Through the catalog, potential donors and volunteers learn about ways that they can make a real difference by specific examples of many needs all over our town, and in many different ways. And neighbors who need help use the catalog as a shopping guide for services.

Want to learn more about mentoring our local young folks? We have organizations that will get you connected.

Interested in helping our elderly with food and loneliness? We can tell you how to do that.

Do you have a heart for our homeless or critically ill neighbors? Read about many ways you can make a big difference!

Photo courtesy of The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever

The GGCE was created from a frustration that gift giving during the holidays can seem frivolous and empty. Our founders, Heather and Elliot Goldman, wanted gift options that had meaning and supported their community. After visiting with local nonprofit leaders, they realized that a collective effort offering ways to improve their community was going to make the most impact.

According to our nonprofits, Tarrant County consistently ranks as one of the highest Texas counties with cases of abused children. We are also one of the top ten counties in the US with the highest number of hungry people overall. Almost 15,000 children experience homelessness in Tarrant County each year. Over 5000 neighbors who are veterans are seeking help with addiction related problems annually. You can help while doing your holiday shopping!

So are you ready to give gifts that impress your friends and help Fort Worth? Choose a need and donate a coat, a meal, an hour of tutoring for a struggling student, or even a prescription for a neighbor in pain.

Need client, teacher, neighbor, and grandchild gifts? With a gift card from The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever your family and friends can read all about local needs and choose which mission speaks to their heart…while you get the tax deduction!

The local organizations that are included in the 2021 catalog are:

A Wish with Wings                          Alzheimer’s Association                 Airpower Foundation

Academy 4                                        Big Brothers Big Sisters                  Boys and Girls Clubs                      

Gill Children’s Services                   Kids Who Care                                 Camp John Marc

The First Tee                                    Helping Restore Ability                  Hope Center for Autism

Meals on Wheels                             LinkED                                                Recovery Resource Council

Ronald McDonald House               Don’t Forget to Feed Me               The Parenting Center

Union Gospel Mission                     Catholic Charities                            The Welman Project

                                             Community Healthcare of Texas

The 2021 Greatest Gift Catalog Ever can be found in many restaurants, doctor offices, businesses, etc. around town now… or you can see all the amazing opportunities to make a difference all year round on our site, www.TGGCE.org.

We also have gift cards that make fantastic gifts for clients, grandchildren, teachers, neighbors, of office friends. You get the tax benefit while the recipient gets to choose which charity to give to! Call us to order gift cards: Christine at 817-923-4527.

Do you know of a fantastic organization that you would love to see included in The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever? We are interested in visiting with local nonprofits who have been working for at least five years, who can send us their two most recent 990’s, and who benefit Tarrant County. Call Christine Jones at 817-923-4527 to schedule an interview.

Christine Jones is the Executive Director for The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever, a local communications platform that works with 22 local charities to get their missions and messages out to Tarrant County neighbors.  She is also maidservant to her miniature dachshund, Tex, who allows her to work most days.

The post TWM Gives Back: The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever! first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

photo courtesy of Link/Gunn’s Dry Cleaning

Manuel Jara Elementary School in Fort Worth’s Northside neighborhood. According to greatschools, org, 89% of the students are living at or below the Federal Poverty Level. This means many things other children take for granted, such as warm coats, are hard to come by. So the principal of Manuel Jara, Marta Plata, stepped in.

Marta Plata has been profiled by Tanglewood Moms and by Madeworthy in our Education Issue as the founder of Parents University, a program that empowers parents by teaching them the skills they need to become partners in the success of their children, both socially and academically. When Principal Plata realized that the lack of warm jackets that conformed to the dress code was a problem, she found someone to donate warm fleeces to the fifth grade.

However… kids are dirty little creatures. You know this. No matter how clean they might be when they leave the house, they will be dirty seven minutes later. By the time February rolled around, those donated fleeces were dirty. That is when Links | Gunn’s Dry Cleaning and Laundry stepped in. The local cleaners came to the school, picked up the fifth-grade fleeces, laundered them for free, and then delivered them to Manuel Jara and the waiting fifth graders.

photo courtesy of Link/Gunn’s Dry Cleaning

Poverty is a thief. It steals dignity and humanity. A simple act of kindness, such as laundering a jacket, can change a child’s outlook. By cleaning the jackets of Manuel Jara’s fifth grade students, the folks of Links | Gunn’s Dry Cleaning and Laundry gave those children a gift.

