Giving | 2022

GIVING

I t’s the season of giving, and this region is known for its generosity, whether that takes the form of volunteer hours or financial donations. As Thanksgiving approaches, the annual local fundraising event, The Panhandle Gives, will call plenty of attention to worthy nonprofits in the coming weeks. Alongside that focus, we are thrilled to introduce our inaugural Giving Guide, a way to introduce readers to nonprofits that need both awareness and support. Happy giving!

Family Support Services

Our Beginnings

In 1908, a group of Amarillo businessmen recognized that there were many community members who were suffering and had no place to turn for help. This group of leaders met in the old Amarillo City Hall to form the first charitable organization in Amarillo, then known as Associated Charities. Throughout the years, this agency was reorganized several times to meet the evolving needs of our community, becoming the nonprofit agency we now know as Family Support Services of Amarillo (FSS) in 1993.

Who We Serve

Today, FSS serves more than 25,000 people in need each year by offering programs that support at-risk people across the Texas Panhandle, including at-risk children, families and individuals; survivors of sexual assault, family violence and human trafficking; people in need of individual, group, marital and family counseling; survivors of suicide; and veterans and their family members. We provide a wide variety of services to meet the diverse needs of the people we serve, regardless of their ability to pay.

Our team members exemplify integrity, expertise and a commitment to service. Whether providing counseling to someone who has suffered trauma, providing support to a survivor of domestic violence at our emergency Safe House, providing peer support services to veterans, or showing children how to live healthier lives, each member of our team is dedicated to helping our clients heal and take action to create sustainable change in themselves and our community.

Our Programs

Advocacy Services

• The only Safe House for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in Amarillo, including an on-site kennel so survivors do not have to leave their pets behind.

• Face-to-face crisis intervention services, including a 24-hour Crisis Helpline

Prevention Services

• Strengthening Families Program

• HOPES: a child abuse prevention program

• Sexual Assault and Family Violence Prevention Education for all ages

• Parenting Education classes

• Accompaniment through the medical, legal and judicial systems

• Accredited crisis volunteer advocate program serving adult and child victims

• Sexual assault survivors support group

• Family violence support group

• Youth Advisory Committee (YAC): trains teens to be positive mentors

• Human Trafficking Prevention

• Outreach and support for labor trafficking victims

Behavioral Health Services

• Help for those struggling with depression, stress management, grief recovery, divorce recovery, eating disorders, anxiety and phobias, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, self-esteem, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress, emotional trauma, parenting challenges, and many other areas.

Veterans Services

• Needs assessment and connection to services across the Texas Panhandle

• Housing assistance for homeless veterans and their families

A Vital Part of Our Community

• Individual, marital and family counseling

• Play therapy

• Supervised Visitation Program

• LOSS (Local Outreach for Survivors of Suicide) Team: designed to assist family members, friends and loved ones of people who have died by suicide

• Peer support groups

• Claims, compensation and education assistance

• Life skills training

• Counseling services on site

When we lost our Main Office and Veterans Resource Center in a fire in 2020, our local community immediately sprang to action to make sure we were still able to deliver the vital, life-saving services we provide that are unduplicated by any other agency in our community. Through the kindness of our community members and partner agencies, we were up and running within one day of the fire in temporary locations, and soon will be moving into our new home at 2209 SW Seventh Ave. in Amarillo. We now ask for your continued generosity as we move forward into our 115th year of providing Amarillo residents with a beacon of hope.

How to help:

Every week, we serve around 500 of your neighbors, friends or family members in need. But you can change that. At FSS, we are working toward a future where our services are not needed. And today, we are asking you to be a partner with us.

A gift of $50 will provide a child who has escaped from a deadly situation with nothing but the clothes on their back with the following: a warm bed, three meals a day, clothing, transportation to school, counseling, and a safe kennel so that they can bring their pet with them and not have to leave it behind.

When you partner with FSS, you effect change in our community and ensure our success in the future. If you would like to contribute, either through donating funds or volunteering, go to fss-ama.org and make a difference in minutes.

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Amarillo Area Foundation

How and when did your organization begin? The Amarillo Area Foundation was founded in 1957 by a group of individuals who knew that a community working together brought strength that any one of them working separately could not. Formed as the second Community Foundation in Texas, the development of the Medical Center transformed health care and the future of health care in this region. The bequest of Don D. Harrington enabled the Foundation to begin giving grants, and this early health care-focused vision grew into a $250 million organization, having the philanthropic impact of strength, breadth and ingenuity.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? We serve all residents of the 26 counties that comprise the Texas Panhandle.

What specific community needs do you meet? We strive to achieve our mission of “improving quality of life for Texas Panhandle residents” through a variety of programs. From scholarships and grants to collaborations like THRIVE, ACE, and Panhandle Community Partnership (NLNE), as well as empowering and educating local nonprofits through the Nonprofit Service Center.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? In the past couple of years, our board made the strategic decision to put a finer focus on our work. We identified a few discrete areas of great need in our area: mental health, food insecurity, early childhood literacy, post-secondary education, digital literacy, and access to childcare. We are not only focusing grant funding on these areas, but are also partnering with local, state and national organizations to find innovative ways to work together in tackling these systemic issues.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? We are always amazed and humbled by the generosity of the Texas Panhandle. Whether through our annual giving campaign, The Panhandle Gives, or by helping our neighbors most in need through the Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund, our community always comes through! We are currently trying to expand our collective financial impact with our “Stratum Funds.” Stratum Funds help AAF build on the foundation of our mission by allowing donors to choose areas of focus that align with their philanthropic goals.

Ascension Academy

How and when did your organization begin? Ascension Academy began as the shared vision of a group of concerned parents and educators in the 1990s. This group of people saw an opening in the overall academic environment in our area for a school designed to prepare students for college and beyond. The Ascension Academy Board of Regents welcomed the school’s first group of students in September 2000. In August 2006, Ascension Academy moved into its permanent facility off Soncy Road. Ascension Academy remains the Panhandle’s only college preparatory school, providing a safe, nurturing, faith-respecting environment to maximize the potential of every student.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Ascension Academy serves students in grades 6 through 12 who seek a challenging curriculum in an inclusive but diverse environment. Our school offers a small, safe school community that will prepare them for success in college and in life as Scholars, Artists, Athletes, and Leaders—our Four Pillars.

