West Houston Assistance Ministries - WHAM

Our volunteer, Arturo, spoke with our friends from @letsconnectshow at Telemundo Houston about WHAM, and we are so appreciative! If you have connections like this that can help us spread the word about the good work that WHAM does, please connect us as well! The more people know about us who can support our work, through exposure, donations, or time, the more we'll be able to help families who need a hand up. Gracias, Arturo y Ramon Castro @telemundohou por su apoyo! @ramoncastro77 @danielakosan #WHAMministries #SocialAwareness #CommunityLove

Get ready for another “Runway on a Dime” fashion show this April! We’re going to run a sequel to display even more outfits from our WHAM Resale Store that have the potential to steal the spotlight once again! So, for everyone watching, don’t throw away those clothes that you don't wear anymore...instead, donate them to us, and we’ll display them in our runway show for everyone to admire and purchase! More details on the exact date very soon! Remember...by shopping with us, you’re not just finding fabulous fashion; you’re also supporting local families in need in Houston. Every purchase helps us continue our mission of providing assistance to those facing challenges in our community. We’re located at 3100 Rogerdale Road, Houston, TX, 77042, Open Tues-Fri 10am-5pm and Saturdays 9am-4pm! #ThriftStoreFind?#ThriftedFashion?#sustainablefashion?#PrelovedFashion?#FashionSale?#Community?#SupportLocal?#CommunityLove?#whamministries?#resale?#thriftfinds?#hiddengems?#shoplocal?#ResaleStore

March is Social Worker’s Month! And what better way to celebrate it than to shine a spotlight on our incredible Case Management Team?! They are the pillars of our services, working tirelessly to improve the lives of our neighbors in need. What does our Case Management Team do? Wrap-Around Program: through an integrated client journey, they assess each client's unique needs and develop personalized plans to ensure they receive the right support. Community Connections: They connect clients with vital resources, empowering them to become more self-sufficient and navigate the social services system. Follow up with the client’s journey: They make sure the clients navigate and are supported to stay on track with their personal plan and their journey. Why is Case Management so important? Enhanced Quality of Life: Our team leads our clients to the path of self-sufficiency and improves their chances of success in their professional careers. Housing stability: Provide the resources and tools, to maintain our clients' housing. Just in 2024, we made sure 89.6% of our clients remained stably housed despite all odds. Community Impact: By supporting individuals, we strengthen our community as a whole. Thank you to our dedicated Case Management Team for their compassion and action! Your work is truly making a difference in the lives of those we serve. #SocialWorkMonth #CaseManagement #CompassionInAction #ImprovingLives #CommunitySupport

What a great panel discussion we had at the Impact Maker Breakfast! Here are a few takeaways that we thought we'd share. If you missed it, we hope you will join us next year! What is Intergenerational Poverty? Intergenerational poverty occurs when low-income status persists across multiple generations. Children who grow up in poverty often face higher risks—such as poor health, lower educational attainment, and fewer job opportunities—leading them to remain poor as adults. This cycle undermines individual potential and constrains broader economic growth, increasing public costs. A few facts: As far back as the 1980s, only 50% of children got to out-earn their parents, down from 90% in the 1940s! Can you imagine how much these stats have decreased for children born from the 1990s to the present? Children from low-income families often earn less than their parents, undermining the “American Dream.” Nearly 1 in 4 children in Harris County lives in poverty—one of the highest rates in the country. Why does it matter to everyone else? Research links poverty to chronic diseases, higher mortality rates, and lower life expectancy. Children experience toxic stress and developmental delays, which affect their education, mental health, and future careers. Poverty also limits innovation and talent development. It also raises healthcare, education, and criminal justice expenses that burden the wider community. What can we do about it? 1. Seek opportunities to collaborate. 2. Build social capital, strengthening and expanding relationships and connections not limited to our enclaves and people like us. 3. Build community and include voices of those not usually included, like that of youth. How to build community? Make sure people feel seen. Don't walk on by, ignoring their needs or situation, whether we are talking about kids or adults. Recognize them, whether they are begging on the street, struggling in school, or different from us. Provide youth access to opportunities and people that are unlike them, so that through mentorship, guidance, and exposure to different circumstances, they can be inspired to break out of poverty conditions and outgrow limited mentalities that their families and backgrounds may have instilled in them. We are all responsible as a community to overcome poverty and increase economic mobility. As such, we must work together whether by starting an organization, stopping to help someone struggling, making a donation, mentoring, or other ways. People in need are not statistics or numbers. They are someone's family. Do something, whatever you can, but do something. The solution resides in each of us. The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation, YMCA of Greater Houston, Texas Mutual Insurance Company, Bank of America, Eight Million Stories Stephen Ives, Kate Fowler, Lillian Diaz Gray, Sandra Bradford, Marvin Pierre American Leadership Forum - Houston/Gulf Coast Chapter Houston Public Media Houston Landing

