The Stewpot
© The Flash List | January 25, 2011
We stood mesmerized at the silent art auction admiring a truly exquisite watercolor painting. Any upscale Dallas interior designer could easily decorate an entire room around its beautifully balanced composition of vibrant colors. The artist who created it? One of the participants in the Stewpot’s Open Art Program.
The Stewpot, established in 1975 by First Presbyterian Church, provides a safe haven and resources to Dallas’ homeless and hungry including food provision, health care, housing, case management, substance abuse assistance, job training, and youth programs, as well as creative and social activities including art classes, community concerts, and talent shows.
Soup’s On! Luncheon
The occasion for this art auction was The Stewpot’s annual Soups On! fundraising luncheon. For a per ticket donation of $150 or more (which benefits Stewpot programs), well dressed patrons received a warm welcome from emcee Gary Cogill (former Channel 8 personality turned film producer), and they heard remarks from Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, introductions from 2011 chair Lillie Young (senior vice president of the The Lillie Young Group, Allie Beth Allman Associates), a keynote address from Morton H. Meyerson on the subject of “Creating a Vision of Leadership”, and closing remarks from The Rev. Dr. Bruce Buchanan (Executive Director of The Stewpot and Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church).
Guest also tasted delicious signature soups from some of Dallas’ top chefs including Brian Luscher (The Grape), Keith Hanks (The Capital Grille), Joel Harloff (The Green Room), David McMillan (MCM Restaurants), Kevin Garvin (Neiman Marcus Restaurants), Nathan Tate & Randall Copeland (Restaurant AVA), Bruno Davillon (Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek), Abraham Salum (Salum), and Jim Severson (Sevy’s).
A Hand Up
With offices in downtown Dallas, The Flash List staff has often become directly acquainted with persons receiving assistance from The Stewpot, a great many of whom are talented and hardworking individuals happy to have a ‘hand up’ instead of just a ‘hand out’. And since what we do for others is counted as what we do for the Lord, we find that the type of giving exemplified by Stewpot volunteers and supporters can be as much of a blessing to the giver as to the receiver, and often more.*
Get Involved
Accept an invitation for a Red Carpet Tour of The Stewpot or take part in a concert, talent show, tea, or their annual Soup’s On! luncheon.
The Stewpot has a base of over 2,000 volunteers. To become one yourself, contact the Director of Volunteers at 214-746-2785, ext. 320.
Programs & Services
The Stewpot programs include:
The Stewpot serves 1,500-2,000 meals a day, 7 days a week at the Second Chance Café at The Bridge Homeless Assistance Center.
A partnership with Community Dental Care, Inc. offer individuals three fully equipped dental operations for primary care dental needs as well as second phase dental care for dentures and partial prosthetics.
The Good Samaritan Program helps clients utilize a variety of resources regarding employment, public housing, Social Security, SSI, food stamps, veteran's benefits, etc.
Free voice mail (essential for seeking jobs, housing, healthcare, or safety) is available via a personal, 10-digit phone number allowing for messages available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Dallas Municipal Courts, the Dallas City Attorney’s office, and private attorneys offer Class C misdemeanor case resolution (other than thefts and assaults).
Free caseworker assistance is available to persons who are unable (due to illness or disability) to manage their federal benefits independently.
The program has collected and destroyed over 400 pistols, rifles, shotguns and semi-automatic assault weapons since its inception. Guns are ground down and the metal is recycled.
With 10 free copies to get them started, vendors pay 25¢ for each paper (which is focused on homeless and poverty issues), asking readers for a suggested donation of $1.00. Keeping 100% of the donations he or she receives, participants become self-sufficient enough to purchase bus passes, food, and/or necessary living expenses.
Clients in the STEP program (Stewpot Transitional Employment Program) are given the opportunity to participate in sheltered workshop activities including assembling bean soup and packaging note cards, and other workshop activities which offer group interaction, problem solving, and income opportunities.
Classes are held daily, Monday through Friday, and exhibitions of work are held monthly throughout the Metroplex.
To prevent homelessness and poverty from becoming the future of our children, educational and vocational training opportunities are provided as well as English as a Second Language classes for parents.
Help serve second chances to men, women, and children by contributing basic emergency aid such as:
(Bags filled with canned meat, peanuts, crackers, juice boxes, etc.)
(Sunscreen, deodorant, bug spray, Band Aids, Gatorade, etc.)
(Razor, toothpaste, soap, washcloth, pocket comb, etc.)
(A shoebox filled with small, inexpensive, unisex items for an adult)
(List of desired resources to be distributed by The Stewpot)
For more information, please visit The Stewpot’s website at http://www.thestewpot.org
*references: Matthew 25:31-40, Acts 20:35
