Citysquare

FIGHTING THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF POVERTY THROUGH AN INTERLOCKING NETWORK OF PROGRAMS.

CITYSQUARE FIGHTS THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY THROUGH A HOLISTIC, NEIGHBOR-CENTERED APPROACH BY SUPPORTING NEIGHBORS TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN PERMANENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PROMOTING THE AVAILABILITY OF ADEQUATE INCOME SUPPORTS AND FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR NEIGHBORS, STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS TO SUPPORT, AND BY PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, AND HEALTHY FOOD TO NEIGHBORS. OUR COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE MODEL CONSIDERS THE FULL SPECTRUM OF SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES' ABILITY TO THRIVE AND ALLOWS NEIGHBORS TO BENEFIT FROM INTEGRATED SERVICES. BELOW ARE HIGHLIGHTS OF PROGRAMS OFFERED BY CITYSQUARE AND SOME OF THE KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF 2022.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)HOUSING PROGRAMS:CITYSQUARE HAS SEVERAL UNIQUE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE MORE THAN 659 UNITS OF HOUSING IN DALLAS. AS A STRONG ADVOCATE OF HOUSING FIRST, CITYSQUARE BELIEVES IN PROVIDING WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IN MAINTAINING THEIR HOUSING LONG TERM. FOR EXAMPLE, CITYSQUARE PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO ENSURE INDIVIDUALS OBTAIN APPROPRIATE REFERRALS, HAVE SUPPORT IN MEETING THEIR OWN PERSONAL GOALS, AND ARE ENGAGED IN PROGRAM ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE COMMUNITY. IN 2022, 87% OF ALL NEIGHBORS HOUSED IN PERMANENT OR RAPID SUPPORTING HOUSING, MAINTAINED HOUSING FOR 6 OR MORE MONTHS.

HEALTH PROGRAMS:THE CITYSQUARE CLINIC PROVIDES FAMILY PRACTICE AND PEDIATRIC HEALTHCARE, CHRONIC DISEASE EDUCATION, AND PHARMACY BENEFITS TO UNINSURED, LOW-INCOME PATIENTS. THE NEIGHBOR HEALTH SUPPORT (NHS) PROGRAM IS AN EXTENSION OF THE CITYSQUARE CLINIC. NEIGHBORS SERVED THROUGHOUT CITYSQUARE OFTEN NEED SUPPORT AROUND THEIR HEALTH NEEDS, AND THE NHS TEAM PROVIDES HOUSING NEIGHBORS WITH HEALTH NAVIGATION AND ASSISTANCE, PREVENTION SCREENINGS AND OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY FIND ACCESS CARE. IN 2022, NEARLY 317 NEIGHBORS RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM THE NHS TEAM. COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES (CHS) PARTNERS WITH FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO CREATE CLEAR MOVEMENT TOWARD BETTER HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE. CHS OPERATES A FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC AND IN 2022, PROVIDED HIGH-QUALITY PRIMARY, PREVENTIVE ADULT AND PEDIATRIC, CHRONIC AND NON-EMERGENCY ACUTE CARE TO OVER 1,230 UNINSURED NEIGHBORS, AMOUNTING TO OVER 4,050 TOTAL HEALTH RELATED ENCOUNTERS. ADDITIONALLY, CHS WORKS HARD TO SUPPORT PATIENTS IN THE SELF-MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON DIABETES. CHS LEVERAGES SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENTS OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH BAYLOR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, INC. AND ITS EMPLOYED HEALTH TEXAS PHYSICIAN NETWORK. AS AN EXTENSION OF THE CHS CLINIC, SATELLITE CLINICS ARE OPERATED AT CITYSQUARE HOUSING SITES.

HUNGER PROGRAMS:CITYSQUARE'S FOOD PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE FOOD PANTRY AND CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS. THE CITYSQUARE FOOD PANTRY PROVIDES NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO DALLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS. IT ALSO OFFERS ASSISTANCE WITH CHIP, MEDICAID, SNAP, AND TANF, THREE TIMES A WEEK. NEIGHBORS CAN VISIT THE CITYSQUARE FOOD PANTRY EVERY 15 DAYS AND CHOOSE THE GROCERY ITEMS THEY WANT, ELIMINATING THE FOOD WASTE THAT OCCURS WITH PRE-MADE GROCERY PACKS.THE FOOD PANTRY IS AN ENTRY POINT FOR CITYSQUARE'S 16 OTHER PROGRAMS RANGING FROM JOB TRAINING TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. ADDITIONALLY, CITYSQUARE OPERATES A FOOD RECOVERY PROGRAM THAT STOCKS THE FOOD PANTRY WITH READY TO EAT MEALS AND PROVIDES COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH MEALS.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)CITYSQUARE'S SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM (SFSP) AND CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP) PROVIDE MEALS YEAR-ROUND TO CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY IN AREAS SURROUNDING THE DALLAS-FT. WORTH METROPLEX AND DENVER. THE MAJOR FUNDER OF THESE PROGRAMS IS THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA); CACFP FUNDING IS USED TO PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH AFTER-SCHOOL MEALS AND SFSP FUNDING IS USED TO PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH MEALS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. IN 2022, THE PROGRAMS DELIVERED OVER 536,500 MEALS TO 9,410 CHILDREN.

