Thanks to community, corporate and City partners, Network of Community Ministries moved to its new location in The IQ® with a ribbon-cutting celebration on Sept. 7 at 1500 International Pkwy. The new location provides three times as much space as the Sherman Street location. Network will use just under 40,000 square feet, and Richardson ISD’s Student Services Department will utilize a portion of the building.

“I believe we fit into the area because we’re innovative in the way we’re approaching nonprofit collaboration,” Cindy Shafer, Network CEO, said. “This is ideal for community involvement, volunteering and donating.”

Network will work with other businesses and organizations in the area and make the community room available for select retreats and other events.

Mission and Service Area

Network was founded in 1985 by several local church and organization leaders looking to best serve residents who had been affected by the recession.

“The churches and groups really wanted to coordinate efforts so that they were helping people in the best way possible,” Shafer said.

The nonprofit serves all Richardson residents and also residents of Garland and Dallas who live in Richardson ISD.

Demand

Prior to the pandemic, the organization served about 750 families a month with the food pantry. Now, the organization serves about 750 families per week. In the last yearand-a-half, about half of clients to Network’s services were new.

Additionally, rental/housing assistance has increased by 400 percent.

“The area has grown and the need has grown. The amount of clients we have been serving has just increased so much that we were physically bursting at the seams,” Shafer said. “We couldn’t fit people into the building anymore.”

Services and Programs

Network’s assistance fits into the broader categories of transactional and transformational, Shafer said. Transactional services include the food pantry, mobile food pantry, clothing closet and financial assistance. Seniors’ Net provides needed help for senior citizens, helping them with food, clothing and assistance via a handyman program.

Thanks to a partnership with Methodist Richardson Medical Center, a 2,000 sq.ft clinic located at Network will help fill the medical care gap.

For children, Network offers a feeding program, medical and dental voucher program, toys, educational offerings and more. Network also partners with the City in helping residents through disasters such as the 2019 tornado.

Transactional assistance often leads to transformational help.

“We know people need to be fed, clothed and have a roof over their heads before they can look at, ‘How can my life be better?’” Shafer said.

Network helps clients achieve educational goals, and offers guidance through financial education and career services.

The new space will allow Network to expand programs including those related to after-school care, career readiness, medical services and senior citizen programming.

Connected with the Community

For Shafer and Network staff and volunteers, clients are viewed as neighbors.

“We want people to know they’re not alone. It’s not always easy to ask someone for help. With many, we want to find out what it’s going to take to move the needle for them,” she said. “I don’t have a goal to serve more people. My goal is to serve the people that come to us better so that they don’t need to come back. Ultimately, I’d rather serve fewer people every year knowing that we’re serving them better and we’re accomplishing goals together.”

Volunteers

Last year, 15 staff members served about 30,000 clients. This would not be possible without the support of volunteers.

“We really need volunteers,” Shafer said. “With the pandemic, we lost about a quarter of our volunteers. On our website, there is a link for volunteer opportunities, and individuals and groups can look there and get descriptions of the different ways they can help.”

Volunteers can work independently at age 16 and older, and with parental supervision at ages 14 and 15. Volunteer tasks include working in the food pantry, stocking, helping clients shop, sorting, washing and drying clothing, completing office work, being a handyman, working at the mo bile pantry and more.

“There are many opportunities to fit a volunteer’s skill and schedule,” Shafer said.

Donations

Network welcomes donations that are utilized for local residents.

“We have a financial need,” Shafer said. “With increased space and increased programs comes a greater need to serve the numbers of people coming. For donated items, we accept food, clothes and accessories.”

Network’s website contains a donations wish list. To drop off donations, residents should follow directions around the building for drop-offs. Beyond items Network accepts, donors may call Network to see if there is a good fit for the donation elsewhere.

Hours

8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Thursday

9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday

Contact Information

1500 International Pkwy., Ste. 300 Richardson, TX 75081 972-234-8880 www.thenetwork.org