What specific community needs do you meet? Most of our students are already planning to attend college when they arrive at Ascension, but they also come here to develop the tools and skills necessary to become confident, collaborative lifelong learners who are prepared for success after graduation. Ascension Academy recognizes and maximizes the potential of each individual student.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? The profile of an Ascension student doesn’t fit into a box that one might think is typical for a private school. We have a diverse student body that ranges in social and economic status, athletic ability, artistic expression, and academic skills. Each student is an individual with unique gifts and talents, who is given significant opportunities for growth.

What needs does your organization have right now? We want the Amarillo community to know that motivated students of all backgrounds can find their home at Ascension. We want families to know that Ascension is an affordable investment in their student’s future, and we work with each family confidentially to customize tuition based on the family’s financial profile. As we grow, we strive to have a scholarship fund significant enough to provide the Ascension opportunity to every mission-appropriate student in our community. Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? Amarillo is a generous community that recognizes the value of investing in our youth. Many churches, groups, and organizations exist because they are dedicated to the success and support of our local students. Here at Ascension, we know that when we invest in our youth, we ensure the success of our local economy and the talent that is necessary to move our community forward for decades to come. We live this mission each and every day— it is the Ascension Difference.

How to help: Help us share the Ascension opportunity will all area students.

at ascensionacademy.org.

The Guyon Saunders Resource Center

The Guyon Saunders Resource Center (GSRC) has facilitated resources for the homeless since 1993. More than 5,000 men, women and children are served annually. The GSRC provides daytime shelter, showers, laundry, mail service and resources for developing necessary skills for self-sufficiency.

Each day the GSRC works with approximately 120 clients to find the best solutions to move from crisis to stability. The GSRC continues to evolve and meet the needs of the homeless population within our region, while working to change the community perception of homelessness.

The Mission of the Guyon Saunders Resource Center is to provide a safe daytime refuge, offering basic services in a respectful environment that fosters dignity, trust and hope for those experiencing homelessness and poverty. We hope you will choose to be a resource for the homeless in our community.

How YOU can be a RESOURCE: The programs and services of the GSRC would not be possible without the generous support of our caring community. Donate to the GRSC at our website and during The Panhandle Gives (Nov. 21-29).

“A foundation of strength for those we serve” — Guyon Sanders

Kids, Incorporated

How and when did your organization begin? Kids, Incorporated was founded in 1945 by Cal Farley. During World War II, Mr. Farley saw the need for organized activity for young boys to keep them out of trouble.

On the first Monday of January in 1945, Coach Bus Dugger picked up 11 kiddos from Glenwood Elementary and began coaching them in basketball. That’s how Kids, Incorporated began.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Kids, Inc. serves children and families from the entire Amarillo/Canyon region. In 2022, participation in Kids, Inc.’s sports programs is expected to exceed 17,000 players.

What specific community needs do you meet? With the growing number of select sports programs and travel teams, many children and families cannot afford to participate. For the past 77 years, Kids, Incorporated has maintained affordable fees to make its program available to all. If there is a child who desires to participate in a Kids, Inc. sports program, it is our job to make sure that happens!

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? There are still many folks who are not aware that Kids, Incorporated is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. All donations are taxdeductible to the fullest extent of the law. Approximately 15 percent of our annual revenue comes from private support. Without this support, our program fees would be much higher.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? Philanthropy in the Amarillo/Canyon region is exceptional. Those of us in the nonprofit sector could not provide our services without the generosity of so many. The Texas Panhandle is one of the most generous places anywhere—Texas Panhandle folks still look out for one another.

This includes volunteerism. Kids, Incorporated is a great example of the volunteer spirit in this area. We estimate approximately 4,000 individuals give their time each year to coach one of our sports teams.

What needs does your organization have right now? The greatest need for the organization at this moment is to complete our $30 million capital campaign. We plan to construct a state-of-the-art sports complex on 90 acres of land gifted to us by Rockrose Development. Learn more at kidsinc.org/complex

We announced the campaign on Jan. 25, 2022. To date, we have raised

than $15 million. With year-end giving upon us, we are asking for gifts to the campaign to help us reach our goal. We can then begin construction on this exciting project.

Downtown Women’s Center

Downtown Women’s Center has provided programs and services for women recovering from substance use disorders for more than 33 years. Using a holistic approach to recovery, DWC believes that when individuals seek help, in time they can live clean, sober, contributing lives. DWC offers hope coupled with practical resources for changing lives. Programs and services include housing and wrap-around services to ensure long-term sobriety. A staggering 86 percent of the women who graduate from the DWC Recovery Program are clean and sober one year later.

DWC’s goal is to provide services to support long-term sobriety for women served through a nine-level Recovery Program that includes:

• Health: Abstaining from alcohol and illicit drugs to create opportunities to make informed, healthy choices to support physical, mental and emotional well-being

• Home: Providing a stable and safe place to live, along with their children

• Purpose: Participating in meaningful daily activities outside of recovery work, such as a job, education

or volunteering, as well as having the independence, income, and resources necessary to engage in societal activities

• Community: Developing relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship and hope for a better future

• Spiritual: Encouraging women and their children to attend the church of their choice and providing regular spirituality groups

DWC oversees three shelters (Haven House, Abba House and Gratitude House), operates three retail thrift stores (Thrift City, Thrift City Too and Uptown Shoppe—all on 10th Street), and manages the Meridian Apartments, offering quality, affordable housing for 35 lower-income or disabled residents. Through the Recovery Program in FYE 2022, DWC served 74 women and 99 children who would likely be homeless and desperately needing services. DWC served another 332 households through our Emergency Assistance Program with food, gasoline, utilities, rent, dental assistance, and more.

In September, we completed our luncheon after not having one for 3 ½ years. The Amarillo community welcomed our ladies with open arms as we celebrated their recovery. Since its inception in 1989, DWC has served more than 38,500 individuals. Additionally, since 2003 when DWC opened the first thrift store, we have given away $893,000 worth of merchandise at thrift store prices.

