Red Kettle Campaign - An Opportunity to Help Others Through The Salvation Army!

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings
sharing his #RedKettleReason!

With almost a week left in the campaign, its not too late for help make a difference in the lives of others through our Red Kettle Campaign. Between now and Christmas Eve, we hope you will drop in a dollar or two (or more) in our red kettles, located throughout the DFW Metroplex.

Funds raised through the
Red Kettle Campaign helps us provide programs and services not just during the Christmas season but throughout the year. This programs and services include food assistance, homeless shelters, emergency financial assistance programs, substance abuse programs, youth programs and and more.

Don't forget to let everyone know why you donated to the Red Kettle Campaign via social media by using the hashtag #RedKettleReason.

Learn more about our programs, services, and more at SalvationArmyDFW.org.

Thank you for your support!

The Salvation Army Angel Tree Begins on Friday, November 7

The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program helps children receive Christmas gifts during the holiday season. By adopting an Angel off an Angel Tree, you help families provide a joyful Christmas day for their loved ones.

The Angel Tree program plans on helping almost 60,000 individuals in the Metroplex.

Just select an angel from an Angel Tree, shop for the gifts, and bring them back to the same location by December 10.

You can find an Angel Tree at the following malls:

NorthPark Center

North East Mall

Collin Creek Mall

Grapevine Mills Mall         

Galleria Dallas

Hulen Mall                                                           

Ridgmar Mall

Golden Triangle Mall

Town East Mall

Parks at Arlington 

This year, you also have the option to adopt an angel online! Just go to http://dfwangeltree.org/ to adopt, starting November 7! 

Hear Amy tell her experience with the Angel Tree program: 

Celebrating 125 Years In Texas, Partners & Volunteers At Work, and More!

Dear Friends, 

We hope you’re having a wonderful summer.  We have lots to report!

The start of the 5K run at
The Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race.

MOST GOOD 5K & OBSTACLE RACE
 
As part of our 125^th anniversary celebration here in Texas, we held our first-ever Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race on May 3.

The event began with runners competing in a series of obstacles starting in Trinity Groves and coursing in and around Dallas' Uptown area. Participants traveled on foot and by DART to complete rigorous obstacle challenges. While doing so, they learned about The Salvation Army’s five impact areas: empowering youth, helping disaster survivors, sheltering the homeless, feeding the hungry, and assisting the elderly. 

The obstacle race was followed by a 5K run at sunset.

Here’s a short clip from the event:



We thank all the participants and volunteers for being part of the fun. We’re especially thankful for our corporate partners — the Dallas Cowboys, Albertsons, and BNSF Railway — and also our race sponsors: Camp Gladiator, CBS-11, CBS Radio, DART, and the Cooper Aerobics Center!

Celebrate The Salvation Army's
125th Anniversary at the upcoming
Most Good Music Festival;
Saturday, September 6!

MOST GOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL
 
The 125^th anniversary celebration continues on September 6 with the first-ever Most Good Music Festival at Fort Worth's Panther Island Pavilion, Texas' only waterfront stage.

This country music event will feature Stoney LaRue, Jack Ingram, Mike and the Moonpies, and more. Tickets are available now at mostgoodmusicfestival.org, so don’t wait! 

Dallas Cowboys player Barry Church (right)
being interviewed. Barry was the winner
of this year's Home Run Derby.

RELIANT HOME RUN DERBY

Reliant Energy held its annual Home Run Derby with the Dallas Cowboys at Globe Life Park in Arlington.  Cowboys players Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, and DeMarco Murray, among others, were swinging bats and swatting balls to raise money for The Salvation Army.

The Cowboys' efforts raised $50,000 to help meet needs in DFW.
 

The Women's Auxiliary Fashion Show
at Brook Hollow Golf Club.

WOMEN’S AUXILIARY FASHION SHOW

Our Dallas Women’s Auxiliary held its annual fashion show at Brook Hollow Golf Club in May. Honorary chair Laura Bush was in attendance, as was former WFAA-TV news anchors Gloria Campos, walking the runway, and current WFAA anchor Shelly Slater as the emcee.

Clothes featured in the show were available for sale at the event's “Chic Boutique.” After the event, more clothes were sold at the annual WEARhouse sale at our Christmas and Disaster Center in Dallas.

Dallas Cowboys with children from
our community center in Plano
during the opening of
the Play 60 Fitness Zone.

DALLAS COWBOYS PLAY 60 FITNESS ZONE OPENS IN PLANO

Members of the Plano community joined Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice-President and Chief Brand Officer, Charlotte Jones Anderson, and Dallas Cowboys players Kyle Wilber and Tyrone Crawford this July to celebrate the opening of the Dallas Cowboys Play 60 Fitness Zone for youth at our community center in Plano! 

