Youth

The All Stars Project's afterschool development programs use a performance-based approach to help disadvantaged youth in high poverty areas like West Dallas and South Oak Cliff create success in their lives. Funding will support its core programs in Dallas: the All Stars Talent Show Network, the Development School for Youth, and Cops & Kids, a partnership with the Dallas Police Department that builds relationships between youth and officers.

Arlington-Grand Prairie Guide Right Foundation (AGPGRF) provides mentoring, leadership, and scholarship programs for young males in the Arlington and Grand Prairie communities as well as the DFW area. AGPGRF is involved in several programs: Annual Beautillion Presentation, Adopt-A-School, Kappa League, Kappa Kamp, Feeding the Homeless, Holiday Baskets, Mentoring Programs, Scholarships, Sunday of Hope, and St. Jude. Funding will support Adopt-A-School, Kappa League, and scholarships for the Annual Beautillion Presentation.

Bedford Euless Soccer Association (BESA) is a volunteer-led non-profit with the mission to impact the development of the community by helping children ages 3-18 years learn soccer skills, build self-confidence, and promote team building. Funding is requested to replace old soccer goals and to provide financial aid to those in need.

Best Buddies works to create opportunities for one-to-one friendship, integrated employment, and leadership development for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Best Buddies aims to build a more inclusive world, one association at a time, by removing barriers that often isolate those with disabilities from our schools, workplaces, and our lives. Funding will support the critical expansion of Best Buddies programs in underserved areas of the DFW Metroplex.

Big Brothers Big Sisters' (BBBS) mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Children in BBBS programs develop higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships, learn to avoid risky behaviors, and achieve higher educational success. Requested funds are for on-going match support, volunteer recruitment, and general program operations.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas’ mission is to enable all young people, especially those in need, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. Funds are requested for the Accelerated Early Childhood Education Program, which helps children improve reading skills; the College & Career Ready Program, which prepares Dallas County teens to enter college or the professional world equipped to succeed; and STEM Programs such as Coding Camp and Robotics.

Bridge Lacrosse's mission is to use lacrosse to broaden the horizons of the community's youth. They offer year-round programming that includes competition, skill development as well as educational opportunities, workshops, and travel experiences. Bridge is proud to work with more than 440 student-athletes each year while fostering a culture of family.

Café Momentum, a Dallas restaurant and culinary training facility, transforms lives through a paid, intensive internship program for at-risk youth. Former juvenile offenders receive career and life skills training, mentoring, social services support (housing, medical, and legal assistance), and job placement to foster long-term, sustainable employment and good citizenship. Café Momentum has served 469 youth to-date and expects to serve 100 more youth in 2018. Funding will support Intern wages and general operating costs.

For 110 years, Center for Transforming Lives (CTL) has moved low-income women and children in Tarrant County from poverty to independence. CTL’s two-generation approach to ending poverty addresses the needs of children and parents through programs that include Homeless Services, Early Childhood Development (including three child care centers that provide free care for homeless kids, and Financial Empowerment Services.

Champions of Hope is a mentorship program that pairs a committed adult mentors with at-risk children in the South Dallas community. Champions of Hope seeks the transformation of individuals and the community of South Dallas through the Gospel of Jesus Christ by gospel-driven relationships. Funds are requested for the mentorship program which matches fourth-grade students with mentors for at least 2 years and supports ongoing relationships through high school graduation. The average length of mentorship in Champions of Hope is 2.7 years, which exceeds the national average of 1.3 years.

Chase’s Place is a private day school serving students with developmental disabilities, including mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorder/autism, traumatic brain injuries, and neurological disorders. Funding will support scholarships to help families access the program who would otherwise be unable to pay for high quality care and education of their disabled child.

Community Partners of Dallas' mission is to ensure safety and restore dignity and hope to abused and neglected children by providing resources and support to the caseworkers of Dallas County Child Protective Services. Funds are requested for the Rainbow Room, an emergency resource center providing critically needed items for 9,000+ children annually. These items include clothing, shoes, hygiene products, diapers, formula, and other critically needed items for children removed from their family because of abuse or neglect.

CHILDREN AT RISK is a statewide child research and advocacy organization. Funds would support efforts to improve the quality of K-12 public education and early education; combat domestic sex trafficking by strengthening laws and policies on sex trafficking and focusing on demand reduction; improve the health of all children through collaboration, research, policy, and education; and equip families with the tools and resources to ensure all children grow up in safe, nurturing and aspirational homes.

