Community Caring Center Impact Report 2023
The mission of the Community Caring Center is to care for those in need in our community with the provision of food, clothing, and household goods.
Core Values
Community
We believe in the power of neighbor helping neighbor. We reduce hunger by building a network of staff, volunteers, vendors, donors, and clients to create a strong and inclusive community.
Caring
As a faith-based organization, we are called to serve others. We focus on the well-being of our neighbors and provide our services in a kind, respectful manner.
Commitment
We are committed to reducing hunger and believe in equal access to nutritious food. We are devoted to empowering our volunteers and staff to lift up our community. We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards in all interactions with staff, volunteers, vendors, donors, and clients.
Because of your support, the Community Caring Center spent $68,557 to help 3,492 food insecure* households which included 8,696 adults and 5,390 children. 15,591 food baskets were prepared and distributed by our dedicated volunteers and staff to those in need in our community. Actual examples of those in need are grandparents taking on primary caregiver responsibilities for their children and grandchildren, women and children moving to avoid domestic abuse, and families caught in limbo as they re-apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The daily distribution of food via our food pantry is our main responsibility, but the following is a description of other successful projects in 2023.
CCC continued to support the Weekend Backpack Program providing 5,674 food backpacks for children identified as chronically hungry, and provided snacks for the Azle Afterschool Program, Hornet Depot. In addition to these programs that provide food directly to students Kindergarten thru 8th grade, CCC finances the Azle ISD Emergency Fund. This fund is accessed by the Azle ISD School Social Worker for students and their families facing homelessness or loss of essential utilities. Combined, these programs cost $29,570.
Our Free Shop, which includes the Hygiene Corner, was visited by our clients 10,287 times in 2023. It continues to ease the financial burden of purchasing clothing, household items, shoes, toys, and personal hygiene items. Most items are donated to the Free Shop by our very generous community; however, we do purchase items for the Hygiene Corner with $7,500 of budgeted funds. We purchased and distributed 4,352 hygiene items including bar soap, body wash, feminine products, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and laundry detergent.
Beginning in September we began fundraising, shopping, and scheduling volunteers for our annual Christmas Dinner Box Program. With the help of Park Place Dealerships, North Texas Giving Day donors, Azle Albertsons, Azle Walmart, and many individual donors, we raised $16,089 to provide over 1,200 extra holiday meals or a $50 Albertsons gift card.
CCC collaborated with Community Link, a trusted partner, located in nearby Saginaw. Their Case Managers can now assist individuals facing financial difficulties within the Azle zip code and surrounding areas. An office was set up at our location to decrease the burden of seeking help with Credit Repair, Social Security Benefits, Veterans Assistance, Medicaid, homelessness, and more. We are blessed to have this service provided to our clients at no cost, due to a generous grant received by Community Link.
*Per the United States Department of Agriculture, Food-insecure households are uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, at some time during the year, enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they had insufficient money or other resources for food: 12.8 percent (17.0 million) of U.S. households were food insecure at some time during 2022.
Community Partnerships
