Impact 2018
Change the World Allen is dedicated to providing service and positively impacting our local community. We unite area faith communities, nonprofit organizations, businesses, individuals, and families to work together to serve those in need of food, clothing, safe shelter, and care.
“Change the World Allen connects neighbors and organizations to serve together. There are projects for volunteers of every age and skill level, whether they’re able to give an hour or a weekend,” said Rev. Jessica Wright, associate pastor at FUMC Allen. “We can all play a role in making our corner of the world a better, kinder, more loving place to live.”
Home Repair & Yard Work
During Change the World weekend, volunteers divide into small work teams to help local residents by doing general exterior home repair, fence repair, and yard work. Homeowners are selected on the basis of need. We completed 16 home repair and 12 yard work projects this year.
Logistics Team Fun Facts
- 13 trucks
- 7 trailers
- 3 open debris containers
- 2 rear-loading garbage trucks
- 12 radios
- Over 1,000 miles driven, primarily in a 4 mile radius (shortest = 1/4 mile; longest = 20 miles)
- 10 stumps ground
- 9 loads of dirt hauled
I so loved all the work everyone did!! I love my wall and kitchen. The Change the World gave me a new hope and prayers answered. Please thank everyone for me. THANK YOU! BLESSINGS TO ALL ONE THOUSAND FOLD!
The coolest thing happened at work tonight. Months ago, a guest told me about the bad shape her fence was in and her dilemma in getting it repaired. The city was after her. I told her about CTW, and she registered and now has a beautiful new fence. Her neighbors are blown away. Tonight, she came to see me and thank me. She was SO happy, which made me super happy, too. What an amazing feeling. I had thought about her all weekend. Wanted to thank you guys for making this possible.
Change the World Partners
Change The World Allen partners with many other organizations to provide for every project the volunteer support it needs. Our partners include Allen High School, FUMC Allen, Keller Williams Realty Allen, St. Jude Catholic Church, Greenville Oaks Church of Christ, Allen Ministerial Alliance, Allen Texas Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, VFW Post 2195, New Heritage Fellowship Fairview, Allen Islamic Association, multiple Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups, and many other individuals and families.
We completed home repair/yard work projects at 24 homes, ranging from simple light fixture replacement and yard mowing to exterior wall, sub-floor, and kitchen appliance replacement and extensive landscaping. Eagle Scout candidates led four of these projects, including the associated fund-raising, which provided them a great experience of organizing and leading a complex service project. Firms and other organizations donated materials and services for some of the home repair projects, which included fence materials, concrete pouring, and electrician services.
Congregation donations were also instrumental in funding the purchase of materials for these projects. The City of Allen was an active partner, helping to find homeowners in need of help from the Change the World program, funding some of the work, expediting permit processes, and assisting with debris pickup and removal. The ways in which these parties came together to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors is truly amazing!
General Projects
We connected volunteers with area agencies could use a helping hand or organize projects that directly benefit one of our partners. Our partners include: Allen Community Outreach, Allen Ministerial Alliance Food Bank, Boyd Elementary School, Trusted World, Samaritan Inn, Family Promise, Connemara Nature Preserve, Project Linus, Send Hope, Veterans Center of North Texas, and many more.
Ted Bernhard, volunteer director of operations for general projects, shared these statistics:
- Collected 6,143 pounds of food (more than 5,000 items) and $327.30 in donations for the ACO Summer Food Program
- Packaged 120,405 meals for Kids Against Hunger
- Provided critical dental services for those in need (13 fillings & 2 extractions) for a total of donated services worth $6,886
- Accepted a donation Quick Trip Corporate of $250 in gas cards for Family Promise
- Collected 38 boxes of clothing & shoes and $200 in cash for those in need of help with job interviews for Trusted World/Freeman House
- Assembled 12 blankets through Project Linus for children in crisis
- Provided beds for Bed Start, books forTeaching with Jamaica, and meals for Samaritan Inn
- Delivered 16 decorated shoe boxes filled with personal items and toys for the residents of Hope’s Door
- Picked up trash along the road between Greenville Ave & Country Club in Fairview.
- Created 243 handmade cards for deployed Military (132 cards), and local nursing homes (111 cards)
- Raised $1,535 at the Change The World Garage Sale hosted by FUMC Allen youth and children, which helped fund CTW project costs.
- Donated 40 units of blood from 37 volunteers for the American Red Cross.
- Planted natural grass at the Connemara Nature Preserve for beautification and maintenance.
- Assembled and/or cut out 22 walker bags for local nursing home residents
- Filled and shipped 44 boxes of supplies and gifts for our active military; assembled 200 lapel ribbons for summer holidays
- 2,633 Volunteer Hours from more than 20 general projects
Please communicate our great thanks for the 6,100+ pounds of food that was collected for ACO through Change the World. With all of the support we’ve received for the Kids Summer Food Program before it’s even begun, we are starting incredibly strong, and I am confident that all of this beautiful food will bring joy, as well as nourishment.
It is wonderful having people of different faiths working side by side to help others in need. It is truly a pleasure to work side by side with all of you in this great effort. I feel the heavens were smiling down on us this weekend! It is truly the work of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are thankful to be partnered with you.
On behalf of the Allen Mosque and WhyIslam Dallas, I’d like to extend our sincere thanks to First United Methodist Church for giving us an excellent opportunity to serve the community, especially the kids, in this blessed month of Ramadan (month of Fasting), Our community members and children thoroughly enjoyed their time working with the Kids Against Hunger and ACO Food Sorting programs even though they are fasting ~16 hour days.