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NEWS BRIEFS

Welcome to the Board

New Board Member Dawn Shepard

The Samaritan House Board of Directors is pleased to welcome two new members, elected at recent meetings.

New Board Member Jerry Wyatt

Dawn Shepard, a resident of The Villages, and Jerry Wyatt, a resident in Samaritan House, will each serve one-year term. Samaritan House is certified as a Community Housing Development Organization and, as such, has a requirement that 33% of its Board members live in low-income areas, so we are very fortunate to have two outstanding members of our own resident community who can help fulfill this requirement. Their input also helps ensure that the Board stays aware of clients’ real needs.

Gay Pride Float

Prize-winning Samaritan House Float and Its Creator

Designed by resident George Miller and constructed by a crew of resident volunteers, the Samaritan House float won second place in this year’s Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, October 5.

Thanksgiving at Sam House

Our kitchen staff will be serving the traditional dinner on Thanksgiving Day at noon. Volunteers are needed to assist with preparation and serving. If you would like to make this a part of your Thanksgiving, please contact Sue Mahoney, Volunteer Coordinator (817.332.6410 x162, sue@samaritanhouse.org).

The Parrot Squawks

It’s been a year since residents of Samaritan House launched The Squawking Parrot, a monthly newsletter written and produced by residents of the SRO facility and The Villages. The publication includes information about upcoming events, reports on SH happenings, profiles of residents and staff, original poetry and even an etiquette column. Its most important function is strengthening Samaritan House’s already exceptional sense of community.


	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!

Samaritan House News November 2008

Letter from the President

From (Helping) Hand to Mouth

Jim Feeds a Real House-Full

At Home at the House for the Holidays

Letter from the President

Steve Dutton

There’s something about autumn that causes us to pause and reflect. Sometimes, we get so busy here at Samaritan House, as do we all, that it’s hard to step back and realize all the great things we’ve achieved.

It’s hard to believe that, only a few short years ago, The Villages apartments were just a dream, and now here we are, with families and kids in every nook

and cranny. Samaritan House has never felt more like home.

In this issue, you can learn more about our incredible Food and Nutrition Program that provides more than 1,000 meals every week for residents, along with the outstanding staff that makes it all possible. Also, read about some of our fun holiday plans, and how you can get involved!

From (Helping) Hand to Mouth

Place about sixty people under one roof, each of whom receives a home-cooked meal three times a day, every day of the year, and you have a massive undertaking on your hands. Samaritan House’s Food and Nutrition Program, under the direction of Food Service Manager Jim Hutchinson, offers more than a thousand hot meals every week, along with personalized nutritional counseling.

Samaritan House Kitchen Staff Karen, Alex, Jim and Irene.

And did we mention that some residents have special dietary needs? From weight gain to weight loss, diabetes to coronary complications, each individual has different goals with regard to nutrition. It’s up to Hutchinson and licensed Dietician Carole Fong-Kutchins to meet each resident where he or she is.

Though the logistics of such a program present obvious challenges, the budgetary constraints are the biggest hurdles identified both by Jim and Carole.

"With the increasing price of food," says Carole, "the greatest challenge is trying to provide high-protein, nutritious meals that everyone likes, and yet stay within budget."

“We are always in need of additional funding,” says Jim. “Our equipment is pretty old, but in pretty good working condition.” He points out that, without volunteers nearly every night of the month in the form of Supper Clubs, the program would not be sustainable. “We are very fortunate to have our Supper Clubs,” he says. “They are super volunteers. We couldn’t make it without them.”

The Supper Clubs, each of which commits to preparing and serving a meal one night a month, save Samaritan House over a hundred thousand dollars every year in labor and food costs. Still, with declining federal support for food-related programs, combined with the increased capacity of Samaritan House since the completion of The Villages and an expanded SRO facility, the need for direct public support has never been greater.

Carole helps Resident Design Diet

Fortunately, Jim is not alone in the kitchen. He relies heavily on the assistance of Irene and Alex Guzman and Karen McCoy, who help prepare meals and keep the food service area in good working order.

Part of the success of the program has been because of long-term involvement from many staff members. Irene and Alex, as well as Carole, have been a part of the Food and Nutrition program staff for many years.

