Our mission is intersecting faith and community to empower

Grayson County families to end child homelessness.

Happy New Year!

I am looking forward to all the wonderful things that can be accomplished through FPGC in this new year. We are led by an amazing Executive Director, Leigh Walker, who is supported by Case Managers Tara Hickerson and Kristi Shilling. This outstanding staff ensures that FPGC helps those in our community who are in need, either through our shelter rotation program or through Family HOPE (Housing Opportunities to Prevent Eviction).

Kelly Reed, Chair of the Board for the last two years, did an excellent job of leading the Board as we navigated through the pandemic and an unprecedented need for homelessness prevention. I am grateful that she has agreed to stay on the Board for another year as I move into the role of Chair. We are blessed to be keeping all our current Board members as well as adding two new members. Watch in future newsletters for “Get to Know” articles about our Board.

Thanks to all of you who donated so generously of your time and financial resources. Countless numbers of people prepared meals or hosted our families, helped with fundraising events, and volunteered at our Day Center. For all these things we are grateful and know that in 2023 we will be able to continue to work towards our vision of a community where no child is homeless. Thank you for enabling us to do this!

Sincerely,

Becky Frank

2023 Board President

Santa Claus rides with SSMC Lone Star

Just before Christmas, Santa and Mrs. Claus rode into Sherman with the SSMC Lone Star to present one of our guest families with Christmas gifts! Not only did they bring lots of presents, but also they brought one of their elves! After Santa and his helpers placed the gifts under the tree, they let the children sit on their motorcycles and get their pictures taken! Several neighborhood children joined in the fun! We are SO grateful to this kind and generous group for spreading cheer across north Texas and southern Oklahoma! We especially appreciate ALL they do for our families! Mrs. Claus even brought the family's baby some difficult-to-find baby formula straight from the North Pole!

SSMC Lone Star is a non-profit organization comprised of law enforcement, veterans, and others that support social, educational and charitable programs such as Family Promise. THANK YOU, SSMC Lone Star!!

Community Givers

• The Sherman Noon Lions Club provided Christmas food for one of the families that we serve. Since the child was too old for Toys for Tots, Lion James Johnson went above and beyond by providing toys for the teenager's cat!
• Students at Grayson Christian School collected and delivered four boxes of towels, wash cloths, paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap and shampoo! We are grateful to Principal Greg Rostyne for helping instill great values in his students!
• Utter Pike Private Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors sponsored the recent Sherman Community Players production of "White Christmas". Financial Advisor and philanthropist Gail Utter invited patrons of the sponsor show to donate cleaning supplies for the guests of Family Promise or canned goods for Sherman's Grand Central Station. In one evening, 51 containers of laundry soap (equivalent to 2216 loads!), 58 bottles of liquid hand soap, and 830 antibacterial wipes were given! Wells Fargo Financial Advisor Joey Beason and Client Associate Janetta Patton delivered the cleaning supplies to the Family Promise Day Center while a carload of canned goods was delivered to Grand Central Station!
• Presco very generously adopted three of our Family HOPE families for Christmas. Presco Human Resources Director Tammy Watkins ensured that each child received clothing and toys per their parents' wishes.
• Ella Fitzbag arranged for Family Promise to receive Bombas socks and underwear for guests who need such items. We were able to share some of these with Homestead of Denison residents who otherwise would have had no Christmas gifts.
• Cody Enloe and Mike Worcester of Texoma Harley-Davidson provided bicycles for one of our families! They donate a child's bicycle for every motorcycle they sell in December. The children got to ring the bell when they received their bikes, just like new Harley owners!

These are but a few of the many examples of kindness and generosity that have blessed the families we serve. If you know any of these folks or have contact with these thoughtful organizations, please tell them how much we appreciate them and the positive impact they are making on our community!

Joey Beason, Leigh Walker, and Janetta Patton

Grayson Christian School students

Financial Classes

Financial literacy is crucial in overcoming homelessness. Learning to budget, to avoid the pitfalls of title or payday loans, and to protect against fraud are a few of the topics covered by our case managers. The families that go through our rotation program receive case management almost daily, and the families we assist financially through our HOPE (homelessness prevention) program agree to participate in case management twice a month.

Family Promise has partnered with local financial experts to offer classes on these topics. Classes are open to everyone, and child care and snacks are provided. Our first class in 2023 will be hosted by Cadence bank on Thursday, January 26th from 6:30-8 PM. Thank you to Laurie Mealy at Habitat for Humanity for allowing us to meet with them for this event at Grand Avenue Presbyterian church (901 N. Grand Avenue in Sherman)!

The following Tuesday, January 31st from 5:30-6:45 PM, Independent Financial will be hosting a financial class for children (ages five through 5th grade). This will be held at the Family Promise Day Center (901 E. Houston Street in Sherman). Independent Financial will lead a class the last Tuesday of every month in 2023. The February topic will be "Having a Spending and Savings Plan" and is geared for adults. Watch here for topics, times, and potential date changes! If you have any questions, please call Leigh at 903-771-0322.

THANK YOU to our Host and Support Congregations!

Did you know that our host congregations sign up in advance to host our Interfaith Hospitality Network (Rotation) guests? Almost every week in 2023 already has a host congregation that has volunteered to provide food and hospitality in their church building. Most congregations host once per quarter. Family Promise provides the beds, and guests rotate to the next congregation every Sunday. Support congregations provide meals or volunteers if requested by the host congregations.

Our January host congregations are Park Avenue Church of Christ in Denison, Trinity Baptist in Sherman, First Baptist in Whitesboro, Grace Lutheran in Denison, and First United Methodist in Sherman. Thank you so much to the members of these congregations for loving our guests so well!

"Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people,

a heart that forgives the worst,

a mind that forgets the bad,

and a soul that never loses faith in God."

~Author unknown