3/4 To Be Like Me - Hollis Owens and TJ Smelko

To Be Like Me provides interactive experiences focusing on awareness of different abilities and will be facilitated by speakers who have those abilities.

The two-hour program will help shed light on the challenges people with different abilities sometimes face and the tools and skills they use to adapt. To Be Like Me also incorporates disability awareness curriculum before, during, and after the program to increase the impact of our message.

TJ Smelko is featured in the image below, at the top right.

Learn more about To Be Like Me.

3/11 Body and Soul - Joy Anderson, Jane and Joe

Body & Soul is an ecumenical, community and faith-based, non-profit homeless ministry founded in February of 1997 by St. Paul United Methodist Church in the Dallas Arts District. Program partners are Highland Park Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church Richardson. Additional volunteers come from Highland Park United Methodist Church, West Irving Church of God in Christ, Reaching the Heart of the Street Ministry, and West Mesquite Baptist Church. 

St. Paul was established in 1873 and is designated a city, state, and national historic landmark for its architectural, cultural and social significance. It is the oldest and only African American church in downtown Dallas.

Read more about Body & Soul.

FUMCR is responsible for cooking and serving the Sunday afternoon meal each week. Sign up to serve.

3/18 Austin Street Center - Daniel Roby

For over 30 years, Austin Street Center has specialized in caring for the most vulnerable homeless men and women in Dallas. Beyond meeting basic needs, Austin Street is committed to individualized care for each person who comes to us for help.

Learn More about Austin Street Center.

3/25 Ashley Elsey

I believe in the power of communication and relish the chance to harness it for companies, causes and individuals. I bring a mix of corporate, nonprofit, political and academic experience. Owning my business since 2003, I have had the opportunity to live the digital revolution and to evolve right along with it. Over my career, I have handled all facets of communications, developing marketing and communications solutions for organizations ranging in size from startup to the Fortune 10, spanning multiple industries including telecom, commercial real estate, human resources, legal, and nonprofits. This means everything from comms strategy to coding websites.

In 2010, I took a leave from Minerva Consulting for the honor to serve President George W. Bush as Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the George W. Bush Presidential Center. During that time, I was responsible for building the marketing and communications function from the ground up, launching the Bush Center brand. I had the privilege of working with leaders from around the world, building international programs and events, attended by tens of thousands.

Prior to starting Minerva Consulting in 2003, I began my career at GTE Communications, which would ultimately become Verizon. While at Verizon, I led the launch of many award winning cause related marketing programs, receiving the Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership and the Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil award. I am a proud graduate of Rice University with a degree in Managerial Studies and Political Science.

4/1 Prison Ministry

The mission of Kairos Prison Ministry is to share the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women and youth, as well as their families, to become loving and productive citizens of their communities.

Serve Kairos with FUMCR.

Learn more about Kairos Prison Ministry. Watch PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly story about Kairos.

4/8 Network of Community Ministries - Kaylan VanPelt

Network of Community Ministries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a service area that encompasses the entirety of the 14 zip codes within RISD, including the portion of these zip codes that extend into the Plano, Garland, and Dallas ISD areas. Founded in 1985, Network began during an economic downturn when several churches and community organizations came together to form an alliance to assist families in need, and thus the term “Network” of Community Ministries was born.

Network is a non-denominational, community-based organization serving nearly 9,000 individuals annually through over 47,000 units of service. Our mission is to care, coach and empower our neighbors in need as they seek an improved quality of life. Current programming at Network includes Emergency Services (food, clothing, utilities, rent and income supports), a Medical & Dental voucher program, Seniors’ Net (supplemental food, handyman service, companion calls, information and referrals), and Stabilization Programs (Pathways case management and stability planning, Job Resource Center, Financial Empowerment Classes).

Learn more about Network.