Each fleece costs $20, but most students’ families cannot afford to buy one. If you would like to purchase a fleece for a student at Manuel Jara, you can contact the school at 817-814-4500.

The post Local Business Helps Elementary Students Stay Warm first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

She was living on the first floor of her apartment complex in the coastal town Port Arthur when Hurricane Harvey plowed across the Texas coast as a Category Five hurricane that was followed by days of deluge that left haphazard lakes all over southeast Texas.
Lawanda Keller, a 50-year-old grandmother with physical disabilities caused by a fire while working in an oil refinery, is one of many families who lost everything in the storm and the torrential rains that followed.

“The apartment complex where I was living said that we had five days to get there and pull all of our belongings to the side of the road [for the garbage trucks],” Keller said.

This included all her furniture, clothes, and meaningful memorabilia, including decades’ worth of collected Christmas decorations.
As the media’s lens turns to North Korean missile attacks, political turmoil in D.C., and the devastation in Puerto Rico and Mexico, the average media consumer may think South Texas residents’ lives have been resolved. But the reality is that this is just the beginning of their long journey into a new life in Fort Worth.

The to-do lists to rebuild the evacuees’ lives are long. They include waiting on hold with insurance companies (sometimes finding out they do not qualify for assistance), getting public transportation in new city figured out, enrolling their children in new schools and daycares, finding a permanent place to live and clothes to wear. These are just a few of their worries. Do you ever remember a time when you were just trying to get your basic needs met, that finding toys for your children on Christmas wasn’t even on the agenda? And it is all happening at the beginning of the holiday season.

Most Christmas songs are about going home for the holidays, spending time with family and friends, and being jolly, but nearly all of the people who evacuated because of Hurricane Harvey will spend their holiday season trying to find tables and chairs so their families can dine together. And evacuees like Keller wonder how they are going to buy the food for their holiday meal to feed her daughters and grandchildren, who also plan to stay in Fort Worth for good. They are tired of running from hurricanes that are becoming stronger and more frequent.

Keller can’t work because she has burn scars all over her hands, arms, ears, and legs. She lives in constant pain. Catholic Charities was able to give her an air mattress and help move her into an apartment – an empty apartment. She recently received $17 to buy some groceries.
According to Marie Francis, human services manager with Community Action Partners (CAP), more than 60 families are permanently relocating to Tarrant County that she is aware of, but that number is actually much larger because many families did not go through the city of Fort Worth for housing and help. Some went through other social service agencies like Catholic Charities if they went through a social service agency at all.

CAP “works with families and individuals to help them overcome barriers to achieve self-sufficiency.” They help with paying energy bills, finding housing and emergency rental payment assistance, and really anything that fits the needs of each unique individual. Francis said she once bought a man a bicycle with their government grants.

CAP also allows evacuees access to their annual Cowboy Santas who distribute donated toys, books, and games for children from infancy to 12 years old, even if they don’t fall within the 175% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines that is their usual requirement.
Bryan Knox, a case worker with Catholic Charities assigned to helping Harvey evacuees, said at least ten new families a day are coming to them for help to find housing, jobs, cars, and food. This is a result of all the shelters suddenly closing all over Texas, turning out people who go back to their homes to find there is nothing left. They don’t want to go through this experience ever again. They are tired of running from hurricanes.

Francis and her team have been there to hold the hands of evacuees from five hurricanes in recent years— hurricanes Rita (2005), Katrina (2005), Gustav (2008), Ike (2008), and now Harvey (2017). She said this time the evacuees seem more exasperated. Never again.
“I couldn’t even tell you what that number is going to look like,” Knox said of final number of people relocating to Fort Worth.
Evacuees were all shocked, and soon to be homeless, in September when they got word that city officials agreed it was time to shut down the shelters they were living in. They were given a matter of hours from the time of the announcement to find another place to live. Keller said Catholic Charities came in and took over from there. She was relieved.

Keller speaks in a very despondent tone. She’s tired and feels her spirit has been razed to the ground like a bulldozed building, but her tone lifts when she speaks of Catholic Charities and the endless efforts they are putting into helping her family. Knox also gave them some gift cards to Wal-Mart to get a microwave and some silverware so they could attempt to prepare some meals at home. Francis said FEMA does not help those who plan to relocate. They stick to rebuilding lives at Ground Zero.

