NON-PROFIT ORGUS Postage

PAIDSpring, TexasPermit No. 82

Interfaith of The Woodlands4242 Interfaith WayThe Woodlands, TX281-367-1230woodlandsinterfaith.org

Interfaith ChildDevelopment Center5630 Rush Haven DriveThe Woodlands, TX281-292-3617interfaithkids.org

Interfaith Hand Me Up Shop25018 Spring Ridge DriveSpring, TX281-367-4942woodlandsinterfaith.org

Interfaith Community Clinic101 Pine Manor DriveOak Ridge North, TX281-364-7889interfaithcommunityclinic.org

2014 was a Banner Year of giving for Interfaith of The Woodlands. Because of the community’s support, Interfaith was able to impact the lives of more people who needed our services. We celebrate that nearly 600 people chose to give to Interfaith for the first time, and challenge ourselves to steward those dollars to earn a second gift from those first-time donors. Interfaith is grateful for each person who shares their financial gifts with us and are equally grateful to each person who shares their gift of time to be the “hands and feet” of Interfaith. It takes both to make the impact our neighbors have come to expect -to continue to be the “Heart and Soul” of the community. As of November 2014, over 9,100 volun-teers logged 28,330 hours for Interfaith! It is humbling to consider. These volunteers are Board Members, Member Congregations, Service Clubs, Corporate Groups, individuals and countless others. Without the impor-tant contribution of the finite resource of time, Interfaith could only reach a fraction of the people who need our help. It is a formula that relies on every component to

succeed: Dollars raised + Staff + Volunteers = Lives Changed. In 2014, Interfaith was fortunate to enjoy the most successful The Woodlands Cel-ebration of Excellence Gala in Interfaith’s history. Thanks to the vision of its volunteer co-chairs, the committee, staff support, and sponsors, the event reached a new level of elegance, attendance and dollars raised. The evening also provided a platform to illustrate why our work is so important – it illustrated what is at the heart of what Interfaith does – the people served. Becky M. had never spoken in public prior to that evening. She had never really shared her story, but she shared it that night with over 850 people to a rousing standing ovation. Becky first came to Interfaith five years ago - didn’t have a job, and the electricity to her home had been turned off; days away from being homeless with four children. She was referred to Interfaith by a friend, and in her own words, Becky shared “I was desperate, and I needed help. Let me tell you, Interfaith did not just help me, they changed my life.”

The Interfaith Child Development Center will host two Open Houses in February where families new to our school can tour our beautiful facility and learn more about our programs. Open Houses will take place on Sunday, February 15, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Tuesday evening, February 17, from 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Public Registration for the 2015 – 2016 school year and summer camp will take place Saturday, Febru-ary 21, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 281-292-3617. We hope you will join us and learn what makes ICDC one of the most sought-after schools in our community – a place where individual gifts and diversity are celebrated, and children are encouraged to grow to their fullest potential.

Giving Heart and Soul

4242 Interfaith WayThe Woodlands, TX 77381281-367-1230

Women Empowering Women

Workforce Solutions Hiring Event

SEARCH LOCAL — BUY LOCAL

2015 Five Who Share Spring Luncheon Presented by CB&I On Friday, March 6th, during Interfaith of The Woodlands’ annual Five Who Share Spring Lunch-eon held at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, the five Service of Excellence Award recipients will be recognized and honored for their ongoing commitment and ded-ication to significantly improve other individuals’ lives and our community through his/her service. Bruce Tough is the Honorary Chair of this wonderful event. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

For more information, contact Lisa Baeckel at 832-615-8230.

Giving Goes Glam Presented by The Woodlands Mall and Market Street The Woodlands On March 27, 2015, Interfaith of The Woodlands and the Junior League of The Woodlands, Inc. will host the exciting Spring Fashion Event “Giving Goes Glam”. Co-Chairs Cindy Heiser and Alison Henderson invite you to attend this spectacular fashion show with food, fun and fashion as Saks Fifth Avenue wows the crowd with the latest and on-the-horizon fashions. This event will be one you will not want to miss. All proceeds from the event will benefit both charities.

For more information, visit Interfaith’s website or to purchase a ticket, please call 832-615-8230.

Upcoming Special EventsYOU Don’t Want to Miss!