HOPE PROGRAMS:LAW PROVIDES LEGAL SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WHO COULD NOT OTHERWISE AFFORD LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO HANDLE FAMILY CRISES. CLIENTS ARE REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY WHO ASSESSES THE FAMILY'S LEGAL NEEDS AND REPRESENTS THE CLIENT THROUGHOUT THE CASE. FEES (IF CHARGED) ARE DETERMINED ON A SLIDING SCALE BASED ON THE CLIENT'S ABILITY TO PAY. IN 2022, 200 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED THROUGH OUR FAMILY LAW PROGRAM RESULTING IN POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR 233 CHILDREN. CITYSQUARE'S WORKFORCE AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM'S CORE FUNDAMENTAL PILLAR IS ROOTED IN PROMOTING WORK READINESS AND FINANCIAL STABILITY. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IT IS A HOLISTIC MODEL THAT IS FRAMED WITHIN THE EXISTING WORKING FAMILIES SUCCESS MODEL (WFS) AROUND INCOME SUPPORTS, FINANCIAL COACHING AND EMPLOYMENT. THIS THREE-PRONGED APPROACH WILL APPROPRIATELY REFER, PRIMARILY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, EXISTING NEIGHBORS WHO ARE ASSESSED TO BE READY FOR JOB TRAINING, BROKER PARTNERSHIPS WITH TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS AND EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AROUND JOB READINESS TRAINING AND RETENTIONS, AND PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT FOR EXISTING NEIGHBORS IN CITYSQUARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ON A JOB READINESS TRACK. IN 2022, 106 ENROLLED NEIGHBORS RECEIVED WORKFORCE AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT SUPPORT, INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, INCOME/RESOURCE SUPPORT, OR FINANCIAL COACHING.TRANSITION RESOURCE ACTION CENTER (TRAC) PROVIDES A "ONE STOP" ASSESSMENT/INTAKE AND REFERRAL FACILITY FOR TRANSITIONAL LIVING SERVICES TO YOUTH EXITING FOSTER AND JUVENILE CARE IN NORTH TEXAS. TRAC BRINGS TOGETHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND IS THE ONLY SUCH PROGRAM IN NORTH TEXAS THAT EXISTS TO COMPREHENSIVELY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THIS POPULATION. IN 2022, TRAC SERVED OVER 1,193 OF THE MOST CHALLENGED AT-RISK TEENS BY HELPING THEM MAKE A LIFE PLAN AND ACQUIRE THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN AFTER THEY REACH AGE 18. TRAC OPERATES IN TWO SITES, ONE OF WHICH IS A COLLABORATIVE WITH A YOUTH SHELTER AND THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. NEIGHBOR SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS WITH CASE MANAGEMENT AND REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES EITHER AT CITYSQUARE OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. LONG-TERM, GOAL ORIENTED, INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT HELPS LOW INCOME AND HOMELESS ADULTS ACHIEVE KEY GOALS AND MOVE TOWARD LONG-TERM SELF-SUFFICIENCY. ABOUT 625 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED IN 2022 LEADING TO NEARLY 303 REFERRALS TO SUPPORT SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, EMERGENCY GOODS SUCH AS BUS PASSES AND HYGIENE KITS WERE DISTRIBUTED. THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM WORKS TO MEET INDIVIDUALS WHERE THEY ARE - WHETHER IT IS IN THE STREETS OR IN ENCAMPMENTS; IN 2022, THEY ENGAGED 326 INDIVIDUALS AND PLACED 39 INDIVIDUALS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING WHILE PLACING 100 ON THE HOUSING PRIORITY LIST TO AWAIT AVAILABLE HOUSING. AMERICORPS IS A NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAM DEDICATED TO WORKING IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO AFFECT CHANGE THROUGH SERVICE. CITYSQUARE OPERATES THE LARGEST AMERICORPS PROGRAM IN NORTH TEXAS, AND ITS MEMBERS ARE A VITAL SUPPORT TO VIRTUALLY EVERY PROGRAM THAT CITYSQUARE OFFERS. IN 2022, OVER 284 MEMBERS WORKED OVER 114,231 HOURS TO PROMOTE ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT, FOOD SECURITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES ACROSS CITYSQUARE AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.