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Author: United Way of Metropolitan Dallas

United Way Hosts Summit to Address Food Access as Texas Is Named the Most Food-Insecure State

Written by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on . Posted in News & Updates.

Access to food is essential for maintaining good health. The availability of regular, nutritious meals significantly influences our focus areas of education, income and health, enabling children to learn and develop, succeed in school, and go on to achieve a stable career.

Unfortunately, Texas is now the most food-insecure state in the country. In North Texas, one in eight people, or 640,000 of our neighbors, face hunger. That figure includes one in six children. In fact, Dallas County has the fourth-highest rate of food-insecure children in the nation.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we’re committed to improving food access to ensure that every North Texan can fully thrive. And on May 16, we united change-seekers from across the community in support of this goal, hosting a Food Access Summit that sparked insightful conversations and spurred forward momentum.

Highlights of the Food Access Summit

The event opened with an overview and insights from business and philanthropic leaders who are dedicated to improving food access and who discussed current local efforts to reach more North Texans. These speakers included:

  • Justin Lonon, chancellor of Dallas College
  • Brian Angle, market executive at Bank of America
  • Hunter Hunt, CEO and president of Hunt Consolidated Energy
  • Ashlee Kleinert, co-founder of The Good Foundation and Ruthie’s For Good
  • Megan DeFauw, managing director and partner, Boston Consulting Group

The summit also featured a keynote address from Hunter Hunt and Doug Rauch, founder and president of Daily Table and former president of Trader Joe’s, each of whom discussed their own work in the area of food access and explored the role of Conscious Capitalism in building sustainable food solutions.

The second keynote featured Margaret Buckley, director at the McKesson Foundation, who shared the organization’s commitment to food access and security through its Healthy DFW project and discussed the importance of local solutions and leaders in driving progress in this area.

Food Security in North Texas

Next, we welcomed an inspiring panel of local experts:

  • Benaye Wadkins Chambers, President and CEO, Crossroads Community Services
  • Anga Sanders, Founder and CEO, FEED Oak Cliff
  • Ashlee Kleinert, The Good Foundation and Ruthie’s fueled by Good
  • Tonya Edwards, Director SNAP and Social Services Assistance
  • Clarissa Clarke, Government Relations Officer, North Texas Food Bank

The panel was moderated by Susan Hoff, chief strategy and impact officer at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.

Finally, the event concluded with an inspiring address from Dan Pallotta, author and filmmaker, whose documentary, “UnCharitable,” we recently screened.

Insights From Our Panel Discussion

What’s driving food insecurity?

“Yesterday, we released a report from Feeding America, revealing that Texas is now the No. 1 state in food insecurity,” Edwards said. “That’s 5 million individuals in the state of Texas facing hunger. What’s alarming about that is that one-third of those affected are children. The problems include inflation, the cost of housing, the cost of food, the food deserts, and livable wages. We are not paying enough to cover the cost of living here in our communities.”

How does ZIP code impact health?

“You can’t have a world-class city like Dallas when over half of the city by geographical land mass is a food desert, and hundreds of thousands of people don’t have access to quality food,” Sanders said. “That’s an abomination and it needs to stop. So what we are trying to do is rectify the situation. There’s no reason we can’t do this. Dallas is home to the most unhealthy ZIP codes in Texas. It has higher rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and cancer than any other place. And all of those can be significantly impacted by what you consume.

“Your ZIP code should not determine your life expectancy, but it does. A study Dallas County Health Needs Assessment says men who live in 75215 have a 26-year shorter life expectancy than men in 75204. 75204 is the Oak Lawn area. 75215 is a food desert in South Dallas.”

What solutions are improving food security today?

“One key aspect of our work is summer meals,” Chambers said. “However, we discovered that simply providing extra food in the summer isn’t enough. Children need nutritious, self-serve food not just during summer but also during spring break, after school, Christmas break and other times when school is closed. Many children rely on school for one or two meals a day, so when school is out, parents must find a way to provide all meals, which is particularly challenging for food-insecure families.

“We need additional solutions. When parents are healthy, their children benefit. Therefore, supporting parents with living wages, educational opportunities and mental healthcare is essential. The stress of not knowing how to feed one’s family can be overwhelming, and many people come to our facility seeking support. Our goal is to offer a place where they can find help and know they are not alone.”

What are some creative ways to improve food security?