Knox said Catholic Charities also spent $1,200 on 15 bus passes worth $80 a piece for their clients. But these passes have expired. However, many families have said that many churches and other organizations in the area have helped them so much. They appreciate the warmth in Fort Worth. But as media fatigue sets in, and we start to forget, it will be the most important time to remember these families who have endured the tragedy of these super storms. These storms are the ultimate equalizers – it doesn’t matter if they came from a good job in an upper-class neighborhood, or from an efficiency living paycheck to paycheck, everyone is starting over in the same situation. These storms don’t discriminate.

photo courtesy of Cowboy Santas

What Can We Do to Help Evacuees Who Have Relocated During the Holidays?

Contact Cowboy Santas at http://www.cowboysantas.org/ or Catholic Charities of Fort Worth at https://www.catholiccharitiesfortworth.org/ to see how you can help.

If you have old furniture, don’t throw it out or put it on the curb! These families don’t have chairs to sit in or tables to sit around.

Have your family write a letter to a relocated family, welcoming them to their new home.

Bake cookies or make a holiday meal.

Have your family create a holiday care package complete with decorations, wrapped gifts, and non-perishable food items.

Jocelyn Tatum has been either publishing nonfiction work and/or teaching journalism at Tarrant County College for ten years. She began her career as a daily newspaper writer and general assignments reporter in 2008. A fifth-generation Fort Worth gal, marriage finally brought her back home six years ago where she became a full-time freelance magazine writer known for her long-form narrative style. With an undergraduate degree in philosophy, several study abroad stints, and a masters from the University of North Texas in narrative nonfiction writing (fancy journalism) as a Mayborn Scholar, she is always looking at the world around her with child-like wonder expressing what she sees best in the written word. Her passion is writing human-interest stories to give a voice to the voiceless, a face to the faceless. She has a 5-year-old boy who is the love of her life and best friend. Everything comes second to spending time with him. When she’s not mothering and writing, she is up at 5 a.m. running, taking Jen Keita’s spin classes, attending hot yoga, or riding horses. You can find her work most frequently in Fort Worth, Texas magazine, but also in CEO magazine (Fort Worth Business Press affiliate), and 360 West (Weddings), and more.

The post Christmas As an Evacuee first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

We are joining forces with The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever, a Fort Worth nonprofit, which showcases many of the charities in Tarrant County.  This year, they are featuring over 21 local charities like A Wish with Wings which is our first #TanglewoodMomsGiveBack organization.

If you and your family would like to learn more about great ways to give this holiday season (and all year long!), you can read all about them on their site at www.GreatestGiftCatalogEver.org  Each gift given through The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever site is matched dollar for dollar.  It’s the best way to give in Fort Worth!

A Wish with Wings is thrilled to participate, through The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever, in the new #TanglewoodMomsGiveBack project.

Located in Fort Worth, a Wish with Wing’ mission is “granting magical wishes for young Texans with life-threatening medical conditions.” Since 1982, more than 1,450 children have received that one magical wish to help ease their burden and lighten the load they carry. For these children and their families, all of whom are facing uncertain futures, we have one simple goal: to bring joy, happiness, laughter and hope to an otherwise dark situation.

Jack is a charming six-year-old boy who has never met a stranger.  He loves swimming, building with Legos, and playing with his dogs.  This courageous little boy was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoid Leukemia (ALL) in July of 2013, and, after two and a half years of treatment, he celebrated his completion of chemotherapy in 2016.  Through this battle, Jack has matured well beyond his years and inspired so many as he goes about daily life with such a cheerful outlook and positive attitude.  Jack’s Wish came true last summer when he and his family took a magical trip to Disney World.  In Orlando, they spent an amazing week at Give Kids the World Village, an enchanting 82-acre resort built exclusively for Wish children and their families (many come from all over the world).  Jack enjoyed swimming and “surfing” at the pool, horseback riding, carousel rides and much more at the Village.  He loved everything about his Wish, especially riding all the rides as many times as he wanted and getting to pet dolphins at Sea World.  His favorite part of the trip was riding Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom and one of his most memorable moments was getting to eat ice cream for breakfast at the Village.  Jack’s Wish trip was an amazing family experience and an unforgettable week full of “yes’s.”

Happily, for Jack and his family, Jack is now in remission and is a healthy, happy 7-year-old. For other families, however, the future is not as promising.

Young Daniel is one example. His story began on March 4^th, 2009 and ended on June 28, 2017. Born with only half a working heart and given up for adoption at birth, he was rushed across the street to Cook Children’s for emergency heart surgery. There he met his forever mommy, a nurse at Cook Children’s. Although his prognosis was poor and his heart defect irreparable, she fell in love with him at first sight. His life included numerous major surgeries and countless other medical procedures in eight years. His one magical wish was simple: he wished to go fishing. Danny loved fishing and baseball, and, despite his rare heart defect, he got to experience both and virtually everything else he hoped to experience.

