On Tuesday, November 18, many of the Pampa organizations participating in the annual Panhandle Gives event came together under one roof at the monthly Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Representatives from each organization provided information about the services their organization offers, and how the Panhandle Gives event is crucial in helping them accomplish many of the projects they have throughout the year.
Tralee Crisis Center Director Penny Harvey also held a presentation highlighting each organization and emphasizing the importance of donating during the Panhandle Gives event, and how those funds help these beloved and crucial community organizations.
“Panhandle Gives is a very important event for a lot of non-profit organizations. It’s a nine-day charitable event organized by the Amarillo Area Foundation, whose goal is to strengthen and support non-profits, encouraging collaboration, and expanding community impact across all 26 counties of the Texas panhandle. They want to make sure our counties are supported, and not only that, it’s better to get the word out of who we are and what we do. In 2024, the Panhandle Gives raised an incredible amount of $11.7 million and that stay in our 26 counties. In Gray County, we raised over $207,000. The great thing is that money stays in our county, which is incredible. Our community is just so giving, and we ask that you still continue with that giving heart. Things have gotten more expensive or we’ve had problems with food shortages for people and things like that. The campaign kicks off the Monday before Thanksgiving and wraps up on Giving Tuesday, the global day of generosity. That is November 24 through December 2. Please mark your calendars because it’s very important!”
“Each one of these non-profit organizations are 501c3 and in good standing with the IRS, and we keep 100% of the funds that we raise. If our organization is able to raise at least $250, the Amarillo Area Foundation actually increases that with their amplification fund. That significantly increases the amount, so whatever you give, goes even further. The way they get the fund is by different foundations and corporations as well as individuals, plus many more that have given support to the panhandle of Texas. I was sitting in my office today and I got emotional because we see the significance of strengthening our communities and we want to do that. When we can do something like this and come together as a community, it shoes more. We want to make Pampa better, we want to help people who are struggling. We want them to be who they want to be.”
“We have come together and been a part of this for several years in a row, and we have some new ones this year like The Community Daycare and Harvest House, and we are excited to have them this year and hopefully for many years to come. I just want to give you a small synopsis of what each organization does.”
Altrusa
“The funds they raise are used to help Altrusa open doors to literacy, scholarships and service projects throughout Pampa. These service projects are community service projects such as lending libraries, adult literacy, and the Astra club of the middle school, high school, and college aged students, who engage with the community by students giving services where needs arise, and they’re learning why that’s important. They have also helped support Tralee Crisis Center since we were established, and in fact, they actually helped establish Tralee and still support us each year. Altrusa has been quietly changing lives in Pampa and strives to make a difference in our community.”
CASA
“Last year they served 74 children. In 2020, we had in the state of Texas about 145,000 children in foster care, and that’s probably increased since then. About 45,000 of those kids were waiting to be adopted and 20,000 aged out of the system. CASA is a part of making sure those kids feel comfortable, especially when they’re in a home that is something they didn’t grow up in. The funds are used for travel expenses for CASA representatives to travel all over Texas.”
Community Daycare
“I was surprised to learn of all of the things Community Daycare actually does for their kids and families. It’s not just the kids, it’s also support for the families. They also do continuing education for their staff. We want to make sure our community daycares and our daycares know what they’re doing and they’re educated. They give scholarships for low-income families so kids can be in daycare and parents can work. They are looking at getting new playground equipment. They provide breakfast, lunch, and maybe even dinner too. They hold holiday events for the kids and families. They buy formula, diapers, wipes, and they keep low ratios in their classes so it’s more one on one with the kids. They have three different facilities here, and they keep children from birth to four years old.”
Friends of the Pampa Library
“Their primary goal is to buy books for the children’s area and allows the staff to purchase award-winning books, along with updating the reading sections in the children’s area and supporting the summer reading program. This past summer, they read over 3,000 books! They also provide a lot of outreach functions and helps fill in where there’s no money allocated by the city budget. It also helps to maintain the reading garden and general maintenance to the library.”
GrayCares
“Panhandle Gives is one of their biggest sources of income for the year. Alongside with the Texas Ramp Project, they provide ramps for clients that allow them to leave their homes safely and be more independent. Can you imagine being stuck in your home and not being able to get out? With this group of people, they have actually been able to build 12 ramps so far this year, and that costs about $650 a piece. Also, they help with transportation and sometimes give vouchers for transportation, which is about $29 round trip to Amarillo.”
Harvest House
“For the past 10 years, there has been an average of 30 pounds of groceries per household that are provided to 25-50 families weekly. We know with the government shutdown and everything that happened there, that actually doubled within about a week. So think about 30 pounds of food, per family, per week, for 100 families!”
Pampa Meals on Wheels
“This allows hot and nutritious meals that people count on every single day. There are people that can’t leave their home and they count on these meals. They are delivered to seniors and homebound individuals right here in Pampa.”
Pampa Senior Citizens
“This allows utilities to be paid and for them to stay open, to buy new equipment when needs arise, to help buy groceries, and also helps create a homey atmosphere. And it’s not just for seniors, anyone can go have lunch there.”
