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. COVID-19 RELATED RESTRICTIONS PRECLUDED DLF YOUTH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS FROM MEETING STUDENTS DURING SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF 2021 AND 2020. IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 RELATED RESTRICTIONS, DLF YOUTH REDESIGNED ITS PROGRAMMING FOR ITS 2021 AND 2020 POWER SUMMER CAMP TO MEET STUDENTS' NEEDS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SOCIAL DISTANCING. OVERALL, IN THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021 AND 2020, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENT DLF YOUTH SERVED THROUGH ALL ITS PROGRAMS WAS 856 AND 750, RESPECTIVELY.

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, 2021 AND 2020, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DLF NEIGHBORHOODS SERVED WAS 19,022 AND 23,694, 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. FUNDS ARE PROVIDED IN THE FORM OF CASH, GIFT CARDS AND BUS PASSES. COVID-19 RELATED RESTRICTIONS PRECLUDED DLF REENTRY STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS FROM MEETING WITH CURRENT AND PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED MEN DURING SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF 2021 AND 2020. IN THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021 AND 2020, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DLF REENTRY SERVED WAS 2,627 AND 786, 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, 2021 AND 2020, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DLF SERVED THROUGH ITS TREASURES OF HOPE CHRISTMAS STORE WAS 1,191 AND 1,498, 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. COVID-19 RELATED RESTRICTIONS PRECLUDED LARGE-SCALE IN-PERSON TRANSFORM DALLAS PROJECTS IN 2021 AND 2020. DLF EXPECTS TO RESUME TRANSFORM DALLAS IN 2022 AND EXPAND SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FROM AN ANNUAL ONE-DAY EEVENT 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.