Sadly, Danny lost his battle this summer at the age of 8. But he embodied a can-do-attitude playing and living life to the fullest.

Sweet four-year-old Abby Grace was born with Down Syndrome and diagnosed with Acute Lymphoid Leukemia in 2015. Although Abby is not able to speak, she made it clear that her one true wish was for a magical week at Disney World and Give Kids the World Village! Having just returned from their wish, her mom shared, “We just want to say thank you and let you know what a wonderful blessing our wish trip was. It was the first time that we as a family were able to go on a vacation. It was the first time to see Abby and her siblings just be kids and do kid activities. There were no doctor’s appointments, no clinic visits, no waiting rooms, and no more needle pricks. Abby just got to be a kid and enjoy life with her brother and sister. It made my mama’s heart so happy. The kids loved every moment, and as a family we enjoyed just being together and enjoying one another.”

Now let’s talk about how YOU can help grant magical wishes for these inspiring children!

An average wish trip for a family costs in the $7,500-$10,000 range, depending on destination, length of trip and number of immediate family members. Here’s a quick breakdown on ways you might choose to be involved:

Become a “Magic Maker” …

• $20 purchases a plush 12” Mickey or Minnie for a child’s wish trip to Disney
• $25 provides one night’s accommodations and park passes for a Wish kid at Give Kids the World Village in Orlando
• $150 helps grant an “emergency wish” for a child facing an uncertain life-threatening situation.
• $500 provides airfare for a child’s Disney World Wish
• $1,000 provides a one-week family wish trip to Give Kids the World Village (not including airfare and expenses)
• $7,500 grants a one-week cost-free Magical Disney vacation to Give Kids the World Village in Orlando, including airfare, park passes to all four Disney World theme parks, Universal Studios and Sea World, as well as spending money for incidentals and souvenirs.
• $10,000 grants a Magical Hawaii vacation for an older (teen) wish child and family to enjoy five days at a tropical Hawaiian resort.
• Gift cards in any amount help fulfill shopping spree wishes or provide assistance for wish families in need of support. Popular cards are Wal-Mart, Target, iTunes, Best Buy, Toys R Us, Game Stop, Visa, and Amex.

If you’d like to make a difference, please donate to A Wish with Wings through The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever.  www.GreatestGiftCatalogEver.org   Donations made through The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever are matched dollar for dollar!

Or you can make a gift directly to A Wish with Wings at www.awww.org

Watch for next month’s #TanglewoodMomsGiveBack featuring Snowball Express!

Guest blogger Judy Youngs joined the “Wish Team” as Executive Director of a Wish with Wings, in September, 2010. She brings extensive leadership experience at local, state and national levels, as well as experience in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

Judy serves as the president of the board for the Association of Wish Granting Organizations, as an Advisory board member for Metroport Meals on Wheels, a member of Women Steering Business, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Contact Judy: judy@awww.org

The post Tanglewood Moms Gives Back: A Wish with Wings first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

North Texas Giving Day (this year’s is Thursday, September 14) is an annual example of how focused charitable giving efforts can really pay off. The online fundraising event has raised more than $156 million for North Texas charities since 2009. Having served on numerous nonprofit boards, I can tell you that this is an important fundraising event for many local charities and arts organizations. Think: Presbyterian Night Shelter, The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, The Fort Worth Arts Council, and countless others. I hope this article inspires you to reflect on the reality that so much of what we value in this city is possible because of generous Texans.

(I don’t presume to list, or even know, the charities that are in the most need with these highlights. I hope you’ll explore the causes you care about and find charities that support those causes.)

The Fort Worth Youth Orchestra

It has been announced before concerts in Bass Performance Hall, and I do believe it — Fort Worth has the highest-quality youth orchestra in the nation. Founded in 1965, the student ensemble has toured the world many times over, performing for heads of state and at community concerts. The performing arts group runs on a stable-but-tight budget. I can tell you that a donation here means a brighter future for classical music and hundreds of youths.

SPCA of Texas

Chances are, you’re curled up next to your fur baby right now. Mine, two felines, are as close as family. And well-pampered. I have a hard time thinking about the cats and dogs that aren’t so fortunate. SPCA of Texas runs crucial adoption, clinic, and animal cruelty prevention programs that aim to find brighter futures and happier times for all our furry friends. (Also, check out Mid-Cities Community Cats.)