Amarillo Botanical Gardens

How and when did your organization begin? The Amarillo Botanical Gardens has undergone many transformations over the years. In 1929, an enterprising group of women banded together to create the first garden club of Amarillo. They set out to prove gardening was possible in the challenging High Plains of Texas. They sought out plant life that could survive drought, turbulent wind and harsh sun. By 1945, the club had grown to 125 members and had formed societies. In the late 1960s, they began fundraising and gathering supporters, and after many years they built the main building and gardens that form the center of what we have today. These members established an oasis of beauty and tranquility within a bustling city, and a place of education for the public. Over the years through generous donations, additional land was acquired and the gardens have expanded to 4 beautiful acres.

Whom does your organization serve? ABG serves the entire Panhandle; school children are served primarily through our educational programs. We were able to reach more than 3,000 children from around the region last year. We have a group of dedicated instructors that teach children classes from our ever-expanding curriculum.

What specific community needs do you meet? The gardens provide a firsthand botanical experience in a relaxed, peaceful setting that promotes fresh air, exploring and learning. We have multiple indoor and outdoor spaces for private special occasions and public events. Our experiences are tailored to bring people together in a beautiful setting where nature, science and culture meet.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? Our garden has served the community for more than 54 years through inspiring interaction with plants, the environment, creating adventure and conveying knowledge. We have more than 80,000 visitors from around the country each year, and host 300 private and public events. ABG is not part of the City of Amarillo’s Park System and receives no public funding. We are entirely self-funded through our events and donations from the generous people of the Panhandle.

What needs does your organization have right now? Our greatest needs are securing funding from corporate and community supporters and gaining more volunteers. Our revenue is only enough to cover our operating expenses. We would like to continue expanding our educational programs for both children and adults, and create programs to support underserved people within our community. We have a very small staff and are dependent on volunteers to help us keep the gardens beautiful.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? The Amarillo Botanical Gardens is an unusual and unexpected oasis. To be completely supported by our community for 54 years through donations and volunteerism is overwhelming. Our citizens have a passion for giving and supporting local organizations

High Plains Food Bank

How and when did your organization begin? The High Plains Food Bank began when a group of concerned citizens saw the amount of donated food that could be collected and distributed to many in the Texas Panhandle that were going without food each day. In 1982, the High Plains Food Bank was formed to help be the clearinghouse for donated food for individuals and families in need. HPFB soon developed a delivery system to help connect all of our Texas Panhandle counties.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? High Plains Food Bank’s mission is to alleviate hunger in the Texas Panhandle. HPFB serves the 1 in 7 individuals and the 1 in 6 children, who struggle with food insecurity in the Texas Panhandle. We serve individuals from every ethnicity and age group through the feeding programs that we provide. HPFB secures, sorts, stores and distributes food through a safety-net of more than 140 feeding partners, across the top 29 counties in Texas.

What specific community needs do you meet? To combat food insecurity and improve the overall health of the people that we serve, HPFB provides a variety of community programs, including Kids Cafe, Direct Mobile Distribution, a senior adult food box program (CSFP), Mobile Harvest produce distribution, and nutrition education through The Garden at High Plains Food Bank. HPFB can also help individuals apply for SNAP, CHIP and Medicaid, and refer individuals to other organizations and programs that can help them establish food security, improved health and self-sufficiency.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? HPFB strives to educate the public about the different food programs offered and the services that we provide to the top 29 counties of the Texas Panhandle. Food banking decreases waste by distributing food that would otherwise go uneaten to people who need it the most. Through the partnerships we have with local food distribution centers and supermarkets, we take donated products and sort, store and distribute to our agency partner network to get it to neighbors who need it the most.

What needs does your organization have right now? Volunteers provide critical support in alleviating hunger in the Texas Panhandle. To help distribute food to our most vulnerable neighbors, we need volunteer support to sort and pack donated food in product recovery, pack senior food boxes for our CSFP program, and perform various tasks to help the Garden flourish.

Monetary donations are always needed because funding allows us the purchasing power to supplement the warehouse with specific items to offer an appropriate variety and nutritional balance. As a member of the Feeding America network, High Plains Food Bank operates with high efficiency and low overhead. We take great pride in being responsible stewards and put $0.96 of every $1 donated to us toward food and feeding programs. Your $1 contribution to HPFB can provide about 14 meals worth of food. With so many of our neighbors facing food insecurity, every gift can make a true impact for a neighbor or family who faces the risk of hunger.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? We learn every day that the extraordinary generosity of the Texas Panhandle is unlimited. Even when the hardest of times hit our world in 2020, we saw giving like we’ve never seen in our history. The residents of the Texas Panhandle truly care about their own

How to Help:

Sign up to volunteer on our website at HPFB.org. Morning, afternoon, evening and weekend hours are available! $1 can provide up to 14 meals to our neighbors in need in the Texas Panhandle and you can choose to make a one-time or monthly gift directly at HPFB.org 815 ROSS ST. 806.374.8562 | HPFB.ORG

Colorful Closets

Colorful Closets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing mini-wardrobes for students in need, right here in our community. After recognizing the need, Keely Brown and Lindsey Wing began Colorful Closets and set out, in 2016, to collect, organize and distribute tenderly used and new clothing throughout the Amarillo and Canyon areas, while also ministering to the students they serve by spreading the love of Jesus Christ.

Colorful Closets’ mini-wardrobe consists of 10 tops, five bottoms, a full-size bag of toiletries, five pairs of brandnew socks, and five pairs of brand-new underwear. All the garments are arranged by outfit, laundered and packaged in a crisp, clean reusable garment bag.

Not only does Colorful Closets clothe infants through seniors in high school, both Keely and Lindsey make it their goal to provide age-appropriate, stylish, ontrend, casual attire for the school day. They like to think of themselves as the local “Stitch Fix” for students. A term they are known to use for the wardrobes they put together is “a hug in a bag,” meaning each and every clothing request is prayed over, well thought out and assembled with purposeful care and intention.

Since 2016, Colorful Closets has clothed more than 4,500 students. That is 45,000 tops and 22,500 bottoms! Thanks to the Amarillo and Canyon communities, Colorful Closets has been able to provide clothing, warmth, hope and dignity to children all across the area.

Are YOU ready to be the thread of change? You can become a contributor to our cause by serving as a volunteer, organizing toiletry or undergarment drives, donating tenderly used and new, age-appropriate clothing, or by making a financial contribution by mail or donating online through the website. Clothing donations can be made at any of Colorful Closets’ drop-off locations listed on the website. Simply place all clothing donations in a bag and label each bag “Colorful Closets.”

