Dallas District Office Family Holiday

DALLAS, Texas – Family members and youths come into the parole office every day. They all have expectations to meet to help them become successful. Every family is different and they all have different personal needs. There are some families and youths that struggle from day to day to have basic personal needs such as food and clothing. The parole officers are charged with monitoring youths and providing guidance so that youths are successful. Sometimes this is a difficult task for youth because they are struggling with basic needs.

Because of this struggle, volunteers have created a food and clothing pantry at the Dallas District Office that provides help for these youths and families. During the holidays 12 families needed assistance with food during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Volunteers from Transforming Lives Ministry, Abundance Spiritual Life Ministry, and Free On the Inside Ministries provided 17 turkeys and a large amount of food including eggs, fresh potatoes, and butter to families so that they could make dinner during the holidays. Some families received two turkeys as well as two baskets. The families were extremely grateful to receive the donations. The smiles on the faces of the families were enough for volunteers to know that more needed to be done.

Volunteer Lindsey Cowell wanted to replenish food pantry and also give food to families during the Holidays. She recruited people from her job to donate canned and boxed foods. The foods that were donated were given to several families to assist not only with the holidays but after the holidays were over. Lindsey helped refill the pantry so that families can continue to have food after the holidays are over. None this would have been possible without the kind hearts of volunteers.

Photo: Donated food boxes with all the fixing to make Christmas dinner, which included turkeys.

McFadden Sends Youth Home with Backpack of 'Hope'

By Y. Denise Caldwell Community Resource Coordinator, Northern District Parole Office FLOWER MOUND, Texas - Larry Bossaler, McFadden volunteer McFadden Ranch Volunteer Larry Bossaler enjoys his assignment: Making sure that every youth who leaves the McFadden halfway house knows that people are praying for him and wishing him the best in his future. He is the man who brings them their “Good-Bye” backpack. When he delivers the backpacks, he makes sure to do three things – visit with the youth, show the contents of the backpack (because staff put them in the lockers until the youth leaves), and lastly close the visit with a heartfelt prayer. The youth enjoy and appreciate the backpack, the visit and the prayer. Many are a little anxious and scared to leave but knowing that the McFadden volunteers care enough to send them off in this special way, helps them feel a bit less worried. “I always bring an extra backpack,” Larry said. ...

IN MEMORY AND APPRECIATION: Trayce Haynes Alexander

Trayce Haynes Alexander, of Cat Spring, Texas passed away in April. She was a JCO IV at the Giddings State School and began her employment with the Texas Youth Commission on January 5, 2009, as a JCO III. She was promoted to a JCO IV on April 1, 2010. Trayce was a hardworking, loyal and dedicated staff member and friend. Her number one priority was the youth in her dorm and she would drive one hour and forty minutes everyday (even in ill health) to try to make a difference in the lives of the youth she worked with. She was well respected by both staff and youth due to her extraordinary work ethic. The boys could always depend on her to hold them accountable. She is survived by her husband Geoff Alexander and two daughters, Kristyn and Robyn Alexander. Trayce was born on September 3, 1952. She earned a BS from Southwest Texas State University in Law Enforcement.

The House of Eli

Situated on a quiet corner lot in a Sherman, Texas neighborhood is a turn-of-the-century home recently renovated to its former grandeur. And just as the house has undergone a renewal, those living inside the house are engaged their own transformations. House of Eli, Inc. is a transitional living home for boys ages 17-21. The driving force behind the home is Tawni Hodge, the home’s executive director and visionary who has discovered an outlet for her concern for young men in difficult situations. Hodge has a passion and expertise in working with young men from her years as a foster parent and her experiences as a chaplain working with juvenile services. Her vision of a home where young men could grow spiritually and emotionally, learn life skills and make lifelong family connections was enough to convince local community and business leaders to provide the necessary resources to make House of Eli a reality. Guidance is provided by Hodge, two additional house parents, and two...

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