“I started a food truck business, and the model evolved where we are a second-chance employer,” Kleinert said. “My workforce has completely changed my life and my perspective and my knowledge about our community. I’ve learned so much, and I’m up here because I don’t know the answer. I just know I have 25 employees that based on their life circumstances and some decisions that were made, the same decisions I would’ve made if I were in their circumstances, now are faced with a lack of resources of every kind and food insecurity is a huge piece of that.

“We are like a restaurant on wheels. We’re able to go out to the community and my team loves nothing more than to go serve and feed others because they know what it’s like. Some of my employees come to work hungry, so we’ve learned to provide healthy options like cereals, fruit and protein bars. Their health matters.

“One young employee once showed up with her child, who was eating Doritos for breakfast because that’s all they had. This is a real issue happening in our backyard, and my team and I experience it daily. I care deeply for them.

We have been invited to open a restaurant with St. Phillips, which is very exciting. We’ll be located on Martin Luther King Boulevard, opening in late August. We provide a living wage and wraparound services, offering support in a dignified way while listening to the community. This is our model, and we are figuring it out as we go along. We are committed to doing the work and contributing to the efforts already out there.”

Take 2 Minutes to Advocate for Expanded Food Access

United Way is committed to ensuring all North Texas children and families have access to nutritious food—and we believe our leaders should share that commitment!

Every five years, Congress has the chance to pass a strong Farm Bill that invests in critical federal programs that help individuals and families keep food on the table. That includes SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps ease the strain and stress of hunger in North Texas communities.

Tell your elected officials that you support protecting and strengthening SNAP. Click here to send an email to legislators. It only takes a few minutes!

Women of Tocqueville Support and Cheer On Local Entrepreneurs at Debut Night

Written by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on . Posted in News & Updates.

The collective impact of the Women of Tocqueville Fund for Women and Children was on full display at last month’s Debut Night, where the latest all-women cohort of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Social Innovation Incubator presented their game-changing ventures to improve access to education, income and health at the Dallas College Bill J. Priest Center.

Photos: https://show.pics.io/032024-si-incubator-debut-night/search

Through the Fund for Women and Children, the Women of Tocqueville have invested generously in the Incubator. The program supports early-stage social ventures led and staffed by women and people of color who are working to implement new solutions in the areas of education, income and health.

The work of the Fund for Women and Children continues to astound us. Since its launch in 2017, the endowment fund—which is designed to provide support to North Texas women and children in perpetuity—has raised more than $16 million to deliver targeted financial and skill-based investments in the areas of education, income and health for local women and children.

We are grateful to this year’s Incubator sponsors—Comerica Bank, Charles Schwab and Target—for making bold commitments to invest in North Texas women-led nonprofits and businesses.

Our heartfelt appreciation goes to our formidable Women of Tocqueville Fund and members, including Advisory Council chair Robbi Luxbacher; Manju Menon, who served as a judge for this year’s competition; and Rachel Ybarra, Carol March, Kristy Faus, Michelle Horton, Michelle Thomas, Debbie McComas and Linda Yohe. Together, they made the evening unforgettable.

Winners of this year’s Debut Night include:

  • Jo Lam, founder of Project Beauty DFW: Audience Choice Award and Innovator of the Year
  • Laura Hayes, founder and CEO of The Learning Bridge: Most Impactful in Education Award
  • Cece Rockwell, founder of SelfSuffi: Most Impactful in Income and Best Pitch Award
  • Sydney Portilla-Diggs, founder, CEO and executive director of Any Step Community Services: Most Impactful in Health

Women of Tocqueville Celebrate and Support 100 Local Moms

Written by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on . Posted in News & Updates.

The moms shared what they were most excited about, including:

  • “Reading to my new baby.”
  • “Hearing his first word.”
  • “Spending time together.”
  • “Watching her grow.”

Then, Women of Tocqueville volunteers shared tips and words of inspiration, such as:

  • “Remember you are strong and amazing!”
  • “Take care of yourself and get plenty of sleep.”
  • “Lean on your support system of family, friends, and nurses.”
  • “Be patient and ask for help.”

A parent from the Lumin Education program shared:

“The baby shower was so fun, I never experienced anything like it. I had so much fun thank you for the opportunity.”

A Community-Wide Effort

Gifts for the shower were made possible by donations from the WOT Joy! event in December and by the generous support of Classic Whimsy and Contran Corporation. These gifts impacted 100 expectant and new moms who gave birth in the last three months. Moms expressed many heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the shower, the baby items, and words of encouragement and support.