United Way of Amarillo & Canyon

How and when did your organization begin? The heritage of our community is deeply rooted in helping those in need. To us, it’s just the right thing to do. That’s why 98 years ago (1924), the leaders of our community decided we needed a community chest, later named United Way. Since our inception, we have been working hand in hand with the community to solve complex problems and provide a better life for our citizens. Through the collective power of the community, we have been providing funds to better our community, honoring the traditions of our forefathers, and supporting needs as they have changed, evolved and even grown.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? At United Way, we fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community. Our goal is to create long-lasting changes by addressing the underlying causes of these problems. Every year, we allocate funds to programs as vast as the needs of our community. These funds are used by our program providers to fuel better outcomes. We want to impact lives so that our citizens thrive with income stability, education and health, and are independent of charitable and governmental needs.

What specific community needs do you meet? The problems are as varied as the people who live here. United Way of Amarillo & Canyon is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of individuals that struggle to earn a thriving wage. To solve the challenges, what this place needs is all of us living united.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? Raised here. Stays here. The money raised by our community stays in our community. Ninety-nine cents of every dollar donated stays in the Amarillo and Canyon communities. And the decision of which programs receive funding is determined by community members, not staff. UWAC funds programs, not nonprofit organizations.

What needs does your organization have right now? We need our community to unite through education about the needs of the community, advocating for those needs to be met, and connecting with the community. We need individuals ready to help those in our community by giving today! UWAC helped more than 50,000 individuals last year. This year, let’s make it 60,000.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? Our community has helping hearts. Our partners contribute more than money. Their ideas, volunteer power, in-kind support and skills are helping make Amarillo and Canyon a better place to live, work and play. From running corporate campaigns to participating in dialogues about issues in the area, UWAC partners are helping change the story of individuals and families across our community. We sincerely appreciate the support! It takes everyone in the community working together to create a brighter future.

Dove Creek Equine Rescue

How and when did your organization begin? In 2008, Laurie Higgins-Kerley’s husband of 25 years passed away from stage 4 cancer. Afterwards, she spent many days at Dove Creek Ranch, walking the land, finding periods of solace with the horses. This was a salve for her broken heart and eventually what ignited her desire to help them. In 2012, Laurie started Dove Creek Equine Rescue. The ranch became a place where horses are rescued, rehabilitated, retrained and re-homed. DCER’s mission is to restore the dignity, purpose and wholeness of unwanted horses who need a second chance in life, and humans who need healing and direction by providing compassionate care, connection and education. DCER’s vision is to heal the heart of humanity through authentic partnership between horses and humans.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Dove Creek Equine Rescue serves the “Unwanted Horse” population in the 26 counties of the Panhandle. Unwanted horses are domestic horses who are no longer considered useful, or whose owners are no longer capable of providing necessary care. There are currently between 100,000 and 175,000 unwanted horses in the US. DCER is a member of the Home for Horses Coalition and Horse Sanctuary, and verified by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. DCER also serves humans through the Led By Horses program, which offers equine-assisted healing. Led By Horses partnered with Family Support Services Hopes Program in 2021, serving families with children. Laurie also holds workshops for the public on mindfulness, grief, leadership and women in transition.

What specific community needs do you meet? Dove Creek Equine Rescue helps horse owners who are no longer capable of providing care for their horses. We educate current and prospective horse owners on how to own responsibly, including proper care and available resources to prevent unwanted horses. We raise awareness of the issue and its consequences in the horse industry. We have reduced the number of unwanted horses in the Panhandle and are working toward eliminating the problem. Dove Creek has received 245 animals over 10 years and re-homed 80 percent of them. Through the Led By Horses program, Laurie and her staff assist those who suffer from anxiety, depression, domestic violence, and other challenges. Through partnership with horses, we help people create stress-reduction, stronger emotional health and regulation, healthier boundaries, and body language awareness.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? Our horses roam on 500 acres in a wide canyon, allowing them to be in a herd, which is their natural environment. We have an on-site trainer who works with horses on ground manners, as well as establishing a good foundation under saddle. We give horses all the time they need to instill trust in humans. In the Led By Horses program, we create beautiful experiences where horses and humans find a common connection through partnership and respect. Horses as sentient beings help us bypass our intellect and access our heart and inner wisdom.

What needs does your organization have right now? Financial support for the Led By Horses program, which will be expanding in 2023, offering monthly classes and workshops to the public in mindfulness, leadership and grief. Donations to support the feed, care, rehabilitation and rehoming of our horses through one-time donations or monthly giving. We also have volunteer opportunities for all ages 7 days a week, for those interested in learning more about the horses at Dove Creek.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? This community is incredibly generous and has helped us make a positive difference in the lives of horses and humans over the past 10 years. Our “When in Drought” campaign this past summer helped us raise $29,000, $9,000 over our goal! Thank you, Amarillo, and the surrounding areas!

Square Mile Community Development

How and when did your organization begin? Square Mile Community Development was formed in 2016 by a small group of individuals with more than 30 years of collective experience in both international and domestic community development, food insecurity, health, education, and poverty. This group of pastors and community leaders recognized the good work done by many community organizations to meet immediate needs, but also saw the lack of focus on long-term solutions for struggling communities. Square Mile was formed to fill that gap and work to find ways to help struggling communities thrive.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? We serve rural and urban under-resourced communities. We work primarily with low-income people of all ages, refugees, minority groups, veterans, and women.

What specific community need or needs do you meet? We focus on three main areas: Food insecurity, economic development, and refugee support. We provide local produce and meat through our urban farm project and through developing and supporting more local and regional producers, small business support and development through our PATH program (pathtobusiness.org), and refugee support through our work at The PLACE.

Our five Key Areas of focus are: Economic Development, Housing, Health, Education, and Spiritual Care. Projects and partnerships fall under the scope of these core areas.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? Although we do help with people’s immediate and pressing needs, our main focus is finding solutions to the underlying issues facing our struggling communities. This often means we are balancing our time between helping individuals directly and working behind the scenes with partner agencies and institutions to address endemic community issues. We also offer consulting services for organizations, churches, businesses, and civic groups to help them be more effective in cross-cultural communication and systemic services. Through our PATH program, we have helped more than 65 entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofit organizations, ranging from food trucks and cleaning services to veteran resources and faith-based ministries. Besides all the things we do here in Amarillo and the Panhandle, we also have projects as far away as Uganda and East Africa.