Carole notes that, aside from keeping a tight-knit staff together, it’s the success of the residents that makes the challenging work worthwhile. “Seeing residents arrive at Samaritan House with no confidence or skills and in poor health,” she says, “and then slowly become healthier while developing the confidence and skills needed to succeed, is amazing. It’s like watching the development of a butterfly.”

Jim Feeds a Real House-Full

Many of us, like Jim Hutchinson, Food Service Manager for Samaritan House, have felt the itch for change and the desire to do some real good for our community. It’s also hard to know sometimes how exactly that may look, given our past experience.

For Jim, years of service – though Jim has jokingly chosen not to disclose just how many years – in the professional food service industry ultimately led him to Samaritan House.

“After working the corporate world for so many years,” says Jim, “I thought it was time for a change. I thought Samaritan House was the perfect place for me.” Having traveled far and wide for hotel chains and restaurants, Jim recognized it was time for him to grow some roots in the Texas area, his home state. When he started to look for a place to land, his past connection with Samaritan House led him down a new path.

Food Service Manager Jim Hutchinson

“My wife is a Registered Nurse and helped out at the original Samaritan House,” says Jim. “I have also known (Vice President and COO) Ted Lovato for a long time. I knew the good works of the house.”

Given his prior knowledge of the organization, the transition from corporate life to nonprofit was relatively easy. “It has always been very comfortable for me,” he says. “I love the residents, or I guess I wouldn’t be here, and the staff is great. We all get along and are there for each other.”

There’s much more to the Food Service program than just cooking. Aside from preparing many hundreds of meals every week, there are particular dietary needs to consider with the unique medical conditions of the Samaritan House community. And in addition to menu planning and preparation, there’s the matter of maintaining inventory, managing the rest of the kitchen staff and keeping within a tight budget.

“Sure, there is some stress,” says Jim, “but not much, as long as you get your job done right.”

As far as future aspirations go, Jim is philosophical, more intent these days on considering how he can help others, rather than focusing on the prospect of upward mobility. “I hope I can make a difference in the lives of the people I serve,” he says, “big or small.”

As far as the staff and residents here at Samaritan House are concerned, Jim Hutchinson and his dedicated kitchen staff deserve no small amount of thanks for the love and commitment they show every day.

At Home at the House for the Holidays

Though some may argue that Texans never truly enjoy a genuine winter season, that’s never stopped the staff and residents at Samaritan House from going full steam ahead with the holiday spirit.

A Visit from Santa

It’s unfortunately not rare to hear about Samaritan House residents whose families have rejected them because of their disease, or because of the circumstances in which they contracted it. Other residents may be separated from spouses and children because they need the treatment offered in the Single Room Occupancy facility. In The Villages, parents struggle to afford even

the simplest Christmas pleasures for their children. Staff and volunteers at Samaritan House work hard to fill the gap.

Family Health and Education Coordinator Rick Isaminger has a host of activities for young and old to help Samaritan House’s community of residents feel they are truly "home for the holidays."

"The holiday parties," says Rick, "both in The Villages and in the House, give our residents a sense of community, and most of all, a sense of family. Residents can look forward to sharing the holidays with their new-found family at Samaritan House."

Halloween Haunts the House


Following is a list of holiday events, past present and future:

	On October 11th we took the kids to a pumpkin patch in Grapevine where they play in a corn maze and got a hay ride.

	Samaritan House partnered with AIDS Outreach Center to hold a children’s Halloween party in the Youngman Family Room. It took place on Thursday, October 30th from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM.

	The adult Halloween party was on October 31st, with games, music, and of course, food!

	We will be having the Children’s Christmas/Holiday party on December 11th in the Youngman Family Room from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM. This party is one of the best events of the year, with presents for all the children and a visit from Santa himself.

	The adult Christmas/Holiday party will be held at the Samaritan House Cafeteria on December 10th from 7:00PM to 9:00PM

Kids visit pumpkin patch

For those interested in helping with the upcoming holiday plans, or if you have an idea for another event to help our residents enjoy the season, please contact Rick Isaminger at (817) 332-6410, ext.197.

It’s never too late to consider a year-end gift to support Samaritan House programs. Services like our Food and Nutrition Program can make a life-changing difference in the health of those we serve, all for only dollars a day. Consider a gift today to help keep this and other essential services going into the coming year.

Thank you for your support, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!