United Way Youth Cabinet member Madeline Ritchie, from Tascosa High School, presents Katherine Camp, Director of Catholic Family Service’s InterFaith Hunger Project, with a check for $5,000 during the United Way Youth allocations press conference, Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at the Amarillo Senior Citizens Association. (photo by Roberto Rodriguez)

We are so grateful for this donation. It will help feed a lot of hungry people!

“What were you going to eat?” asked the volunteer.

“Salt and pepper soup,” answered the widow, explaining that she had planned to mix salt and pepper into boiling water for her dinner.

The InterFaith Hunger Project, a division of CFS, provided help and created hope at just the right time for her—and for countless other elderly, homebound and disabled individuals in Amarillo.

Please join Amarillo National Bank and Catholic Family Service, Inc. for its annual “Salt and Pepper Luncheon” on Thursday, April 19, 2012 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Executive Dining Room, Plaza Two, second floor. Tickets are $50 and are available here. Seats are very limited and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis.

All proceeds benefit the InterFaith Hunger Project—with every donation matched proportionately by the Feinstein Foundation’s “One Million Dollar Giveaway.” For more info, contact Dena Dyer, director of communications and development, at 806-376-4571 ext. 223 or 806-690-7878.

That’s why we’re so grateful for those who give of their time and talents to CFS.

The picture at left is Nora Tyler, one of our most dedicated ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers, with her mom, Betty. Betty has made dozens of quilts and pillows for new arrivals to this country.

As an agency that relies heavily on donations of all kinds, we realize how important manpower can be to any organization.

That’s why our refugee division teamed up recently with Amarillo’s Habitat for Humanity to work on a house for a former refugee.

We are proud to collaborate with such an outstanding organization.

Refugee Providers Symposium page

Nancy Koons, Father John and Laurie Paetzold

The youth listened as CFS Communications and Development Director, Dena Dyer, gave a short overview of the refugee resettlement process. Then two refugee resettlement staff (Alphonse Kayiranga and James Sai Zaw Zaw) spoke about their time as refugees and answered questions about their journey from tragedy and loss to helping other refugees as CFS employees. It was a lovely evening, and CFS truly appreciates the continued generosity of the youth group and their leaders.

“Our hearts go out to the Somali community, and friends and family members of the victims,” said Nancy Koons, Executive Director of CFS.  “We are praying for all those involved and would like to support them by establishing this fund.  This provides an opportunity for our Amarillo community to rally around them with their support, love and concern.”

All of the funds donated to this fund will go directly toward the medical expenses incurred by the accident victims, Koons noted.  Donations can be sent to Catholic Family Service at PO Box 15127, payable to “Refugee Accident Victim Fund”.  Donations can be sent to Amarillo National Bank, Refugee Accident Victim Fund, PO Box 1, Amarillo TX 79105, Attn: Crystal 2nd Floor.

Please look around the site and let us know what you think.