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SAMMinistries is an interfaith ministry whose mission is to help the homeless
and those at risk of becoming homeless attain self-sufficiency by offering,
with dignity and compassion, shelter, housing and services. SAMMinistries
also provides volunteers opportunities to be renewed and fulfilled as they serve.
April 2012
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It's Fiesta . . . let's celebrate San Antonio!
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 Dear ,
 Fiesta is just around the corner, but the Fiesta Royalty has already been hard at work meeting and greeting people. We were blessed to have El Rey Feo and his court visit Empty Bowls and soon (we want it to be a surprise!) King Antonio XC will visit our kids and families!
King Antonio XC is selected from the ranks of the Texas Cavaliers, who happen to be great supporters of Fiesta and SAMMinistries. You can read about how they just recently blessed SAMMinistries and ask you to be a part of this blessing.
Easter was fantastic for the kids! Once again, volunteers and donors came together in a very special way! Thanks to all of you spent Easter and the days leading up to it with your hearts focused on making things great for our precious kids.
Now, as everyone gets ready to celebrate Fiesta in their own way, we would like to thank you for giving us a reason to celebrate each and every day! Truly, without your support, people like Ernestine (see her story below) would still be on the streets living in fear, hungry and degraded.
So, without further ado . . .
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Ernestine's Story
|  Ernestine lived and worked in Dallas, but sold everything to come to San Antonio to reconnect with her family. So, after her second day at their house, when she returned from looking for a job, she was shocked and hurt to find her luggage at the front door.A working person, Ernestine had never been homeless and thought it could not happen to her. However, now she was homeless and living on the streets. She slept wherever she could; in the back of a truck or abandoned buildings. She wrapped herself in a sheet because she could feel some sort of animal trying to bite her.
She found herself dirty and without food for three days. She went to the San Antonio River to clean her hands and face and was almost arrested. She was carrying what little she had in the world, she was hungry and all she could feel was the judgement of the people who saw her condition.Then she came to SAMMinistries and was welcomed with dignity and compassion!
To read more of Ernestine's story click here!
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Volunteer Spotlight-Rita Hernandez & Inspiration4Life
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 This month's Volunteer Spotlight features a group new to SAMMinistries and their leader, Rita Hernandez. Two months ago, Rita approached SAMMinistries and shared that she wanted to do whatever she could so the children staying at the SAMM Shelter could receive an Easter Basket. Yet, after that initial phone call, Rita decided supplying Easter Baskets wouldn't be enough. She called back and said that she not only wanted to lead the Easter Basket drive, but she also wanted to plan an Easter celebration party.
 On Good Friday, Inspiration4Life brought 185 Easter Baskets, the Easter Bunny, a D.J., party food, and singers and celebrities. The whole event was topped off with an Easter Egg hunt that made the Oklahoma Land Rush blush!
SAMMinistries is so fortunate to have partners like Rita Hernandez and Inspiration4Life. Their efforts helped the homeless children of San Antonio
experience the joy and fun of an Easter egg hunt with all the trimmings!
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Thanks to Everyone Who Made Easter Special for the Kids!
|  You heard the call and you answered!
Thank you to all of the people in the
community who helped in making Easter a special time for the kids!
As you can see, the list is long, but every one
deserves a big pat on their back! Sandra Archey - Our Lady of Guadalupe Helotes
Kim Bianco
Compass Insurance Connie L. Contreras - Standard Aero
Laura Elolf - Math Club at Northeast Lakeview College
Jamie Faschingbauer - Adante Senior Living Belinda Gutierrez
Maggie Hayes 
Rita Hernandez - Inspiration4Life
Richard Holt - University United Methodist Church Barbara James
Patty McCarroll
Cynthia Mitchell - Red Hat Society
Chris Santos - Goodwill
Cindy Schoffstall - SA Parrothead Club
Ashley J. Trevino
Manuel Walker - Maranatha Bible Church
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The Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation
Asks You to Match Their Gift to SAMM
|  The Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation has awarded SAMMinistries $6,000 to be used for our children's programs.
The Texas Cavaliers is an organization of over 500 businesses, civic and community leaders which was founded in 1926 to preserve and promote the ideals for which the heroes of the Alamo died.
As the sponsors of the River Parade, The Texas Cavaliers play a HUGE role in Fiesta fun! We are thankful to be a recipient of their fundraising endeavors, so look for our thank you in their River Parade Program!
Now The Texas Cavaliers are asking you to give back and match their gift to double the money to help us nurture the kids in our programs.
Click here to help the Texas Cavaliers help SAMMinistries!
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Top Volunteer Needs
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Tuesday Night Meal Team:
Are you looking for a way to get your church, business, or organization involved in volunteering?
Consider having your team come serve food at our Transitional Living and Learning Center (TLLC) located at 5922 Blanco Road. We need groups to provide and serve meals for our Transitional Program families (about 250 people) on Tuesday nights, so parents can attend Enrichment and Life Skills classes.
The atmosphere at TLLC is always bubbly on Tuesday nights as the families come together to share a meal provided by volunteers. Some groups get together to cook large homemade meals and others just order pizza! We would like to have a group that would like to commit to serving the second Tuesday of each month, but if you can only serve once, we have an upcoming need for May 8th! If you are interested in getting involved email us for more details.
TLLC Receptionist:
We need a volunteer to transfer incoming calls, monitor the security camera feeds, and have positive interactions with the families we serve. This volunteer opportunity provides a chance to interact and serve the families at TLLC. Come be part of the SAMMinistries community.
email us for more details.
Childcare:
Did you know the average age of a homeless child in San Antonio is 6 years old? We have various dates and times that childcare is needed so parents can attend Enrichment classes, dorm meetings, and tutoring sessions for our college-attending clients. Would you be willing to spend an hour on a weeknight taking care of children? If you are interested in being contacted whenever we have childcare needs,
email us for more details.
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Save the Date for FREE Conference
|  The Details:- Who: Everyone is invited!
- What: "Expressive Art Therapies Applied to Depression in the Homeless Community"
- When: June 2, 2012 8:30am-3:30pm
- Where: Norris Conference Center, 410 & Fredricksburg
- Why: To learn about different therapies-art, etc. that can be used to help our homeless friends - CEU's will be available
- How: You must register for the conference online at SAMMinistries' website by 5pm, May 25- registration opens April 18th
Other Info: - Lunch: Provided for free
- Information contact: Dr. Ghia Edwards 210-321-5676 or 210-878-9205
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I am grateful to Ernestine for allowing us a small glimpse into her struggle with homelessness. She is still in our program and she gets closer each day to earning her certificate and reaching her goals.
Her story is what our Mission Statement is all about..."help the homeless . . . attain self-sufficiency by offering, with dignity and compassion, shelter, housing and services!"
Please pray for her and the hundreds of men, women and children in our care and on their own journey to the future!
 Navarra R. Williams President and CEO
P.S. Our Furniture For A Cause store has a special offer to those who donate furniture during their Spring Cleaning Event-see below!
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Spring Cleaning at Furniture For A Cause
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Don't forget to visit the ALL NEW
Shop online and pick up in-store today! Store Hours Monday-Friday 10am-7pm
Saturday 10am-6pm
Sunday 12pm-5pm If you have a piece of gently used furniture you would like to donate to FFAC, please visit our Donations Page, or contact our donation line at (210) 442-2440.  Have you liked us on Facebook yet?
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