Seventeen years of committed service to the populace.

Re-dedicating our building and efforts to support the community in need.

2013 Annual Report

July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013

“Building Bridges of Hope“

Time sure does go by quickly, GCO is now 18 years old. It has been a difficult year in that each new project has its ups and downs, but we hope to continue to be flexible in our ability to adjust our programs accordingly and refine them when needed. We are pleased to announce our partnership with Consolidated Credit Counseling. This partnership will provide to our sites many formats in financial counseling with special emphasis in financial coaching. These courses are being offered monthly or semi-monthly to our various GCO clients and any other interested persons.

We will endeavor to continue giving our clients any educational component that will enable them to become stabilized and independent. In July, we had one of our Silent Auction fundraisers at Vibe on Las Olas Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale. We had a good turn out of people and all seemed to enjoy themselves with nearly fifty (50) auction items including a 2013 Audi Convertible. We will continue to have more of these kinds of events at various venues.

We also had our third (3rd) Annual Post Office Food Drive which produced over 7000 lbs of food. All of our sixty-five (65) volunteers were great and helped enormously to get the job done. GCO continues to work at helping people in food, clothing, rents and mortgages and a multitude of ancillary services.

We thank all who continue to support GCO. Please continue to follow our work at www.gcoflorida.org.

Carol A. Ray

Message from Our President & CEO

Our Mission Statement

Established as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit in 1995, Gateway’s mission is to actively address the issue of hunger and seeks to safeguard and protect our most vulnerable community members by providing, food, clothing, housing assistance, referrals, and case management to those in need of emergency aid throughout the Broward and Palm Beach County area. Our goal is to prevent homelessness and help families and individuals reach self-sufficiency.

For many families, the collapse into homelessness begins with a terrible circumstance that gets out of control. It begins with job loss…an injury or prolonged illness…a separation of parents…a fire or some other damaging disaster. It only takes one terrible circumstance to plunge a family into homelessness. Tragically, the children in the situations suffer the most. To prevent this kind of catastrophic damage, Gateway Community Outreach acts quickly, working with families and individuals to overcome a problem while it is still manageable.

With nine (6) satellite sites in operation within Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Gateway Community Outreach sites are staffed with a multitude of volunteers dedicated to the needs of those in their communities. In 2012 alone, volunteers provided over 18,927 hours of service towards Gateway efforts. Each of our sites provided the following services:

Intake/Assessment of Need 90-Day Treatment Program Case Management Baby Needs Food Baskets Bus Passes Walmart Gift Cards Job Search Assistance Special Needs Food Prescription Drug Cards Rent/Mortgage Assistance Change A Child Program Special Touch Holiday Campaign

Referral Services Provided

Clothing Furniture Utility Assistance Homeless Helpline Food Stamps Medicaid Transportation Assistance (T.O.P.S.)

Program Highlights

LOOKING AHEAD:Gateway Community Outreach will remain committed to the mission of assisting the disadvantaged in reaching their goal of becoming self-sufficient. Also, we are utilizing a site supervisor to coordinate and assist clients in finding employment and needed bus transportation.

“2012 Feed The Children” Food Distribution Event

Gateway Community Outreach, Inc. was selected on two separate occasions to receive 400 boxes of non-perishable food items, 400 boxes of personal care items and 4 pallets of miscellaneous product from Feed the Children sponsored by Teleperformance. The first distribution took place on Wednesday, August 29, 2012. The second distribution was held on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. Both events took place at Westside Park in Deerfield Beach, FL between 10:00am – 2:00pm. The boxes were distributed to a combined total of 800 pre-selected families.

“2012 & 2013 Special Touch” Thanksgiving,

Christmas & EasterSpecial Touch is a program designed to meet the extra needs of our community’s most needy families during specific times of the year. This program offers the makings for a complete, fresh holiday meal to be cooked and enjoyed with their families in their own home. During December, this program not only provides the makings for a complete, fresh holiday meal, but also provides the toys and wrapping supplies, gift cards and personal hygiene products for members of the families.

Gateway Community Outreach, Inc. was chosen by the Deerfield Beach local Neighborhood Market Walmart as a recipient of the local charity award. Above is Carol A. Ray, President & CEO being presented with a check in the amount of $1000.00 at the Grand Opening of their new location which is located on Military Trail.

Gateway has also been chosen to receive donated goods on a weekly basis from both the Neighborhood Market Walmart in Deerfield Beach and the Neighborhood Market Walmart located on Federal Highway in Pompano Beach. The donated goods are dispersed to our food pantries on a weekly basis.

“2013 Walmart Grand Opening” Highlights

“2013 Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive HighlightsGateway Community Outreach, Inc. was selected to receive two semi-truck loads of food from the Stamp Out Hunger Letter Carrier’s Food Drive on Saturday, May 11, 2013. The non-perishable food received from this Food Drive will help Gateway Community Outreach, Inc. continue feeding needy families and individuals in the local community.

