Dear Cornerstone Partners,

This year we are combining efforts between 3CP’s “Adopt-a-Kid-for-Christmas” and the Community Center’s Christmas “Adopt-a-Family” program to provide Christmas gifts to children in our programs and local community children we are hoping to build relationships with.

Last Christmas, Cornerstone donors provided gifts for about 200 children, who otherwise would not have received gifts. Since the parents of our sponsor children are not financially able to provide them with much of a Christmas, they are overwhelmingly grateful when they come into Cornerstone to pick up their children's gifts. The blessings bestowed on them through the generosity of others invoke laughter, tears and many hallelujahs!

If you and/or your organization, small group, co-workers, neighbors, etc. would like to participate in this year’s annual Adopt-a-Child-for-Christmas, we are offering several options to choose from:

Option #1
Sponsor a child by donating $100 to Cornerstone Assistance Network.
All money is due by December 7, 2009 and should be mailed to our CAN office at 3500 Noble Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76111.

Option #2
Come to our office after Thanksgiving to pick up a child’s wish list from the Cornerstone Christmas Tree or call to have one sent to go shop for the gifts.
Gifts should be delivered on or by December 14th, to the above address.

Interested in participating or have questions? Call Melissa Hatcher at 817-632-6000 ext. 116 or email mghatcher@canetwork.org. We look forward to partnering with you to make Christmas merry for our clients and their children.

Over the weekend our housing clients attended a quarterly life skills and training workshop.

Featured classes included how to cook cheap and family friendly recipes, budgeting, how organize their homes to save money and even how to make soap. These workshops are especially important during the holiday season, when it is easy to overspend.

Perhaps the most creative tidbit our clients received was a recipe for homemade soap. Cheaper than buying Tide at the grocery store, the recipe is simple and just as effective. If you'd like the recipe, contact VISTA Leader Cassandra Robin at crobin@canetwork.org

Like most events Cornerstone does, it would not have been a success without the gracious help of volunteers, who donated their time to watch over our client's children.

We at Cornerstone hope that our clients take what they learn in these workshops and use it to improve their finances, their homes and their families. It's our goal that each of our clients leave Cornerstone standing on their own two feet, completely self-sufficient. These workshops are just another step in the process.

At Cornerstone, we believe in the importance of a quality education. As a result, we strongly encourage our clients to pursue their education and offer several ways for them to do just that.

Those we serve have the opportunity to participate in job training, GED tutoring, English as a second language (ESL) classes, and piano classes. These classes are offered to our clients as a first step toward self-sufficiency.

GED Tutoring for Adults
Subjects taught in our GED classes vary depending on the needs of our participants. Our classes are staffed mostly by volunteers, either with a heart to serve or a teaching background. Participants in the GED program are paired with tutors to guide and offer encouragement throughout the process. Armed with their GED, our graduates are more marketable in the job field and may even choose to pursue a college degree.


Get Involved
If you would like to participate in one of these programs or give someone a hand up by teaching a class, please contact our Director of Volunteers, Kristen Horton today!