SERVING WITH A PURPOSE

A nonprofit organization whose mission is to partner with school districts, colleges, stakeholders and community partners to implant on campus resource centers to provide free basic needs, life skills, counseling, and other resources to equip, educate, and empower students, their families and the community to help meet needs to break down barriers that affect the classroom, create/expand opportunities, to support academic success.

S.W.A.P. RESOURCE CENTERS

Our Why

Our founder was the teacher like so many more with a closet in their classroom that was not just filled with educational materials but with all the basic needs that kids need to survive because their families were struggling to provide it. There are many basic needs that have to be met but the most important and detrimental to life is physical survival. That is having food, water, clothing, shelter, sleep and oxygen. If a person cannot satisfy this basic survival need it dominates their interest and concern. A child who is cold, sleep deprived or hungry will not be very interested in socializing or learning. Bodies of children with consistently unmet needs go into more of a survival mode, and it literally alters their brain chemistry. It affects not just their bodies, but now educators are not able to teach them in school. Our goal is to alleviate those barriers. We partner with school districts to plant physical resource centers on campuses and work with counselors and teachers to provide toiletries, clothes, shoes, undergarments, household goods, life skill classes, counseling, etc. for all students in need and their families. We also provide furniture (Beds, Couches, Tables/Chairs, etc.) for families that have been affected by disaster circumstances as well. Children spend more time at school than they do at home and EVERY student should walk in the doors of a school and know EVERY need will be met holistically! We also build an alliance of community partners and businesses within the resource centers to come alongside to offer even more support within the schools to assist students and families. By doing this, we break generational curses of poverty and failure that tends to breakdown families and prohibit educational success. Studies show that children whose basic needs are met are not only able to achieve academic success, but graduate to further their education, obtain college degrees and go into successful careers. It takes us all to do what’s best for kids, and by doing that, we shape our children for greatness in hopes of a better future.

Who The Resource Center Impacts

These resources and services will be available for all students and families of the schools/districts we serve and where the centers are located.

RESPONSIBILITY/GOAL

Our goal is “to work in collaboration” with schools/ districts to provide the needed resources for students and families and to meet basic needs in order to alleviate the barriers and struggles that happen outside of the classroom that impact the inside of the classroom We desire to see all students academically excel with the needs being met of every child holistically.

Our Needs

Kids clothes sizes 0-20 (This also includes uniforms), Kids Shoes size 4-Youth size 6, Undergarments (New), Toiletries, Diapers, and Household items (Laundry, Bedroom, Kitchen Appliances and Ware).

Contact Information

MELISSA TONEY

Founder/President

Email: Melissa.Toney@servingwithapurpose.org

Website: www.servingwithapurpose.org

Phone: (469)739-8491

BARBARA ANDREWS

Coordinator (Dallas,Tx Location)

Email: Barbara.Andrews@servingwithapurpose.org

Phone: (469)739-8324

RUSHUNDIA RODGERS

Coordinator (Monroe, LA Location)

Email: Rushundia.Rodgers@servingwithapurpose.org

Phone: (318)833-2060

**THERE IS ALSO A GREAT NEED FOR MONETARY DONATIONS.

We partner with companies and businesses that require fees to purchase resources for students and families** Due to there being no cost for families monetary donations are always needed to ensure we are able to buy the things needed. Also as we are rapidly growing the need for capital funding has increased. There are so many needs within the schools and districts we serve and because we are expanding the need for staffing, building materials for shelves and other storage items in the centers, as well as warehouse space, box trucks to transport goods to schools, etc is GREAT!

Volunteers: We need volunteers to assist with sorting, unboxing, hanging, restocking, in our DeSoto S.W.A.P. Resource Center. Also to assist families that sign up for shopping day.

We also need volunteers’ help in facilitating life skill classes.

We currently have resource centers located in 3 major school districts. DeSoto ISD, Dallas ISD (Boude Storey Middle School, and Monroe City Schools in Monroe, LA. Please see the contact information for the coordinators below for more information or assistance.