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Alex's Citizenship Celebration |
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Samaritan House cook Alex Guzman became a U.S citizen on July 15, after working 20 years toward attaining full citizenship. Mexican by birth, Alex is now American by choice. Congratulations, Alex!
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Monika, Nikki, & Danielle |
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Samaritan House is pleased to announce the appointment of three new staff members: Danielle Green, Property Manager; Nikki Dangerfield, MSSW, social work case manager; and Monika Alvarez-Johnson, chemical dependency counselor. Welcome to the Samaritan House family!
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ANGELS AT MY DOOR |
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Angels at My Door, the children’s book produced by Deborah Jung, Cindy Boyd and the Fort Worth Library Foundation in conjunction with More Life, the May city-wide festival sponsored by Samaritan House, other AIDS service organizations and the Fort Worth Opera, is now in circulation. Copies are available for $12.95 at Samaritan House and other locations. Over 100 copies have been sold at Sam House alone. If you would like information about the book or would like to purchase one, please call Tom Church at 817.332.6410, x104.
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By reducing homelessness, substance abuse, crime, new HIV infections, and the demand for publicly funded medical care, Samaritan House makes Fort Worth a better place for everyone! |
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Samaritan House News August 2008 |
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| Letter from the President |
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Steve Dutton |
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Summer in Texas isn’t simply a season; it’s a way of life. While some hunker down and wait out the searing three-digit temperatures, we’re just getting warmed up! Check out the story below about our kids and their exciting trip to a local ranch, sponsored by a very generous anonymous donor. We’d also like to welcome Janine Glassman, one of our newest staff member, who is excited to join our team of able social workers. |
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| Finally, it’s time to start thinking “Out of the Box” again, as plans are underway for our third annual Out of the Box luncheon. Read on to find out more about this special event, and how you can become involved. |
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| Oh Captain, My Captain
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| Calling all Captains – Table Captains, that is! |
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| Are you a natural leader? Enjoy getting people excited about a great organization? Not averse to getting to know some new friends and fellow volunteers while munching on tasty snacks? |
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| If you answered “yes” to the above questions, you may have what it takes to be a Samaritan House Table Captain. |
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Out Of The Box |
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Table Captains, each of whom hosts a table at the upcoming Out of the Box luncheon, will gather for an orientation and training session on Tuesday, August 19, combined with a social event offering heavy hors d’oeuvres. We’re looking for a few good men and women who have the “right stuff” to help Samaritan House in one of its most important community events of the year. |
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| "Table Captains are the backbone of the Out of the Box luncheon,” says Sarah Deats, Communications Director for Samaritan House. “They are responsible for inviting guests to fill their table, inviting those guests to a SamariTour beforehand, keeping in touch with guests to be sure they get to the events, and reporting all contacts back to the staff for tracking and planning purposes." |
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| Table Captains also serve as hosts to their tables at the Out of the Box Luncheon later this year, making everyone welcome and putting everyone at ease. They are a critical link between the organization and those who become the lifeblood support for Samaritan House residents. |
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Out of the Box luncheon |
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| “Anyone interested in supporting the Samaritan House cause, and who would like to help us reach out to more people in the community are welcome to participate,” says Deats. “Invitees can be anyone the Table Captains think might be interested, including family, friends, colleagues or neighbors. The luncheon is free, so you’re not selling tickets, just helping people find out about what we do.” Those wishing to “co-captain” with another person are also welcome. |
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Deats also notes that guests at the Out of the Box luncheon don’t have to have deep pockets. “Out of the Box is free,” she points out, “offering a good lunch and an interesting program about Samaritan House’s mission and the lives changed every day within these walls. Though all attendees are invited to donate, there is no pressure or obligation to do so.” |
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| Anyone interested in becoming a Table Captain, or who would like more information about the Out of the Box luncheon, can contact Sally Burt at, (817) 332-6410, ext.179. |
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| Community advocate joins Sam House team |
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Janine |
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Born and raised in Fort Worth, Janine Glassman has known about Samaritan House and its work with homeless and low-income persons for many years. A single mother for years, she knows first-hand how hard it can be to raise a family without extra support, let alone while facing the kind of challenge a debilitating disease like HIV presents.
