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THE SAD TRUTH IS, POVERTY DOES EXIST.
CitySquare is celebrating its 23rd year of service working alongside the poor in our community; and while we are faced with the reality of poverty every day, we want to take a moment to envision a Dallas in which poverty doesn’t exist… A Dallas where literally thousands of lives are saved by access to primary and preventative healthcare; a Dallas where mothers and fathers are able to provide for their families through livable wage jobs; a Dallas where every child has a place to call home and enough nutritious food to fill his or her stomach; a Dallas where every man, woman and child has enough resources so that their energy can be spent coming together to rejoice in community, rather than worrying about where the next meal will come from or how this month’s rent will be paid. The staff, neighbors and board of CitySquare are fueled by this vision because we believe that with the help of partners like you, this can become our reality. With your help, we are able to significantly improve the lives of over 50,000 men, women and children each year by focusing on four pillars: Hunger, Health, Housing and Hope. In the following pages, you’ll learn how Sabrina Jones came to CitySquare for food and left with dignity and a newfound sense of security. You’ll learn how CitySquare kept Arthur Jackson off the streets and on a new path. You’ll learn how Jackie Arias overcame a health crisis thanks to CitySquare’s health clinic and how Jessica Flanagan is inspiring the next generation of leaders. It is stories like these that sustain us as we continue fighting to end the crippling effects that poverty has on the lives of our neighbors and, in turn, on our community as a whole. We are grateful for your support and pray that you will deepen your partnership with us to help us find the answer to the question, “What if poverty didn’t exist?” Sincerely,
Dave Shipley Chairman of the Board
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Sabrina Jones, grandmother of four, not only cheers and supports her grandchildren in their various activities; she is also their full-time care giver. In addition to the children (5, 10, 13 and 16 years old), Sabrina’s 84-year-old mother also lives with them. Sabrina’s New Reality Sabrina’s limited income makes feeding a household of six quite challenging, so in turn, she relies on CitySquare’s Food Pantry and Resource Center to help stretch her dollars. In previous years, times weren’t so extreme. Sabrina was working fulltime and was able to make ends meet. But layoffs and mounting medical bills settled in and soon after, Sabrina found herself searching for assistance to help keep her refrigerator and cabinets stocked. That’s when she turned to CitySquare’s Food Pantry and Resource Center for assistance. For Sabrina, CitySquare has been a lifesaver. 2 …
“Without CitySquare, I don’t know what I would have done or where we would be. Being able to shop at the food pantry has removed the worry I had about feeding my family,” says Sabrina. “The best part about shopping at CitySquare is having the freedom to choose my own food, just like shopping in a regular grocery store. CitySquare allows me to maintain my dignity.” In addition to her food, CitySquare’s Resource Center also helped Sabrina enroll in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps) and Medicaid so the children would have access to health insurance. Because poverty does exist, in 2011 CitySquare… • Helped feed over 12,000 families. • Distributed nearly 2 million pounds of food to our neighbors in need. • Served over 634,000 nutritious meals and snacks to 15,000 food insecure children over the summer.
hunger ON A LIMITED INCOME, FEEDING MY FAMILY HAD BECOME A REAL CHALLENGE.
housing HAVING A PLACE TO CALL HOME HAS GIVEN ME BACK MY PRIDE.
Fifty-eight year-old Arthur Jackson was always known as a charming and fun loving guy who liked to tell stories, but after going through a divorce, he struggled with drug addiction, causing his life to take a downward spiral. Arthur’s New Reality At first Arthur tried living with relatives, but his destructive habits caused him to become estranged from many family members. He then found himself staying in various shelters across Dallas, roaming in search of a place to lay his head each night. One day he woke up and knew this wasn’t the life he was intended to lead. Arthur heard about a housing opportunity for the homeless at CityWalk@Akard, one of CitySquare’s housing programs. He made a phone call inquiring about an apartment and within a few weeks, he received the news that he had been accepted and a new home was waiting for him. As Arthur remembers, “That was truly one of the best days of my life.” A regular volunteer around the building, Arthur can be seen on any given day helping other neighbors, working as a door greeter and even monitoring the parking lot, ensuring its safety for the children in the building. He believes in CitySquare’s core values and is always willing to share his story with others. Arthur often reflects on how bad things were before and how extremely proud he is of his new life. In two short years, he has become a wonderful example of the impact permanent supportive housing can have on an individual. Because poverty does exist, in 2011 CitySquare… • Helped house over 1,200 neighbors who were either homeless or in danger of homelessness. • Assisted 100 CityWalk@Akard neighbors with developing life plans to become more self-sufficient. • Provided permanent housing, wrapped with intensive case management, to over 180 chronically homeless neighbors, enabling them to improve their health, income and quality of life.