Abide Women’s Health Services, Ascend Dallas, AVANCE, Delighted to Doula, Family Care Connection, Lumin Education and Metrocare Services are important partners of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. Their early childhood services bring trained parent educators, nurses and birth workers to the homes of pregnant moms and new families to promote maternal and child health, advance school readiness, and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Advancing the Women of Tocqueville Mission

These partnerships align with the Women of Tocqueville mission to give, advocate and volunteer in support of the community through United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, and to leverage the collective power and leadership of women to produce visible impact in education, income and health in North Texas.

Thank you to everyone who generously supported the WOT Joy! event, as well as the expectant and new moms who joined our Women of Tocqueville members for this year’s baby shower.

And a special thank you to Joan Cetera, Danielle Cooper, Inia Franklin, Eva Hevron, Hayley Krahl, Dee Ricks, Katie Rose, and Ashley Sink, who make up the Women of Tocqueville Volunteerism and Engagement Subcommittee, for your leadership, service and dedication to our mission. Finally, a special thanks to Natalia Mundo, a fellow Women of Tocqueville member, for translating in Spanish throughout the event for our Spanish-speaking moms.

March Tocqueville Fellows Feature: Erika Desroches

Written by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on . Posted in Impact Stories.

When Erika Desroches left New York for Dallas a little over three years ago, she had a hard time meeting people who shared her values. But things changed when she became a March Tocqueville Fellow.

“Through the program,” Erika says, “I have had the privilege of engaging with a cohort that shares my desire to make a positive impact on our community.”

It was her father, Pascal Desroches, an AT&T executive and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas board member, who encouraged her to get involved in the fellowship. Pascal is a Haitian immigrant who Erika says embodies the American Dream.

He witnessed firsthand how quality education opens doors to greater opportunities, and he has used those opportunities to give back to organizations that work to improve the lives of underserved communities, like United Way. His selflessness is what got Erika to where she is today.

“I’ve been incredibly lucky with the opportunities and experiences life has offered me,” she says. “My aspiration is to pay it forward, ensuring others have access to the same opportunities I’ve enjoyed.”

One unique way she’s paying it forward is through the development of the social wellness group, The Zero Proof Social Club.

Erika says it’s aimed at combatting the growing issue of loneliness in the community, a feeling associated with an increased risked of mental health challenges like anxiety and depression — moods common among people experiencing homelessness. The social club will be an offshoot of The Zero Proof Social, a non-alcoholic events business she founded and manages.

“During a March Fellow impact discussion last October, we touched on the intricate link between homelessness and mental health struggles, recognizing how these challenges often intertwine as both cause and consequence,” Erika says. “Through my involvement with UWMD as March Fellow and United Way 100 Host Committee member, I hope to be an advocate for change in this regard.”

Together, We’re Raising Awareness of the Importance of Attainable Housing

Written by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on . Posted in News & Updates.

Dallas Is Becoming Unaffordable

Dallas has a shortage of attainable homes and rental units, and this shortage is only expected to worsen as the city continues to grow.

Low wages and skyrocketing rental costs are driving the problem. Dallas’ top four most common jobs have a median wage of less than $40,500. Rent costs have increased 60% since 2015, causing almost 50% of renters in Dallas to pay more than they can afford in rent.

The dream of homeownership is even further out of reach for most North Texans. In 2023, a family would need to make a household income of around $135,000 to purchase the average home in Dallas.

Meanwhile, Dallas is facing a 33,600-unit gap in affordable rental housing, which is projected to grow to over 83,000 units by 2030 if we do not act now.

Why Attainable Housing Is Important

A lack of attainable housing doesn’t only impact our lower-income neighbors who struggle to pay their rent. This problem impacts all of us.

Ashley Brundage, executive director of housing stability and senior vice president of community impact at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, is chair of the Dallas Housing Coalition Board of Directors and acts as the group’s spokesperson. She explains that access to housing is the No. 1 reason people move—and when people are forced out of cities like Dallas because of a lack of attainable housing, our entire economy suffers.

“According to U.S. Census data, 40% of people move due to access to housing. Where people move, companies move, and that’s not good for Dallas,” she said. “When we talk about the need for attainable housing, we aren’t only talking about housing that our teachers and police officers can afford. We are also talking about housing for the folks that keep our economy running: our laborers, the barista you chat with each morning, the grocery store clerks, your office’s administrative assistant.”