What needs does your organization have right now? Our biggest need is financial support! We are a small organization doing big things, but the needs outweigh our resources. We don’t pay for office space or facilities, so everything we raise goes back into our programs and projects. Volunteers can help at one of our urban farm projects, by mentoring entrepreneurs and small business owners through our PATH program, or by helping with newly arrived refugees at The PLACE.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? The Panhandle of Texas has some of the biggest

that we have seen anywhere in the world. When our community gets behind something, they do it right and they do it big! We aren’t afraid to try new things and blaze our own trails.

Storybridge

Did you know that kids who grow up with 20 books at home receive an average of three years more school than kids from bookless homes? This is likely one of the first things you’ll learn in a conversation with the Founder/Director of Storybridge, Chandra Perkins.

In 2016, Perkins took her two sons to a local park to give away some of the books they had outgrown to the children playing there. She recalls, “We only gave away eight books that first day, but something lifechanging happened in my heart on the drive home. I was convicted of two things:

1. A shelf full of good books is a luxury only a small percentage of our children grow up with, and

2. The ripple effects of this reality are felt early for children, last a lifetime, and affect our entire community.”

Since that first day, Perkins has read numerous studies and academic commentary on book access for children while gathering data specific to the Amarillo area. “What we know right now based on over 3,000 survey responses is that only about 23 percent of our children under 5 in Potter and Randall counties own at least 20 books,” Perkins reports, “but this is a solvable problem! Imagine a city where all children get bedtime stories because they all have books at home.”

Today, Storybridge is made up of an energetic staff, dedicated board, and a passionate army of donors and volunteers working toward that vision. Together this team manages five programs designed to provide greater access to books for families in need and drive all children toward increased literacy.

More than 300,000 books have been placed directly in children’s hands through Storybridge programs:

• DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY: Serving more than 5,200 enrolled Potter/Randall children under 5 with a brand-new book in the mail every month. Storybridge pays the monthly bill, so the books are free for families.

• KINDERBRIDGE: Guided playgroups for parents and children under 5. Made possible through partnership with Amarillo ISD.

• LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES: 25 free-standing book boxes installed in neighborhoods with limited book access, stocked weekly with children’s books.

• FREE BOOK FAIRS/ BOOK TRAILER VISITS: Thousands of books each month distributed to high-need elementary schools and community events for children to self-select books for home libraries.

• SUMMER STORYTIMES: Weekly high-quality literacy experiences around Amarillo with free books for all attending children.

“If you believe ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ you believe in our work at Storybridge,” Perkins says confidently. “Join us! Give children the resources they need to achieve their dreams, and they will make you so proud.”

Learn more about Storybridge programs and current needs at storybridgeama.org

Sister-Bear Foundation

How and when did your organization begin? In March of 2018, my daughter, Kathryn, was severely injured in an auto accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down. We quickly realized the lack of specialized neurological resources in the Texas Panhandle. Kathryn and I traveled weekly to Ft. Worth for seven months, so she could receive advanced rehabilitation and treatments. Today, Kathryn lives independently in her own home, drives her own car, and has a job.

Our family’s experience is the catalyst that led me to start the Sister-Bear Fund in 2019. Sister-Bear Foundation obtained 501(c)(3) status in July 2021, and is led and managed by a volunteer board of directors.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Sister-Bear Foundation provides grants to qualifying adults who live in and around the Texas Panhandle with mobility issues caused by neurological, brain or spinal cord injury or illness. We help defray expenses related to fitness and wellness and improved quality of life that are not covered by insurance.

What specific community needs do you meet? Not only does Sister-Bear Foundation provide grants to mobility-impaired adults, but we also strive to fill the void of neurological rehabilitation equipment in Amarillo. Through proceeds raised at our Sister-Bear Shoot and Auction and during The Panhandle Gives, we were able to purchase the Panhandle’s first Lokomat in 2021, which is housed at Northwest Texas Healthcare System Therapy Center in Wolflin Village. Lokomat therapy increases muscle strength and range of motion, which improves endurance, balance and muscle tone regulation.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? When a family suddenly faces a tragic accident or diagnosis, we want to help them in their time of need with resources that can make their journey easier. Our goal is to be the hub that connects health care providers, medical equipment and supply retailers, and other organizations serving adults with a life-altering impairment or illness. We are also actively advocating for handicapped parking and helping our city to bring businesses and property management groups up to code where accessibility is concerned.

What needs does your organization have right now? We need to make people aware of our grants program, so we can receive more applications. If you know adults with a brain or spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, or complications from stroke or Parkinson’s, please encourage them to visit our website and learn how we can help make their lives a bit easier. As always, the financial support of the community helps Sister-Bear Foundation help others.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity?

has been incredibly humbling. From the day our lives changed, the support of individuals and businesses who jumped in to help our family, to today through the foundation, is amazing. Beyond financial support, the volunteers and board members who have spent countless hours supporting this initiative is something for which I am eternally grateful— Jule Granger, Founder and President

Amarillo College Foundation

The Amarillo College Foundation was established on Jan. 23, 1962 on the strength of a modest $2,500 gift from Scott Lumber Company. The Foundation’s sole purpose is to solicit and administer gifts and grants for the benefit of Amarillo College and its students, staff, programs and facilities. Bolstered by substantial community buyin and administered by an ever-revolving but consistently devoted board of directors, the AC Foundation has steadily increased its modest nest egg so that now it annually awards scholarships well in excess of $1.5 million.

Embracing the theory that it’s best to strike when the iron is hot—the College, after all, is ranked in the top five nationally by the Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence and, additionally, received a rarely awarded perfect score on its most-recent accreditation renewal report—the Foundation has undertaken an ambitious new fundraising effort.

On Oct. 5, the AC Foundation launched the public phase of a $45 million comprehensive campaign—Badger Bold. It is the first comprehensive campaign in AC’s 93-year history, and the public phase follows a highly successful “quiet phase” that since 2020 has garnered $31.5 million in gifts and commitments—a full 70 percent of its goal.