Interfaith of The WoodlandsInterfaith Child Development CenterInterfaith Directory

The Hand Me Up ShopInterfaith Community ClinicVeggie Village @interfaithofTW

Parent Alert! Upcoming Public Registration & Open House at Interfaith Child Development Center

The Interfaith Com-munity Clinic is set to welcome Dr. Jen Arnold, star of TLC’s hugely popular series “The Little Couple” as the Keynote Speaker for the 2nd Annual “Women Empowering Women” luncheon. Presented by Houston Methodist Hospital, the event will be held on Friday, May 1, 2015 from 11:00 a.m.

– 1:00 p.m. at The Woodlands Country Club Palmer Clubhouse. Standing just 3 foot 2, Dr. Arnold has a rare type of dwarfism called Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Type Strudwick and has undergone more than 30 surgeries. She has appeared on numerous television programs including Oprah, The Today Show, GMA, Dr. OZ, The Doctors, Wendy Williams, Anderson Cooper and CNN among others. The show “The Little People” has also proven to be an invaluable method to break down barriers and educate people around the country about people with disabilities. Dr. Arnold is the Medical Director of a state-of-the-art simula-tion center at Texas Children’s Hospital and is a prac-ticing physician at the largest NICU in the country.

For sponsorship information, please call

832-615-8227 or visit

www.interfaithcommunityclinic.org

Workforce Solutions will be conducting a major hiring event at the Cypress Station office located at 70 FM 1960 West, Houston, TX 77090 on February 24, 2015. There will be a variety of employers in attendance seeking employees with a wide range of skill sets. Free Workshops on Interviewing, Resume Building, Networking, and many other topics are regularly held at various Workforce Solutions offices in the Houston and surrounding areas. The same workshops are held at our Interfaith of The Wood-lands location semi-monthly. Workforce Solutions is providing program opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth to help find employment opportunities and career path development.

For further information about the services provided by Workforce Solutions,

please visit our website at www.wrksolutions.com

Our donors are the life blood of our organization. Please visit woodlandsinterfaith.org and

interfaithcommunityclinic.org to see a complete list of our 2014 donors!

We thank you for helping us change lives every day!

JANUARY 12 Spring ESL Classes Begin 20 Budget for Living Classes begin 31 Veggie Village - All Hands Project DayFEBRUARY 3 ICDC In-House Registration for All Programs 21 HMUS Customer Appreciation Day 21 ICDC Registration for the Public 28 Veggie Village Spring Workshop 28 Woodlands Marathon 28 Directory Discount DeadlineMARCH 6 Five Who Share Luncheon 7 SOS 27 Giving Goes Glam

APRIL 13 Interfaith Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon 20 Spring Luncheon at SCCC 25 Caregiver’s Conference 27- May 3 Insperity Golf TournamentMAY 1 Women Empowering Women 12 Veggie Village Volunteer Appreciation Potluck 13 - 17 IronMan TexasJUNE 15 School Supplies Appointments Begin 27 All-Hands on Project Day at Veggie VillageJULY 16 Last Day of School Supplies Appointments

We LOVE OUR DONORS!

Stop by and pick up a copy of the 40th Edition of the Interfaith of The Woodlands Directory and be sure to download our mobile App by searching “woodlandsdirectory” for both iPhone and android users. At home, at work or on the road, you will find what you need.For additional information, visit www.woodlandsdirectory.com. To advertise, please call 832-615-8246.

Remember Interfaith in Your Will There are many ways to become a valuable vested partner in our mission to “Build a More Loving and Caring Community”. Annual gifts ensure that Interfaith will be able to provide much needed services to the community every year. A major gift this year lets us apply those funds to support immediate projects. A bequest in your will demonstrates your commitment to future generations. For more information, please contact Ann Wolford at 832-615-8221 or awolford@woodlandsinterfaith.org. If you have already chosen to benefit Interfaith with a planned gift, we thank you.

President and CEO Message

FounderGeorge P. MitchellBOARD of DIRECTORSMario Coll, ChairmanMichael BarnhillRabbi Matthew BergerPastor Steve BradleyPastor Roche ColemanFather Pat GarrettDr. Daniel T. HannonJeff HarderBrynn Ballard HuntsmanImran IqbalRobert W. JohnsonJoel Kerschenbaum, M.D.Kate LaukienNancy Decker LentPastor Frankie MazzapicaPatrick MullenSteve PateSallie RainerRoland RamirezDr. Ed RobbRay SandersFather Gerald SevickDan SimoniDebra Sukin, Ph.DAlex SuttonJosh UrbanDr. Bruce WebbJeff Shipley – Ex OfficioBOARD OF ADVISORSNancy BattleJim BlairArthur BredehoftJoel DeretchinReverend Don GebertDan HauserCJ HaynesPeter HuntsmanMorton LargeGeorge LindahlTim Welbes