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Seventy-year-old Jackie Arias had a feeling something was wrong when she became dizzy, unusually weak and tired. She feared her condition would only get worse if she did not seek help. The future seemed bleak and Jackie was without options. Jackie’s New Reality With no health insurance or public benefits, Jackie didn’t think she could afford to go to the doctor for an examination. Fortunately, a friend told her about the high-quality services offered at CitySquare’s Community Health Services (CHS) Clinic, a partnership with the Baylor Health Care System. Jackie immediately made an appointment.
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After her initial visit to the clinic, Jackie was diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol – which if left unmanaged, could lead to a host of other health-related problems, including heart and kidney failure. To put it mildly, Jackie was alarmed by the results but says, “The doctors were very clear as to what precautions to take.” Since that initial visit to CHS, Jackie has taken control of her blood sugar and blood pressure, with both returning to a normal range. She has also been able to decrease the number of medications prescribed for her – something, she says, she could not have done without the support and encouragement of the clinical staff. For Jackie, CHS has been a lifesaver and a life changer. “At the clinic, they taught me how to cook healthy meals and exercise so that I could get better,” says Jackie. “They take care of me like family and I look forward to my clinic visits because it’s like catching up with friends.” Because poverty does exist, in 2011 CitySquare… • Met the primary and preventive health needs of nearly 2,000 uninsured neighbors through our Community Health Services Clinic. • Provided 1,000 annual consultations on diabetes management through the nationally recognized Community Diabetes Education program (CoDE). • Provided over 1,500 patients with on-going assistance to access affordable healthcare through our Project Access program – reducing reliance upon unneeded hospitalizations and costly emergency room visits for the uninsured.
health I THOUGHT QUALITY HEALTHCARE WAS OUT OF MY REACH.
hope CITYSQUARE IS PART OF MY FAMILY… …AND LIKE FAMILY, I’M HERE TO GIVE BACK.
Jessica Flanagan connected with CitySquare when she was a resilient 8-year-old little girl in foster care. Jessica’s New Reality Jessica didn’t experience the carefree childhood that most children enjoy. As a little girl, she was bounced around to several foster homes, yet always steadfast in her wish for a “forever home.” Jessica longed for the unconditional love of a true family, and a place to call home. CitySquare’s Legal Action Works (LAW) team helped turn Jessica’s dream into a reality by connecting her with a family at Central Dallas Church, and aiding in her adoption process. Though Jessica’s new family didn’t have a lot of money, there was no shortage of love. Through CitySquare’s Food Pantry and Resource Center, Jessica and her family received food assistance as well as information and referral to other programs and services available to them. It was through this experience that Jessica learned valuable life lessons about the importance of giving back and helping others. In fact, Jessica cites her time with CitySquare as her inspiration for helping other foster care youth. Today, Jessica is 24 and has already earned her master’s degree in education. She is now working towards another advanced degree, this one in social work. Jessica says her future desires are “to provide hope, serve as a leader and mentor to other youth in the foster care system and let them know they can be successful too.” “I have stayed connected to CitySquare for 16 years,” says Jessica. “I just want to pay it forward and instill hope in a young person’s life; just like CitySquare did for me.” Because poverty does exist, in 2011 CitySquare… • Provided supportive services to over 800 foster care youth aging out of foster care in a 19-county area in northeast Texas. • Provided legal services for 250 families who could not afford legal representation. • Trained over 100 neighbors in commercial construction and Microsoft Office Suite – equipping them with the hard and soft skills needed to enhance their employability for a living wage job.
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State of the Economy – Hard Facts We posed the question, “What if poverty didn’t exist?” We found ourselves imagining what the world would be like if no one had to worry about having enough food to eat, a place to call home or finding a place to go when they were sick. But the sad truth is, poverty does exist and there’s no easy fix. In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, more than 918,000 individuals live below the poverty line – 14.6% of the population. CitySquare fights to alleviate the root causes of poverty in our community by working hand-in-hand with our neighbors -- we do not have clients -- to develop sustainable partnerships that provide support and encouragement to all so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Each year we see more and more neighbors turning to us for help. It often seems there’s no end in sight during these tough economic times, which have become the “new normal.” According to the Census Bureau, one out of six Americans live in poverty and based on the latest Homeless Census, there are nearly 6,000 homeless men, women and children in the Dallas Area. 10 …
With an unemployment rate of over 8%, thousands in North Texas have found themselves out of work, out of savings and out of options. But despite the tough economy – despite the times, and even because of the times – CitySquare team members, along with our friends and supporters just like you, are pushing forward, committed to providing our neighbors the encouraging, respectful hand up they need now as never before. The sad truth is, poverty does exist… • Statewide, 4.6 million Texans (18.4%) live in poverty, putting Texas 3% higher than the national average. • 97% of those who experienced food insecurity claimed they lacked the means to purchase more food and did not know where their next meal would come from. • According to the Texas Medical Association (TMA), over 27% of Dallas County’s population does not have any form of health insurance coverage. • Nearly one-third of Dallas County children live in poverty.
