Northwest Assistance Ministries

NAM IS A COMMUNITY-BASED MULTI-PROGRAM SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY STRIVING TO MEET BASIC HUMAN NEEDS THROUGH NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS. NAM TOUCHED THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 136,000 INDIVIDUALS DURING THE 2020-2021 FISCAL YEAR.

CLIENT SERVICES-EMERGENCY BASIC NEEDS: DURING FY 2020-2021 CLIENT SERVICES RECEIVED FUNDING FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND THE WINTER STORM. NAM AIDED 28,410 INDIVIDUALS WITH AN ARRAY OF SERVICES SUCH AS FOOD, RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION, CLOTHING, TRANSPORTATION, MINOR REPAIRS, PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES, AND REFERRALS. MANY OF THOSE EXPERIENCING THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE WERE FIRST TIME CLIENTS. IN ADDITION, THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL PROJECT PARTNERED WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA TO PROVIDE 443 CHILDREN WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES. THANKS TO COMMUNITY SUPPORT, CONGREGATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS, NAM'S HOLIDAY PROJECT COLLECTED AND DISTRIBUTED 17,500 TOYS TO 5,500 CHILDREN. THE JOANNE WATFORD NUTRITION CENTER PROVIDED FOOD FOR 31,307 INDIVIDUALS AND 10,076 FAMILIES. AS PART OF THE SENIOR FOOD PROGRAM, 722 LOW INCOME SENIORS RECEIVED MONTHLY SUPPLEMENTAL GROCERIES. MORE THAN 2,284 FAMILIES RECEIVED THANKSGIVING MEALS AND HOLIDAY MEALS. NAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK AND SPRING ISD HOSTED A SERIES OF SUPER SITE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS. THROUGH THESE DISTRIBUTIONS 10,256 FAMILIES RECEIVED HEALTHY FOOD. HOUSING SERVICES FUNDED, BY GOVERNMENT GRANTS, AIMS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND HELP FAMILIES BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT. OVERALL, 178 CLIENTS RECEIVED AN ARRAY OF SERVICES SUCH AS CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING PLACEMENT/SEARCH PLUS OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICE.

MEALS ON WHEELS PROVIDED 244,714 NUTRITIOUS MEALS TO 1,416 HOMEBOUND SENIORS AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS IN 24 ZIP CODE AREAS. IN ADDITION, 300 INDIVIUALS RECEIVED SATURDAY FROZEN MEALS AND MONTHLY GROCERY DELIVERIES. THROUGH THE COMMON MARKET PARTNERSHIP FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRUITS WERE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE. AS PRESCRIBED BY THEIR PHYSICIANS, 20 SENIORS RECEIVED WEEKLY MUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS. THANKS TO 785 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS THE PROGRAM NEVER STOPPED DELIVERING MEALS. THROUGH HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY THE HOMEBOUND SENIOR PETS RECEIVED FOOD. YOUNG AT HEART SENIOR CENTER SERVED 184 SENIORS WHO PARTICIPATED IN VIRTUAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS PHYSICAL FITNESS, DANCE, FRENCH AND GENERAL WELL-BEING CLASSES TOTALING 1,242 ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. APPROXIMATELY, 97 DAILY TELEPHONE REASSURANCE CALLS WERE MADE. THE 60+ CAFE CONGREGATE MEAL PROGRAM SERVED 8,040 MEALS AND PROVIDED 209 RIDES TO THE SENIOR CENTER. THROUGH THE CONGREGATE MEAL PROGRAM 6,742 FROZEN AND SHELF-STABLE MEALS WERE DELIVERED BY NAM'S MEALS ON WHEELS.

THE PEDIATRIC HEALTH CENTER PROVIDED CARE FOR 1,728 CHILDREN IN 5,921 PATIENT VISITS, 1,103 CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND 30,248 ANCILLARY SERVICES SUCH AS INFORMATION, REFERRALS AND FOLLOW-UP. THROUGH OUR COMBINED PARTNERSHIP WITH CHRISTUS HEALTHY LIVING MOBILE CLINICS AND WALGREENS, 196 CHILDREN WERE GIVEN 248 VACCINES AND 178 ADULTS RECEIVED THE FLU VACCINES. COMMUNITY HEALTH CHOICE COLLABORATED WITH NAM AND 257 FAMILIES APPLIED FOR HEALTHCARE BENEFITS. THANKS TO THE AMERICARES GRANT, THE PEDIATRIC HEALTH CENTER RECEIVED MORE THAN 134,000 WORTH OF MEDICATIONS. APPROXIMATELY 130 COMMUNITY APARTMENT PROPERTY MANAGERS AND RESIDENTS WERE TRAINED TO USE NAM'S PEDIATRIC HEALTH CENTERS' HEALTHY EATING ACTIVE LIVING (H.E.A.L.) CURRICULUM. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES WAS LAUNCHED ON JUNE 3, 2021. THROUGH REFERRALS FROM ALL OF NAM'S PROGRAMS AS WELL AS DIRECT CLIENT REQUEST, NAM SERVED 52 CLIENTS AND PROVIDED 184 HOURS OF DIRECT THERAPY SERVICES IN THE FORM OF CHILD, ADOLESCENT, ADULT AND FAMILY COUNSELING.

THE FAMILY VIOLENCE CENTER PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO 256 SURVIVORS WHICH LEAD TO 56,950 SERVICES SUCH AS CASE MANAGEMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, SHELTER REFERRALS, AND LEGAL ADVOCACY SERVICES. THE FVC HOTLINE RECEIVED 4,510 CALLS FROM VICTIMS IN CRISIS OR INDIVIDUALS SEEKING ASSISTANCE. TEEN EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS OR AWARENESS EVENTS WERE PRESENTED TO 4,658 INDIVIDUALS. MANY OF THESE EVENTS WERE HELD IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS. APPROXIMATELY 4,766 CLIENTS AND CALLERS REPORTED HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND STALKING. THROUGH THE ECONOMIC STABILITY FUNDING (95,000), THE FVC HELPED 79 CLIENTS WITH RENT, UTILITIES, DEPOSITS, CAR REPAIRS,CHILD CARE AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS. THE LEARNING AND VOCATIONAL CENTER PROVIDED 284 ADULTS WITH FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND COACHING. NAM IN COLLABORATION WITH HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SERVED 1,242 STUDENTS THROUGH ORIENTATION ATTENDANCE AND/OR ENROLLMENT INTO GED AND ESL CLASSES. NAM'S THRIVE PROGRAM PROVIDED 88 VOCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS,WITH 95 JOBS OBTAINED. THE WORKFORCE CONNECTOR PROGRAM SERVED 386 CLIENTS WITH VOCATIONAL TRAINING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, JOB SEARCH, AND ASSISTANCE REFERRALS. IN THE SPRING ALL CLASS CURRICULA WERE REVISED AND CLASSES WERE DELIVERED THROUGH VIRTUAL TRAINING. THE RESALE SHOP PROVIDES LOW COST AND NO COST CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS TO NAM'S CLIENTS AND SHOPPING ALTERNATIVES AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL AND SUPPORT FOR OTHER PROGRAMS.