Census data shows that many people from Dallas have moved to the neighboring cities, seeking more attainable housing. For example, Kaufman County had the largest population growth in Texas, at 8.9%, between 2021 and 2022, according to the March 2023 Census data.

As cities that fail to offer affordable housing solutions ultimately drive out residents, other problems follow, including worker shortages, an increase in negative health outcomes for residents and, inevitably, less growth in their local economies. A lack of affordable housing options also leads to an increase in homelessness.

“Studies have shown that homelessness is a housing issue,” Brundage explains. “There is a direct correlation between cities with high housing costs and higher rates of homelessness.”

Uniting to Take Action Against the Housing Crisis

Dallas needs 100,000 new or refurbished affordable homes by 2033 to meet our housing demand. The clock is ticking, and without community-wide support for attainable housing, this crisis will only get worse.

This urgent situation prompted the formation of the Dallas Housing Coalition, with a clear mission: to act against the growing housing crisis in Dallas.

The Dallas Housing Coalition is comprised of more than 180 corporations, developers, builders, trade associations, higher education institutions, nonprofits, faith-based organizations and residents that are urging Dallas to invest in the future of our city. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas is proud to be a member organization and on the coalition’s Steering Committee.

With a rallying cry of “Dallas is big enough for everyone,” the coalition has worked to raise awareness of our housing crisis. Over the last few years, members also advocated the City of Dallas to allocate $200 million to affordable housing in the upcoming bond election.

In the end, city leaders voted to allocate $631 million for housing.

“Although $61 million is far less than the $200 our city needs to expand housing options, this is still Dallas’ first significant investment in attainable housing and a sign that City Council heard us,” Brundage said.

The allocation of $61 million may afford just 1,150 affordable rental units—just 3% of Dallas’ current rental housing need, according to Child Poverty Action Lab.

However, even building 1,150 affordable rental units will be hugely beneficial to the families who end up in them. That’s why we’re calling on all registered voters in North Texas to vote in favor of Dallas’ bond amendments during the May 4 election.

‘Say Yes’ This May

Stable and affordable housing is a foundational factor for education, income and health, playing a crucial role in shaping the overall well-being of individuals and families.

During the May 4 election, we encourage all voters to support Dallas’ 10 bond propositions, which will address housing attainability and provide vital investments throughout the city. Learn more about the bond propositions in our recent blog.

“By uniting together, we are able to demonstrate our support for solving Dallas’ housing crisis and show our city representatives that this issue needs to be addressed,” Brundage says. “Because Dallas is big enough for everyone.”

For more information about the Dallas Housing Coalition and how you can get involved, visit www.DallasHousingCoalition.com.

Reading Day Shares the Joy of Books with 20,000+ Local Students

Written by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on . Posted in News & Updates.

Reading Day Fuels Early Literacy

Our annual Reading Day celebration isn’t just about encouraging children to love reading. It also supports early literacy by showing kids that books are fun, accessible and engaging.

Early literacy is directly connected to our focus areas of education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity. When children develop strong reading skills, they are better equipped to succeed in school, which in turn supports college and career readiness and, later in life, career achievement and even overall health.

By encouraging early reading, together we can advance our mission to create access and opportunity for all North Texans to thrive.

Reading Day 2024 Impact

  • 20,000+

    local students

    positively impacted

  • 1,100+

    volunteers

    engaged

  • 1,000

    classrooms

    participated

  • 42

    elementary campuses

    celebrated

  • 4,400+

    literacy kits

    prepared by our corporate partners

  • 20,000+

    local students

    positively impacted

  • 1,100+

    volunteers

    engaged

  • 1,000

    classrooms

    participated

  • 42

    elementary campuses

    celebrated

  • 4,400

    literacy kits

    prepared by our corporate partners

Harmoni, age 10

Reading is one of the most important skills a person can have. It opens up a world of possibilities and allows people to learn about new things. At school, I have learned not only why reading is important, but how to read with fluency, competency and even personality. Readers are leaders, so read, read, read.

Reading Day in Photos

See how we celebrated United Way Reading Day across North Texas.