The Welman Project

I stumble upon interesting groups working at The Weekly. Vanessa Barker and Taylor Willis provide supplies to bootstrapped public schools while cutting down on waste. The idea is as ingenious as it is simple: collect unwanted supplies from businesses and get them into the hands of school teachers. It is not a criticism of school directors but rather the reality of underfunded public school systems that many classrooms in FWISD lack adequate supplies. Barker and Willis have a large task on their hands, but I think they’re up to the job. The two founders are self-described as “tiny but mighty,” after all.

Art Tooth

Disclaimer: I’m on the board of this nonprofit. And as per my duties, I’m going to tell you how great this group is! What makes Art Tooth so great is our focus on the future. The curators and arts directors in Art Tooth are all young artists themselves. They work at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and have been a part of the “art scene” for several years. And, yes, they know how hard it is for working artists to make a living in this city. Ergo, Art Tooth. In one year, the charity has curated shows, awarded a $5,000 microgrant, organized a large gala, and received critical acclaim for its programs. Follow ArtTooth.com for future events.

Scheduled Giving for North Texas Giving Day is now open, meaning you can schedule your donation payment early. Even if you don’t pay ahead, come September 14, you’ll begin seeing online posts about this important annual day of giving. Now you have a few days to think about which ones you’ll contribute to.

Edward Brown writes about music, arts, and news for a variety of publications. He’s an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and volunteers for numerous Fort Worth nonprofits.

The post Giving Is a Way of Life in Texas first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

The journey into adulthood often involves tampering down on some guilty pleasures while cultivating a taste for others. As a kiddo, that pleasure was ice cream, usually from the neighborhood Braum’s restaurant. Now, I spend a fair amount of my free time at Martin House Brewing Company and HopFusion Ale Works. This Saturday’s Ice Cream Festival, at The Collective Brewing Project, offers the best of both worlds with frozen confections for the youngins and craft beers for the adults. All profits benefit Back to School Roundup, a charity that provides school supplies for underprivileged families.

The festival offers revelers two paths: the kid’s ticket ($10) and the adult’s ticket ($20). Seems simple enough. Kiddos and adults get tastings from six local businesses (Alchemy Pops, Alma’s Paleteria, Gypsy Scoops, Lake Highlands Creamery, Melt Ice Creams, and Pokey O’s).

Collective Brewing taproom manager Dave Riddile said the event is meant to feel like a ice cream social. (You remember those.) Along with a nostalgia for yesteryear came a desire to tie the event to a charity that supports young students.

“We wanted to tie the idea of ‘end of summer’ and ‘everyone going back to school,’ ” he said. Collective Brewing taproom manager “Carly Taylor and I appreciate the work the Back to School Roundup has done, getting school supplies to families and children who might not have been able afford it otherwise.”

The adult tickets come with ice cream samples and two beers of your choice. Beer doesn’t get fresher than from the source. Trust me.

Collective Brewing’s Ice Cream Festival

Saturday, August 26, 5 p.m. at The Collective Brewing Project, 112 St Louis Ave, 817-708-2914

Edward Brown writes about music, arts, and news for a variety of publications. He’s an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and volunteers for numerous Fort Worth nonprofits. 

The post Ice Cream, Socially first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Let’s keep the momentum going into our second month and help us collect items for SafeHaven of Tarrant County! If you are not familiar with SafeHaven of Tarrant County, they are a non-profit with the mission to end domestic violence through safety, support, prevention, and social change. It’s a service we all wish was not needed, but the hard truth is that one in three women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime (source – National Coalition Against Domestic Violence).  SafeHaven operates two emergency shelters which house 164 women and children.  Other services provided by SafeHaven (all at no cost to clients) include counseling, safe living assistance, and prevention and education services to schools, churches, etc.

We will be accepting donations between now and June 30th at the locations listed below.

-On the porch at 4755 Fieldcrest Drive 76109

-At Panther City Salon – 1306 May Street 76105 (Huge thanks to Taylor Norrid for setting up this second donation location for TW Moms Gives Back!)