Badger Bold supports, among others, three primary initiatives:

• Student Experience: Access and Completion, STEM Scholars Program, Earn & Learn, and Athletics

• Faculty and Staff Enrichment: Endowed Faculty Awards, Program Development

• Capital Enhancement: Innovation Outpost, Enrollment Center, Athletic Center

During the quiet phase of Badger Bold, the Foundation received six contributions of $1 million or more. AC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Joe Bill Sherrod says all forms of giving are impactful, from small gifts given year after year to major gifts, and planned gifts that denote AC as the beneficiary in a will.

“The support for Badger Bold has been phenomenal and we are elated at this point,” Sherrod says.

Sharing Hope Ministry

How and when did your organization begin? Sharing Hope Ministry started in 1999, when women from a local church provided Christcentered materials to locally incarcerated women. The ministry grew and became an independent, nondenominational nonprofit in 2001. Patsy’s Place Transitional Home was opened for post-offending women who were re-entering our community and the Center for Advancement was opened to provide education, resources and support.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? The programs of Sharing Hope Ministry serve women who are incarcerated, are postoffenders, are actively seeking help for an addiction, and local women whose current circumstances put them in jeopardy of living a stable life.

What specific community needs do you meet? Our programs are unique as they work to equip women to be productive members of society, achieve their potential and lead Christ-centered and selfsufficient lives through education, empowerment and encouragement. What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? Our organization accomplishes our mission by working closely with volunteers, social service agencies and businesses to offer G.E.D. prep, basic computer classes and life skills education, such as job readiness and financial literacy. A computer lab is open for job searches and resume building. Food, hygiene items and clothing are also available to women we assist.

What needs does your organization have right now? There are many ways to help provide for the education and needs of our area women. Financial donations are important to the health of our organization, but our programs also utilize in-kind support like clothing, food and donated vehicles. Our website has an Amazon link for easy access for interested supporters to purchase needed supplies, educational materials and hygiene items that can be sent to our location. There are many opportunities for individuals or groups to volunteer.

Being in your position, what have you learned about local generosity? Our organization relies almost entirely on local generosity through financial support, volunteerism and partnerships with other likeminded agencies and businesses. This generosity has strengthened our organization and allowed our impact to be greater. Together, our work helps at-risk women find self-sufficiency and a better quality of life.

The Bridge

How and when did your organization begin? In 1984, the Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention, formed by agencies serving children in the Texas Panhandle, recognized that the system addressing child abuse was unintentionally re-victimizing the children it intended to help. Court cases were lost due to a lack of comprehensive case management practices. In 1989, The Bridge opened as the first Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) in the state of Texas to provide a child’s path to healing and justice in the wake of abuse. The Bridge is the only CAC in our region.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? The Bridge serves children residing in the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle who make an outcry of abuse or witness violence.

What specific community needs do you meet? Children are referred to The Bridge by law enforcement and social services for forensic interviews and physical exams as required by Texas law. Interviews are recorded and qualify as evidence in court cases. Case coordination by The Bridge with law enforcement, social services, prosecutors, and medical and mental health providers improves prosecution rates

in child abuse cases. Bridge family advocates provide referrals to specially trained counselors to help children become children again.

Bridge staff provide child abuse awareness training for adults and child safety education for kids. Our staff also fields all reports of abuse in the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. In 2021, 1,557 children came to The Bridge—40 percent more than the previous year.

What needs does your organization have right now? It costs approximately $1,000 to provide all services to one child. Community members can help children become children again by joining The Bridge Healing Heroes.

How to help:

Donate: bridgecac.org/donate In-kind gifts are always welcome, including blankets, crayons, coloring books, journals, and colored pencils. See our wish list: amzn.to/3E5Jucq

Volunteer: Volunteers are welcome and required to pass background checks. More information about volunteering is available on our website: bridgecac.org

Art Institute

How and when did your organization begin? The Amarillo Art Institute was started in 2004 by artist Ann Crouch and a group of her friends. Their goal was to create a place where people of any age and background could learn and create art.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Though more than 70 percent of students and members at the Institute are seniors (age 60-plus), there are also classes and workshops available for all ages, including kids as young as 6.

What specific community needs do you meet? We provide a creative space for artists at any stage to grow their skill, get exposure to the public, and thrive. The Institute also serves the community by providing on-site art classes at Panhandle schools and local organizations.

What needs does your organization have right now? Since our facility, Arts in the Sunset, is currently under construction, we have a hard time letting people know we are still here! We are asking the community to spread the word that the Amarillo Art Institute is open throughout construction, which will complete in January.

How to help:

through our website to help support community programs that are provided at no cost

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Mission 2540

How and when did your organization begin? We were founded in 2004 by Brooks Boyett, in order to meet the needs of families and children who live in poverty.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? We work with children and families living in affordable housing communities throughout Amarillo.

What specific community needs do you meet? We work on a daily basis in multiple affordable housing communities through after-school programs on each property, resident assistance, and a variety of outreach and special activities throughout the year. Our desire is to “Feed, Clothe, and Love” our neighbors in need.

What needs does your organization have right now? We are always on the search for more volunteers willing to serve in our after-school programs, whether that is once a week or once a month.

How to help:

Volunteer: mission2540.org/volunteer Donate: We’ve grown a lot over the past year, and the amount of needs we are meeting has never been greater, so financial support is vital to the work we do. mission2540.org/give We provide snacks to 150 kids every week, so we are always happy to take non-perishable snack items.

Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation

How and when did your organization begin?

The Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation was established on Jan. 2, 2013, with proceeds from the sale of the BSA Health System and the Don & Sybil Harrington Cancer Center. As the successor to the BSA Foundation and The Don & Sybil Harrington Cancer Center, HCHF carries a legacy that involves decades of support from people throughout the region. The Foundation fulfills its mission by continuing the programs that operated under BSA Foundation and HCC. It also initiates new programs and funds community organizations that are making an impact within our areas of focus.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? HCHF is a community health foundation serving Amarillo and the upper 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. The mission of the Foundation is to reduce the burden of cancer and to promote and serve the health care needs of residents living in Amarillo and surrounding communities. HCHF serves local cancer survivors through programs focusing on survivorship, prevention, and patient assistance. HCHF and its programs help

local survivors regardless of where they receive treatment.

What specific community needs do you meet? There is more to cancer than a survivor’s diagnosis and treatment. HCHF and its programs help survivors with needs such as financial assistance for expenses including mortgage and rent, utilities, and fuel; transportation to and from treatments through ChemoCars; FREE counseling services, group classes, a wig room, and more at the 24 Hours in the Canyon Cancer Survivorship Center; FREE mammography assistance; FREE PSA blood tests, and more.

