Another Month of Caring - September 2024

Current Donation Hours - Mon-Sat, 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM

New hours will remain until further notice.

All TCP locations are closed on Monday, September 2nd

in observance of Labor Day.

Dear Friends,

Fall is in the air! I hope you are enjoying the recent rain and cooler temperatures. September, in some ways, feels like the beginning of a new year with back-to-school activities and other services and programs gearing back up as summer winds down. The Caring Place is gearing up to do even more in our community this fall. Read on in the newsletter and you will learn that…

• The hunt is on for sponsors to help us boost our biggest fundraiser of the year in early 2025;
• Community collaborations bring new programs;
• Our construction project continues to impact our Donations drive through hours;
• Fall shopping, including our new Bargain Bins and Christmas decor, are here; and,
• The Caring Place is hiring!

All this autumnal news may teach you about ways to support The Caring Place mission, but it will also remind you about the services you can share with your community. Why is this important? Between January and July this year, the total number of unique individuals assisted by The Caring Place was 8,641. This is 26% more individuals served than in the same period in 2023. 33% of those neighbors have not received help from The Caring Place before. Our growing community needs The Caring Place.

Whether you are shopping, volunteering, donating, or you are making sure your neighbors know about The Caring Place's resources, thank you! You are helping The Caring Place accomplish our mission to provide for the basic human needs of all people in our community in a welcoming, respectful and caring way.

Gratefully,

Ginna O'Connor

Executive Director

Dear Sponsors: Can You Amplify?

Did you know The Caring Place relies on one major fundraising event each year? And we're looking for sponsors!

Since 2020, our signature event, Amplify, has been a completely online experience. No auctions, no tickets. Just our community's heartfelt generosity. We've found that our supporters want their donations to make the biggest possible impact and Amplify allows us to do just that. That's where your company or organization's help comes in.

Through generous sponsors, we can amplify the impact of your community's monetary gifts and help even more families in need. Last year, we raised over $152,000 because of the combined efforts of our community and sponsors. Amplify sponsors for The Caring Place matched the gifts of our community during the official giving time to reach our giving goal. We are gathering your sponsor commitments right now!

Join our growing list of sponsors by contacting Rita at 512-943-0702 or rturner@caringplacetx.org. You can also visit caringplacetx.org/sponsor to download a sponsor packet today. Your sponsorship offers your organization great perks like newsletter and ad mentions, social media boosting and t-shirt space, but the thing you'll love most is how you will directly leverage giving in our community.

Get Money Smart

Are you an older adult looking to protect your finances? Have you received a suspicious call or email asking for personal information?

Unfortunately, scams targeting older adults are on the rise. In fact, data shows that in 2021, over 6,700 Texans over the age of 60 reported losing more than $159 million to fraud.



Join us for a FREE and informative Money Smart Workshop hosted by Third Coast Bank on Thursdays in September.

Learn about common scams and frauds that target seniors, including:

• Investment fraud
• Telephone and Internet scams
• Identity theft
• Scams targeting veterans and homeowners

Gain valuable insights and tips on how to avoid these scams and safeguard your hard-earned money.

Date: September 5th, 12th, 19th, & 26th

Time: 10 AM to 12 PM

Location: 2001 Railroad Avenue Community Room

Registration Deadline Extended: September 4

Call 512-943-0726 to register or just show up!!!

What are the Bargain Bins

at The Caring Place?

Looking for a deal on gently used clothing and textiles? Look no further than our Bargain Bins! Located near the back of The Shops at The Caring Place, these red bins can be filled with a variety of items for just $5 per bag.

How it works:

Grab a brown paper bag and start filling it with items from the designated bins. Once your bag is full, have our attendant tape it shut and take it to the front register to pay.

Why shop the Bargain Bins?

• Save big: Get more for your money - those bags fit a lot!

• Support a good cause: Your purchases help support The Caring Place's mission to provide for the basic human needs of our community. You do that simply by shopping with us.

• Reduce waste: By giving these items a second chance, we can be better stewards with the donations our community gives.

Bargain Bin Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Ready to attend a Volunteer Orientation to get started? The first step is to fill out the Volunteer application on our website.

Fill out a Volunteer application NOW!

After completing the application, Dennis Hilgeman, our Volunteer Coordinator, will call you to invite you to a Volunteer Orientation. Feel free to give him a call at 512-943-0708 with all of your volunteering questions or email him at dhilgeman@caringplacetx.org. We look forward to meeting you!

Donate Food

The Caring Place accepts food donations and hygiene items to supplement our busy Food Pantry. You can bring food donations to our drive through at 2000 Railroad Avenue during their regular hours or deliver to Pantry donations to the reserved parking space in the north parking lot during regular Food Pantry Hours. Those hours are: Mon, Tues, Wed, and Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

If you’d like to help the Food Pantry by coordinating a Food Drive, contact the Food Programs office of The Caring Place at 512–943-0738 or email fooddonations@caringplacetx.org.

Donate Your Stuff

Item donations provide affordable necessities for our community and support our mission to provide for the basic human needs of all people in our community. Through your fabulous donations, we also raise money to help neighbors with rent, utilities, transportation and more when they have financial hardships.

Ensure you are bringing items that we can sell in our stores by utilizing our Donations Flyer. We have a flyer that includes the things we do not take due to safety or disposal costs and can be found at caringplacetx.org/donatemystuff.

Would you like to donate large pieces of furniture? We have a designated pick-up service area to help you with those requests. Learn more about this designated area at caringplacetx.org/donatemystuff or call 512-943-0711 to request a pickup.

Donate a Monetary Gift

The gift you give today directly impacts families struggling in our community.

Whether it's food, rent, clothing or another type of assistance, The Caring Place can only do this work with the help of generous supporters like you. We can use your gifts where we need them most to help our neighbors, or you can designate your gift to the Food Pantry.

Give today at caringplacetx.org/donate.

Do you shop at Randalls? Print and fill out this document to have your purchases at Randalls support our mission. Submit the form to the Randalls Courtesy Booth.

DOWNLOAD FLYER

Let's increase the number of folks who participate in this program so that you help The Caring Place when you buy your groceries.

With benefits like this while working at a beloved nonprofit doing important work in our community, why wouldn't you want to share these full-time job opportunities?

• Competitive compensation & benefits package;
• Health benefits;
• Paid Time Off, including 13 paid holidays;
• Retirement savings program with a workplace match;
• Caring and positive workplace.

Currently, we are hiring for a Communications Manager and an Assistant Retail Manager at Second Helping. Learn more at caringplacetx.org/jobs.

Watch a video about skills the Communication Manager needs on Instagram HERE.