-Directly to Safe Haven through Berry Good Buys – 1701 W Berry Street 76110. If you are doing this, PLEASE list Tanglewood Moms on the donation ticket

Here are some of the things Safe Haven appreciates:

*Ongoing needs for new items:  women and children’s underwear/sleepwear/clothing; shampoo and conditioner; personal hygiene items; brushes; toothpaste/toothbrushes; body wash; deodorant; towels; baby bottles/sippie cups/pacifiers; diapers (incomplete packs ok!); powdered laundry detergent

*Summer wish list items:  sunblock; beach towels; bottled water; swim toys; tempura paint; acrylic paint; white t-shirts; water squirt toys (request no guns); baseball caps; passes or donations to fund summer venues (zoo, Omni, Main Event, Bahama Bucks, etc.)

*Underwriting field trips:  Safe Haven organizes camps and field trips for the kids and could always use monetary donations to help fund these events! Hit the ‘DONATE NOW’ button on their website.

Please help us support this worthy organization.  Again, you can donate items between now and June 30th.

Thank you and happy giving!

Special thanks to those who participated in our first Gives Back program for Pregnancy Lifeline:

Katy Price, Erica Diamond, Courtney Kerr, Jobi Heartsill, Sharon Thomas, Nicole Putnam, Leslie Keathley, Tricia Schniederjan, Colleen McDowell, Jenna Sykes, Luan Blake, Mary Loudermilk

Heather Minhinnette is a stay at home mom to Anabel and wife to Shawn – between the two of them, she is always laughing!  A native Texan, she has lived in Houston, Plano, San Antonio, and Austin, but has loved Fort Worth the most since moving here in 2008.  She majored in Business Honors and French at the University of Texas at Austin and likes to sometimes pretend she can still speak French.  Her hobbies include sleeping and wondering how people with more than one kid manage to do anything.  The causes near to her heart are DBMAT (deaf-blind multihandicapped association of Texas) and the Fort Worth Crawl for Cancer which she organizes every year.

The post Tanglewood Moms Gives Back, Month 2: SafeHaven of Tarrant County first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Tanglewood Moms is growing into a remarkable resource and place of community for the people of Fort Worth.  In its evolution, the time has come to channel the collective philanthropic heart of this amazing group and launch Tanglewood Moms Gives Back.  We know those reading this want ways to give back to our community and help strengthen it, so this will be one outlet for that generosity and spirit of giving.

So how will it work?  We want to keep things simple at first and see how things grow! Initially, we will select a local non-profit each month, and get a list of their donation needs.  We will collect donation items over a 2 week period and then drop everything off at the non-profit. Eventually, we would like to add a service aspect to our program as well.

To kick things off, we will be collecting items for Pregnancy Lifeline, which has been a resource in Fort Worth for over 42 years.  Pregnancy Lifeline provides services such as counseling, lab quality pregnancy testing, material assistance, classes, and more.  Pregnancy Lifeline accepts any donations related to pregnancy, maternity, new moms, and newborns.  Below is a list of some example items:

• Clothing (infant, baby, maternity, women’s)
• Diapers (new packs or incomplete packs)
• Breast pumps
• Baby furniture, rockers, cribs, etc
• New items are great, but gently used are ok too!

To participate, drop your items off at 4755 Fieldcrest Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76109 (drop off on the porch) between May 15^th and May 31^st.  There will be a clipboard to write down your name (can be kept as ‘anonymous’) and the approximate donation amount.  All items will be brought to Pregnancy Lifeline on June 1^st. If you prefer to bring the items yourself or want to get a tax receipt, you can bring your items directly to Pregnancy Lifeline at 4747 Hulen Street, Fort Worth, TX 76132, and mention Tanglewood Moms Gives Back.  To make monetary donations, please visit pregnancylifeline.net/donate.

We are so excited to launch this initiative and hope to see it grow into a success!  If you have a non-profit you would like to be considered for future months, please drop a comment below.  Upcoming organizations will include Safe Haven of Tarrant County, WestAid, Samaritan House, Union Gospel Mission, Center for Transforming Lives, and the Humane Society.

Thank you and happy giving!

Tanglewood Moms Gives Back coordinator Heather Minhinnette is a stay at home mom to Anabel and wife to Shawn – between the two of them, she is always laughing!  A native Texan, she has lived in Houston, Plano, San Antonio, and Austin, but has loved Fort Worth the most since moving here in 2008.  She majored in Business Honors and French at the University of Texas at Austin and likes to sometimes pretend she can still speak French.  Her hobbies include sleeping and wondering how people with more than one kid manage to do anything.  The causes near to her heart are DBMAT (deaf-blind multihandicapped association of Texas) and the Fort Worth Crawl for Cancer which she organizes every year.

The post Tanglewood Moms Gives Back: An Intro first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.