Children's Craniofacial Association's (CCA) mission is to empower and give hope to individuals and families affected by cranial differences. CCA serves 20,000 families per year and 10,000 unaffected students through educational outreach. CCA requests funding for their Annual Family Retreat and Educational Symposium to provide 160 craniofacial patients and 400 family members an opportunity to interact with others who have endured similar experiences.

Citychurch Youth Outreach McKinney exists to engage and empower the at-risk youth and families in the McKinney community. Funds are requested to host programs, help meet families' basic needs, and provide fun experiences, mentorship, and advocacy opportunities for the youth in a loving & positive environment.

Clayton Dabney for Kids with Cancer's mission is to provide children in the last stages of terminal cancer assistance in creating "Everlasting Memories." Funds are requested for "Medicine of the Heart," their outreach program providing the platform for creating "Everlasting Memories" for 350 children per year. Clayton Dabney for Kids with Cancer delivers gifts and last wishes to children. “Medicine of the Heart” picks up where the medicine ends…fulfilling dreams, applauding their bravery, and supporting terminally ill children and their struggling families.

For 43 years, Clayton Youth Enrichment has provided before/after school and summer programs for families across Tarrant County. They serve 7,000+ children annually at more than 80 school sites. Funding is requested to support scholarships for low-income youth to attend after school and summer camp; to provide child care to families escaping domestic violence and who are accessing services at One Safe Place; and to support staff training in managing trauma-related behaviors in young children.

Confidence Outreach works with disadvantaged youth in impoverished communities to help them excel academically, personally, and contribute to their community. Our goal is to provide six-week summer S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) enrichment programs to over 500 youth in the DFW area at no cost. Funding will support educators and tutors, educational materials, and snacks for the summer program.

Dallas Afterschool increases the quality and availability of afterschool and summer programs in the Dallas community. Their vision is that all students will have access to quality out-of-school time services that promotes their intellectual, emotional, and creative development in a safe and nurturing environment. Funding will support the Program Quality Initiative, which increases the quality of existing afterschool programs, and the After the Bell Alliance, which increases accessibility by advocating for new programs.

Dallas Elite Track Club (DETC) is a nonprofit youth organization whose mission is to develop well-rounded student-athletes who will become successful adults. Funds are requested for implementation of their Learning Academy which will include a reading program, a life skills program, and an indoor space where the team can meet, access reading and life skills programs, and receive tutoring. DETC is supported by five parents who are certified teachers committed to youth success.

Since its inception in 1995, Dallas Leadership Foundation (DLF) has worked to identify local leaders, affirm their ability to make a difference, and develop and leverage their inherent strengths to serve the poor. Funds are requested to support DLF’s youth mentoring program. In 2017, 2,093 at-risk high school students ages 12-18 engaged with strong mentors who taught and modeled leadership during the school day at DLF’s weekly lunch life skills training sessions.

Dallas Police Youth Foundation supports the Dallas Police Department’s comprehensive citywide youth community engagement efforts as they engage and mentor youth to become future community leaders. Funds are requested to support programs that provide positive and consistent interaction between youth and police, thus building trust; programs include Law Enforcement Explorers, Junior Explorers, Junior Police Academy, Blue in the School, Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL), and select activities/events.

Dallas SPARK! aspires to ignite the spark of creativity inherent in all children. SPARK! ignites this creativity through creating a fully immersive learning environment, layering various creative disciplines to spark the imagination, expand the mind, and engage the body. As a result, children who define themselves as creative have higher self-esteem and better problem solving skills. Funding is requested to support creative programs that help 10,000 children each year discover innovative skills that lead to success.

DIVERGE Holistic Youth Empowerment mentors at-risk youth to help them discover their leadership potential. Youth build skills like respect, responsibility, stewardship, and honesty. Since its inception in 2014, DIVERGE’s programs have helped over 150 students in the Fort Worth Morningside area. Funds are requested to support experiential learning trips to museums and sports events, camping trips, and mentoring groups for the youth served.

Embrace connects willing hands with opportunities to serve children in foster, adoptive, and kinship care. Respite care, support groups and parent training improve the lives of these children, while transition services support teens who will "age-out” of foster care without an adoptive family. Funding is requested to provide basic household items to help these young adults as they become independent. In 2017, teens received over 100 “first apartment kits" valued at $700-$1,000.

Emma's House provides after school, spring break, and summer camp for teens and young adults (ages 14 to 29) with special needs, such as Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities and autism. Funds are requested to support tuition assistance to enable ten young people with disabilities to attend the 2018 summer camp program. Funding would also enable 25 members/volunteers to attend two field trips per week and to hire a part-time counselor.

