Good Samaritans of Garland, INC.

Trying to summarize in just a few words all that is done by the caring people associated with Good Samaritans of Garland will be difficult. There are many things we do because we have the money with which to do them . and then there are many more things we do just because we care.

The fiscal year for the City of Garland runs from October 1 through September 30. We receive a new Agreement each year, allowing us to help clients with their City of Garland Utilities. The maximum we are allowed to pledge towards anyone's bill is $200.00. The requirements for receiving assistance are:

The client must be a resident of Garland using GP&L utilities for Electric servic
The account must have been in client's name for a minimum of 12 months
The water and/or electric cannot be disconnected when requesting assistance
There can be no unpaid NSF checks on file with GP&L
If a client is receiving a utility reimbursement through Section 8 Housing, he/she is not eligible for assistance through Good Samaritans
Anyone who meets these requirements may receive assistance one time each fiscal year, with a 12 month interval between assistance dates.
Senior Citizens may receive assistance once every 90 days.

This program is shared by the Salvation Army and Friendship House in Garland. If a client receives assistance from one agency, he/she cannot receive assistance from either of the other agencies. All applications for assistance are verified through the Credit Department at Garland Utilities.

The agreement we have with TXU is more lenient, but we prefer to maintain the same guidelines for service. The differences that apply are:

Senior Citizens and Disabled persons may receive assistance once every 90 days.
The maximum allowable pledge is not restricted to $200.00
Grants from TXU are sent out quarterly
We are able to serve clients in GARLAND, ROWLETT, AND SACHSE .

At this time, we do not have funds to assist with Reliant Energy, Atmos Energy, phone bills, or any other independent energy companies. Should funds be made available in the future, the requirements for receiving assistance will be posted both in the office and on this site.

Once again the money for Rental Assistance comes from the City of Garland through a Community Development Block Grant which originates with HUD. Fiscal year calendar applies to rent the same as to the City of Garland Utilities, October 1 to September 30.

The funds we will be receiving for the 2006-2007 fiscal year are less than in past years due to cutbacks by Washington. Our total grant will be $15,000, therefore the screening of clients seeking assistance will be closely monitored. The following policies apply to all persons seeking Rental Assistance through Good Samaritans for fiscal year '06-'07.

First priority will be given to single women with children, senior citizens, and the disabled.
Applicants must have lived in the apartment or house for a minimum of 90 days.
Applicants on Section 8 Housing are not eligible for rental assistance.
A client cannot have received assistance from Good Samaritans for rent in the past.
Clients must be able to provide a valid social security card, picture identification on all adults over 18 years of age living in the household (preferably a driver's license or state ID card); birth certificates or shot records on all children under the age of 18; and a lease to prove the property has been occupied for a minimum of 90 days.
A client must provide proof of sufficient income to pay the following month's rent.
The landlord must confirm that the client has paid most of his/her rent and that the remaining balance owed is $200.00 or less.
Good Samaritans does not pay late charges, legal fees, deposits, or other damage fees.
Good Samaritans does not have funds to pay for temporary housing such as motels.
When the application process has been completed to the satisfaction of the determining committee, a check will be sent directly to the Landlord and not to the client.

Rental assistance at this time is available only to residents of the city of Garland.

We have many sources to thank for the outstanding food programs we have going on at Good Samaritans. Kraft Foods provides funding through very generous grants each year. The North Texas Food Bank allows us to buy food at a very low price, and has several other programs, some of which are free to us and our clients. The Boy Scouts and the Postal Service both provide an abundance of canned goods each year, and many churches, civic organizations, and individuals make donations on a regular basis. At Good Samaritans, we have one of the most "client connected" food programs in the area, seeking to provide the things our clients need and want. Along with the regular complement of canned goods, we maintain three freezers and two refrigerators filled with perishables such as cheese, frozen chickens, frozen ground beef and ground turkey, fish sticks, Egg Beaters, bologna, turkey lunch meat, and more.

The only requirements for receiving food assistance once every 90 days at Good Samaritans are proof of residence in Garland, Rowlett, or Sachse, and proof of the number of people living in the household. The amount of food to be received is in direct proportion to the number of people in the household.

Food For Families is a once-a-month parking lot program held at the Spring Creek Community Church (Beltline and Shiloh in north Garland) the third Thursday of each month. This is a cooperative program sponsored by the North Texas Food Bank and in cooperation with Network of Community Ministries in Richardson, Friendship House in Garland, and Good Samaritans. Clients may go to any one of the three agencies to receive a voucher and instructions on how the program works. The program is open to residents of Garland, Rowlett, Sachse, Richardson, and parts of Dallas.

The Nutrition Program is a Kraft sponsored program targeting families in Garland, Rowlett, and Sachse with adolescents in danger of becoming obese. Nutritional instruction along with fun exercise programs are being offered at no charge to the client family.

Everyone associated with Good Samaritans, whether a board member or a volunteer has a personal commitment to helping others. It is not rare to find us painting a house for an elderly client, singing happy birthday in the office to a lonely widow, finding jobs for young men with families to feed, or just taking the time to listen. Everyone has a story, everyone has a need, and everyone wants someone to care. That's what we do best at Good Samaritans of Garland..we truly care.

Services We Offer