What needs does your organization have right now? Contributions from generous donors across the community are the reason these programs at HCHF exist. Every donation stays local, helping to reduce the burden of cancer on survivors in our area. The more people are aware of these important services, the more cancer survivors can be served.

Donate: Make a tax-exempt donation at hchfamarillo.org.

P.O. BOX 20771

AMARILLO, TX, 79114 806.681.6334

Children’s Miracle Network of Amarillo and the High Plains Region

How and when did your organization begin? Children’s Miracle Network is a program of the Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation, serving Amarillo for more than 30 years to create community partnerships to help local kids.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Children’s Miracle Network serves sick and injured children from the top 26 counties of Texas, four counties in New Mexico, three counties in Oklahoma, and one county in Kansas. CMN is dedicated to promoting and improving the quality of children’s health care and serves children from birth through 18 years.

What specific community needs do you meet? CMN supports the Child Life Programs at Northwest Texas Hospital and BSA Hospital. The Child Life program ensures that infants, children, youth, and families have resources to cope

with the stress of illness, injury, and treatment while in the hospital. CMN provides organizational grants to rural hospitals, as well as Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Department of Pediatrics for critical pediatric equipment. CMN also provides family grants to assist with medical bills, prescription costs, individual medical equipment needs, and more.

What needs does your organization have right now? It is imperative that local families of sick or injured children are aware of the resources CMN provides, as well as how to apply for assistance.

How to help:

To apply for assistance or to make a donation, please visit cmnamarillo.org

500 S. TAYLOR ST., SUITE 1060 806.331.6938 | CMNAMARILLO.ORG

Center City of Amarillo

How and when did your organization begin?

Center City began in 1996, when citizens became concerned about preserving our historic downtown. They chartered Center City as a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing downtown. In 2002, Center City became a Texas Main Street City. For 20 years, Center City has been accredited by Texas Main Street and National Main Street, showing that we meet or exceed the standards set for a thriving downtown.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Center City serves the entire city of Amarillo as we work to make downtown everybody’s neighborhood. Center City hosts events, including High Noon on the Square, Jazztober, the Electric Light Parade, Amarillo Community Market and the Center City Mural Run. We invite people from throughout the Panhandle to discover Amarillo’s downtown. With our Downtown Dining District, three hotels and Hodgetown stadium, Center City is a destination for residents and visitors alike.

What specific community needs do you meet? Center City provides family-friendly

and pet-friendly events to bring more people downtown. Center City has a vibrant banner program, streetscape and Facade Grant program to give downtown added curb appeal. Center City works with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve and restore historic buildings that give our downtown its distinct personality.

What needs does your organization have right now? Center City needs to grow our membership. By making a tax-exempt donation to Center City, you can become a member, supporting our goal to make Center City everybody’s neighborhood. Our membership dues help us offer free and low-cost events to bring people downtown to live, work, play, learn and worship. Center City always needs volunteers—individuals and groups—to help us in our mission to promote downtown.

How to help:

Donate: Make a tax-exempt donation. Volunteer: Individuals and groups can help us in our mission to promote downtown.

How and when did your organization begin? The PARC began as a dream to fill a gap in our community by helping those that are homeless find hope and realize their possibilities. After months of uncertainty and setbacks, that dream started to become a reality. We opened the doors of the PARC on Nov. 19, 2014, and the dream keeps growing. Success happens quickly as we observe that the vision and core principles upon which this agency is based work.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? The Panhandle Adult Rebuilding Center is a caring, relational place that promotes a sense of self-worth and helps those experiencing homelessness become aware of life’s possibilities. Those experiencing homelessness are often overlooked. We love that when you look across the room, you can’t always tell who is homeless, a volunteer or staff. We’re all the same. We all need each other. We all need the acceptance to be ourselves.

What specific community needs do you meet? The Panhandle Adult Rebuilding Center

PARC

was created to fill a need we see amongst that community, and honestly a need of every human being: relationship. We believe it is important for everyone to be called by their name. It’s important that those experiencing homelessness have a place to be known and accepted. We believe it is in the safety of acceptance and the accountability of relationships that people find the confidence to better their lives. We also believe that means you never run out of chances. There is always a next possible step to take, and we help our members achieve their unique goals.

What needs does your organization have right now? We are currently working toward expanding our space to serve more people. We would love your involvement through monetary donations and volunteering. We also have a list of supplies we use daily, such as canvas, paint, coffee, etc.

How to help:

Donate: Visit theparc.net to learn more. Volunteer: Teach a class, spend time with our members.

Refugee Language Project

How and when did your organization begin? Refugee Language Project was launched in 2017 by Dr. Ryan Pennington as a service project under the oversight of Redeemer Christian Church. RLP became a standalone nonprofit in 2019, and has since grown to include a team of seven employees and a myriad of volunteers from across Amarillo. We opened The PLACE, a multicultural community center, in January of this year in collaboration with two other nonprofits.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Refugee Language Project exists to see individuals from refugee communities in the Amarillo area increasingly flourishing as they confidently interact with the world around them. We serve refugees and former refugees from many different ethnic groups. What specific community needs do you meet? Our programs revolve around removing the language barriers refugees face, honoring their cultures so they can integrate without sacrificing their heritages, overcoming emotional hurdles to build leaders within their communities, facilitating solutions for long-term issues, and engaging

with local churches. Practically, we offer oneon-one mentorships, ESL classes, a weekly shared meal, translation services and a storybook project of bilingual books that tell the stories of Amarillo’s refugees.

What needs does your organization have right now? RLP depends on financial support from individuals and churches. If you are interested in partnering with us, please give us a call or visit our website.

How to help:

• Set up a one-time gift or recurring donation online at refugeelanguage.org/give. If you give during The Panhandle Gives campaign (November 21-29), your donation is amplified!

• Purchase one of our storybooks for $25 on our website.

• Join us for Table Talk at The PLACE on Tuesday nights from 6-8 p.m. to get your feet wet.

• To learn more about becoming a mentor, email jennifer@refugeelanguage.org.

Amarillo Angels

Imagine opening your home and heart to a child who is experiencing one of the most difficult times in their young life. Brought to a new home by a caseworker, children are very often scared, nervous, traumatized and may only have the clothes on their backs.

