk individuals of Dallas, to provide resources for basic survival needs and opportunities to start a new life.

Our expert staff are constantly rising to challenges—whether because of the pandemic changing the ways we serve our neighbors or construction affecting our usual food distribution route.

One of our core values is INNOVATION

READINESS

The Stewpot’s Children, Youth, and Family (CYF) Program helps children and youth living in poverty build a solid foundation from which to grow and develop into adults with choices and opportunities. Since the program began, a key focus has been supporting children and youth academically from first to twelfth grade and setting them up for success in college or vocational school. The program provides higher education scholarships; qualifying students can receive $2,000 a year for up to five years! The financial hurdle is major, but so are the many questions that come with the college and career exploration process.

To bridge this gap, the CYF program hired a full-time College and Career Readiness Coordinator in November. The coordinator pairs current Stewpot students with mentors to provide them with a personalized environment to meet their individual goals. Alumni of the Stewpot Children and Youth program will serve as mentors, as well as external volunteers and partners. We plan to use connections such as Leadership Dallas groups, corporate volunteer groups, and church members as mentors. These relationships are invaluable to our students for networking, career advice, internship opportunities, and job shadowing placements.

Gissell, class of 2022, who grew up coming to The Stewpot’s Children + Youth program, started at Harvard University in Fall 2022.

In the spirit of innovation, we want to share some exciting new additions to our wraparound programming.

Edgar was a prime candidate for our Rapid Rehousing program, and The Stewpot helped him find a home in early 2022.

PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

The Stewpot’s Housing program began in 2020 with Homelessness Prevention: our caseworkers helped individuals and families avoid falling into homelessness through rent and utility payments and by connecting them with our other wraparound services. In 2021, we added a Rapid Rehousing program, through which Stewpot case managers provided housing, move-in support, and job assistance to help individuals and families on the City’s Housing Priority List exit homelessness quickly and become self-sufficient again.

However, these programs left a gap—many of our regular clients were still chronically homeless individuals with significant barriers to housing.

So, in 2022 The Stewpot’s expert Housing department piloted a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program. The PSH program offers various housing options to participants, thanks to the strong relationships the Housing department has developed with multiple landlords throughout the community. Once participants are enrolled in the program, The Stewpot provides progressive engagement and supportive services. Connecting individuals to mainstream benefits upon entry into housing is the overall goal, as is working to help them

build a personal support system independent from

their

case manager

Through a partnership with Goodwill, we also help housed clients gain employment.

2022 BY THE NUMBERS

Homeless Services

5,290 recovered vital documents, including state IDs and birth certificates

ID services are an essential part of stabilization for our clients who are homeless. To secure formal employment, enroll in a housing program, receive Social Security or Veteran’s benefits, or food stamps, an official state ID is crucial. The Stewpot is one of the only organizations in North Texas which helps individuals receive IDs!

5,532 Representative Payee visits provided

Once clients have an ID, many still require a Representative to manage their Social Security or Supplemental Security Income. Our Representative Payee caseworker ensures clients’ benefits go towards meeting their needs: rent, utilities, groceries, and anything else they may need.

Stewpot Volunteer Hours

14,500 ($434,275 worth)

Carolyn Jefferson served as Co-chair with her sister at the annual 2022 Soup’s On Luncheon + Art Show at the Anatole in Dallas.

Housing 205 households remained housed through an emergency financial assistance program

Due to increased need in the wake of COVID-19, The Stewpot provided individualized casework management and emergency rent and utility assistance to more than 200 clients to ensure they remained housed. This casework experience and housing-first approach has also been crucial in the establishment of the Permanent Supportive Housing program.

59 households stabilized through Rapid Rehousing

The Rapid Rehousing program, launched in March 2021, provides housing assistance, move-in assistance, job assistance, and other case management to individuals and families who have been homeless for less than six months. The focus of Rapid Rehousing is helping clients quickly regain and sustain stability through a progressive support model.

15 households housed through the brand-new Permanent Supportive Housing program

Nutritional Support

218,936 meals served at The Stewpot’s Second Chance Café

Since 2008, The Stewpot has served three meals a day, 365 days a year to guests at the Second Chance Café. Thanks to Meal Services staff and our wonderful volunteers, unhoused and at-risk individuals in Dallas have access to hot, nutritional food on a consistent basis.

