GWIL2015 Nonprofit Profile: DS Community Mission Partnership

Week of Online Giving 2015
April 19-26

The 2015 Givin’ Where I’m Livin’ (GWIL) campaign provides support and publicity for local non-profit charitable organizations competing for GWIL matching funds during the campaign’s Week of Online Giving, April 19-26. Around Dripping Springs is pleased to feature this series of GWIL non-profit profiles to help publicize their unique missions to the community. We invite you to get to know these wonderful organizers and learn more about the important work they are each doing to enrich our community. Please share their stories, and be sure to donate to your favorite during the Week of Online Giving! Learn more at: http://www.GivinWhereImLivin.org

NOW MEET THE DRIPPING SPRINGS COMMUNITY MISSION PARTNERSHIP:

WHEN, HOW, AND WHY WAS YOUR ORGANIZATION FOUNDED?

During the winter of 2010, Chuck Lemmond, a local builder and coordinator for community help projects for the Dripping Springs United Methodist Church, received a call for help. A young, recently widowed mother of five children ages twelve and under had frozen pipes in her mobile home. Upon examining her issue, Chuck realized plumbing was the least of her problems. There was black mold on the walls, a leak in the roof, and sky peaking through the walls.

Chuck fixed her immediate plumbing issue, and told the mother that he didn’t know how he was going to do it, but he was going to find her a new home. And with that promise, DSCMP was born. We are now a community of volunteers from businesses, churches, and individuals who are seeking to meet the needs of families in crisis in the Dripping Springs Independent School District (ISD). We focus on helping under-served local people acquire liveable housing and improve life skills. Over the last five years, DSCMP has assisted more than a dozen families in the DSISD. We are a completely volunteer 501c3 non-profit and rely on the resources of our community to help our neighbors.

WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY MISSION?

More than one in four children who attend Dripping Springs ISD live below the poverty level. There will always be needs to be met in places like Afghanistan, Africa, Haiti, and so many other areas hit by calamity around the world. Many of us will participate in a mission overseas to help those in need far away. DSCMP also wants the community to know that no one has to travel thousand of miles to do missionary-type work. There is plenty of need here in Dripping Springs, and opportunities to work with a local mission to help our neighbors – people you probably see every day or stand in line with at HEB. DSCMP was formed to identify and help our brothers and sisters who live “in the neighborhood’.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS?

Back to the story about the young mother and her children in the leaking mobile home: After founder Chuck Lemmond identified the problems and reached out to several organizations, churches and individuals across the area, the newly formed DSCMP moved the young mother and her children out of the house, cleaned and stored furniture and clothing, and demolished her dilapidated trailer. Donated funds to DSCMP were used to purchase a new mobile home, build a covered porch entry, fence the lot, hook-up utilities, and move the family into their new home. Five years later, we continue to be involved with our first family and have:

-Helped the mother obtain her GED

-Helped her obtain her citizenship

-Helped her secure a full-time job with benefits

-Cleared some financial problems she had

-Supported her children during the summer through camps and other activities

-Purchased a computer for her children

-Provided support and love at Christmas and other holidays

WHAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY GOALS IN 2015?

This is our first year participating int the Givin’ Where I’m Livin’ campaign and we’re excited. Thanks to everyone who donates! Funds raised for DSCMP during the GWIL2015 campaign will be used to:

1. Support additional local, under-served families suffering from a housing crisis.

2. Develop a mentoring curriculum that will provide training in life skills once a family has livable housing. (Examples of training include parenting, budget

management, home management, employment.)

HOW CAN FOLKS DONATE OR VOLUNTEER YEAR ROUND?