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Volunteer & Donations

 

Network of Community Ministries

With its volunteer numbers down due to the pandemic, Network of Community Ministries has been relying on a program that connects unemployed service industry workers with nonprofits to serve and provide hunger relief to communities. Funding for that program ended Nov. 15, 2020, leaving 36 open shifts per day needing to be filled.

The timing comes as Network continues to see increased demand for its services. Prior to COVID, Network was serving about 150 families per week in its food pantry, a number that has grown to 700 per week due to the pandemic.

Volunteers are specifically needed in the following areas:

• Food Pantry: Assist with donation processing, restocking and food distribution
• Clothing Closet: Assist with donation processing, restocking and fulfilling online orders
• Home Food Delivery Drivers: Deliver food to seniors and high-needs families
• Mobile Food Pantry: Help unload boxes, put them in cars and take down simple information from each family that comes through Network’s mobile food pantry box distribution locations
• Toyland Express: Some volunteers will help price new toy donations in preparation of adding to inventory. Other volunteers will add inventory to Network’s online store and fulfill toy orders.

Network accepts volunteers ages 16 and up. Volunteers are needed Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Safety protocols including temperature checks and mask and glove requirements are in place, and background checks are required for all volunteers. Visit www.thenetwork.org/volunteer to sign up to volunteer.

Network is also in need of the following items:  

• Baby Food
• Bread
• Canned Meats (Ravioli, Soups, etc)
• Dairy
• Diapers/Wipes
• Eggs
• Feminine Products
• Frozen Beef, Chicken and Turkey
• Oil
• Packaging Tape
• Produce
• Shrink Wrap
• Sugar

 

Network is also in need of monetary donations. Donate Online
For more information, call 972-234-8880.

Network is located at 1500 International Parkway in Richardson. For more information, visit www.thenetwork.org or call 972-234-8880.

 

North Texas Food Bank

During the COVID-19 pandemic the North Texas Food Bank is creating at least 60,000 family meal boxes each week for distribution  through its mobile food pantry and its partner agencies, including Network of Community Ministries. To assist the NTFB, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has launched Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a virtual food drive that allows people to donate funds directly to the food bank.

For more information including a link to donate, click here.

 

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Blood Donations

Carter BloodCare

Donations by appointment only at its donor centers.

The two locations closest to Richardson are:

• Garland, 6850 North Shiloh Rd.,
• Plano, 4701 W. Parker Rd.

Carter BloodCare asks donors to fill out a questionnaire prior to their appointment. Click Here

 

 

The American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is still conducting blood drives.
Find a Blood Drive. 

 

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Masks

 

Anyone interested in donating masks should contact the Fire Department at 972-744-5700.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain such as grocery stores and pharmacies. The CDC emphasizes that maintaining 6-feet social distancing is important to slowing the spread of the virus, but the use of simple cloth face coverings can help slow the spread of the virus. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

For more information on homemade masks, including how to make them and properly wear them, click here

Recently, several groups of people in Richardson have been making masks for local health care workers. These groups included a group of local seamstresses who set a goal of sewing 600 masks, as well as a local family that is creating masks using 3D printers. Watch the videos below to learn more about how these people are making the masks and where to go to learn how to make your own.

Read Full Article

Read Full Article

 

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Hand Sanitizer

 

Anyone interested in donating hand sanitizer should contact Purchasing at 972-744-4130.