Weddles Win a Texans

Community Quarterback Award

For their leadership, dedication and commitment to helping CCSC improve the lives of Houstonians in need, Margaret and Steve Weddle have received a 2022 Houston Texans-Community Coffee Community Quarterback award.

Most every week, and often multiple times per week, Margaret and Steve can be found volunteering at CCSC—Margaret in the Garden and Steve in the JobNet computer lab. They first began volunteering with CCSC 17 years ago with our Back To School and Jingle Bell Express programs. When they retired, Margaret in 2017 and Steve in 2019, they became full-time volunteers who have helped to positively shape the CCSC programs they volunteer with.

Margaret has been instrumental in helping our Garden provide food to families in need. "Fresh produce shouldn't be a luxury item, yet it is for people in tight financial situations," Margaret said. "I've worked to help steer the Garden toward its highest production because that's the goal—more fresh produce for people in need visiting CCSC's food pantries."

Steve has redesigned CCSC's JobNet employment program's Word, PowerPoint and Excel classes, making them more user-friendly, and developed an intermediate Excel class and skills assessments to ensure students get the most from JobNet classes.

"I love to teach and help people learn things that, at first, they think are difficult. It's very satisfying to see clients learn to be proficient on a computer," Steve said. "Bottom line, there are many people who would probably be jobless, in dire straits financially, or possibly even on the street homeless if it were not for the CCSC impact in their lives."

"Innovators like the Weddles make a significant difference in CCSC's impact in the community," said CCSC President & CEO Michelle Shonbeck. "This impact translates into making a positive difference in the lives of our clients. Steve and Margaret exemplify the commitment made by CCSC volunteers."

"On behalf of CCSC, we feel honored to be nominated for, and to receive, the Texans Community Quarterback award. We are fortunate to work with the dedicated volunteers and staff at CCSC," Steve said. "In these times with so many Houstonians in need, we're thrilled that CCSC will receive $5,000 to extend its mission," Margaret added.

The Community Quarterback awards are given through a partnership between United Way of Greater Houston, The Houston Texans and Community Coffee.

Sharing Jingle Bell Express Joy

The grandmother with custody of her grandkids, the just-graduating nursing student, the father who lost his job, they are all coping with different financial hardships but the one thing they have in common is their excitement and appreciation for receiving Jingle Bell Express Christmas gifts for their children.

"I can't wait to get home and wrap these gifts for my daughter! This and the $50 Fiesta gift card for food will make a huge difference on Christmas morning," said Marie-dalia F., who just last week graduated from the Coleman College of Health Sciences nursing program.

"You can be employed and still struggle. I struggle," said Cheryl S., who works at the Loomis call center and provides for her 16-year-old son and three grandchildren. "This means the children will not be present-less. Every child deserves to have something at Christmas. And the gift card? That's Christmas dinner.

"CCSC is a blessing," Cheryl added. "This is helping more than you know and I'm forever grateful."

Ersy G. came to the Jingle Bell Express drive-thru community event with his wife and two children. "This is very helpful, I'm unemployed right now," he said. "I'm very, very grateful."

For 43 years, Christian Community Service Center's Jingle Bell Express program has helped those in need provide Christmas for their children. Today's program addresses play with toys, literacy with books, and hunger with food for the family. This year Jingle Bell Express helped 2,476 children from 955 families.

“Our Jingle Bell Express team amazes me every year," said Youth Services Manager Cathy Brown. "They bring an energy and enthusiasm that is contagious. We feed off of each other and strive for perfection and it shows in the program results."

The joy of Jingle Bell Express is made possible through monetary and toy donations from CCSC's member churches and their schools, community supporters and individual donors, and the hard work of many volunteers. CCSC thanks all of you for supporting Jingle Bell Express and making Christmas joyful for our neighbors who are struggling financially.

Special thanks to the Ladies for Literacy Guild - Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation for its generous donation and also to our program hosts, the congregation of Bellaire United Methodist Church and Senior Pastor Seann Duffin and Associate Pastor Lataya Simpson. Our gratitude also goes out to Annette Tarver, Amy Gremillion and Marty Speer, and to our fantastic moving crew, Shred Tex and the Kiwanis Club of Houston.

And a HUGE thank you to our Jingle Bell Express Committee members who made the magic happen: Julie Gremillion, Manju Monga, Cyndi Coselli, Mylene Bole, Julie Mikkelsen, Beth Cooper, Holly Green, Jenny Vestal, Janice Johnson, Traci Demecs, Sandra Kang, Anna Andrews, Tany James, Keli Luce, and Steve Smith.