“I had worked in banking and retail while attending night school,” says Janine,“then I started volunteering for CASA of Denton County in 1998 and found my passion as an advocate.” |
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| She obtained her final credentials as a licensed social worker in 2008, nearly a decade after committing herself to this new direction. |
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| She first pursued her nonprofit aspirations as a CASA employee, working as a crisis interventionist, mental health intake counselor and casework supervisor. She later worked as Volunteer Coordinator at Guardianship Services. |
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| At Samaritan House Janine serves as Lead Social Work Case Manager. “My passion is advocacy work through case management,” she says about her new position, “and this position was a natural fit for me. I have a lot of compassion for this special population because I have a family member who is HIV-positive.” |
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| Janine’s initial work at Samaritan House was the very definition of an immersive experience. “I was placed in the (SRO portion of) Samaritan House,” she explains, “whereas the previous Social Worker was in another building. It took some staff getting used to me being in close proximity, but the residents quickly utilized my services.” |
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| The direct contact of her work throughout the day with those she was serving was appealing to Janine. Rather than serving as a hands-off administrator, it was her intent to jump in and get involved from day one. |
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| Janine’s primary responsibility is for the daily welfare of the sixty residents of the SRO, which is why she is now located right in the building. She and two other social workers assist residents with everything from navigating public services and setting up doctors’ appointments to handling personal challenges and setting long-term goals. |
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Janine with Resident
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| “My goal is to advocate for those who need assistance,” she says. “That is what brings me joy. The best thing (about my work) is connecting clients to resources that they were not able to access on their own.” |
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| Samaritan House staff and residents welcome Janine as one of the newest members of our growing family. |
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| Riding Into the Sunset |
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On the way to the zoo |
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Anyone who works with kids or raises children of their own will agree that it’s not easy to keep a passel of young ones occupied while on their summer break. But Rick Isaminger, Family Health and Education Coordinator for Samaritan House, is keeping at least one step ahead of our community’s kids. |
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| “We have a kids’ day every Tuesday in the Youngman Family Room,” says Rick. “The kids get to watch a movie and have lunch, play with the computers and take an hour-long art class with an art therapist.” Rick and his brave team of volunteers are also taking several local trips, such as a recent tour of the Fort Worth Mint to see how money is made, and a visit to the Dallas Aquarium before summer’s end. |
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| With as many as 40 kids at a time interested in participating, all covering a broad range of ages, it’s not always easy to find outings that have broad enough appeal. Fortunately for Samaritan House families, some local supporters have recognized this growing need and have stepped up in a big way. |
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A very serious trip to the mint |
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Though the donors wish to remain anonymous, a local family has offered up their ranch for an end-of-summer festival for all Samaritan House children. All activities will be paid for by the ranch owners, as well as meal and transportation costs.
“It is really a great place,” says Rick. “We hope to have a wide variety of games |
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| for the kids to participate in, including a water balloon contest, tug-of-war, three-legged race, and other typical kids’ picnic stuff. We also will be able to take them fishing in a nearby tank, and there will be at least one bounce house, and animals for them to feed.” |
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| The rural experience is one that many children may not have had in their lives before. More than simply a recreational diversion, the ranch provides a cultural opportunity that might help open some of the kids’ eyes to how big and diverse the world really is. |
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“It has been great working with kids over the past year,” says Rick, reflecting on a series of successful events in recent months.“I feel like I have been give a chance to see the kids grow, both physically and mentally. All the kids who participate have become friends and watch out for one another now.”
In a community where personal growth and community strength are both celebrated, this summer’s children’s program can be considered nothing other than a great success, extending these crucial parts of the Samaritan House experience to the younger generation of residents. |
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Fun at the zoo |
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| For more information about upcoming children’s programs, or to volunteer with Samaritan House children and families, please contact Sue Mahoney at sue@samaritanhouse.org, or call (817) 332-6410, ext 162. |
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| Too hot to handle the steamy Fort Worth streets these days? Come cool off at Samaritan House and enjoy a cool, laid-back SamariTour. Call (817) 332-6410, ext. 179, to reserve your spot for an upcoming tour, and get to know the residents you read about so often in our newsletter. We’d love to show you around, so come join us! |
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