Four Pillars and Programs CitySquare’s holistic approach to poverty encompasses hunger relief, housing, health and hope.
hunger
housing
health
hope
HUNGER The need for food assistance is the gateway into CitySquare for many but it often leads to the discovery of additional needs of our neighbors. We offer several hunger relief programs, including a food pantry and a meal/snack distribution network serving low-income youth.
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Food Pantry – neighbors shop for themselves at our food pantry, which is stocked with high quality, nutritious foods. The pantry provides nearly 2 million pounds of food each year to approximately 12,000 families. Resource Center – we assess our neighbor’s needs and assist with enrolling them in food assistance programs such as the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps) and with information and referral to other services. Summer Feeding Program – provides free, nutritious meals to low-income children who would not otherwise have access during the summer. The Food on the Move program, in collaboration with AmeriCorps and PepsiCo, takes summer feeding to low-income apartment complexes in some of the most vulnerable neighborhoods in Dallas. At-Risk Afterschool Meal Program – provides free, nutritious snacks and suppers to structured afterschool programs located in low-income neighborhoods. For many children, the food they receive at these programs is their last meal of the day. Child Care Center Meal Reimbursement Program – assists child care centers by increasing the quality of food they serve to young children residing in lowincome areas.
HOUSING CitySquare has worked with our partners in the community to address the lack of affordable housing in our city by providing housing to the chronically homeless, those at risk of homelessness, the disabled and teens aging out of foster care. We also build and operate affordable housing communities throughout the city to ensure that our low-income neighbors have access to quality housing. Destination Home – provides permanent supportive housing for over 130 homeless, disabled individuals in the private housing market. Many of these residents served our nation in the military. CityWalk@Akard – a unique 200-unit high-rise building in downtown Dallas. This vertical community is comprised of formerly homeless neighbors and others who have minimal income, but benefit from having downtown housing with easy access to transportation.
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HEALTH We’ve learned that good health is vital to a better quality of life. But for thousands of people without health insurance, healthcare often equals costly emergency room visits or medical issues going untreated. CitySquare offers solutions. Community Health Services (CHS) Clinic – provides holistic healthcare to uninsured patients by providing multiple services under one roof to address the broad range of care our patients need to become and remain healthy. CHS serves as a “medical home” to nearly 2,000 neighbors. CHS provides more than 1,000 annual consultations to individuals living with diabetes through its nationally recognized Community Diabetes Education (CoDE) program. Project Access – a community-wide network of volunteer medical specialists, and our Community Health Navigation program (CHN) links over 1,500 lowincome, uninsured patients with specialty care.
HOPE As many low-income and impoverished neighbors cope with a lack of resources every day, it is easy to lose hope that circumstances could change. CitySquare offers multiple programs aimed at renewing hope in the lives of our less fortunate neighbors. Transition Resource Action Center (TRAC) – provides supportive services including emergency housing, after-care coaching and counseling, job search and school enrollment assistance to over 800 youth aging out of foster care each year. WorkPaths – trains unemployed and under-employed neighbors with the knowledge and skills they need for living wage employment. • Path2Success – soft skills and computer training. • Build4Success – vocational training and certifications that prepares participants for work in the construction industry. • Framework4Success – paid internship for Build4Success graduates in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. 14 …
Social Work Services – provides intensive case management to our neighbors in various departments, including the Resource Center, Destination Home, WorkPaths and Community Health Services. Legal Action Works (LAW) – provides quality legal services for individuals who could not otherwise afford to access legal representation. AmeriCorps – a national organization funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service that provides opportunities for Americans to give back to their communities and country each year, providing much-needed support to nonprofit organizations around the country. CitySquare places over 250 AmeriCorps members in nonprofits throughout the city, thanks to funding from the OneStar Foundation in Texas.