PAWS
“Who doesn’t love an animal? PAWS does so much for our animal community, and not only that-they help those who are able to adopt these babies. It just brings joy to them. For every animal that comes through the shelter doors, vaccines are bought and used to stop the spread of disease in confined spaces. And it’s not only disease in confined spaces, but also in the community. That includes rabies vaccinations, too. Medicines are bought for the shelter dogs and cats that are sick and it makes a world of difference for giving PAWS the ability to help animals get adopted into new homes.”
Pregnancy Support Center & Hope House
“The money for the Pregnancy Support Center impacts their daily operations from the beginning of a client’s pregnancy journey with free pregnancy tests to where we all know a baby changes everything. This gives an ultrasound program for moms and dads to get a glimpse of their miraculous gift of life. They get to see their baby and sometimes for the first time because they may not have been able to do that anywhere else. They provide formula, diapers, wipes, and other essential baby items and parenting classes to equip parents. The Hope House provides a home that is a place of belonging and safety where each resident finds encouragement, stability and support while learning the skills they need to build strong families and better futures. We all know as parents, it’s very difficult, but it’s also very joyous, and if we can use the Pregnancy Support Center to be able to give hope and joy to these moms and dads that are scared, it’s a blessing.”
The Salvation Army
“We all know The Salvation Army and the ringing of the bells and the Christmas time and giving Christmas to kids, but there’s so much more that The Salvation Army does. The funds that are raised go toward helping the community with utility assistance, to prevent families going without power or water. They help get prescriptions and medications. They provide transport assistance to help families go to doctor’s appointments. They also provide emergency disaster services, Hope Totes to the homeless, Blessing Bags to first responders, and relief during emergencies. They send kids to summer camp! The kids get to hear the Word of God and build lasting friendships. During the Christmas season, they help provide kids with Christmas gifts who would otherwise go without joy on Christmas Day. This year, they have 305 kids on the Angel Tree. That’s just in Pampa. Just imagine waking up on Christmas Day and not having anything under the tree or even having a tree. We want to make sure that no child in Gray County goes without the joy of the season.”
Snack Pack 4 Kids
“I have witnessed Snack Pack 4 Kids and I know kids that go without food on the weekends or the holidays or during the summer, and 100% of all the funds raised for Snack Pack goes to the purchase of food to the kids. This gives them the opportunity to not go hungry.”
Tralee Crisis Center
“Tralee is close to my heart. We serve nine counties within the panhandle, about 8,000 square miles we cover to help those who have been through domestic violence, sexual assault, and other violent crimes. We first make sure that victims are safe. I actually like calling them survivors because they survive when they make that first call or when they leave. Then when safety is in place, we provide for their physical needs, their mental needs, and at times their spiritual needs as the clients walk through trauma. Funds given help with general operating cost, getting someone into an apartment, paying a utility bill, and at times providing a family with groceries for a week, along with many other services. After taking care of their physical needs, we talk through the healing process by providing one-on-one support, support groups, and counseling.”
White Deer Land Museum
“Preserving history is very important. It helps us see where we’ve come from, where we’re going, and who we are. I think it’s important to remember what’s happened in our history, and they preserve that at the White Deer Land Museum.”
How You Can Donate
“You can go through the Panhandle Gives website, or you can write a check. When you write a check, you write to the Panhandle Gives and in the memo, you write to what organization you’re giving it to. It has to be specified for a specific organization. If you don’t want to go through all that with writing a check, you can actually go to the website, search for Pampa and the organization you are wanting to give to. If you write a check, you have to make sure it is written for the date within the week of giving. November 24th through December 2nd-you cannot write it before or after that. If you want to give to more than one organization, make sure to write a separate check for each one. If you write a check and you don’t bring it to the organization, you can bring it to First Bank Southwest or Happy State Bank. They know exactly what to do and you just have to make sure you write the check out properly. You can give cash as well.”
“If you give online, they will charge a fee, and they will ask you if you want to pay that out of your donation or if you want to cover the charge. I encourage you to cover the charge so it does not take away from the organization that you are giving to. That organization can use every penny, and we will use it to the best of our abilities. The online date is also only on November 24th through December 2nd.”
Closing Remarks
“While you may not be touched by each and every organization in here, you probably know someone who has been touched by these organizations, or you have been yourself. Panhandle Gives is a way to help each organization continue to strive to help others within our community. To make our community stronger and better. We are able to help strengthen our community by Altrusa helping other organizations achieve their missions or through literacy. Giving support to foster parents and the kids in the foster system. Giving parents peace of mind that their children are taken care of during the day. Helping kids have an experience through a book. Bringing independence to someone who is disabled. Not having fear where someone’s next meal is coming from because they know groceries will be there. Knowing that a hot meal is on the way. Having a homey atmosphere to come to and having social interaction with friends and meeting new friends. Helping a pet have a better life and bringing happiness to families through pets. Helping a mother know how to parent and see her baby that is growing. Bringing relief through help with a bill, Christmas, or disasters. Helping children have a meal when they aren’t at school. Help getting out of an abusive situation and becoming who want to be. Or preserving history. These are what our organizations do. On behalf of every organization represented here, we ask that you reflect on your role in serving our community. We ask that you continue to serve by supporting our organizations which are dedicated to fostering growth and strengthening our community for all of its members.”