Furnished with exercise equipment, fitness-oriented video games and more, the Fitness Zone will provide youth in the Plano area a safe place to exercise and get in shape.

Thank you Dallas Cowboys, our first and longtime corporate partner, for your support!

VOLUNTEERS AT WORK

Recently, volunteers from several corporations gave their valuable time at a few of our community centers.  Employees from Bank of America, McAfee, and Texas Instruments performed various projects at our centers.  

Here’s a short clip of McAfee at our Cedar Crest Community Center in Oak Cliff.



Thanks to all these volunteers for their hard work!

MORE ON THE WAY

There’s plenty more on the horizon! Stay tuned for the latest updates on the Most Good Music Festival, and more, on our Facebook and Twitter pages!

Warm Regards, 






Majors Michele and Ward Matthews
DFW Metroplex Leadership

And Now, A Heartfelt "Thank You" To Our Partners!

As The Most Good 5K  Race & Obstacle Race inches closer--just two days away--we'd like to give our thanks to our corporate partners: the Dallas Cowboys, Albertsons, and BNSF Railway.

Our partners play a crucial, positive role in helping to provide programs and services for people in need. We're honored to have the Dallas Cowboys, Albertsons, and BNSF as partners in doing the most good!

Serving meals at our shelters, raising money through a home-run derby,
hosting our national red kettle campaign each year for the past 17 years,
the Dallas Cowboys, a founding member of our corporate partnership program,
have done all of this and more for The Salvation Army.

Last year, Albertsons helped us raise disaster donations at
a CBS-11 telethon following last spring’s tornadoes.

BNSF Railway played a major role in last year’s opening
of The Salvation Army Youth Education Town. BNSF sponsored
the YET Town Square and BNSF CEO Carl Ice and his wife Mary sponsored
the YET Music Room.

To our partners...

Leadership Blog: Annual Luncheon in Fort Worth, Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race, and more!

Dear Friends,

A lot has happened since our last post! Here’s the scoop: 

ANNUAL DOING THE MOST GOOD LUNCHEON IN FORT WORTH
Imagine raising a daughter for 18 years and then losing her suddenly with no answers as to her whereabouts. Such was the tragic experience of Beth Holloway when her daughter Natalee disappeared while on her high school graduation trip to Aruba in 2005. 

Fort Worth Annual Luncheon guest speaker
Beth Holloway delivering her keynote speech.

Earlier this month at our 2014 Annual Doing the Most Good Luncheon in Fort Worth, Beth shared details of her heart-wrenching ordeal during her keynote speech. She talked about traveling to Aruba to search for Natalee, going days without eating or bathing as she chased down leads, and finally about learning of the confession by an Aruban young man who admitted that he had her body dumped in the ocean. It was a captivating account of overcoming extreme adversity.

We’re so appreciative of all who attended. We’re especially grateful for honorary chairs, Mary and Carl Ice, for their outstanding support. We want to sincerely thank our four-way co-chairs, Gail Landreth, Lauri Lawrence, Kelley Royer, and Suzanne Sanders for putting the event together.

The Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race
comes on May 3 at Trinity Groves in Dallas!

MOST GOOD 5K & OBSTACLE RACE: REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

We’re celebrating 125 years in Texas with our first-ever Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race! This brand new event will be held on May 3 at Trinity Groves in Dallas.

Registration is now open, so don’t wait! Play a healthy role by helping The Salvation Army continue doing the most good.

Learn how to register, and more, here.

PREVIOUS EVENTS

The Texas Legends of the National Basketball Development League hosted Salvation Army Night at Dr. Pepper Stadium in Frisco. The occasion was an opportunity to thank some of the companies that hosted Angel Trees in the workplace during the Christmas season.

YET Junior Advisory Council Co-Presidents
Kellam Hall, Riley Graham and Molly Montgomery
with Lieutenant Patrick Jones
of The Salvation Army in Arlington.

The Women’s Auxiliary of Tarrant County celebrated Valentine’s Day by hosting a party for senior citizens living at our two Friendship House apartment communities in Fort Worth. During the party, the seniors enjoyed tasty treats while participating in a friendly game of bingo.

The Junior Advisory Council of The Salvation Army Youth Education Town (YET) in Arlington held a rave party as a fundraiser for the YET. The event raised $12,000 to help with YET programs and services (pictured)!
 

CONNECT WITH US

Don’t miss out on the latest Salvation Army DFW news and events. Stay in touch by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Warm Regards,

Captain Michele and Major Ward Matthews
DFW Command Leadership

Leadership Blog: 125 Years in Texas, The Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race & More!