Essilor Vision Foundation empowers children to reach their full potential by giving them the ability to see clearly. Funds are requested for Kids Vision for Life Greater Dallas and Kids Vision for Life Tarrant County. These programs provide vision services to low-income children through a mobile clinic that travels from school to school. In 2017, the programs offered 53,172 vision screenings, 11,044 eye exams, and 10,492 pairs of prescription eyeglasses to low-income children in the DFW area.

Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas inspires girls everywhere to stand up and make a difference. Girl Scouts prepares girls for a lifetime of leadership by providing access to many girl-led experiences, skill-building opportunities, and connections, because girls built of courage, confidence, and character make the world a better place. Funds are requested for financial assistance for low-income girls to participate free of charge, the volunteer mentoring program and equipment for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) experiments.

As the premier leadership program for girls, Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plans helps girls learn to be go-getters, innovators, risk-takers, and leaders through hands-on, girl-led experiences. Through Girl Scouts, 75% of girls know how they can make a difference, and 73% are willing to persist amid challenges. One middle school girl says, "I learned how much one girl can do by herself, and how much girls can do together." Funds are requested for memberships ($25/girl), program supplies, and event fees.

Girls on the Run inspires girls to recognize their inner strength, celebrates what makes them one of a kind, and believes that every girl is inherently full of power and potential. Trained coaches lead small teams of girls through a 10-week, research-based curricula which includes dynamic discussions, activities and running games. Funds are requested for scholarships for low-income 3rd-8th grade girls to ensure all girls are able to participate, regardless of financial situation.

Hanna4Hope (H4H) directly trains teens and those who care for them to be first responders for teens experiencing depression, trauma or impulsive decision-making that results in contemplating suicide. Hanna4Hope's mission is to prevent these tragic deaths by educating families and community leaders on the possible signs of suicide. H4H requests funding to support school and community workshops and the curriculum and resources provided.

Hope International's mission is to unite orphaned children from around the world with loving adoptive families, provide educational programs and continuing support services to these families, and provide humanitarian aid to the children left behind in orphanages, foster care, and medical facilities. Funds are requested to provide extended post-adoption services at no cost to families, provide humanitarian aid for orphans left behind, and cover operating expenses to keep client fees low.

HopeKids North Texas provides ongoing events, activities and a robust, unique support community for families who have a child with cancer or some other life­threatening medical condition. All of HopeKids' events are focused on the whole family to prevent siblings from being unintentionally overlooked, bring families together who understand their journey. Events are offered at no cost to families. In 2017, they provided 395 events and served over 800 families. Funds are requested for the HopeDay program.

Southern Dallas Youth Initiative - Inspire provides weekly mentoring classes at local schools to help students succeed. Inspire's approach to student mentoring includes academic encouragement, social and emotional intelligence as well as mental health awareness through developing positive coping skills. Funding will support tutoring for 200 students at South Oak Cliff High School and 200 middle school students in Cedar Hill ISD.

Located in Denton County, Journey to Dream houses Kyle's Place Homeless Shelter, which provides housing, programs, support, counseling, and life skills to equip and empower youth to overcome destructive influences and adversity so that they can live purposeful and productive lives. Funds are requested to support the Shelter, specifically: 1) safe, stable living accommodations; 2) individual, group and family counseling; and 3) food, clothing, medical care, crisis intervention and life skill and mentoring programs.

For 35+ years, KidLinks has provided therapeutic music entertainment and music therapy programs to more than 300,000 hospitalized and special needs children, family members, and caregivers - giving healing, hope and happiness through music and media. Funds are requested to provide Music Therapy services, live performances for children with special needs and to build content for their online platform, Hugworks Children's Network, for those times when they can't be there in person.

Lone Star CASA recruits, trains, and supports volunteers who advocate for abused or neglected children in the courts of Rockwall & Kaufman Counties. CASAs provide guidance and support for abused or neglected children; interact with CPS, attorneys, judges, teachers, doctors, therapists, and family members; and assist in ensuring placement in a safe, permanent home, free of abuse. Funds are requested to train/support volunteers to provide a CASA for every child placed in foster care.

The One Heart Project-Texas Mentoring Initiative is a collaboration with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and Dallas County Juvenile Justice Department to mentor youthful offenders and redefine re-entry in Dallas County by providing job training/placement, non-acute mental health education, mentoring, legal amelioration and a community network of support. The holistic approach to their service delivery model ensures that they can provide youthful offenders with a genuine second chance.