Everything that is their “normal” has changed and suddenly everything is new and different.

Each child that enters the foster care system is at risk of:

• Moving seven times in two years;

• Regressing educationally four to six months each time they move;

• Becoming a teenage parent with a strong likelihood of losing that child back into the system;

• Suffering from PTSD;

• Being unemployed by age 24, and; Becoming homeless, incarcerated, trafficked or dead after they age out of the system.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Amarillo Angels exists to change these statistics so that every child experiencing foster care has the opportunity to achieve their dreams, reach their goals and experience their brightest and best future.

Since 2017, Amarillo Angels has walked alongside children, youth and families experiencing foster care by providing consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building and mentorship.

Our Love Box program, Dare to Dream mentoring program and events are designed to wrap community around those experiencing foster care, increase placement longevity, and promote health and healing for everyone in the home.

You are invited to be a part of our work and make a difference in the life of those experiencing foster care by starting a Love Box group, becoming a mentor or supporting us as a financial partner.

To learn more about Amarillo Angels, please follow us on social media or visit amarilloangels.org.

Don Harrington Discovery Center

How and when did your organization begin? Founded in 1975 as an educational accompaniment to the public schools and operated by the Amarillo Independent School District, the Discovery Center was reorganized in 1984 as an innovative, nonprofit science technology center with a mission to serve the entire five-state region with curricula-aligned informal science education programs. In 2021, Wildcat Bluff became a part of the DHDC family.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? DHDC serves students, educators, and residents of the Texas Panhandle (population of 427,927) and our neighbors in the surrounding four-state regions of New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma. We have served an avgerage of 130,000 guests per year since 2009, ranging in age from younger than 2 to senior citizens.

What specific community needs do you meet? The Discovery Center is the only organization of its size in the Panhandle that focuses on informal education for learners of all ages. We provide hands-on and interactive experiences, exhibits and learning opportunities, and work to ensure that

everyone has access to the same educational resources to support their life and career. We encourage people to take their learning to the next level-to discover their own path, and be inspired to be a scientist, engineer, programmer, doctor or whatever they want to be.

The Center also works closely with schools and districts to supplement what students are learning in class. We give students the opportunity to become more engaged in their own learning by interacting with books and other educational resources that are most interesting to them, at their own pace, and free from the pressures of school. Our exhibits and programs develop skills like observation, discussion, communication, reading, creativity and many others.

What needs does your organization have right now? Supporters and donors are critical to the future of the Don Harrington Discovery Center. We are always in need of volunteers, board members, and in-kind or monetary donations to continue providing high quality educational experiences, exhibits, and activities for learners of all ages.

EIGHTH

SUITE 918 806.570.2010

Wildcat Bluff Nature Center

How and when did your organization begin?

Established in 1992 by local community members and nature lovers, Wildcat Bluff Nature Center has been the backbone of outdoor education and nature experiences in Amarillo for 30 years. Wildcat Bluff provides the community with 7 miles of hiking trails, stunning views and unique interactions with wildlife and native plants of the Panhandle. We also have 5 acres of ADA accessible outdoor experiences in our headquarters area, including Libb’s Trail (a paved hiking path), a pond, Gilvin Education Building, and the Visitor’s Center.

In 2021, Wildcat Bluff joined the Don Harrington Discovery Center family.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? The mission of Wildcat Bluff has always been to foster an awareness, understanding and appreciation of nature within the Texas Panhandle, and to encourage education in the natural sciences from a current and historical perspective. We serve visitors from all over the Texas Panhandle to the state at large, to travelers passing through discovering the grandeur of the High Plains.

What specific community needs do you meet? The average American child spends less than 10 minutes per day playing outdoors, and six to nine hours in front of a screen. Outdoor education and time spent outdoors improves mental health and physical fitness, while increasing science test scores. Studies show that Amarillo and the Region 16 education area have the fewest number of environmental education opportunities in the entire state of Texas, and Wildcat Bluff provides an easy-to-reach opportunity for individuals and families to learn and play outdoors.

Wildcat Bluff Nature Center is filled with outdoor learning, such as hiking trails, ADA accessible Libb’s trail, exploration play areas, and exhibits about the geologic and human history of the Panhandle-Plains.

What needs does your organization have right now? Wildcat Bluff has only survived over the years because of donors and supporters like you. Your investment, and the love of the community will help us continue to serve our community with outdoor activities and education in our own backyard. We are always in need of volunteers, and in-kind or monetary donations to support our work.

Amarillo Habitat for Humanity

How and when did your organization begin?

Amarillo Habitat for Humanity (AHFH) has been serving families in Amarillo for more than 40 years. We were founded in December 1981 as an affiliate organization of Habitat for Humanity International. Since incorporation, we have served 116 families.

Whom does your organization primarily serve?

AHFH serves families in need of a decent, affordable place to call home. Our partner families earn between 30 to 80 percent of area median income (AMI) and demonstrate a need for affordable housing. Though our partner families are the primary beneficiary, the entire community benefits from an increased supply of affordable housing.

What specific community needs do you meet?

There are significant barriers to homeownership. Families are often cost-burdened, spending more than one-third of their income on their rent and facing substandard conditions like overcrowding, mold or pests. According to a 2018 Urban Institute study, 68 percent of renters identified saving for a down payment as the greatest barrier to homeownership. Additionally, the cost of residential construction has skyrocketed in the past 20 years, making both new construction and existing homes unaffordable for many families. The COVID-19 pandemic also put stress on the global supply chain,

making housing materials, especially lumber, up to 25 percent more expensive. Increasing housing values are outpacing wages, making fewer homes affordable for lower-income households.

What needs does your organization have right now? Community volunteers working alongside Habitat families who are completing “sweat equity” hours, financial support of our mission and compassion for those striving toward selfreliance and stability through homeownership. Our mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.

How to help:

• Volunteer on our construction site, at our AHFH ReStore or serve on our Board of Directors or committees.

• Donate through our website, by mail at P.O. Box 775, Amarillo, TX 79105 or via Vemno at @AmarilloHabitat.

• Support our mission through donations of furniture, building supplies, household goods, or through your purchases to the AHFH ReStore at 2626 Paramount Blvd.

more information, email director@amahfh.org.

2301 N. SONCY ROAD 806.352.6007

WILDCATBLUFF.ORG