A $2,000 Donation Helps Students Be Dressed and Ready For School
The Altrusa Club of Downtown Dallas made a quick decision this month to help the students displaced by Hurricane Harvey.
When a need was recognized that children moving into DISD schools for a few weeks—or few months—didn’t have the required uniform school clothes, the community service club's board quickly made an appeal to its 60+ members to grant $2,000 from its foundation to help purchase the necessary uniforms: khaki pants and solid-colored collared polo shirts, new socks and underwear.
Tom Hayden, Manager of Strategic initiatives and external relations for DISD, received the club’s foundation check this week.
The Altrusa Club of Downtown Dallas is celebrating its 35th year this September. The club’s focus is on promoting literacy in the city and helping women and children in crisis. The downtown club is part of an international group that is celebrating 100 years of service.
The Altrusa Club of Downtown Dallas members volunteer at many non-profit agencies in the city, including Attitudes and Attire, Kids U, Meals on Wheels, HRI (Human Rights Initiative), Dolphin Heights, Literacy Achieves (formerly Vickery Meadow Learning Center) and Bar None (annual show benefitting scholarships for minority students to attend Texas Law Schools.) The club members typically volunteer far more than the 20 hours per year suggested by the club’s charter. Dozens of Downtown Dallas Altrusans volunteered over 100 hours this past year in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the first Altrusa Club.
Two upcoming meetings will focus on the history of the Downtown Dallas club. On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at Season’s 52 in NorthPark the club members will gather at 5:30 for a networking hour and then a short program from 6:30 to 7:30 about the club’s 35-year history and goals for the next 35 years.
A December 5th luncheon at noon at the City Club in downtown Dallas is scheduled for potential members to come and learn more about the community service and networking opportunities the members enjoy. Attorneys, judges, CPAs, entrepreneurs, business owners, artists and a few retirees make up the club. Four veteran members of the club will be honored this Thursday in a combined birthday celebration held at La Calle Dulce on lower Skillman Avenue. Members also gather for a book club about every six weeks at a member's home. Members volunteer, network and socialize together, creating lasting relationships that--in many cases--have spanned decades.
For more information about the October 17 and December 5 events contact Christina Coultas, VP of Membership, at: christina.coultas@gmail.com or Lisa Robinson, VP of Communications, lrobinson@memoriesmadeevents.com
This month the club is working with Attitudes and Attire, assisting clients in the program in selecting business-appropriate clothing and accessories from the agency's clothing boutique. Donations from Altrusa Club members of business clothing and accessories are being dropped off at local Bibbentuckers Cleaners to help replenish the boutique. Attitudes and Attire is located at 2050 N. Stemmons Freeway, #181 Dallas, TX 75207. For more information on volunteering with Altrusa and Attitudes and Attire contact Danah Moore at dmoorespi1@aol.com
Judy Porter, MBA, President of Porter People PR, promotes local heroes, non-profit agencies and small businesses. Contact her at judy-porter@sbcglobal.net