Sweet Oak Initiatives

Many families are unaware of the resources available to them, and we are here to connect them with currently available services  and the support they need.

We serve as a one-stop hub for families who are struggling to find available funds for rent, utilities, and other basic needs. Many families are given phone numbers to call, a list of agencies to visit, and often spend time and effort that does not lead them to timely help.  

Collaborative Case-management.

Acknowledging that no single agency can fill all the needs of a family in crisis, we network with non-profits, agencies, and churches daily, and strive to keep updated with what funds and resources are available each week. When one agency is unable to fill multiple needs or a large request we assist to pool available resources to help meet the need.  Our case manager works to connect the dots.

Sweet Oak brings together area case-workers at a monthly meeting to share information and services. Our collaboration has grown to over 45 partner agencies.

We are working on solutions to help with  transportation, medication, child care, access to pantries, and other basic needs.  We will assist families in filling out forms, turning in job applications, and providing them with access to computers, a printer, and the internet, especially for those who do not have a smartphone or wifi availability.

At Sweet Oak, we believe in hand-ups, and not hand-outs! 

This requires individuals to commit personal effort towards solutions for their needs. We strongly encourage they enroll in at least one of several local programs where a case-worker provides support, help them set goals, budget, and access benefits for which they may be eligible.

We believe that everyone deserves access to all available resources and are committed to working with families to find solutions to their challenges . 

Lack of sufficient units to shelter and house families in crisis is a critical issue in our community. We are committed to working towards a future where everyone has access to safe shelter, affordable and permanent housing.

Homelessness – Many individuals and families are currently homeless (often invisible) in our city, whether out of choice or being ineligible to access the availability of local shelters.

We collaborate and support the re-development efforts of our cities, other non-profits, agencies, landlords, and faith groups who are working together to create more shelter options.

Emergency Shelter:

Daily, we receive pleas for help from those living in their cars, evicted, fleeing domestic violence or sexul assault, or recovering from a personal disaster. Many are single parents, with children.

Sweet Oak tries to understand very complicated needs, and whenever possible, offer emergency shelter at a local hotel, contracted to provide us with a very discounted nightly rate. This is a very temporary solution during a crisis until a more permanent solution can be found. 

We case-manage,  mentor and companion families through the process of job-search, applications, applying for a housing voucher, inspections, and move-in.

We offer home-cooked meals, simple groceries, and bus tickets to attend job interviews etc, during their temporary stay.

Transitional Housing:

We began a program ( upto 6 months ) to provide a rental unit for families who qualify, and remain a safety net through their crisis, moving them towards stability & self-sufficiency. This program is a stepping stone for individuals and families on the journey from homelessness towards permanent housing.

Needs:

a) Join us in identifying locations, resources, second-chance landlords of rental properties and get engaged with the tasks of making this a reality.

b) We seek donations to help families on their journey to permanent housing. Your generosity to a fund/endowment will assist with application fees, deposits, and first month’s rent, especially for families who are committed to the effort of achieving permanent housing, and those pursuing HUD/Section 8 housing.

FYI – Often it is the lack of $50 or $100 towards an application fee or deposit that keeps a family from moving into a home.

We believe that everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home. We are committed to working towards this goal through collaboration, community support, and innovative solutions.

Access to healthy and nutritious food is a fundamental right for all
individuals and families in our community. Many food pantries are
available locally on most days of the week. However, those who are
working, disabled, or without transportation are unable to access
pantry resources during their service hours.
Our volunteers will offer a wide range of pantry support as well as
delivery related services to address the issue of ‘food deserts’ in our
area.

Connecting the dots…..

1. Community Gardens – We are excited to support the set-up of
   hydroponic/aquaponic towers (mini community gardens). The fresh
   produce from the gardens will support local community (soup)
   kitchens in preparing meals, to be delivered to homes that don’t
   have regular access to fresh produce.  We welcome and encourage youth groups, scouts, student councils and church groups to engage with us to grow their own community gardens. Contact us!
2. Pick-up & Pass-along – We welcome agency referrals on behalf of
   food insecure households. Subject to volunteer availability we will
   pick up and deliver groceries and produce from local pantries that
   accept proxy pick-up. The household must meet eligibility guidelines.
   • Blessing Boxes /Pink Boxes (mini private pantries) are placed
     around Bryan/College Station filled with donations from the
     community of canned goods and shelf stable items. We will pass
     along grocery items received from drives and donations to these
     resources.
3. Cook & Deliver – Collaborate with and support community kitchens where volunteers cook and deliver meals to those without transportation, veterans, & elderly who are homebound, and those who may be on the waitlist for Meals on Wheels.

We are thankful for the resources and support available through the
Brazos Valley Food Bank, Texas A&M University, Producers Co-op, AgriLife Extension Services, Brazos Health Department, etc. and
donors to meet the needs of households that are food insecure.

We believe that everyone should have access to healthy and
nutritious food. We are committed to working with our community to
address food insecurity and ensure that all families have access to
available resources.

Our team is excited to announce the upcoming launch of a Community Resource Database, a free online resource that will assist case managers to be informed of local resources currently available through agencies, churches, and other groups. We aim to make this resource list easy to navigate and kept as updated as possible each week. We are committed to giving families in need the most accurate information available when they call for help, or before we call another agency to request funds or services.

Because agencies and groups come into or run out of funding at different times, or are unable to provide all services they may have once offered, we believe collaboration is key to being well informed of all resources that may be currently available.

In turn we help each other lead from a position of good understanding.

We are currently in the planning stages and will keep you updated on the progress and how your organization can participate.