A safe place that provides food and resources in Dallas was created half a century ago for people with no housing.
Five years ago, writers emerged from The Stewpot. And today, a new book celebrates their stories.
In the elbow of I-30 and I-45 morning traffic, chatter and a barking pet dog break the courtyard's calm at the Stewpot’s new home.
What began as a First Presbyterian of Dallas community ministry now lives in the space housing nonprofit CitySquare left a year ago.
Beyond the courtyard, in a grocery store-style pantry, staff and volunteers stock shelves while visitors shop.
Just past the market, current and former unhoused writers brainstorm in a meeting room.
The news contributors plan stories about SNAP benefits for the December StreetZine issue, for which they earn compensation in gift cards.
The blog series will be a bit lighter — the writers' favorite recipes and foods.
"War of the Worlds" is more of Kenneth Henry's literary taste. But writing his own stories has brought some relaxation.
"It just helps me get my, you know, kind of relieves my stress," he said. "You know, I can get my thoughts out. So it kind of just helps me unwind."
The 63-year-old Dallas native recently moved into temporary housing at St. Jude Center-Park Central, supportive housing run by Catholic Charities Dallas.
Henry found shelter at The Bridge after his life troubles began in 2024, he said.
"I usually, like, stress on things, so it's not really in a moment. I just kind of think in my head, 'What am I going to do in these next six months?' I don't really stop thinking about it right now."
Stewpot's art and literary enrichment coordinator Wendy Rojo said there has been much concern about federally funded housing grants that help people like Henry.
"We're actively making sure that we check all of the updates, especially with the government shut down and all that happened right as it opened," she said. "It was just a lot happening. So I think collectively we're just trying to be very vigilant on what's happening and trying to follow along because there's so many changes and it's so uncertain. And then going through the holidays is a really tough time for everyone."
Like having his own space for the last six months, reading and writing has brought Henry comfort.
Though his next step lives loud in his mind.
"I'm doing okay," he said. "It's just...coming up in the next six months after this year, then I'll be looking. You know, hopefully I can get something that's more permanent.
Writing sometimes can help calm a worried mind, Pulitzer-winning journalist Bill McKenzie believes.
The Dallas Morning News contributor co-founded the Stewpot's workshops with Poppy Sundeen, who retired from 45 years in advertising and marketing.
When the street newspaper stories grew longer and more in-depth, founders and writing coaches thought a book could hold deeper stories, McKenzie said.
"We had three questions that we asked the writers to address," he said. "One is how they went from being housed, unhoused. How they went from unhoused to housed or in the process thereof. And then the last one is what does the love thy neighbor mean to them.”
Nine writers' personal reflections and more than a dozen artists' works fill “Thy Neighbor” — published this year during the Stewpot's 50th anniversary.
The canvas, hard back book is a gift to $30 donors.
Essays describe how the writers became unhoused, ranging from their early 20s to post retirement ages.
Their essays explain experiences from psychosis to a series of slipping through life-challenges cracks.
Rojo, also StreetZINE newspaper's managing editor, respects the expressive process of Stewpot's guests.
"It's hard to sit down at a computer or get a blank piece of paper and just be vulnerable and share," she said.
Across the hall in the art studio, Charles William, who also contributed to the book, loads paintings to sell at Four Corners Brewing Company as part of the Cedars Open Studios art tour.
Rojo said many art forms offer therapeutic expression.
"Not everyone is a drawer or painter you know?" she said. "Some people like to use their words and need to use their words to express them. And so to be able to provide that to people is the goal.
"I think the camaraderie that came with it was a surprise to everyone. The community that it is and just seeing everyone go through it through so many years," she said. "Seeing their progress and seeing them go back to school and finishing their degrees — it's just like family, like friends — it's really cool to see that all happen."
Deep Vellum bookstore founder Will Evans believes the book has potential for guests to access at local, independent literary arts spaces, like participants of a recent book store crawl.
“I think bookstores in town would love to see this," he said. "It is cool. These are our neighbors, and — as they're going for with the title of the book — you got to love thy neighbor, and this is a great way to sort of put that into practice, especially this holiday season. So, you now, here's a call for all the great independent bookstores in town.”
The book — and the neighbors who wrote it — also deserve a home in Dallas Public Library archives, he said.
Got a tip? Email Marina Trahan Martinez at mmartinez@kera.org. You can follow Marina at @HisGirlHildy.
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