M e m b e r C o n g r e g a t i o n s

Interfaith of The Woodlands Welcomes Nine New Board Members

Alden Bridge Presbyterian ChurchBaha’i of Montgomery County SouthCentral Church of ChristChrist Church United MethodistCommunity Baptist ChurchCommunity Christian ChurchCongregation Beth Shalom of The WoodlandsCovenant United Methodist ChurchCrossroads Baptist ChurchFaith Bible ChurchFaith United Methodist ChurchFirst Church of Christ, ScientistFlask of Oil ChurchGood Shepherd Lutheran ChurchGrace Presbyterian ChurchHopepointe Anglican ChurchImpact Church of The WoodlandsInternational Christ’s Fellowship

Joyful Life ChurchLiving Word Lutheran ChurchLord of Life Lutheran Church, ELCANew Haven House of PrayerNorth Houston Chinese ChurchNorthstar ChurchNorthway ChurchNorthwoods Unitarian Universalist ChurchSpirit Filled Celebration ChurchSpirit of Joy Lutheran Church, ELCASt. Anthony of PaduaSt. Cyril of Jerusalem Orthodox ChurchSts. Simon & Jude Catholic ChurchStonebridge ChurchThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (11 Wards)The Crossing ChurchThe Hilltop International Christian Center

The Redeemed Christian Church of God

The Shepherd’s House

The Woodlands Advent Fellowship Church

The Woodlands Christian Church

The Woodlands Community

Presbyterian Church

The Woodlands First Baptist Church

The Woodlands United Methodist Church

Timber Lakes Baptist Church

Trinity Episcopal Church

Unity Circle of Light

White Stone Faith Church

Woodland Oaks Church of Christ

Woodlands Church

Woodlands Community Church

Woodlands Islamic Center

During the months of November and December, Interfaith’s Holiday GIVING pro-grams served more than 5,000 people with gifts, holiday food bags, holiday meals, sea-sonal parties and feasts. Thousands of toys were collected from the many corporate, civic, individuals and member congregations who organized toy and food drives on Interfaith’s behalf to ensure every child in our community enjoyed the holiday season. Thank you to The Woodlands Central Fire Station for collecting and allowing us to use your wonderful space for distribution. Hundreds of Seniors and families received gifts this season through Interfaith’s Gifts for Seniors Program and Adopt-A-Family programs. Our Seniors enjoyed home delivery of tiny turkeys and holiday food bags during both hol-iday months. Interfaith hosted two Thanksgiving Feasts in November at the South County Community Center, one in partnership with our member congregations and the second with Talisman Energy. More than 300 Seniors enjoyed a catered Turkey lunch, entertainment, and holiday bingo at South County Community Center. In early December, Interfaith hosted its first annual Holiday GIVING Feast for our families in crisis, held at The Woodlands Christian Academy. We are grateful for our partnership with Strike USA, who donated and prepared the traditional holiday meal for the families who otherwise would not have the opportunity to enjoy a feast with their families.

In the fall of 2014, Veggie Village held its first premier fundraising event; “Chef’s Kitchen Table: A Taste of India.” Veggie Village’s beloved gardener and chef, Zafar Fakroddin, demonstrated his cooking techniques by showcasing several Indian inspired dishes while entertaining guests with cooking tips and engaging stories from his extensive culinary and travel adventures. In a relaxed and friendly setting at a private residence in The Woodlands, guests enjoyed a four course tasting of prepared dishes perfectly paired with beer and wine. The Chef’s Kitchen Table was a huge success and raised over $7,000 for our community Garden. Veggie Village provided the Interfaith Food Pantry with over 5,000 pounds of fresh and organic fruits and vegetables last year. Each Saturday during harvest season,

volunteers hold “farmer markets” at local senior living complexes to pro-vide healthy produce to our senior neighbors. This year, the Garden was the recipient of a wonderful gift which enabled the creation of a “children’s garden,” which presents an opportuni-ty for school aged children to visit the Garden and learn about garden basics and participate in age-appropriate projects. The New Year will bring new and exciting additions to the Garden with a much needed harvest table that will be completed as a Girl Scout Gold Award Project. We are also looking for-ward to our Spring Workshop in Febru-ary and our Spring Harvest Season!

