Founded in 1963, Mesquite Social Services, Inc. has provided services to the greater Mesquite community for more than 40 years.  MSS began when Jewell Westmoreland, a citizen of Mesquite and community activist, realized the depth of need in the community for emergency assistance.  In order to meet these needs, she founded MSS with the mission to provide immediate short-term assistance with the basic and essential needs of those in our community and surrounding area. 

MSS is one of the oldest non-profits in the Mesquite community.  And in this capacity, it has worked to serve as a foundation to the community by fostering collaborations with other non-profits.  These collaborations include providing office space to the New Beginning Center, as well as, offering information and referrals for other client services. 

Today, MSS currently provides crisis relief assistance through the provision of utility assistance, rental/mortgage assistance, food pantry, information and referral and holiday assistance to families residing in Mesquite, Balch Springs, Sunnyvale and Seagoville.  The agency operates with 3 full time staff and a team of volunteers who assist with general office and food pantry duties. 

Each year MSS provides assistance to over 10,000 individuals in the greater Mesquite community.  In 2007, MSS distributed over 69,000 pounds of food to families in crisis and provided “Christmas Cheer” to over 700children.  Without the support of the greater Mesquite community, businesses, churches and individuals, this level of assistance would not have been possible.  Financial donations from the community, in-kind food donations from the MISD and volunteers donating hours of time come together to form an agency focused on our clients.