News & Press

Press Contact: Christian Piatt, (719) 406-4577

More Life takes on a life of its own
Collaboration on a community-wide project has long been a dream of Fort Worth’s AIDS Service Organizations, but no one could have imagined what a powerful team those collaborators have turned out to be.

Three More Life Early Birds
Although the More Life festival does not kick off officially until the middle of May, related events began in March, along with more activities coming soon on April 9 and 15.

The man with the plan
Aaron Siegel, Samaritan House’s Event Coordinator, never wants for something to do. On the heels of another successful Joe’s Run, he’s already busy working on upcoming projects.

Put on your walking [or running] shoes
Joe’s Run, the most fun on two feet, will settle into its new home in the Near Southside on March 29th at 8 a.m. Thousands will converge on Samaritan House to begin a new era for one of the most popular benefit runs in the area.

Behind the scenes with SamariTours
We now offer two opportunities each month, though our SamariTours program, for the public to visit our new community. The next two tours will be on March 11 and 25, both at 5:30 pm., and are free.

Looking back on a Decade of Service
Alison Moreland has worked as an AIDS Educator for a quarter of a century. Though her background kept her from living in fear, she realized how many people hesitated to even acknowledge the presence of AIDS in their midst.

Little Angels Among Us
The Fort Worth Public Library Foundation will produce a unique component of the upcoming More Life: The Art and Science of AIDS, a community-wide series of events meant to inspire and inform the community about HIV/AIDS. The festival is a collaboration of the Fort Worth Opera, AIDS Outreach Center, Tarrant County AIDS Interfaith Network and Samaritan House and will feature projects, performances and exhibitions by a wide variety of community organizations.

New Challenges New Directions
For Brook, addiction and homelessness had become so intertwined that both were simply an inevitable part of daily life. Born thirty-one years ago in Mesa, Arizona, she had succumbed early in her life to the overwhelming urge to use drugs.

Squawking Parrot Highlights Samaritan House Talents
As communities grow and change, the desire to create a collective identity can become increasingly challenging. New ideas enter, spaces have to be shared, and those who are less eager to jump in with both feet can feel left out.

He Knows If You’ve Been Bad Or Good…
Samaritan House and The Villages donned their brightest lights and shiniest tinsel for the resident holiday parties this December. Music, gifts and refreshments flowed as the ever-growing Samaritan House family celebrated another year together.

New Staff Member Welcomes Challenges
As the Samaritan House has grown, so have the needs of the community living on-site. Greater diversity, combined with improved life expectancies, create welcome challenges with respect to helping individuals and families plan for their various futures.

Youngman Family Room Full of Life
Nearly every afternoon, the computer stations in the Youngman Family Room are occupied with residents, young and old, searching for jobs, corresponding with loved ones, and occasionally playing a game of solitaire. What is most important, some staff members say, is that they are coming together on such a regular basis.

“Box” Luncheon Rounds Up Hundreds
The 400-plus community supporters who came out to the Round Up Inn Wednesday, November 14th were prepared to hear a few speeches, but few expected to leave quite so inspired. The crowd gathered in support of Samaritan House, who hosted the second annual Out of the Box luncheon, the culmination of year-long development efforts to inform and engage the community in the mission of the organization.

A Year of Living Fully
The phrase “full house” has a different meaning these days around Samaritan House. A year after The Villages at Samaritan House apartments reached full “lease-up” capacity, property manager Michele Erwin and CEO Steve Dutton took a few minutes to reflect on past success and future challenges.

Frogs Get Crafty For “Out Of The Box”
Samaritan House and Texas Christian University have partnered on projects before, but not on the scale of the preparations made for the upcoming Out of the Box luncheon, taking place on November 14th at the Round-Up Inn.

Artistic Vision Helps Support Agency Mission
George was fortunate to combine a passion for art and theater to make a way of life for himself. As the founder of Too Blue Scenic, a set design company, he found a perfect match for his talents and interests. At the time he didn’t recognize that this opportunity might lead him to make life-threatening choices.

More Life To Entertain, Educate, Engage Public
Nearly two dozen community arts, education and nonprofit service groups are teaming up with area AIDS Service Organizations to offer More Life: The Art and Science of AIDS, a community-wide series of events that will take place throughout the month of May 2008. Centerpiece for the festival is the Fort Worth Opera’s production of the opera version of Angels in America, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play about the early days of the AIDS epidemic. The opera will be produced at Scott Theater, located at the Community Arts Center. CAC’s galleries will host additional More Life exhibitions and events.

Hoops Success a Team Effort
The first annual Samaritan House Hoops ‘n Harmony event brought together dozens of community basketball teams and hundreds of onlookers around the common cause of AIDS awareness in the African-American community. Former Dallas Maverick Derek Harper and other community supporters were on hand to educate and entertain on Saturday, September 8th at the Tarrant County Convention Center.

A Life’s Work In Art — Renewed Hope
A stunning new sculpture to be displayed on the Samaritan House grounds speaks volumes about the community living there. Though many businesses use dramatic pieces of art to greet visitors, the new bronze piece created by Fort Worth sculptor Michael Pavlovsky tells a more personal story of both tragedy and triumph.

A Life Honored Through Service
After fourteen years as a volunteer with Samaritan House, Charlotte Hogan-Price photographed with former Dallas Maverick, Derek Harper is hard at work as an HIV/AIDS advocate. The third of thirteen children from Macon, Georgia, she has consistently found ways to make life better for herself and her own three children. Working in the Tarrant County Probate Court system for more than twenty-five years has given her first-hand knowledge of the challenges that face the African-American community. Nothing, however, could have prepared her for the loss of her brother to AIDS in 1993.

Lori Sapp – A Decade of Service
It’s been just a little over ten years since Lori Sapp began her work with Samaritan House, back in March of 1997. I’m sure when she started, she wondered what she had gotten herself into. As an agency, we were in our early years, struggling to find people to fill our often vacant positions.

Back to School Blitz
For Samaritan house staff members Rick Isaminger and Sue Mahoney, helping kids get ready for the new school year is a new but welcome challenge.

"Hooping" It Up For Health
Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Brooks understands the reality of HIV and its continuing impact on the community he serves. When he was asked to serve as co-chair for Samaritan House’s Hoops 'n Harmony, which includes a basketball tournament, a concert and health fair, he knew it was an important way he could help.

More Than Just Court Vision
Clarence Moore, a sales consultant for ASG Security, has been an active volunteer with Samaritan House for several years. He has helped out at the annual Run to Joe’s and Casino Night events for some time, but this year he felt compelled to jump in with both feet.

Hope Takes On Many Forms
If you have been following the progress of Samaritan House’s Harvest of Hope Garden through our previous issues, you already know that the garden was built and planted this spring with volunteer labor and is already producing a bumper crop of organic vegetables. But Harvest of Hope is yielding much more that a host of fruits, vegetables and spices from the fertile soil. It has become a necessary therapeutic retreat for Greg, the House’s garden supervisor.

Hoop It Up For Life
Grab your best court shoes and polish up your jump shot, because it’s time to bring your best game to the Fort Worth Convention Center on Saturday, September 8th. If you have what it takes, you might just survive Samaritan House’s first annual Hoops ‘n Harmony event to become kings – or queens – of the court.

Garden Dedications Symbolize Community Growth
Samaritan House officially dedicated its two new gardens on May 16th with a festive celebration attended by residents, staff and Board members.

'More Life' Puts HIV in the Spotlight
In May 2008, the Fort Worth Opera will produce the opera version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Angels in America, as part of its festival season.

Archived News and Press Articles
Click the above link to read articles that have been removed and archived