At Cornerstone we work hard and take what we do very seriously; however, once a year we take a few hours to build team spirit and have a little fun. This year was the 1st annual Cornerstone Office Olympics and potluck.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Cornerstone Housing Development Corporation is a non-profit organization that includes house building, house renovations, and community revitalization. Its goal is to restore and revitalize communities by providing decent and affordable housing to low and moderate income families. Additionally, there will be job opportunities for those with barriers to employment who wish to gain valuable work experience in construction trades. Program participants are typically transitioning from rental properties, transitional housing, and even homelessness into home ownership. Participants attend a certified first-time home buyer's class as Cornerstone assists the churches, businesses, and other community organizations in the area to help assimilate new residents into the neighborhood.

Cornerstone Housing Programs include the New Life Center, Trinity Place, and Cornerstone Comprehensive Care Program (3CP).

New Life Center
1628 Sixth Avenue
Fort Worth, Texas

The New Life Center offers 18 homeless men an opportunity to transition from homelessness to a new life. During their stay, all residents are provided the supportive services of case management and mentoring as well as spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial guidance. Residents must desire to make lasting changes in their lives, stay drug and alcohol free, and pursue their training/education while they live at the New Life Center.

There is no question that the New Life Center is making a difference in the lives of the men it serves. Approximately ninety percent of NLC residents have a history of substance abuse and about half a criminal background. Despite these seemingly overwhelming statistics, 73% of our current residents have been sober for over a year- and several residents more than ten years! Most exciting in our eyes, we have several residents receive Christ every year! God is good and we are blessed to be a part of the work He is doing at the New Life Center.

Trinity Place
824 Samuels Avenue
Fort Worth, Texas

Cornerstone's Trinity Place program offers housing and after-care services to men transitioning from the New Life Center into their own home or apartment. All housing clients receive intensive case management to increase the rate of success.

The Cornerstone Comprehensive Care Program (3CP) has been serving the homeless of Tarrant County since 1997. 3CP provides opportunities for homeless families to become successfully self-sufficient by providing intensive case management services and housing. During a family's time in our transitional housing program, they not only work on increasing their earning potential through additional education and better employment, but are also encouraged to become more emotionally healthy and pursue a new or deeper relationship with Christ.

For questions about the Housing Development Corporation, the New Life Center, or Trinity Place, please contact Philip Posey, Director of Housing/Housing Development Corporation.

For questions about Cornerstone's 3CP Housing, please contact Taryn Freeze, Director of Supportive Services.

The old saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know" really is true, especially when it comes to non-profits. Yesterday Directors of Volunteers in Agencies Tarrant County (DOVIA) held its monthly luncheon, proving an opportunity for training and networking for area non-profits, including Cornerstone.

What is DOVIA?

DOVIA's purpose is to promote volunteer management as a profession and provide volunteer management training. Just as well, they also strive to promote volunteerism in the Tarrant County area.

The Benefits of Membership

The benefits of membership in this type of organization for Cornerstone are quite clear. By networking with other non-profits in the area, Cornerstone can establish connections with like-minded organizations who can provide support, training and resources.

Likewise, DOVIA is an excellent resource to market current events happening at Cornerstone. By letting other members of the community know about current events at Cornerstone, we have another way to connect with the community and meet the needs of our clients.

Tomorrow, Cornerstone will have the privilege of attending a Volunteer Fair at TCU. Hosted by the Center for Community Involvement and Service-Learning, the Volunteer Fair is designed to encourage students to play an active part in their community.

Why TCU?

TCU students have always been active in the Tarrant County area. In part, this is because of the variety of service-learning courses TCU offers. Service-learning courses have a community service component built in the curriculum. This service usually takes the place of a 10-page paper or semester exam.

Another reason TCU students are active in the community is fraternity and sorority requirements. Service hours are usually required as part of fraternity and sorority by-laws.

Beyond that however, TCU students and college students in general have a history of being active in their communities because they want to be, not because they are required to serve. Service is by its very definition voluntary.


Why Cornerstone is a good fit for TCU students (or any college student)

Since its inception in 1992, Cornerstone's mission has been to meet the needs and improve the lives of others. At Cornerstone, we believe this mission will resonate with today's college student. We offer a variety of ways a student can use his/her talents to better the lives of the homeless in Tarrant County so that they enjoy the experience and learn something new at the same time.


Looking for a Place to Volunteer?

If you are looking for a place to volunteer where your work will be meaningful and your efforts will directly impact someone's life, contact us today! Come take a tour and experience this ministry for yourself.

Where can you see yourself at Cornerstone?

Cornerstone's Workforce Development clients are learning to budget, track their spending and stay out of debt in a new course called "Managing Your Money."

The purpose of the course is to help clients of Cornerstone's Workforce Development program establish good financial habits as they enter the workforce and gain independence, some for the very first time.

The course covers the five steps financial awareness:

1. Be aware of what you spend and earn.
2. Build Good credit.
3. Avoid debt.
4. Spend your money wisely.
5. Save for the future.

Each of these steps is further broken down in to a step-by-step, easy to follow guide for the beginner to help those just starting to learn how to manage their finances. Because this task can be difficult for even those with advanced degrees, the step-by-step, common sense approach to money management helps clients see money as an asset that can work in their favor, instead of something to be worried about all the time.

The course offers several practical steps for budgeting including the envelope system and using a software program like Microsoft Excel or Quicken. However you do it, keeping track of what you spend and earn is vitally important.

For those with debt issues, there are a few practical tips to pay down that high-interest credit card or student loan, such as paying your bills on time, paying more the minimum balance and avoiding carrying credit cards to eliminate impulse buying.