We are deeply grateful for the generous donation of shopping carts from Carts and Parts, Inc., all the way from Oklahoma City! A special thank you to one of our thoughtful clients who connected us with this amazing company after noticing we needed more carts to speed up the pantry shopping wait and improve the client experience. This donation makes it possible to serve our Houston neighbors in need better, and we love that. We encourage everyone to follow this client's inspiring example by supporting local initiatives and noticing where you and your talents or connections can make the most impact! Thank you, Carts & Parts, Inc., for your kindness and for helping us improve our food pantry experience! You are this week's AMAZING COMPANY of the Week in our calendar! ?????????? #WHAMImpact #FaithInAction #GiveBack #HelpFamiliesInNeed #MakeaDifference #SocialAwareness #Volunteer #GivingBack #SocialImpact #compassionate

Excellent article by our CEO, Mark Brown!

Last chance! This breakfast only happens once per year, and you do not want to miss it! Past attendees say it was "eye-opening", "inspiring" and "worth the early start"! It's this Wednesday at 7:45am - we'll have experts discussing how we can disrupt cycles of poverty in our community. Come and ask your questions, and leave with actionable strategies to implement in your community or organization, or give your feedback so we learn from you. Companies, come and show your community support and leadership by being present. Click here to grab your tickets now! https://lnkd.in/gRmdSZQ6 The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation, YMCA of Greater Houston, Texas Mutual Insurance Company, Bank of America, Eight Million Stories Stephen Ives, Kate Fowler, Lillian Diaz Gray, Sandra Bradford, Marvin Pierre #impactmaker #socialbreakfast #socialresponsibility #WHAMImpact #FaithInAction #GiveBack #HelpFamiliesInNeed #MakeaDifference #SocialAwareness #Volunteer #GivingBack #Socialimpact #compassionate

Our community partners at?HaveShearsWillTravel came over last week to spread some Spring cheer by giving sharp haircuts to some of our young clients— brothers Tamim and Aman. We appreciate their parents' trust in letting us provide services that make them smile! Every second Thursday of the month, from 8am to 10am, we partner with?HaveShearsWillTravel to give our clients free haircuts that make them feel good about themselves. We are always looking for partnerships like these, that help improve our clients' lives! Want to partner with us too?? Contact?[email protected]?and we'll make it happen! #ChangingLivesTogether #whamministries #helpingcommunities #houstonheroes #communityhero #volunteer #noblecause #houstoncares #community #nonprofit #dedication #VolunteerSpotlight #HoustonVolunteers #makeanimpact #restoringcommunities

"Generous persons will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." - Proverbs 11:25 At our food pantry, we're bringing this biblical wisdom to life with our new Nudge Cooking Initiative! ?????? Here's how it works: 1. Staff, volunteers, and clients cook unfamiliar or surplus food items from our pantry. 2. They create delicious, healthy meals to share with clients at the pantry on that day. 3. Recipes and cooking tips are shared, helping everyone make the most of available foods! By generously sharing their time and skills, our volunteer cooks are not only refreshing others but also refreshing themselves. They're learning new healthy recipes, improving their cooking skills, and building community connections. This initiative, in partnership with the Houston Food Bank, is making healthy food choices easy for everyone. It is also increasing the distribution of nutritious foods to neighbors in need and preventing food waste. Now, isn't that refreshing? ?????? #WHAMImpact #FaithInAction #GiveBack #HelpFamiliesInNeed #MakeaDifference #SocialAwareness #Volunteer #GivingBack #SocialImpact #compassionate

Get ready to elevate your hair game! Our WHAM Resale Store is now stocked with a fantastic selection of gently used hair curlers and straighteners. Come visit us and find the perfect tool to transform your look without breaking the bank. Plus, every purchase supports a great cause—helping families in need right here in Houston. Come check us out at 3100 Rogerdale Road, Houston, TX, 77042 Open Tues-Fri 10am - 5pm and Saturdays 9am - 4pm! #ResaleFinds #SupportLocal #CommunityLove #whamministries #resale #thrift #thriftfinds #hiddengems #shoplocal #thriftshopping #upscaleresale #buyselltrade #buyandsell #thrifty #deals