822,870 lbs. of food recovered and shared with those facing food insecurity

In 2017, The Stewpot launched its Food Recovery program, which rescues surplus edible food that would otherwise be thrown away. The Food Recovery team coordinates with partners in the restaurant, hospitality, and food service industries to ensure every pound of food is used. We use the food for Stewpot meal service, food distribution, or distribute it to partners when we have no use for it.

12,820 food-insecure individuals served through food distributions

The Stewpot’s food distribution program provides pantry essentials and produce, diapers, paper goods, school uniforms, coats, and gift cards for holiday presents to individuals and families who identify as food insecure. These items are more than a few meals—they provide essential budget relief for families and individuals who would otherwise have to choose between buying groceries or paying rent. Food distributions occur twice monthly and serve over 150 households each time.

THE STEWPOT

Children, Youth, + Family

105 unduplicated students attended year-round programming

Our Children, Youth, and Family (CYF) program offers year-round weekly activities that encourage low- and extremely low-income children and youth to stay in school, improve academic performance, and make positive choices for their future. Academic and enrichment programming is offered for students in first through twelfth grade all year. Young students engage in arts and crafts, drama, music, and sports, while older youth focus on hands-on activities such as building computers, developing Power Point presentations, career searches, arts and crafts, drama, and community service projects.

42 students received Community Ministries scholarships

The CYF program’s overall goal is to help our children and youth break the cycle of poverty through immediate assistance and ongoing support which will prepare them for college or vocational school. In the 2021-2022 school year, 100% of our high school seniors graduated, and 100% of our students advanced to the next grade level. The CYF program also expanded its support in 2022 with the addition of the College and Career Readiness Coordinator!

Arts + Enrichment

38 artists, on average, created art in the Stewpot Art Studio each month

The Stewpot’s art program, included in its Enrichment programming, is designed to help homeless or at-risk individuals gain self-confidence, develop new skills, and communicate in healthy and healing ways. The art program offers free supplies and studio and gallery space to homeless and at-risk artists in Dallas. Artists are encouraged not only to create freely, but also to display and sell their work. 90% of the proceeds go directly to the artist, and the other 10% are donated back to The Stewpot Art Program for art supplies, field trips, and other opportunities for artists. Don’t forget to have a look at our new online art store at stewpotdallasart.org!

6 STREETZine vendors, on average, supplemented their income with sales each month

STREETZine, Dallas’ street newspaper, is written and produced in-house thanks to our Editor and consistent volunteers. Other enrichment programs include horticultural therapy at Encore Park Community Garden, where participants plant, tend, and pick vegetables, fruits, and herbs; a partnership with Dallas Street Choir, which welcomed an average of 97 singers each month

Writer’s Workshop.

Gershon is involved in The Stewpot Enrichment programs and was housed through our Rapid Rehousing Program in later 2022.

OUR PARTNERS

Partnerships are critical to the work of The Stewpot. Over the course of its history, The Stewpot has birthed a number of nonprofits, including Austin Street Center, Genesis Women’s Center, and Interfaith Housing. The Stewpot has provided all meal services for The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center since its inception in 2008. The Stewpot provides onsite offices for Parkland’s medical and dental clinics and Metrocare Services’ mental health and medication management services. We also work in collaboration with several other partners to support and run The Dallas Connector, a transportation system for individuals experiencing homelessness. The Stewpot is also an active member of Housing Forward NTX and has been since 2018.

We are proud to have ongoing partnerships with:

Dallas Life Shelter

Union Gospel Mission

Dallas Shared Housing

Veterans Administration

North Texas Behavioral Health Authority

Social Security Administration

Crossroads Community Services

Mission Oak Cliff

South Dallas Cultural Center

North Dallas Shared Ministries

City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions

CARDboard Project

North Texas Food Bank

Food Stamps/SNAP Program

OurCalling

Atomos Energy

Dallas Street Choir

Legal Aid

Dallas County Health Department

Prism Health North Texas

Urban League

Downtown Dallas Inc.

Oak Lawn United Methodist Church

Dallas Public Library

For the Nations

Inspired Vision Compassion Center

Essilor Vision Foundation

Boy Scouts of America

Girls Inc.

Dallas County Health + Human Services

CitySquare

THE STEWPOT

Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center

Catholic Charities

University Crossroads (UT Arlington)

Our Friends Place

Noggin

Texas Hunger Initiative

ARKGROUP

North Texas Alliance to Reduce Teen Pregnancy (NTARUPT)

Parkland Mammography Van

Planned Parenthood

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension

Memnosyne Foundation

Streetside Showers