FFSC Weekly
Aug 24, 2010

Welcome to the FFS Newsletter designed to give you a brief summary of all things happening at FFS. The newsletter will be published every other week with a special announcement/article in between.  Enjoy!

Announcing..... Gala 2011

Mark your calendars now for the best event in Frisco!!  FFS Gala 2011 will be held on
Saturday, March 5, 2011.  The event will be held once again at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco.  Join our sterring committee!  We need creative, highly motivated, energetic volunteers.  There are committees for all areas of expertise and levels of experience including Entertainment, Auction, Theme Basket, Restaurant Partners, Décor, Luxury Raffle, and Sponsorships, so grab a friend or neighbor and get ready to have a great time while serving your community!
Be part of the team that will make this event a great success and in turn make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of your neighbors in need or in crisis right here in our own community
Click here if you are interested in joining our committee or would like more information.

Donating Online is
Easy As 1-2-3!
 
 

Food Pantry Needs List!

- Boxed meal helpers

- School Lunch Snack Items 

- Full size shampoo and conditioner

- Ramen Noodles

- Sugar

- Cleaning supplies

- Mayonnaise

Frisco Family Services is participating in
Get Up and Give!
North Texas Giving Day
Wednesday, Sept 8th
from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.


Get Up and Give! North Texas Giving Day 2010 is a day for you to go to your computer and give to the nonprofit organizations that you support! Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, when donations above $25 are made online through www.DonorBridgetx.org , the nonprofit will receive matching funds. This helps your gifts go farther!  Please select FFS as your nonprofit organization of choice to make your contribution on this dayFor more information visit www.friscocenter.org or donate on September 8th at www.donorbridgetx.org

ATTENTION:
Tom Thumb Shoppers

FFS accepts Tom Thumb Community Bucks!  If you shop Tom Thumb September 1st -30th and collect Tom Thumb Community Bucks, send them to FFSC by October 12th and we will receive $1 in store credit for every buck you send in.  Please mail them to FFS P.O. Box 1387 Frisco, TX 75034 or drop them off at 8780 3rd Street.
Thank you!!!!

Director's Blog
by Nicole Bursey- Client Services Director

Each newsletter we will now bring to you "The Director's Blog".  A special article written by one of our 4 FFS Directors.  

Summer Lunch Program Comes To An End
Wow, it's so hard to believe how quickly the summer has flown by.  Some of us have reminders like sweet memories of a fun family vacation, shopping for school supplies or clothing for kids getting ready to return to school or the steamy temperatures we have endured this summer that just won't seem to quit.  Here at the agency, a huge reminder for us has been the end of our 2010 "Fun and Lunch for our Young Bunch" summer lunch program.  Despite the heat, rain and any other unforeseen obstacle, our community partners helped to deliver a program that will live on in the hearts and  minds of children in our community for years to come.  Our church partners helped us to reduce hunger in our community by distributing 3,686 nutritious meals and 1,000 weekend breakfast and snack bags to children at Oakbrook park and 2 Frisco Housing Authority for 8-weeks.  In addition to receiving lunch, children participated in fun recreational activities  and drawings for prizes.  They also received restaurant gift cards for yummy meals or snacks each week.  This program was a huge support to families whose budgets were already stretched due to sudden unemployment, divorce, loss of income due to illness, living on a fixed income, the downturn in the economy or other crisis situation.  It is because of the generosity of our community and a recognition that we can do more together than any of us can do alone that we are able to help keep our community strong.  We would like to thank the following partners for making our summer lunch program a great success: agency volunteer liaisons Jan Michalowski & Sarah and Maria Lempke, Prince of Peace Catholic Church, First United Methodist Church (Frisco), Preston Trail Community Church, Grace Avenue United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church (Frisco), St. Philips Episcopal Church and Faithbridge Presbyterian.

Click here to see photos from our Summer Lunch Wrap Up Given by Preston Trail Community Church

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Back To School Program
Article Written by Myrna Martinez, Program Coordinator

The new school year has quickly approached and children are back in school, 132 families in Frisco have a sense of relief after receiving help from FFS.  Many of these families did not have the means to provide their children with the mandatory supplies and new clothes to start the new school year.  Thanks to the generosity of the individuals, groups and businesses in the community, FFS provided the complete school supply list, a backpack, a new outfit and a pair of shoes for 263 children.  Many also received haircuts and toiletries.
Thank you to: Frisco Square/Residences of Frisco Square for use of space, Jump, Jive, and Wail Salon-provided haircuts to students
Helene Milsap-Coordinator for Personal Hygiene/Facials
All Smiles Dental Mobile Unit-Free Dental Screenings and other dental work Vendors: City of Frisco-Housing Department, City of Frisco Police Department, Frisco Cares Clinic, Catholic Charities
Big Brothers Big Sisters, Physicians for Children, Angel Food Ministries  Donors: Grace Avenue Church, PepsiCo, St. Phillips, Episcopal Church, Frisco Rotary, Frisco Mercantile, Market Center at Frisco Square and many more small groups and individuals that donated clothing and school supplies. Thank you to the numerous volunteers that helped organize and distribute all of the donations! 

Featured Volunteer
Article Written by Ligia Zimmerman, Volunteer Coordinator

Food For Thought
Article Written by Blake Ball, Food Pantry Manager

FISD Food Drives
Returning to school means reading, writing and arithmetic but Frisco children will also learn important lessons about being a good neighbor and community volunteer.  Frisco ISD has once again partnered with us in collecting food for the  food pantry. Each campus will hold a two-week food drive to assist FFS in providing food for families in need or in crisis. Last school year, Frisco students and faculty collected more than 82,000 pounds of food accounting for 1/4 of the amount distributed to FFS clients during this time.  Your support in your child's school food drive is vital in keeping our shelves stocked with items needed for the these families.  We encourage to get you involved: donate items, engage your neighbors, help at the school with collection and sorting, and teach your children the valuable lesson of giving back.  Help your child and school stand out as good neighbors and community volunteers.

The schedule for food drives this year are as followed and notifications will be made by each school. 

First two weeks of September - Isbell/Rogers
Last two weeks of September - Spears/Allen
First two weeks of October - Wester/Staley
Last three weeks of October - Bright/Shawnee Trail/Curtsinger
November -FHS/WHS/CHS/LHS/HHS/LSHS (ending before break)
First three weeks of December -Pioneer Heritage/Griffin
First two weeks of January - Anderson/Borchardt/Elliott
Last two weeks of January - Taylor/Riddle/Stafford
First two weeks of February -Carroll/Corbell/Fisher
Last two weeks of February - Scoggins/Fowler
First two weeks of March - Ashley/Ogle/Sem/Cobb
March 23-April 3-Tadlock/Clark/Robertson/Maus
April 6-17- Gunstream/Smith/Boals/Roach
May 11-21Sparks/Bledsoe/Hunt/Sonntag
May 26-June4 Christie/Mooneyham/Pink/Purefoy 

Article Written by Kimberly Girard, Development Manager