In 2017 Project Transformation Central Texas launched the nationally recognized Project Transformation (PT) program in Fort Worth, bringing their evidence-based literacy program into the lives of at-risk children in Tarrant County. On average, 95% of the children served will maintain or improve their reading levels. PT fosters transformative relationships among the three vital parts of their mission: children, college students, and churches. Their funding requests are for staff (including housing), supplies and materials.

Promise House is working to end youth homelessness in North Texas. Their free programs include emergency shelter, transitional housing, pregnant and parenting teen support, counseling, education, and outreach. Funding is requested for: 1) the Emergency Youth Shelter, which houses 37 youth each night; 2) the Wesley Inn program, which cares for 12 teen mothers and their babies for up to two years; and 3) the Transitional Living Program, which provides 16 youth up to two years of housing and support.

Resource Center of Dallas operates a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) community center. Funds are requested for Youth First, the only North Texas program of its kind that serves LGBTQ youth, ages 12-18, and equips them with the skills and resources they need to lead an authentic life. Funding will support programs/activities that build self-confidence and improve the well-being of the community’s LGBTQ youth during their critical, formative years.

RISE Adaptive Sports' mission is to assist persons with physical challenges to Recover, Inspire, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) themselves and others by providing inclusive, adaptive recreational sports programs. Funds are requested for children with physical disabilities to participate in therapeutic recreational sports programs adapted to their specific needs. They serve 500 disabled children per year. Ninety percent of participants are below the poverty line, and all of their programs are free.

Stepping Stones Foundation is dedicated to serving youth in crisis throughout North Texas by providing access to emergency housing, food, clothing and medical care as well as offering an array of programs and services aimed to empower and instill the necessary tools for making positive life choices.

Students Standing Strong (S3) develops student leaders who learn, live and lead Biblical truth through student-led clubs. Anyone can participate regardless of faith. S3 currently serves more than 3,000 students across 39 public-school campuses. Funding is requested for expansion of clubs and Christian student leaders across North Texas, capital support to purchase new office space to accommodate expansive growth throughout the region, and salary support for the addition of a Marketing Director.

Texas Lawyers for Children (TLC) improves case outcomes for abused and neglected children by recruiting, training, and engaging attorneys to provide the best possible legal representation for children in foster care. Funds are requested to expand TLC's education advocate program in North Texas, to provide training to judges and attorneys about the needs of traumatized children, and to make presentations at North Texas law firms to recruit more pro bono attorneys.

Kidd's Kids is a wish-granting organization with two yearly group trips to Disney World for kids age 5-12 and teens age 13-18. The entire family also takes the trip. These trips are needed to provide hope and happiness to families of kids with life-altering and life-threatening conditions. The families make friendships that last a lifetime and create memories that sustain them during difficult times. Funds are requested to support these trips.

The Movie Institute dedicates effort to the empowerment of young people and adults for positive character growth and successful career development by providing mentoring and training for success through a variety of programs. Since 2000, The Movie Institute has reached over 1200 individual students and their families. Funds are requested for helping reduce their camp cost for less fortunate youth, purchase of lighting and camera equipment for the kids to use, and for administrative cost.

Unbridled Horse Therapy (UHT) provides equine therapy to those with various special needs and disabilities. UHT's mission is to efficiently intercede and encourage unrealized potential through the connection between horse and rider. As a therapy center, UHT strives to help those with any and all abilities to adapt and overcome daily struggles through the interaction with their therapy horses. Funds are requested to continue the health and upkeep of UHT's seven therapy horses who provide daily sessions.

Each week in 2017, United Through HOPE impacted the lives of 300 youth by providing over 19 programs for them to become more calm, confident, adventurous, involved, and well-spoken regardless of the setting. United through Hope creates leaders through social skills groups and outings. Funds are requested to support recess skills for their elementary aged members, the growth of their female empowerment groups, and to help young adults with the soft skills to be part of a workplace community.

We Are Family Enterprises (WAFE) is a community nonprofit that engages, encourages, educates, and empowers at-risk Dallas area youths via the performance and recording arts. WAFE provides these artistically inclined youth with mentorship, apprenticeship, and entrepreneurship opportunities that allow them to creatively tell their stories through poetry, spoken word, rap, song, dance, and acting. WAFE is requesting funds for 1) recording equipment and video equipment, 2) transportation, food, and wardrobe, and 3) promotional materials.

Youth 180 works with youth to prevent and address challenges such as substance misuse, truancy, conflict resolution, and other self-defeating behaviors. Youth 180 does not see problem children; they see children who need help solving problems. Teens using substances to cope with issues require immediate treatment. Funding is requested for providing free and low-cost substance use disorder treatment to youth whose families cannot afford other treatment programs.