Cornerstone is proud of the fact that we are a Christian ministry. So as part of this course, the importance of tithing is stressed, because the money is God's anyway.

"Bring the whole tithe in to the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. "Test me this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the flood gates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."- Micah 3:10

If we have the faith to give to God what is God's, he will bless us 10-fold.

Recently, Cornerstone established a presence on Idealist, a social network for people with a passion for service.

It will give Cornerstone a place to to publicize our volunteer and job opportunities to a targeted audience.

What is Idealist?

Idealist serves several functions for both organizations and individuals. Mainly, it is a resource that connects people with a passion for service. Below are some of the things you can do with a profile on Idealist:

For Individuals:

It is a social network. Idealist gives people with a passion for service a place to connect and exchange ideas.

Find volunteer opportunities. Do you have a cause you care about? Do you love volunteering? Idealist can help you connect with organizations looking for volunteers with your specific talents.

Find job opportunities. This is perhaps my favorite part of Idealist. If you have a passion you can turn it in to a career. You don't have to spend your life working at a job you hate!

For Companies/Organizations/Non-Profits:

Post volunteer/job opportunities. By being a member of Idealist non-profits can post their job openings and volunteer opportunities. Because everyone on Idealist has a passion for service, this is as targeted as advertising gets.

Advertise your organization's events. Do you have an upcoming event or fundraiser? By being a member of Idealist, you can get exposure for your organization and increase your chances of success.

Final Thoughts:

Idealist is a great place to connect with other people that have a passion for service. If you haven't checked it out, view this video below:

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy envisioned a national service organization dedicated to help provide urgently needed services in rural and urban poverty areas.

Cornerstone Christian Women's Job Corps is a ministry that seeks to equip women in need for life and employment. This is accomplished through job skills and readiness training combined with individual mentoring relationships.

Christian Women's Job Corps is open to any woman 18 or older, regardless of her religious background or ethnicity, who seeks the necessary skills and encouragement to achieve success in self-sufficiency.

CCWJC students learn:

• Tools for life


• Reading and writing


• Math and money management


• Typing and computer basics


• Zestful living


• Getting along


• Communication and public speaking


• Career preparation


• Resume writing


• Dress for success


• Daily Bible study

They also have the chance to:

• Network with successful women for job leads!


• Benefit from personal mentoring!


• Earn vouchers to shop in the Cornerstone Career Boutique!


• Update their resume and practice interviewing!


• Gain self-confidence!

Interested in helping or know someone who could use a hand up?
Winter 2010 classes will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from October 25th through December 1st.

Cornerstone's Workforce Development creates job readiness programs that help move each individual toward independent living and full-time employment. Participants not only receive guidance in job training, but assistance with high school GED, English as a Second Language (ESL), and adult literacy. Other essential services such as transitional housing and medical care are offered to help a person maintain full-time employment.

Beginning with job readiness programs provided by the Cornerstone Christian Women's Job Corps, Workforce Development seeks to assist participants through the entire process of seeking, identifying, obtaining, and retaining a job in their chosen field. We also strive to connect job seekers with employers who work to facilitate retention and career opportunities for our participants.

A new and exciting component of this division is Cornerstone's Food Services and Hospitality Training Program. As part of the community meeting room in the main building, this program will offer participants a hands-on training site in Cornerstone's Creation Restaurant. Upon completion, lunch for 50-75 people can be served daily. It is anticipated that the restaurant will, when fully equipped, allow for 50 pallets of frozen meat and food to be kept for food service programs.


Life Skills and Job Readiness Training through CCWJC
Within Workforce Development, Cornerstone Christian Women's Job Corps offers a variety of training opportunities and workshops to teach participants life skills and get them ready for employment.


Workshops include:

• Business Etiquette
• Resume Writing
• Dressing for Success
• Organizing Your Job Search
• Tools for Life
• Personal Decision Making
• Tips for a Successful Interview
• Money Management
• Typing
• Computer Basics

Participant Qualifications

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Possess the desire to become financially, emotionally, and spiritually stable
• Have a willingness to do what it takes to realize the changes in your life

Interested in Helping?

Please contact Janet Powers at 817.632.6015 or ccwjc@canetwork.org today!

Media coverage is sometimes a big struggle for non-profits. Today we were blessed to be covered by a Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter.

Writing about how difficult it is for ex-offenders to find work upon re-entry, Scott Nishimura, the Business Editor for the Star-Telegram, visited both Welcome Back and Cornerstone's headquarters. While at Welcome Back he got the opportunity to hear six ex-offenders share their testimonies about how God has changed their lives since they have left prison, turning their back on prison life forever.

While at Welcome Back's weekly meeting with Tarrant County ex-offenders, we also were able to shoot video that we will use to create a Youtube channel in the coming days. This gives us another avenue to keep you updated on the latest news here at Cornerstone and allows us to reach more people.

What's Next at Cornerstone?

Cornerstone Open House Events (Oct. 8-10)

These events are a chance for donors, volunteers and the general public to get acquainted with our new facility for the first time and learn more about our ministry. Complete with food, games and music we want to give you a taste of Cornerstone and get you as excited about the ministry as we are.

More details to come.

Annual Golf Marathon (Oct. 12)

Do you like golf? Know someone that does? Then play in our annual "golf marathon" or sponsor a golfer. Money goes to support Cornerstone programs and initiatives.

Want to Know More?

If you want to find out more about our ministry, come take a tour of brand new facility! Where can you see yourself at Cornerstone?