If you would like more information or to volunteer at Veggie Village, please

contact Sarah Mundy at 281-367-1230 or smundy@woodlandsinterfaith.org.

Interfaith’s Holiday GIVING Programs Help Thousands Veggie Village Enjoys a “Taste of India”

Interfaith’s Hand Me Up Shop – New Look, Same Great Items! Updates and upgrades have been completed on the first phase of remodeling at Interfaith’s Hand Me Up Shop! Located at 25018 Spring Ridge Drive in Spring, Texas, the shop has a brand-new entrance and parking lot. The Hand Me Up Shop is one of the leading resale shops in Montgomery County, and sells gently-used, quality clothing for the entire family, boutique items, books, toys, houseware items, home décor and furniture in good condition at affordable prices. Donations are accepted at the shop during regular store hours or at Interfaith’s Central location (4242 Interfaith Way), Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All proceeds generated from the shop benefit Interfaith’s Programs and Services.

Interfaith of The Woodlands is excited to announce nine new members to the Board of Directors. New members to the Board are Rabbi Matthew Berger, Rabbi of Congregation Beth Shalom of The Woodlands; Father Pat Garrett, Senior Pastor at Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic Church; Pastor Frankie Mazzapica, Senior Pastor at Spirit Filled Celebration Church of The Woodlands; Dr. Ed Robb, Senior

Pastor at The Woodlands United Methodist Church; Father Gerald Sevick, Senior Pastor at Trinity Episcopal Church; Jeff Harder, Partner at Jackson Walker, LLP; Sallie Rainer, President and CEO of Entergy Texas; Dan Simoni, Partner at PwC; and Josh Urban, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital.

When YOU Volunteer YOU Make a Difference! Volunteerism is a vital component of Interfaith of The Woodlands’ mission. Many individuals donate their time and talents to assist our numerous programs, services and projects. The following outlines a few upcoming volunteer opportunities:• Serving Our Seniors: On March 7, 2015, area volunteers will spend one day serving our seniors through a variety of projects including yard work, home repairs, light housekeeping, and crafts. • Insperity Golf Tournament: Volunteer to help April 27th - May 3rd, at the Insperity Golf Tournament. Volunteers receive a free T-shirt, hat and lunch. • Ironman Texas: The Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas relies on volunteers to ensure a successful, safe and exciting event. You can volunteer May 13th – 17th on behalf of Interfaith. There are a variety of opportunities and times available. Registration details are posted on Interfaith’s website at www.woodlandsinterfaith.org. • All-Star Volunteer Program: Interfaith’s volunteer program is for high school students who are 14 years old or

older. The All-Star Volunteer program provides teens an opportunity to volunteer 40 hours for Interfaith through a variety of different tasks. The benefits of this program are learning civic responsibility, understand-ing more about Interfaith of The Woodlands and our local community, earning an Interfaith All-Star Volun-teer certificate and highlighting their skills on a college admissions application.

For more information on these and other Interfaith volunteer opportunities,

please contact Interfaith’s Volunteer Coordinator, Holly Mayer at 281-361-8202.

Dear Friends,Great things are happening at Interfaith of The Woodlands! Because of YOU, Interfaith celebrated many “firsts” in 2014. We spread the joy of giving throughout the year through the first-ever Holiday GIVING feast, hosted the very successful, first-annual “Women Empowering Women” fundraiser featuring Elizabeth Smart, opened a new Workforce Call Center Facility, and the Kitz4Kids School Supply Program was expanded to include three additional schools in 77302. Enrollment at the Interfaith Child Development Center is stronger than ever, our Food Pantry continues to assist more and more individuals and families, and our Publication & Residential Department is wel-coming new residents in record numbers. But most importantly, Interfaith of The Woodlands provided more than one million service contacts throughout 2014. 2015 is sure to be another significant and eventful year of more “firsts” for Interfaith because of the generosity of each of you and the unwavering support we receive from our partners and friends in the community. On behalf of the Interfaith Board of Directors, Board of Advisors and staff, I wish to thank you for helping us to continue making a difference in as many lives as possible. Thank YOU for making all of this happen, and thanks for everything you do for Interfaith of The Woodlands to help us build a more loving and caring community.

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On-Going Food Pantry

Needs

Kindest Regards,

canned or powdered milk canned vegetables

canned fruit & fruit juices oatmeal and cereal

canned meats rice, beans, & pasta

pasta sauce toilet paper

personal hygiene items laundry soap