Dallas Leadership Foundation

TO IDENTIFY, AFFIRM, AND DEVELOP LEADERS TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES.

DLF YOUTH: DLF YOUTH MENTORS AT-RISK YOUTH TO BE LEADERS THROUGH ITS POWER TEAM INITIATIVE. DLF YOUTH ALSO PROVIDES IN-DEPTH WEEKLY TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT TO MENTORS WHO WORK WITH DLF'S YOUTH. STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE POWER LUNCH HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM ARE TAUGHT LIFE SKILLS, SUPPORTED ACADEMICALLY, AND COACHED ON APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR. DLF YOUTH ALSO PROVIDES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. DEVELOPMENT AMONG MULTICULTURAL DALLAS YOUTH IS FOSTERED IN THE WEEKLY POWER LUNCH MEETINGS AT TWO AREA HIGH SCHOOLS. DLF YOUTH ALSO PROVIDES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CHAPLAIN SERVICES FOR AN ADDITIONAL SOUTH DALLAS HIGH SCHOOL AND A LITERACY PROGRAM AT A SOUTH DALLAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IN THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND 2021, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS DLF YOUTH SERVED THROUGH ALL ITS PROGRAMS WAS 956 AND 710, RESPECTIVELY.

TREASURES OF HOPE: TREASURES OF HOPE IS AN ANNUAL CHRISTMAS STORE HELD FOR FAMILIES IN NEED. DLF SERVES OVER 20 CHURCHES, COMMUNITY AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT REFER INDIVIDUALS TO SHOP WITH DIGNITY FOR MERCHANDISE AT 75% OFF THE RETAIL VALUE. IN THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND 2021, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DLF SERVED THROUGH ITS TREASURES OF HOPE CHRISTMAS STORE WAS 500 AND 1,191, RESPECTIVELY. TRANSFORM DALLAS: DLF PARTNERS WITH MULTIPLE LOCAL CHURCHES TO PUT ON TRANSFORM DALLAS IN WHICH HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS ARE RECRUITED TO SERVE IN VARIOUS COMMUNITY PROJECTS SUCH AS HOUSE PAINTINGS, LANDSCAPING, NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP, CRIME AND SAFETY ITEMS, COMMUNITY-BUILDING BLOCK PARTIES, AND MUCH MORE. DLF RESUMED TRANSFORM DALLAS IN 2022 AND SERVED 201 PEOPLE, EXPANDING SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FROM AN ANNUAL ONE-DAY EVENT TO MULTIPLE DAYS OF SERVICE. DLF WORKS: DLF-WORKS IS AN INTEGRATED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT TEACHES HARD TO REACH MARGINALIZED INDIVIDUALS SKILLS TO EARN A LIVING WAGE. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE LIFE-SKILLS TRAINING, HANDS-ON WORKPLACE TRAINING, AND JOB PLACEMENT SERVICES THAT HELP PARTICIPANTS BECOME STABLE, PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. DLF USES A RELATIONAL APPROACH TO HELP HARD- TO-PLACE PARTICIPANTS INCREASE THEIR EMPLOYABILITY IN A COMPETITIVE WORKPLACE. IN THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND 2021, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DLF-WORKS PARTICIPANTS SERVED WAS 276 AND 0, RESPECTIVELY. DUE TO COVID, THE DLF WORKFORCE PROGRAM WAS SHUT DOWN IN 2020 AND 2021 AND RESTARTED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2022.

DLF NEIGHBORHOODS: DLF'S APPROACH TO COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION INCLUDES A HEAVY FOCUS ON IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE 13 TARGETED DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS. INITIALLY, DLF NEIGHBORHOODS WORKS TO IDENTIFY EXISTING LEADERSHIP IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS OFTEN COMES IN THE FORM OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR BY INDIVIDUALS CONNECTING DIRECTLY WITH DLF. ONCE A MORE FORMAL RELATIONSHIP BEGINS, DLF BEGINS TO ASSESS THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS WITH LOCAL LEADERS THROUGH DLF'S OWN NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY INDEX. THE VITALITY INDEX IS A DATA COLLECTION TOOL USED TO DETERMINE A NEIGHBORHOOD'S SUSTAINABILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE RESIDENTS. AT THIS POINT, DLF AND THE COMMUNITY LEADERS WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT INCLUDES PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS STRATEGIES TO CREATE THRIVING, SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS. DLF NEIGHBORHOODS' PROGRAMS PROVIDE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT SERVICES SUCH AS LEADERSHIP TRAINING, HOME IMPROVEMENT, AND CONNECTION TO EMPLOYMENT AND HEALTH SERVICES. IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, DLF ALSO BEGAN PROVIDING FOOD BOXES, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AND TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE. DLF EXPECTS TO CONTINUE THESE CRITICAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS INTO THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. IN THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND 2021, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DLF NEIGHBORHOODS SERVED WAS 15,793 AND 18,273, RESPECTIVELY.

DLF REENTRY: DLF REENTRY ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF CURRENTLY AND PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED MEN RETURNING TO SOCIETY, IN COLLABORATION WITH CHURCHES, NONPROFITS, AND AGENCIES. INDIVIDUALS LEAVING PRISON ARE MENTORED IN CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES AND PROVIDED COMPASSIONATE ASSISTANCE WITH WEEKLY FELLOWSHIP, OBTAINING HOUSING, CLOTHING PURCHASES, DOCUMENTATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND TRANSPORTATION. BUS PASSES ARE OFFERED AS SUPPORT TO ASSIST MEN WITH TRANSPORTATION. DLF ALSO ENGAGES MEN THROUGH ITS IN-PRISON FAITH-BASED PROGRAM HOUSED IN A 232 BED BUILDING AT HUTCHINS STATE JAIL. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES 30 HOURS OF TRAINING EACH WEEK IN THE AREAS OF FATHERHOOD, SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO NAME A FEW. REENTRY ALSO PROVIDES A WORKFORCE TRANSITION HOUSE WHICH PROVIDES NINE MONTHS OF SUPPORT. DURING THIS TIME, WE HELP PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED MEN TO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE BACK INTO SOCIETY. IN THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND 2021, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DLF REENTRY SERVED WAS 1,000 AND 1,336, RESPECTIVELY. THE REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF MEN SERVED WAS DUE TO EXTENDED LOCKDOWN IN HUTCHINS STATE JAIL.