CitySquare accepts The Stewpot's offer to buy South Dallas headquarters

DALLAS - Two months after Dallas nonprofit CitySquare announced it would have to dissolve its operations a buyer has stepped up.

A nonprofit connected to the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas made an offer to buy CitySquare's campus, and it was accepted.

Now, the church's congregation will have to sign off on the plan to move its nonprofit, The Stewpot, to the CitySquare campus.

CitySquare founder and CEO Larry James stepped away in 2018 and so did a lot of donors.

"Fundraisers were attached to the founder, not necessarily the mission," said Annam Manthiram, the new CEO of CitySquare.

In May, Manthiram announced the need for CitySquare to dissolve its operations on December 1.

At that time, leaders at the First Presbyterian Church were already in talks about moving The Stewpot to another location.

"The Stewpot started in 1975 as a ministry of the church. Over the last six years, we've really grown. Particularly in the pandemic, we started serving more and more people," said Brenda Snitzer, the executive director of The Stewpot.

The current building for The Stewpot is now located across the street from First Presbyterian downtown.

CitySquare is just one mile away on Malcolm X, south of Interstate 30.

"I'm excited because I believe The Stewpot will be able to do some of the things we could not for our neighbors," said Manthiram.

In addition to the food pantry, The Stewpot also plans to continue the neighborhood resource center, which helps 2,000 people a year access housing, financial assistance and employment.

"We do it because we believe we are the hands and feet of Christ and called to do God's work," said Snitzer.

As for the people who depend on The Stewpot's services downtown, Snitzer says they would utilize The Connector, a free transportation service for the homeless.

The Stewpot will continue to serve 1,000 meals a day at The Bridge.