Next Fort Worth Dish Out is August 25th!!! Details coming soon!!!

Please join us for our 8th FWDO on Sunday May 5th.  We will hear from three local organizations that focus on Low Income Assistance.   

The event will be held at The Marquis on Magnolia (1227 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104) from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Dinner will be provided, as always, by Chef Allen Lutes. Cinco de Mayo themed Dinner and Drinks..

This Dish Out will feature three locally based projects that focus on assistance to people with low income in Fort Worth. Following presentations by representatives from each project, guests will vote on the one that most inspires them the most. The winner will receive 60 percent of the night's net proceeds; the remaining 40 percent will be split evenly between the other two projects. 

You can register in advance by clicking on the May 5 tab above. $20 will pay for your entry into the event and a yummy meal. A cash bar will also be available. 

Spread the word and bring a friend! The more people that attend, the more money we get to dish out.

We'll see you there!!!

Thanks to you, FWDO hosts a very successful 7th event!

Thanks so much to all of you who attended our Feb. 10 FWDO, held at the fantastic Marquis on Magnolia event center. The event was attended by more than 125 guests who enjoyed a delicious dinner provided, as always, by Chef Allen Lutes. Our theme was homelessness in Fort Worth, and we heard from three very different and worthy causes. 

To recap...

Otis Thornton, the Homelessness Director for the City of Fort Worth, kicked off the evening with a thought provoking presentation and did a great job of setting the tone for the evening.  



Jessica Grace, with the Fort Worth Day Resource Center for the Homeless, talked about their overall mission from showers, storage, laundry, and mail to individual case management, health screenings, job search and housing assistance and more specifically their art program.

Lori Jankowski, with Esther House / Southside City Church, spoke about their home for homeless women that is really more than a home but a new way of life. Filled with daily studies of Faith, developing working skills, and eventually becoming independent.

The final presentation was given by Elizabeth Becker with the First Street Methodist Mission.  The night's winner shared the mission of the organization, which serves people in need by providing emergency food, clothing, infant formula, limited financial assistance, and case management services. 


While guests voted, we enjoyed a presentation by David Nance about the North-side Inter-Community Agency Inc. (NICA). David talked about how persons, churches and agencies on the north side of Fort Worth can join together to share ministries, program personnel and facilities in order to be of service to the community. David also talked about the NICA's upcoming 6th Annual Taste of Fort Worth. This is their annual fund raiser and is an excellent event. Please put March 16th on your calendar.  
At the end of the evening our guests voted again, this time for our May 5th event's theme. After an intense round of real-time text voting, we are pleased to announce that our next theme will be in support of Issues affecting low income families in Fort Worth. 

Regarding the microfinancing aspect of the FWDO event, we had a huge night! The First Street Methodist Mission will receive $1,271.40.  Esther House and The Day Resource Center's Art Program will each receive $423.80. Part of our ability to keep costs at a minimum came from a generous donation from The Marquis on Magnolia that covered the cost of the venue, for which we are so appreciative. We also received wine donations from Courtney Griffin. Yay Courtney! We also appreciate live classical guitar provided by Gil Wade.  Thanks to everyone! You made this a great event!

We look forward to seeing you on May 5th for the next FWDO!

Save the Date!!! February 10th

Please join us for our 7th FWDO on Sunday Feb. 10.  We will hear from three local organizations that focus on homelessness.  

The event will be held at The Marquis on Magnolia (1227 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, 76104) from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Dinner will be provided, as always, by Chef Allen Lutes.  

This Dish Out will feature three locally based projects that focus on homelessness in Fort Worth. Following presentations by representatives from each project, guests will vote on the one that most inspires them the most. The winner will receive 60 percent of the night's net proceeds; the remaining 40 percent will be split evenly between the other two projects. 

You can register in advance by clicking on the Feb 10 tab above. $20 will pay for your entry into the event and a yummy meal. A cash bar will also be available. 

Spread the word and bring a friend! The more people that attend, the more money we get to dish out.

We'll see you there!! 

Thanks for joining us for our Nov. 4th FWDO!

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the Nov. 4 FWDO, where we heard from three groups addressing animal needs in the Fort Worth area.

In case you missed it, here's a recap:

• Dottie Hyatt with Bat World discussed the importance of bats to our ecosystem, dispelled myths about these smart and gentle creatures, and emphasized the rationale behind supporting initiatives that protect bat populations in Fort Worth and beyond. 

• Trish Jemison with the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary discussed the exotic felines, bears and other animals that are housed within the sanctuary and how the animals come into their care. She addressed how labor intensive and costly it is to maintain a healthy environment and diet for these animals, and encouraged the audience to come for a tour of their facility. 

• Victor Neil with Love Our Local Animals (LOLA) discussed the organization's mission to provide funds to existing local animal rescue groups to prevent Fort Worth animals from being euthanized. He explained how inexpensive it can be to save a cat or dog's life and find it a forever home. 

In what was the closest voting margin in FWDO's six events, LOLA received the most votes and will receive 60% of the night's proceeds. Bat World and the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary will receive an equal share of the remaining 40%. 

While attendance was much lower than expected, at a total of 34 people, we were able to keep costs to a minimum through the generosity of 809 at Vickery for comping the event space and thanks to the donations of beer and wine from our loyal FWDO attendees. Our overhead expenses were therefore limited to food and floral costs.

Please mark your calendar for February 10, which will be our first FWDO in 2013! We look forward to seeing you (and all your friends) then.