Projected Revenue by Source 1.9% 2.2% 7.2%
1.6% 1.9% – Churches
9.1%
1.6% – Corporations 9.1% – Individuals 17.0% – Foundations
17%
4.5% – Fees 3.3% – Sales 5.5% – Other
47.7%
4.5% 3.3% 5.5%
4 7.7% – Public Funds 7.2% – United Way 2.2% – Events (Net) 100.0%
Stewardship Because poverty does exist... CitySquare strives to be the best stewards of the funds entrusted to us. Over 92 cents of every dollar donated goes to program services. With the support of our network of community partners and volunteers, we are able to further combat poverty and open the doorway to renewal and hope.
Program Services – 92.4% Fundraising – 5.1% Administration – 2.5% HOW WE INVEST
Financials reflect projected outcomes for 2011, representing the year in review.
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Just Ahead: Opportunity Center CitySquare is building a state of the art “Opportunity Center” at the Southeast corner of I-30 and Malcolm X Blvd. The 52,000 square foot campus will include a revolutionary, multi-purpose, food distribution center; a large teaching and production kitchen; a new state-of-the-art wellness center; and a large employment
training center that will house new offices for Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas and CitySquare’s workforce training initiatives. In addition, the new center will be home to CitySquare AmeriCorps headquarters and offices as well as the staging areas for CitySquare’s growing Summer and After-School Lunch program, which is funded by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The development budget totals $12,500,000 with completion set for late 2012. Con-Real serves as general contractor and Omniplan provided the architectural design. The Opportunity Center will serve low-income residents of East and South Dallas. Through this enhanced service center, CitySquare will continue to attract current neighbors who access services while adding new neighbors not presently served. The Center will also open new options for families to receive the comprehensive services and opportunities that they need to achieve progress and begin to work their way beyond poverty into economic viability as citizens and neighbors.
CitySquare is building a state of the art “Opportunity Center.”
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Our Mission and Core Values Vision Changing the trajectory of people’s lives. Mission CitySquare exists to fight the root causes of poverty by partnering with those in need. Working together as a community, we feed the hungry, heal the sick, house the homeless and renew hope in the heart of our city.
Core Values COMMUNITY: WE over me! We are a community of neighbors, investing in each other and developing meaningful relationships which value each individual. FAITH: The power that sustains us. Our work flows out of our faith, and that faith is inclusive and ecumenical.
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JUSTICE: The focus of our fight. We stand for justice and demand equity for all our neighbors. STEWARDSHIP: Our Commitment to accountability. Our resources belong to the community and as stewards of those resources we will act with integrity, demonstrate accountability and operate efficiently and effectively.
Working together as a community, we feed the hungry, heal the sick, house the homeless and renew hope in the heart of the city.
CitySquare Executive Management Team Larry James President and Chief Executive Officer
Rev. Gerald Britt V.P. of Public Policy & Community Program Development
Keith Ackerman, LMSW Chief Operations Officer
Steve Palma Chief Financial Officer and Social Enterprise Officer
Shawn Wills
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Chief Development Officer
CitySquare Board of Directors Dave Shipley
Jon S. Halbert
Chair
Vice Chair
Stan Shipley
Jim Sowell
John R. Castle
Secretary
Founder, Chairman Emeritus
Emeritus Member
Bob Biard
Wilton J. Hollins
Trevor Palacio
Robin Blakeley
Tonia Howard
Craig Spaulding
Leslie Choice
Schuyler Marshall
Kevin Thomason
Stephen Cockerham
Butch McCaslin
James Walton
Scott T. Collier
Wendy Messmann
Fran Wills
Mark DeHaven
Glenn Owen
Ways You Can Give Today! We encourage you to make a monetary gift in the envelope provided or donate online at www.CitySquare.org/donate. For corporate and planned giving, or to donate stocks or real estate, please contact our Chief Development Officer at 214.303.2147. To donate food, please contact our Food Pantry and Resource Center at 214.828. 2696. To donate clothes, housewares, vehicles and other goods, please contact our Thrift Store at 214.887.8800. If you would like to volunteer, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@CitySquare.org. To schedule a tour and learn more about how your gifts will be invested, please contact us at dev@CitySquare.org.
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511 N. Akard St., Ste. 302 Dallas, TX 75201 Phone: 214.823.8710 Fax: 214.824.5355 www.CitySquare.org •
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511 N. Akard St., Ste. 302 Dallas, TX 75201 Phone: 214.823.8710 Fax: 214.824.5355 www.CitySquare.org •
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