The Situational Poverty Safetynet             

   Situational poverty can hit anyone at any time; that’s the message a recent Trusted World volunteer shared during her visit. “Two years ago, when my um, now I’m going to start tearing up,” says Elaina Winget, fighting back tears.

   The first time Winget volunteered at Trusted World with her Amwins Underwriting coworkers, she got emotional, seeing the name and logo on Trusted World resource bags. “My sister’s house caught fire with her, her husband, and six kids in it.”

   A Garland ISD School Counselor, a Trusted World Network partner, ordered size-specific clothing and toiletries for the entire family. She says, “Having a place like ya’all that comes out with coats, with clothes so they can make it to school the next week. It was humbling to watch them sit there and open it. And it’s almost like Christmas morning, going look! All of this is for me. Somebody cares about me. And to watch their faces and realize they just lost everything, but yet there’s people out there that care.”

   Having related the story to her colleagues, they all take quality control very seriously when sorting clothing donations. Ensuring the quality of clothing is critical, saying, “My nieces still love some of the outfits and stuff they got. Everything is in amazing condition and stuff that the kids are willing to wear, especially the teenagers.”

   Volunteering to Sort clothing donations, Winget says, is a rewarding experience, “It’s very humbling to see all the processes and to see all the people that come in and take the time to make sure that there is something that is up to high standards. It’s a great feeling knowing that you can still give back. That makes a difference. I just know Trusted World is out there for everybody.”

The Power of the Network  

   Trusted World Network partners say the partnership empowers them. Anthem Strong Families recently emailed Trusted World touting the power of the network, saying, “We are tremendously grateful for the opportunity to work with Trusted World to make an impact with Dallas families.” 

   One Anthem Strong Families case manager says she’s proud to make a difference by inspiring people and changing lives. “Before Trusted World, I was in my closet,” says Kiwania Strahan laughing. 

   As an Anthem Strong Families facilitator, Strahan talks about how Trusted World has transformed her ability to help clients. “Before, I was asking my family members, my friends, whoever, donations, going to outside organizations to help them. Sometimes we would go pick up little things here and there for our participants, but Trusted World just have it all ready, and they’ll bring it to us.”

   Anthem Strong Families educates, equips, and empowers families through workshops, classes, and other support means. Strahan says not worrying about clothing allows her to focus on helping more people and better connect with her clients. “I can spend more time with whatever needs that the participant has. It might be something they’re going through in their life, but, for sure, when it comes to clothing through Trusted World, that’s one of the things that I don’t have to worry about.”

   In the spirit of partnership, The organization sent out a special edition newsletter sharing how a new community partner donated hundreds of clothing items they gave to Trusted World. 

   Over the past year and a half, Anthem Strong Families provided resources to clients valued at nearly $24,000, directly helping more than 260 North Texans. 

Make a Difference 

   Volunteers make the Trusted World mission possible. For July, so far, hundreds of corporate employees such as Triple A Texas, Brassfield & Gorrie, State Farm, Trinity Industries, Amwins, and many more individuals and church groups have volunteered to sort clothes.

   If you’d like to help make a difference, visit TrustedWorld.org, click on volunteer experiences, and sign up. If you’d like to explore other ways to help, you can go to the same website, and under the ways to give link, click on needs to find the items the Network most needs. For clothing donations, one of our key sponsors, the Credit Union of Texas, has donation dropoff bins in every one of their North Texas branches. Next to the bin is a banner with a QR code if you want to donate money.

   You’ll find a complete list of dropoff bin locations on the Trusted World website. 

   That’s a brief look at the headlines around the Trusted World Network, where you can join us in helping people help people.