The Stewpot, a Dallas-based mission of First Presbyterian Church of Dallas serving people experiencing hardship or homelessness, will celebrate 50 years of impact in 2025 with events to engage the community in embracing and supporting those in need. The 50th anniversary theme, “50 Years of Loving Our Neighbors,” will highlight The Stewpot’s long tradition of love in action.
“From day one, The Stewpot has been a community effort, driven by people who believe we have a shared responsibility to create solutions for our neighbors who are living in poverty,” said Brenda Snitzer, executive director of The Stewpot. “We look forward to celebrating this legacy of hospitality and hope as we continue serving those in need.”
Since its founding in 1975 to feed people on the streets downtown, The Stewpot has served more than 8.7 million meals. With strong support from donors, it has also grown to provide comprehensive services and a community of support for people experiencing poverty and homelessness, including programs that stabilize, house and enrich the lives of Dallas neighbors.
These include helping people recover over 112,000 vital ID documents to access services and employment, funding 233 four-year scholarships for college or vocational school since 1991 and helping provide housing for 320 people since its rapid rehousing program began in 2021.
Creative solutions that respond to the needs of individuals and the changing landscape of the Dallas community are core to the organization’s approach—from ID services that unlock essential services and rapid rehousing, to purpose-building experiences like the artist-in- residence program or writing for STREETZine. In addition to holistic services for neighbors experiencing seasons of hardship, The Stewpot also focuses on foundational support for families by helping parents overcome poverty and promoting a strong education for their children.
The year-long anniversary celebrations will begin with a “50 Years of Loving Our Neighbors” art exhibit and community activation series at Galleria Dallas. Throughout the month of January, photographs of Stewpot community members—those served as well as volunteers and staff—will be featured on the Galleria Dallas Gallery Wall on Level 1 across from Sephora, and works by artists in The Stewpot Art Program will be showcased in a neighboring Art Window. Mall visitors will be invited to take a seat on The Stewpot’s “Love Your Neighbor” bench and snap a photo with new or old friends to post on social media with the hashtag #LoveYourNeighborsDallas.
The community can also participate in two events as part of The Stewpot’s month-long presence at The Galleria. On Saturday, Jan. 18 (the weekend leading up to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) from 1 to 3 p.m., visitors can talk with Stewpot artists about their works and see The Stewpot’s friends from the Dallas Street Choir perform. There will also be a pop-up “Love Your Neighbor” volunteer opportunity. Mall-goers can help assemble hygiene kits for neighbors experiencing homelessness. All materials will be provided for this free, family-friendly activity on Level 3 across from the Play Place.
The 17th Annual Soup’s On Luncheon, hosted by The Stewpot Alliance and benefiting The Stewpot, will be held on Monday, Jan. 27 at Thompson Dallas. The luncheon will feature speaker Nicholas Kristof, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and best-selling author. In addition, artists from the Stewpot Art Program will share their works in a pre-luncheon art show, and some of Dallas’ finest chefs will serve soup to guests. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit soupsondallas.org.
Also debuting at Soup’s On will be a book called Thy Neighbor, a collection of essays by participants in the Stewpot Writers’ Workshop and works by artists in the Stewpot Art Program. Some of the writers and artists are currently unhoused, some live in homeless shelters and some live in apartments sourced through rehousing programs. The book was compiled and edited by William “Bill” McKenzie, senior editorial advisor at the George W. Bush Institute, a Pulitzer Prize-winning former editorial columnist for The Dallas Morning News and a longtime member of The Stewpot’s Community Ministry Committee, and Poppy Sundeen, an award- winning marketing and advertising copywriter.
In April, during National Volunteer Month, The Stewpot will offer hands-on volunteer opportunities to help your Dallas neighbors during its Love Your Neighbor Week, Apr. 6-12. Opportunities will include serving meals, assembling snack bags, helping in the food pantry, participating in corporate challenges and more. Information about how to volunteer is available at thestewpot.org.
Plans are also underway for The Stewpot’s Birthday Party, to be held on a date to be announced in October, the month that The Stewpot was founded in 1975. The celebratory event will offer the community the opportunity to gather in the spirit that The Stewpot was founded—loving each other and breaking bread together.
To learn more about The Stewpot and its 50th anniversary celebrations, visit the website here.
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