TWU Social Work Students Make a Difference at Mosaic House

Beginning in June 2009, six students from the Texas Woman’s University social work program began volunteering with us for a class project. The students began by visiting our agency and identifying some of the shelter’s essential needs. They chose to adopt one of the shelter's units and update the unit with new bedding, decorations, bathroom accessories, and kitchen supplies. The students worked diligently and held a garage sale to raise money to purchase new items for the unit adopted. In addition to the garage sale, the students collected items needed by the shelter clients, including clothes, shoes, hygiene items, toys, baby items, and children's car seats. The students also created hygiene gift bags for the women and children currently residing in the shelter as well as additional bags for future clients.

The students had a celebration party on August 6, 2009 where they revealed their final renovations to the adopted unit. The students partnered with several local companies to donate drinks, food, and a bounce house for the shelter clients to enjoy during the ceremony.

A big thanks to TWU Social Work Students Elizabeth Cuevas, Pamela Martinez, Dawn Coley, Esther Espinosa, Belen Fuentes, and Cassondra Jones!

Project 7 Volunteers at Mosaic House

Members of the group Project 7 volunteered at Mosaic House on July 10, 2009. The group painted the shelter's exterior and helped replace window screens and blinds. Project 7’s basic mission is to “Change the Score," and the group strives to build a better world by creating a collective awareness and improvement in the seven areas of need. Project 7 has a special interest in helping victims of human trafficking in Dallas as one of the group's seven causes: Heal the Sick, Save the Earth, House the Homeless, Feed the Hungry, Help Those in Need, Build the Future, and Hope for Peace.

Project 7 Volunteers at Mosaic House

For more information on Project 7, please visit their website at http://www.project7.com.

The Baron and Blue Foundation Supports Victims of Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking

The Baron and Blue Foundation awarded Mosaic Family Services with a $5,000 grant for our shelter Mosaic House. This funding will be used to help provide supplies for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking residing at the shelter, including food, clothing, and utilities, and would help cover the staffing costs of our 24 hour hotline.

The Baron and Blue Foundation strives to enhance the function of non-profit organizations in the Dallas Community by assisting to maintain existing programs and further opportunities for grassroots organizations focusing on homelessness, transitional housing and the needs of the underserved.

For more information on the Baron and Blue Foundation, please visit their website at http://baronandbluefdn.org.

Wilshire Baptist Church Youth Group Volunteers at Mosaic House

The youth group at Wilshire Baptist Church volunteered at Mosaic House on June 30, 2009 and July 7, 2009. The group was a huge help at the shelter, and the staff and residents appreciate their hard work. The group painted inside the units, cleaned off the playground equipment, organized the clothing closet, and helped clean the apartment units.





Thank you to the Wilshire Baptist Church!

For more information on the Student Ministry of the Wilshire Baptist Church, please visit their website here.

Mosaic House Receives Support from The Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable and Educational Trust

Mosaic Family Services has received a $30,000 grant from The Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable and Educational Trust. This generous grant will support Mosaic House, which provides comprehensive, holistic services to immigrant women and children who have experienced domestic violence or human trafficking.

The Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable and Educational Trust supports organizations that assist with education, health, arts and culture, science, relief of human suffering, and youth and social services. The Trust focuses its philanthropy in the state of Arkansas, and in Dallas County, Texas.

Part of this funding from the trust will be used to purchase new bunk beds, coffee tables, and living room chairs for each of the apartment units at the Mosaic House shelter facility. The increased awareness of our services in the Dallas area has led to a rapidly-growing number of victims served by Mosaic House. The number of residents served increased by approximately 27% in the past year. This growth has led to increased traffic at the shelter and high wear-and-tear on the furniture in each unit. Funding from the Sturgis Charitable and Educational Trust help us meet the high demand for shelter services and provide brand new furniture for residents.

Thank you to the Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable and Educational Trust for your support!

The Hillcrest Foundation Provides New A/C Units and Water Heater for Mosaic House

Mosaic Family Services received a $25,000 grant from The Hillcrest Foundation to support our shelter Mosaic House. This funding will be used to purchase new air conditioning units and a new water heater for the shelter facility.


The Hillcrest Foundation was created with the following purposes: the relief of poverty, the advancement of education, and the promotion of health in the state of Texas. Approximately 90% of grant funds are paid to organizations in North Texas, with emphasis on charitable services in the Dallas area.

The Hillcrest Foundation grant is fulfilling a huge need at Mosaic House, as both the water and air conditioning units are nearly two decades old. Replacing the air conditioning system will increase the energy efficiency of the shelter, especially during the hot summer months, and will improve the quality of life for residents.

Thank you to the Hillcrest Foundation!

The Women of Saint Michael Continue to Support Mosaic House

The Women of Saint Michael generously donated $5,000 for Mosaic House in May 2009. This group is a part of the Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Dallas, Texas, and has supported our agency and Mosaic House for nine years, since 2000.

The funds from the Women of Saint Michael will be used to cover emergency supplies and operational costs at Mosaic House, including hotline phone bill, utilities, staffing, food, medical supplies, and clothing.

For more information on the Women of Saint Michael, please visit their website at http://www.saintmichael.org/pages/Women

The Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas Gives Hope to Victims

May 2009 – Mosaic Family Services received a $5,000 grant from The Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas to assist with program expenses for the Multicultural Legal Services Program, which addresses the needs of survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking from a holistic, global perspective, giving them the support they deserve to lead empowered, self-sufficient lives. Legal services are a fundamental step for victims becoming safe and self-sufficient. Our attorneys provide comprehensive legal services in the areas of immigration and family law for immigrant victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.

