CitySquare Paris

It is the mission of CitySquare to fight the causes and effects of poverty through service, advocacy, and friendship.

More about us
In 2023, CitySquare Paris saw an increase in utilization by our neighbors-serving 2,482. In comparison, neighbors/families were cared for in 2022 was 2,026.

Through generous support from individuals, businesses, industries, and grants, last year the CitySquare campus was blessed to renovate the gymnasium and install a state-of-the-art flooring which now accommodates basketball, volleyball, and pickleball. Safety measures were put in place in all rooms where neighbors and teens gather with plexiglass 'windows, an ADA handicapped shower and bathroom were installed, the kitchen was remodeled with upgraded, commercial appliances to serve our two meals a day to our neighbors, the laundry was re-located from the kitchen into a dedicated classroom, and a deep freeze was donated to accommodate the 400 pounds of ground beef donated. The largest undertaking was the replacement of the entire roof of the church building through the generosity of several key donors. We are so grateful for every gift, large or small, that has helped us better serve those in need.

These numbers underscore the true need for our services to the homeless and those living in poverty situations. In our community, CitySquare is the only place that provided hot meals for breakfast and lunch five days a week. On Saturdays, churches from the faith community supplement the feeding with a delicious lunch. Our goal is to help neighbors find a way out of their lifestyle and referrals to local/regional social and state services is a focus. Having a satellite campus of Paris Junior College here enables our neighbors to take advantage of educational opportunities such as ESL, all for free.

In addition, the Teen Center after-school program saw an increase of teens receiving a snack and an evening meal, help with homework, a basketball/volleyball court, game room, and a fellowship hall to 'hang out' with friends in a safe place with adult leadership and guidance. We are grateful to Paris ISD for the bus stop at our doors dropping off both junior high and high school students, ages 13-18.

In 2023, neighbors took 2,482 showers and washed/dried 891 loads laundry. CitySquare provides towels, wash cloths, personal care items for showers and laundry detergent for laundry. These are always items we invite our community to help supply.

Through the generosity of our community, our clothes closet for men, women, teen, toddlers, and infants was able to distribute 20,263 clothing items in 2023. What a blessing this is to our neighbors and their families!

Through the partnership with Paris Regional Medical Center and Spring Lake Assisted Living and Memory Care, CitySquare received over 1,0000 coats for children and adults. Through the generosity and leadership of these two organizations, churches and community organizations stepped up to assist in this effort. Thanks to their hard work, we have received hundreds more jackets, coats, scarves, toboggans, and even overcoats to be given to our neighbors. We applaud these two groups for their hard efforts to help our neighbors and. their families!

Again in 2023, we opened our doors to serve as a warming station for our neighbors and anyone experiencing lack of heat, loss of electricity, and provide showers, laundry, and meals to make their time as comfortable as possible in the winter.

In a concerted effort to be the 'hub' for community services, two of the CitySquare Advisory Council members revived the Lamar County Council of Community Services in the last 18 months. Meeting quarterly, this group is an exceptional way to share ideas, information about various services, and work collaboratively to serve the community together.

We are grateful to the many individuals and community groups that regularly volunteer to make CitySquare a success! You are invited to join us and help make a difference in the lives of our neighbors!

ABOUT CITYSQUARE
Our organization's premise is to make systemic changes and not place "band-aids" on systemic poverty. CitySquare Paris seeks to nurture a community of "neighbors helping neighbors". Our association with CitySquare in Dallas, one of the largest non-profits in Texas, allows us to implement proven poverty alleviation programs and processes. As we partner with other community agencies and services in an effort to fill gaps in support services, we are no longer getting neighbors' one bill paid or a week's worth of groceries only to serve the neighbor in the exact same way the next week. The goal is to meet that immediate need, often with the help of the other local agencies, while our case workers take a more holistic view of the neighbors' situation and help them see a solution. This is long, tedious work that only succeeds in relationships.

All of our programs aim to form relationships with our neighbors...