Dear Friends, 

Let us start by saying THANK YOU!

Our Christmas programs provided assistance to thousands of North Texans, despite the shortened Christmas season and an unexpected ice storm.

Donors from across the Metroplex donated Christmas gifts through our Angel Tree program for 53,775 local children and seniors. In all, 16,550 families received assistance from The Salvation Army at Christmas time.

Thank you for your support!

Meanwhile, our Red Kettle campaign suffered a $584,000 shortfall, in large part because Thanksgiving fell a week later last year, which meant we lost a week of fund raising, plus the ice storm that knocked us out of two more days. 

But compassionate North Texans took action. After hearing news, foundations and generous donors helped make up the shortfall. While we still have a large deficit in kettle income, these gifts have lessened the burden significantly.

Celebrating 125 years
in Texas!

125^th ANNIVERSARY IN TEXAS
The Salvation Army has been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination in Texas for 125 years. We’re celebrating with two new events designed to mobilize the next generation of caring donors and volunteers with experiential ways to join our Doing the Most Good movement. The Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race will be May 3 in trendy Trinity Groves, and the Most Good Music Festival September 6, at Fort Worth’s Panther Island.

These events will help generate new funding through ticket sales, entry fees, and corporate sponsorships. The new funding is critical so we can continue to meet the growing demand for The Salvation Army’s services.

THE MOST GOOD 5K & OBSTACLE RACE
The Obstacle Race features 125 teams of two, conquering unique urban challenges designed to test participants’ strength, agility and strategic thinking. The challenges are set up around Dallas’ most notable landmarks and offer access to venues not available to the public. Racers will experience Dallas like no one else can, while competing for exciting prizes.

The Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race
comes May 3!

The 5K runners and walkers will enjoy competing near sunset while feasting their sights on Downtown Dallas’ electric panoramic skyline.  The Family Fun Festival mixes fitness and fun with your family and friends for a wonderfully fit day. The event will educate participants about The Salvation Army’s five impact areas: Feed the Hungry, Shelter the Homeless, Empower Youth, Assist the Elderly and Aid Disaster Survivors. Learn more about the Most Good 5K & Obstacle Race – and how to register – here.

Tony Romo (left) and Jason Witten
of the Dallas Cowboys
with Captain Michele Matthews at
the annual pre-Thanksgiving meal
for residents of our homeless shelter in Dallas.

THE DALLAS COWBOYS – FOUNDING PARTNER
Many corporations have supported The Salvation Army but none are more distinguished than the Dallas Cowboys.  The DFW Metroplex Command is honored to name the Cowboys as Founding Partner for our corporate partnership program.  The program was launched in conjunction with the 125^th anniversary celebration of The Salvation Army in Texas.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
speaking during
the 125th anniversary
announcement last October.

The Cowboys’ Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer, Charlotte Jones Anderson, is serving as chair of the anniversary. Her parents, Gene and Jerry Jones, are serving as honorary co-chairs along with President George W. Bush and Laura Bush.

We are continually grateful to the Cowboys for their support, expertise and vision.

YOUTH EDUCATION TOWN – TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP

The Salvation Army Youth Education Town
in Arlington provides various programs
and services to youth in North Texas.

The Salvation Army YouthEducation Town (YET) in Arlington and Tarrant County College (TCC) have agreed to a partnership that began on February 3 with three courses being taught by TCC at the YET: English as a Second Language (ESL), GED Test Instruction, and Office Careers preparation.  The partnership may expand to include a plethora of adult, senior and summer youth programs at the YET, including an upgrade to the YET’s classroom technology.

Captain Michele Matthews (far left)
with members of the
Korean Business Community
and the Carr P. Collins Advisory Board
during the computer donation announcement.

MORE GOOD NEWS!
The Korean Business Community donated brand new computers for a computer lab at our homeless shelter in Dallas. The computers will allow shelter residents to search and apply for jobs, and access information on financial education and more.

A non-profit group called Niki Covers The Cold brought their truck and trailer to our homeless shelter in Fort Worth to give residents free blankets, shirts, jackets, and sweaters. Their visit was timely: On the day they arrived, temperatures dropped into the low 30s. 

Members of Niki Covers The Cold
at our homeless shelter in Fort Worth.

Niki Covers The Cold was founded in memory of Niki Carlson, who unexpectedly passed away in March 2010. Prior to her death, she planned to distribute blankets from her truck to people in need. Niki’s parents made her vision an ongoing reality by starting a nonprofit organization in Niki’s honor.

CONNECT WITH US
We have a lot in store this year. Be sure to be stay up to date by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Warm Regards,

Captain Michele and Major Ward Matthews
DFW Metroplex Command Leadership