The Section is comprised of nearly nine thousand members from all parts of the State and all sides of the Bar. The Section is a neutral organization comprised of plaintiff attorneys, defense attorneys, judges, mediators / arbitrators, pro bono attorneys and law students who are dedicated to improving our justice system and the quality of legal services delivered to Texans. The Section is actively involved in a number and variety of pro bono and educational programs.

The following story is from one of the clients served by the legal program at MFS:
“Jana’s Story”: Jana came to Mosaic Family Services in dire need of legal assistance. Her husband had filed for divorce and was seeking custody of their three children. Jana’s husband had been terribly abusive to her throughout their marriage. Jana had no legal status in the United States, she was completely undocumented. She was terrified that her husband was not only going to take their three children away from her, but that he would also have her deported to her home country. Jana’s husband had brought her to the United States twelve years ago through an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative. However, once in the U.S. her husband refused to follow through with completing the petition, thus leaving Jana at his mercy, with no legal status.

Jana’s biggest concerns were retaining custody of her children and gaining legal residence in the U.S. Jana was a very intelligent and compassionate woman; however, the years of abuse had worn her down and she was almost defeated before we even started the fight. With the help of Mosaic’s services, including counseling, Jana was able to slowly regain her strength and confidence. In the meantime the legal department got underway in pursuing her legal case by challenging her husband’s petition for divorce and child custody, and submitting her immigration case. After approximately one year, our office was successful in both endeavors. Jana’s divorce was finalized and she retained sole custody of her children. Additionally Jana’s immigration petition was approved, and she was also given work authorization. Jana is now living on her own, working full time, and planning to attend community college this fall to become a paralegal.

For more information on the Litigation Section, please visit their website at http://www.litigationsection.com.

The Texas Bar Foundation Supports Multicultural Legal Services

Mosaic Family Services, Inc. recently received a $20,000 grant for the Multicultural Legal Services Program from the Texas Bar Foundation. This generous grant will provide a part-time Pro Bono Program Coordinator for the program. The Coordinator will establish and maintain relationships with private attorneys in the community, who will provide pro bono services for those clients who our program is unable to immediately serve due to a waiting list. Mosaic will be able to serve many additional victims and their families with a strong Pro Bono attorney program.

Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $9 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably-funded bar foundation.

Mosaic Family Services Multicultural Legal Services Program employs three full-time attorneys who specialize in immigration and family law. Staff attorneys assist clients with all aspects of their immigration experience, as well as provide legal support for divorce, child-custody, protective orders, and other important family law issues as they pertain to domestic violence.

For more information on the Texas Bar Foundation, please visit their website at http://www.txbf.org/

The Communities Foundation of Texas Grants New Appliances, Furniture to Mosaic House

May 2009 – The Sammons Fund of the Communities Foundation of Texas awarded Mosaic Family Services with $20,450 to support our shelter Mosaic House. This generous grant will be used to will be used to purchase new appliances and furniture for the shelter. Residents of Mosaic House will be able to enjoy new refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, and couches.

Dr. Jody Grant, CFT Board Chair; Dr. Walter Nguyen, MFS Executive Director, and Brent Christopher, CFT's President and CEO

Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) has been a partner with donors for raising the quality of life in our community for more than 50 years. Communities Foundation of Texas is now one of the nation's largest community foundations, in terms of total assets, gifts received and grants awarded. The Sammons Fund, which provided us with our grant, is one of the many funds managed by CFT.

This spring, through its most recent round of discretionary grants to 27 area nonprofit community organizations, CFT awarded its billionth dollar since its inception in 1953. Mosaic Family Services staff attended the $1 billion awards ceremony on May 6, 2009.

For more information on CFT, please visit their website here.

The TJX Foundation Continues to Support Mosaic House

March 2009 -- The TJX Companies, Inc. and The TJX Foundation, Inc. donated $5,000 to Mosaic House for the fourth year in a row. This generous grant will provide program and operating support for our multicultural shelter.

The TJX Foundation supports programs that promote sound mental and physical health, provide shelter, enhance education and job readiness, and build community ties. The mission of the foundation is to contribute to programs that help disadvantaged women, children and families in communities in which the TJX Companies, Inc. do business. The TJX Companies include TJ Maxx (http://www.tjmaxx.com) and Marshall’s (http://www.marshallsonline.com).

For more information on The TJX Foundation, please visit their website here.

Thank You Commercial Metals!

A volunteer group from Commercial Metals came to the Mosaic House shelter on February 24, 2009 to paint one of the units.

Thank you to Commercial Metals for supporting Mosaic House!

Mosaic Receives ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program Intern

In January of 2008, Mosaic Family Services was awarded the prestigious ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program Internship. With the administrative assistance of the Volunteer Center of North Texas, ExxonMobil provides $2,750 grants to 75 local nonprofit agencies to hire summer college interns to assist in providing essential services to the community. Interns in this program are current undergraduate students from local universities.

Our internship, which will take place during Summer 2009, focuses on providing American Culture education to the multicultural clients served by the agency. The intern will Coordinate, schedule, and teach basic American Culture education to clients of Mosaic House, a shelter for immigrant and refugee women and children survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, who are new to the country. The intern will also Coordinate and facilitate American Culture field trips to give clients first-hand knowledge of the public experience.

For more information about the ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program, please click here.