One thing the Women's Center here in Montgomery County is appreciative of is the business community and organizations which help them help the victims of abuse. The Commentary today salutes the following establishments for their support to the center and encourages its readers to support them for their generous donations.
Shelli Moran (right) operating partner for
Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, stands with Sarah Raleigh, executive director for the Montgomery County Women's Center, holding items from Fleming's recent food drive. Flemings hosted the food drive for the Women's Center's dwindling food pantry in an effort to stock up on items needed by women coming to the agency for counseling support and legal services. With the challenging economic climate, more clients have been seeking food items from the agency's small food pantry. Donations are always needed and appreciated for standard staple food items such as canned vegetables and meats, soup, boxed meals, pasta, juice boxes and more.
Montgomery County Women's Center, a Pacesetter agency for the Montgomery County United Way Campaign, recently hosted an Italian luncheon fundraiser benefiting United Way. Food was generously provided by members of the MCWC Board of Directors. The Women's Center is a United Way agency and serves victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault through crisis intervention, counseling, emergency shelter, support services and legal advocacy.
Pictured are staff members Sonia Rodriguez, accounting clerk, and Lauren Stratton, education specialist.
Spring Moms and Babes organized by Lori Carrese (second from left) made a generous donation of baby items, games, DVDs and diapers to the Montgomery County Women's Center for women and children currently residing in the agency's emergency shelter for abused and battered women.
Spring Moms and Babes provides play dates, story time and family fun for those in the Spring, Tomball and The Woodlands area and can be reached by going to
www.meetup.com/springmoms.
Elizabeth Glass, (left) manager of Rags to Riches resale shop stands with Eva Morgan, a volunteer, as they stock the shelves with a huge donation of women's career suits.
Northwest Houston BPW donated the women's suits to the agency so that women in shelter and working women could benefit from the brand new, stylish career suits. Rags to Riches is located behind Pappas BBQ at I-45 and Woodlands Parkway and can be reached by calling (281) 292-0443.
Rags to Riches resale shop, located in the Wood Ridge shopping Center behind Pappas BBQ at I-45 and Woodlands Parkway, received a huge donation of women's career suits.
"The suits are brand new with the tags still on them," Elizabeth Glass said, manager of Rags to Riches. "The suits are gorgeous and are in a variety of sizes. These name brand suits won't last long especially at our discount prices."
Rags to Riches is the resale shop associated with the Montgomery County Women's Center and all proceeds go towards the agency's emergency shelter for abused and battered women and their children.
"These suits would lift any one's spirit," Donna Wick said, director of outreach and communications for the agency. "Everyone is living a little differently these days - more frugally. These brand new suits were donated by business women, so they are very nice."
The suits were donated by Northwest Houston Business and Professional Women which unites professional women, supports business and community relationships, provides educational opportunities and leadership skills.
"Between our Upscale Resale Boutique featuring designer fashions and now these very stylish suits, women are going to have a field day shopping with us," Glass said.
Amazing Spaces recently provided storage facilities for the Montgomery County Women's Center while the agency was rebuilding storage units damaged by Hurricane Ike at the women's shelter for battered women and children.
Pictured are: (left to right) Chris Swetnam, assistant manager; Donna Wick, director of outreach and communications for MCWC; Jeremy Garman, area manager and Kim Sommers, manager.
The shelter can accommodate 60 women and children needing emergency shelter for a period of 60 days and last year served approximately 900 women fleeing violent homes.
Connect 2 Health Wellness Center, specializing in chiropractic, prenatal and pediatric care, recently hosted a Grand Opening Fundraiser Event for the Montgomery County Women's Center and presented the agency with a check for $1,200.
Pictured are: (from left) Cafe Del Mar owner, Mario Gapultos with manager, Tiffany James; Amanda Stephens (front) Connect 2 Health; Rodney Anderson, owner, Crescent Moon Wine Bar; Donna Wick, MCWC; and Dr. Amber Smith, Connect 2 Health.
Dr. Amber Smith can be reached at (281) 419-8555 or by going to www.C2Hwellness.com. The Women's Center was selected by Dr. Amber Smith as the Center's charity of choice because of the recent spike in domestic violence calls in Montgomery County.
Sue Moehring, (far right, kneeling), VBS outreach and mission director for Tree of Life Lutheran Church in Conroe organized a VBS hands-on mission project called: Operation Kid to Kid whereby children created a stuffed toy to give to a child currently residing at the Montgomery County Women's Center emergency shelter for abused and battered women and children.
Operation Kid to Kid reaches out to Children in Shelter - the Vacation Bible School program at Tree of Life Lutheran Church in Conroe organized a mission project called
Operation Kid to Kid whereby children at the church could reach out to children residing in emergency shelter.
"This was a way our children could spread God's love to another child," Moehring said. "We also asked that the children expand their giving by bringing in specific items the women's shelter was in need of, like: school supplies, toiletries and baby items."
Moehring chose the Women's Center as the agency of choice because the shelter was in the same county as the church and she, personally, taught school for five years in the Conroe ISD.
"I know those students have many needs and those needs are fulfilled by the Women's Center," Moehring said.
"We were touched at the outpouring from the children and their families," Donna Wick said, director of outreach and communications for the Center. "Tree of Life Lutheran Church has made a huge difference in the lives of the children that are currently residing in our shelter. And once those children move on to higher ground, more children will be right behind them. We are reaching out to the community to continue to assist the Women's Center in meeting our growing and immediate demand for school supplies, toiletries and baby items."
Tree of Life Lutheran Church is located at 3201 N. Loop 336 West in Conroe and can be reached at (936) 539-9530.
Scott Bauer, co-founder of
Lifestyle Fitness Center, stands with food items donated by club members in order to stock the food pantry at the Montgomery County Women's Center. The food pantry serves women seeking counseling, support groups and/or protective orders at the agency's administrative offices located at 1600 Lake Front Circle in The Woodlands. Lifestyle Fitness Center is located at 9110 Forest Crossing Drive and can be reached at (281) 292-4883.
Cynthia Martinez, education specialist for the Montgomery County Women's Center, stands with Harold Wise, general manager of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers/Shenandoah in front of a banner announcing the restaurant's canned good food drive in efforts to help stock the food pantry at the Women's Center. Every Monday, customers will receive $3 off their food bill (excluding alcohol) when they donate two canned-food items. Red Robin is located at 19433 I-45 in Shenandoah and can be reached at (281) 465-9896.
