“Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.” – President Theodore Roosevelt
The words of President Theodore Roosevelt ring just as true today as when he first uttered them on Thanksgiving Day in 1901.
With the season now changing into one of thanksgiving, our collective thoughts turn to planning celebrations with family and friends. However, it is incumbent upon all of us to reflect on how, while we are fortunate to live in a thriving region such as Denton County, others among us are still facing ongoing challenges as we recover from this once-in-a-century pandemic.
Denton County is home to more than 70 non-profit organizations providing assistance to residents in their time of need. Many of these non-profits have worked with us these past 18 months to assist our neighbors, co-workers, family members and friends with food, housing assistance and other needs.
We are thankful for our partners in dispersing the estimated $379 million in federal funds specifically allocated to assist in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic such as the CARES Act, Emergency Rental Assistance, American Rescue Plan, FEMA and other grants.
As Thanksgiving approaches, I ask each of you to consider the adage of providing “time, talent and treasure” to these non-profits across our county.
Your gifts of time, talent or treasure can make a difference in someone’s life – a difference that any one of us might have needed or will need one day.
From volunteering an hour or two of your time to hand out groceries in a food drive to donating a few dollars to assist a favorite non-profit, each gift matters.
Thanksgiving is also a time for showing gratitude for all that we have been given. It is a time to be thankful to others – whether with a kind word, a thoughtful deed or doing something to help someone else.
We are each thankful for our friends, our families and, especially in light of the past two years, our health.
As the holiday season nears, Denton County food pantries are anticipating a greater need, above what they are already seeing due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
With the need for food assistance an estimated 200 percent above what it was in 2019, Denton County has been working with area food pantries at local non-profits and church organizations, providing an estimated 2,500 to 2,700 boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables each week to supplement food supplies. Since April 2020, Denton County has also provided rent and utility assistance to more than 8,273 households.
We would ask you to please consider donating food to your local pantries as they could use additional supplies during the holidays. Several food pantries assisting Denton County residents are listed below along with a link for more information as well as the location and phone number:
- Christian Community Action -200 S. Mill St., Lewisville – 972-221-1224; org
- Mission Moms – 420 Perkins Dr., Lantana – 214-734-5783; org
- First Baptist Church Argyle – 414 U.S. 377, Argyle, 940-464-7224; fbcargyle.org/foodbank
- Our Daily Bread – 300 W. Oak St., Denton – 940-566-1308; ourdailybreaddenton.org
- The Salvation Army – 1508 E. McKinney St., Denton – 940-566-3800; org/north-texas/denton
- The Salvation Army – 206 W. Main St., Lewisville – 972-353-9400; org/north-texas/lewisville
- First Refuge Ministries – 1701 Broadway St., Denton – 940-484-4384; org
- Ponder United Methodist Church – 104 Remington Park Lane, Ponder – 940-479-8111; org
- Cross Timbers Church – 1119 U.S. 377, Argyle – 940-240-5100; org
- Westside Baptist Church – 900 Bellaire Blvd., Lewisville – 972-221-5668; org
- New Beginnings Church – 1569 W. Main St., Lewisville – 972-436-8900; org
- Heart of the City Lewisville – 2021 N. Mill St., Lewisville – 972-824-6171; com
Connect With Us
If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you. My email is [email protected], and my office number is 940-349-2820. For more information, register for my newsletter at www.Dentoncounty.gov/countyjudgenewslettersignup
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