About the Network of Community Ministries

 Vision Statement  | Paid Staff  | Board Members  |  2005 Record of Giving

 

THE ORIGIN OF NETWORK

Network was started in 1986 by what was then the Richardson Ministerial Alliance in response to the increasing number of people coming to the churches for help.  We started with 32 member organizations - 22 were religious organizations and 10 were social, civic and service groups.

 

AREA OF SERVICE

Originally we served only the R.I.S.D.  We soon found, however, that we were spending more time trying to find out if a client was in R.I.S.D. than in actually helping the client.  We now serve all Zip codes, which contain part of R.I.S.D.  (75042, 75044, 75080, 75081, 75082, 75083, 75231, 75238, 75240, 75243, 75248, 75251, 75252, 75254)

 

SERVICES WE PROVIDE INCLUDE

Food
Clothing
Limited Financial Assistance for:
Rent and Utilities
Night School & Summer School Tuition
Prescriptions
Counseling/Medical
Child Care
Bus Tickets (local and long distance)
Gasoline Vouchers

 

Children’s and Adolescent’s Clinic

Those from birth through age 21 who reside in the RISD and have no insurance are eligible.  Those 18 and over must currently be enrolled in a Richardson school.  Clinic hours are Mon. and Wed from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the school year and is closed on school holidays.  All clinic doctors and nurses are volunteers and there is never any charge for services or medication.

 

The Seniors’ Net
A clearinghouse for services for those age 60 and older.  Includes financial planning, Friendly Visitors, minor home repairs and more.

 

Trinity Wellness Clinic
Supports individuals 50 years old and older in the Richardson Community by providing blood pressure monitoring, nail care, help in understanding prescription use and interactions, nutritional guidance and more. 

 

Referrals for:

Doctors, Dentists, Car Repairs. Shelter and more  

 

If there is a verifiable need and no one else to help we will find a way to meet that need

 

BASIC PHILOSOPHY

  • We’re here to be a bridge for people - to help them over a difficult time.

  • We never do anything for our clients that they can and should do for themselves.

  • We provide short-term assistance for long-term independence.

  • Not being able to feed your kids or pay the rent isn’t a “problem,” it’s a symptom.

  • Our job is to find out what the problem is, what the client is doing to avoid this problem in the future, and how we can work together with the client to get them back on their feet.

  • We empower, not rescue.

  • We don’t judge, but we do evaluate.

HOW WE’RE GOVERNED

 

In the beginning, each member organization elected a representative to serve on the Board of Directors thus the size of the board grew with the addition of each new member organization.  In January of 1991, these fifty some odd representatives elected 12 people to serve as the Board of Directors for the future.  Each January the member unit representatives elected four new Board Members and the Board Officers.  In 2003, the member unit representatives again changed the by laws to increase the board size to 15 members with five (5) being elected each January.  The Chairman is always a member of the clergy but other board members may come from any organization or business.  The board meets each month to set policy and run the organization of Network.  Executive Director Ginger York and her staff oversee daily operations.

 

HOW WE’RE FUNDED

Approximately thirty percent of our funding comes from member organizations; sixteen percent from grants and foundations, twenty two percent from corporations, twenty one percent from businesses and individuals and the rest comes from fund raising events and recycling.  We accept no government funds and are not a United Way agency.  There are no “dues” or “membership fees.”  Each member organization sets its own level of support.  Approximately 80 to 85% of each dollar donated goes directly to benefit clients.

 

WHERE THE FOOD COMES FROM

  • A large part comes from our member organizations.

  • A significant amount (20%) comes from R.I.S.D. students and faculty. Students in each school collect food for Network at least one week per year.

  • We pick up baked good daily from Whole Foods, Tom Thumb, Kroger and other stores.

  • Area businesses also conduct food drives.

  • We participate in the North Texas Food Bank, a food pantry for food pantries, where we go weekly and for a 17-cent-per-pound handling fee can get such items as chips, diapers, canned goods, cereal and more.

HOW VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED

 

Initial training is one-on-one “on the job” training.  New volunteers are matched with more experienced volunteers who explain policies and procedures.  After about six months, volunteers are offered an “advanced” training class with experts from such areas as basic counseling skills, mind set of the poor, multi-cultural relations, the interview process, etc.  Volunteers never make decisions alone - more experienced volunteers; daily coordinators and staff are always available for consultation.  Currently more than 350 volunteers keep the NETWORK running.  NETWORK currently has only two paid staff positions.

 

HOW WE NETWORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES

 

NETWORK cooperates with the agencies and churches in our immediate area to insure that clients don’t either fall through the cracks or abuse our services.  During the Santa Helper program we participate in the Holiday Clearing House with dozens of other agencies throughout the Metroplex to insure that each child who needs gifts can get them because no one has gotten more than their share by going to two or more agencies.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR NETWORK

  • Bring food (small sizes).

  • Bring personal care items and non-food items like toothpaste, deodorant, laundry soap, toilet tissue and Kleenex.

  • Give money.

  • Volunteer your time - three hours per week to work in the food room, as an interviewer or as a receptionist.