Gateway Community Outreach is proud to acknowledge certain corporate alliances whereby through deed or

monetary pledge supported GCO’s focus and motivation:

Broward County Family Success

Broward First Call for Help 211

Chamber of Commerce (Deerfield Beach)

Coalition to End Homelessness

Cooperative Feeding Covenant House Jewish Family Services Legal Aid Service of

Broward County N.E. Focal Point Senior

Center Palm Beach First Call for

Help 211 Project Lifeline/ Moran

Foundation Woman in Distress of

Broward County Community Presbyterian

Church WorkForce One Soref Feed The Children Publix Starbucks Red Lobster Olive Garden Consolidated Credit Walmart Deerfield Beach High

School

A Warm Thanks To Our Partners

A Warm Thanks To Our Donors

Churches, Corporations, Foundations and Organizations that have contributed to the success of Gateway in 2012. We apologize for any omissions.

Lydian Preferred Capital Corp.

Double Eagle-Budweiser

United Way Sharp General

Contractors ABC Liquors, Inc. Zion Lutheran

School/Church Love Fellowship

Christian Center Seton Ridge Children’s

Center (Coral Springs) Batchelor Foundation Blum Foundation Broward County Grant Coral Springs

Community Chest Edward W. Smith Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Foundation FPL Grant

Jarden Consumer Solutions

Jim Moran Foundation JM Family Enterprises Kopp Foundation Kramer Memorial

Foundation Lawrence A Sanders

Foundation The Martha G. Moore

Foundation TD Bank Foundation Publix Grant Schmidt Family

Foundation Sun-Sentinel Children’s

Fund (A McCormick Foundation Fund) TJX Foundation William R. Watts

Foundation, Inc. Zale Foundation

Each client receives individualized case management enabling proactive involvement in their road to self-sufficiency. This fiscal year we assisted 20,013 individuals, consisting of 8,766 heads of household, 4,462 children and 6,785 additional adults.

Distribution Report

2012 - 2013 (Base: 20,013)

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

Total Heads of HH Additional AdultsChildren in Home Total Individuals Served

Clients’ ethnicity show mild variations over the past years, although these fluctuations are not statistically significant. Please see chart below for variations.

Ethnicity

0.40%

0.26%

0.12%

0.09%0.01%

0.01%0.11%

Client Ethnicity2011-2012

African Amer-ica

Caucasian

Hispanic

Haitian

American Indian

Other Asian

Other

0.41%

0.26%

0.12%

0.07%

0.01%0.02% 0.11%

Client Ethnicity2012-2013

African Amer-ica

Caucasian

Hispanic

Haitian

American Indian

Other Asian

Other

   

Inclusive for Direct and Referral Services  

July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013  

For Seniors 50+ Total

Food Provided by Gateway 3,246

# of Phone Call Inquires for Food 311

Rent/Mortgage Referred To Other Agencies 2,983

Electric Referral To Other Agencies 2,848

Water Referral To Other Agencies 257

Other Referrals 7,575

 Total 17, 220

Rent / Mortgage # of Clients 18

Paid by Gateway Community Outreach

15,284 

Water Bill Assistance # of Clients 15 

Paid by Gateway Community Outreach

2,263

The Senior population, a focus of GCO, is categorized as those 50 years of age or older. Some seniors require only food, while others request and, when possible, are provided with either direct assistance from GCO or referrals to other agencies for rent, electric, water, etc. As shown, nearly half (43%) of GCO’s dealings with seniors results in “Other Referrals”, where seniors can be directed to specific agencies where their needs can be met.

Senior Services Report

19%

2%

18%

17%1%

43%

Seniors 50 and over

Food Provided by Gateway

# of Phone Call Inquires for Food

Rent/Mortgage Referred To Other Agencies

Electric Referral To Other Agencies

Water Referral To Other Agencies

Other Referrals

Expressions of Gratitude

I would like to start by thanking everyone who contributes with Gateway. I wish one day that I can meet them because in my personal experience, I can say that I was treated with respect and care. Everyone is so nice and helpful.

The first time that I came looking for food at this church, I received the essentials to get through the rough time I was having. Since then, I began coming every Thursday. I have been unemployed for over 1 & 1/2 years, still unable to find a job, but at least I was able to get and proceed in my education. With the help of all the prayers from each member of this church every time I am here, hopefully I will be able to find a job soon.

Again, thank you so much and may God “Bless” you always.

Sincerely,

Ysabel Hinojosa

Authorized to distribute

  I would like to thank Gateway for the help that they have provided for me and my children. Because of their generous support during the Christmas Holiday, I was able to give my children a decent home cooked meal as well as give them very nice gifts for the Christmas holiday.

Everyone in the office is very pleasant and always willing to help when needed. I wish them much success in the years to come.

Be Blessed,

Elrian Singletary

Authorized to distribute

GCO featured in “Our Town News”

Board of Directors

Carol Ray – President & CEOLaurie ClarkJose Garces

Carol Fernaays Anne Tanis

Josef Zappoli

Advisory Board Members

Robert BonhamPastor Gary Dolphus

Deana Thomas