North Texas Nonprofit Competition 

   The annual United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ Social Innovation competition brings awareness and provides thousands of grant dollars to winners. 

   Of the five finalists, two are Trusted World Network partners. ‘Empowering the Masses’ provides life skills to help individuals achieve financial independence and self-sufficiency. ‘Heart of Courage’ empowers mothers with children in foster care to unite their families and helps build a foundation to create a better future. Judges selected Empowering the Masses as the Social Innovator of the Year, awarding them a $60,000.00 grant.  

   Trusted World Founder and CEO Michael Garrett, a top five finalist two years ago, says he was moved by what Heart of Courage Founder and CEO Dania Carter told judges during her presentation. “The judges asked the question, hey, tell us more about your partnerships. And she said one of our biggest partnerships is Trusted World. Without them, our mothers wouldn’t have the clothing for interviews or the clothing they need to get through life. I was on cloud nine,” says Michael.

Earth Day Diligence

   Trusted World prides itself on being efficient and resourceful through recycling. Since 2014, the organization has diverted 400 thousand pounds of cardboard and damaged clothing items from landfills. CEO, Michael Garrett says, “The items of clothing that do not meet our quality standards, what we do is recycle that with a textile company. We get pennies on the pound, and we use that money to purchase brand-new underwear and socks for our partners.” 

   Michael says, “We’re keeping tons of clothing out of landfills by doing that. We recycle everything that comes into Trusted World.”

 2023 Trusted World Awards

  It’s a little more than a week until the Trusted World Awards breakfast presented by Atmos Energy. It celebrates network partners making a real and significant difference in North Texas. We highlight one award winner each week from now until the event on May 4th in Garland. 

   The Margie Frank Award recognizes an organization or individual who focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the community to which they belong. This award recognizes an individual who gives back to the community unselfishly.

   This year’s Margie Frank Award goes to the Victim’s Advocate in the Garland Police Department, Emalie Wall.  

She provides emergency relief or assistance to crime victims in need and tries to meet the person’s basic needs, whether clothing, food, shelter, or counseling. Emalie says, “Being able to reach your hand out and say ‘I’m here, we’re here. We will help you,’ and having that partnership with somebody that says, ‘Absolutely, no questions asked, let’s get that taken care of’ is phenomenal.“

   Trusted World Staff says, Emalie routinely goes above and beyond in addressing the needs of those she is helping and often works with other Trusted World Network partners to make that happen, saying not only are we connected through Trusted World, but then we’re able to connect with each other, and then everybody’s able to share resources, everybody’s able to give individuals in the community what they need.”

   The Trusted World Awards committee says Wall embodies the Trusted World motto, helping people help people. 

Make a Difference

   If you’d like to help make a difference, you can go to   TrustedWorld.org and click on volunteer experiences and sign up. If you’d like to help make a difference another way, you can go to the same website, and under the ways to give link, you can click on the needs to find food and clothing items the Network 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 look at the headlines from around the Trusted World Network, where you can join us in helping people help people.