  • Volunteer as needed to help the Seniors' Net with yard work, minor repairs, etc.

  • Collect aluminum cans.

  • Donate “in kind” services such as printing, carpet cleaning, copier or computer repair.

  • Adopt a family at Christmas.

  • Provide School Supplies

  • Recycle ($ell Phones, Newspapers, computers, keyboards, used toner cartridges, sports equipment Make “transient boxes” with small sizes of pop-top cans of food and trial or sample sizes of personal care items.

  • Cruise For NETWORK

  • Volunteer to work on special projects such as the annual pansy sale, Wildflower!, the Billye Meyer Golf Classic, or Starry, Starry Night Gala.

MILESTONES IN NETWORK'S HISTORY

 

OUR GROWTH

 

1986 32-member units, 105 volunteers, 2,791 clients seen.
1986

 Mostly churches and religious groups knew about and supported us.

 One location in Richardson (300 Bishop at Greer).
1988  Added a part-time second staff person
1989 Added a second location to serve Lake Highlands/Hamilton Park.

1991

 Richardson location at 1236 Executive Dr., Dallas location at Ferndale and Northwest Highway.  Staff increased to 3 full time employees.
1993 64-member units, 300+ volunteers, 9,643 clients seen.

1994

 Chosen as a Dallas Morning News Charity recipient, the only new agency named in 1994.  We have remained a DMNC recipient each year since then.  A majority of our support came from the religious community, but more businesses, civic and social groups became aware of NETWORK and began supporting us.  This support from the Richardson “community” remains strong today.
1995 Richardson office moved to larger location at 1114 Commerce after loss of off site storage facility and Ferndale office closing on Sept 1. Staff was reduced from 3 to 2 to reduce overhead.  68 member units, 300+ volunteers served over 600 families per month.
1997 Mitzi The Cow given to NETWORK by Temple Shalom. She was designed to raise money to purchase fresh milk for families with children.
 
1999 Richardson Office moves to 741 S. Sherman St. in Richardson on September 22.  The location was larger, better arranged, and more convenient for clients as it would be across the parking lot from the new DART Rail station.  NETWORK obtained a five-year lease on this location with an option for five more years.  Due to parking restrictions, NETWORK began requiring clients to make appointments. 
2002 We leased the space at 739 S. Sherman and built it out as the new Adolescents’ and Children’s Clinic space.  Now the clinic has six exam rooms  and a nurses’ station.  The back half of the building, a warehouse, is used for the Santa Helper Program in November and December.  In addition, the warehouse is set up to receive large donations of food during the year so food items can be sorted before being placed in the food warehouse.   We also initiated the Seniors’ Net program, an extensive program for those 60 years old and older.
2003 Trinity Wellness Clinic moves to the 739 S. Sherman address on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Wellness clinic provides services for those 50 and older
2005 Trinity Wellness Clinic expands services to include Thursday Mornings from 9-12

 


OUR HISTORY
 

May 1985

Organizational meeting-32 churches and organizations agreed to form Network.

July 1985

File articles of incorporation

Dec 1985

501(c)(3) tax-exempt status granted

Jan 1986

Executive Director hired

Feb 1986

Doors open at 300 Bishop St. With 105 volunteers

Aug 1987

Office space expanded (doubled) at 300 Bishop

Mar 1988

Hired part-time office assistant

Oct 1989

Opened second location on Plano Rd.; hired Assistant Director

Oct 1991

Moved second office to Ferndale & Northwest Highway

May 1992

Moved Richardson office to Executive Drive

Oct 1992

Opened Network’s Adolescents’ and Children’s Clinic

Oct 1994

Over 60 member organizations and over 300 volunteers serve almost 10,000 families annually

Oct 1995

Network’s first Silent Auction

Sep 1998

First Annual Billye Meyer Golf Classic

Sep 1999

Move Offices to 741 S. Sherman - Began seeing clients by appointment

Sep 2000

Program initiated to provide day care for girls in the RISD P.E.P. program

May 2001

Chosen to participate in Pilot Program (RSVP) with Food Stamp Offices

Jan 2002

Rented space at 739 S. Sherman for Children’s Clinic and extra storage

Sep 2002

Started the Seniors’ Net program

July 2004

Trinity Wellness Clinic moved to 739 S. Sherman on Tuesdays

Jan 2005

Trinity Wellness expands to include
Thursday morning appointments from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

 

CURRENT SHIFTS AND HOURS

 

The NETWORK is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Thursday and Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Volunteer shifts are from 9:00 to 12:00 and 12:00 to 3:00, and 3:00 to 6:00.  The Adolescent’s and Children’s Clinic is open during the school year on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., or when the last patient has been seen.  The clinic is closed on school holidays.  The Seniors’ Net uses volunteers on an as needed basis.  Trinity Wellness Clinic is open every Tuesday from 8:00 to 3:30 and Thursday morning from 9:00 to noon at the NETWORK location and the 1st Wednesday of the month at the Richardson Senior’s Center.  For more information or to volunteer, call 972-234-8880 during regular business hours.