“ Each person is important. Each person deserves to be helped. ”
I was introduced to The Stewpot in 2008, not long after I graduated college. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do “when I grew up” and where I wanted to land. I started volunteering at The Stewpot’s Second Chance Café each week. Immediately, I knew this was where I wanted to be. I found my place.
Several months into volunteering, I accepted a position on staff at The Stewpot. I transitioned to some different roles in my time there. After my first son was born, I decided to stay home, but a part of me was still at The Stewpot! I volunteered when I could, and eventually accepted my current role as The Stewpot Alliance coordinator. If you don’t know what The Stewpot Alliance is, you can learn more about the group here.
My time at The Stewpot has given me the unique opportunity to see The Stewpot in action from all perspectives. Clients have become friends. They always greet me with a hug and check in on my family. From the top down, the staff is absolutely incredible. Stewpot volunteers are some of the most faithful people I’ve ever met. And the donors blow me away with their generosity. The phrase “It takes a village” comes to mind. The staff uses their expertise, the volunteers use their time, and the donors use their resources to make it all happen! It’s so beautiful to see.
If I had to pick just one reason why I love The Stewpot so much, it’s this: They work hard to affirm the inherent dignity in each and every person. No matter where a person is on his/her journey, that individual is welcome at The Stewpot. That, to me, is the most important work to be done. It looks different in each program, but the heart of the mission remains the same: Each person is important. Each person deserves to be helped.
For me, The Stewpot is a chance to live out the gospel. There is a creator God, who made each person in His image. I get to show people his love and care, because He first loved me. It’s where my family and I serve together. Each of my boys has spent time at The Stewpot helping me with projects. My husband and I have served meals with our church home group. And (when it’s safe to gather) we get with our friends’ families to assemble Summer Survival Kits and Holiday Boxes.
So, I hope you’ll consider a gift to The Stewpot on North Texas Giving Day. I think sometimes we give and the donation feels a little abstract. But your gift translates into something very real for so many people. Maybe it’s a meal, or maybe it’s a college scholarship. Your donation is making a huge impact in the life of another person.