  • GM20240301-GM1_8781

  • 03.01_2024_UWMD-Reading-Day_005

  • 03.01_2024_UWMD-Reading-Day_044

  • 03.01_2024_UWMD-Reading-Day_047

  • 03.01_2024_UWMD-Reading-Day_058

  • 03.01_2024_UWMD-Reading-Day_084

View our full Reading Day album

Volunteer with Us

As we march toward our culminating Centennial celebration in the fall of 2025, our upcoming volunteer opportunities will enable change-seekers like you to network and make a direct impact here in North Texas. Activities will include everything from STEM education and career exposure to early literacy, physical and mental health, and food access. Complete our volunteer interest form to receive updates on how to get involved.

In the News

  • Former First Lady Laura Bush and United Way Reading Day on the Today Show

    Read more

  • Laura Bush Among Those Reading to Kids for United Way Reading Day

    Read more

  • For Reading Day, a Lifelong North Texas Educator Returns to School Where She Began Her Career

    Read more

  • Former First Lady Laura Bush Read to Students at J.N. Ervin Elementary School in Dallas

    Read more

  • Former First Lady Laura Bush Reads to Dallas ISD Students

    Read more

Continue reading

For Reading Day, a Lifelong North Texas Educator Returns to School Where She Began Her Career

Written by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on . Posted in News & Updates.

As a lifelong educator who taught every grade but the fourth, Dr. Ehrhardt has built an impressive resume as a change-maker in the community.

In addition to serving as a teacher, principal and trustee for Dallas ISD, she served four terms as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, had the library at Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School in Dallas named in her honor, and even taught children’s literature to our Honorary Reading Day Chair, Mrs. Laura Bush, at Southern Methodist University.

“I remember many of my favorite professors, including my favorite literature professor, Dr. Harryette Ehrhardt, who’s still a friend of mine,” Mrs. Bush said during her commencement speech congratulating the SMU Class of 2009. “Her children’s literature class inspired me to become a librarian. The books I read in her class I later read to children in my own classrooms, and to children in the classrooms I’ve visited across our country and around the world.”

Books have the power to change lives. They enable students to dream big, gain knowledge and soak up new perspectives. No one knows this better than Dr. Ehrhardt.

“You can use a book to go anywhere in the world, any time, any place in history,” she says. “And to give children that resource is to give them something to carry on with their lifelong learning.”

Four Ways to Support Early Literacy Right Here in North Texas

United Way Reading Day presented by Atmos Energy is the first event in our Aspire United Volunteer Series presented by Texas Instruments. Stay tuned for many more exciting opportunities to get involved and make an impact as we march toward our Centennial.

North Texas Mental Health Resources

Written by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on . Posted in Resources.

Local Community Mental Health Providers

These community organizations are available to provide support to North Texans experiencing mental health challenges.

  • Adapt 24/7 Mobile Crisis Hotline: 866-260-8000
  • Collin County (Lifepath): 877-422-5939
  • Denton County (Mobile Crisis Outreach Team): 800-762- 0157
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
  • North Alliance on Mental Illness 24/7 Crisis Text Line: Text “NAMI” to 741-741
  • North Texas Behavioral Health Authority (DFW’s designated Local Behavioral Health Authority): 877-653-6363 or 214-366-9407
  • Southern Dallas Area Behavioral Health (walk-in clinic): 4215 Gannon Lane, Dallas 75237. Phone: 972-283-9090
  • Suicide & Crisis Center of North Texas 24/7 Crisis Line: 988-828-1000
  • Texas Health Resources: 682-626-8719

 

Tips for Improved Mental Health

  • Mindfulness: Give your brain an opportunity to rest to decrease stress, improve focus and support a healthy immune system. Be sure to prioritize downtime, mindfulness and quiet in your life, even if it’s just a few moments a day. Practice being mindful, slowing down your thoughts and/or meditating on something positive, like the phrase, “All is well.”
  • Breathwork: Feeling stressed? Take a breather! Breathe in for 4 seconds and slowly breathe out. Repeat several times.
  • Exercise: Exercise is highly connected to mental health, so look for ways to incorporate more movement into your days. For example, take a brisk 10-minute walk to step away from stressors and clear your mind.
  • Sleep: Good sleep is a foundation for mental health. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try cutting back on caffeine and avoiding screens at least 1 hour before bedtime.
  • Fun: Look for opportunities to have fun! Having fun gives your brain a break from stress and worries and can help remind you of all the good things in life.
  • Interpersonal connections: Stay connected to people you love through phone calls, text or video chats.
  • Nutrition: Be mindful of “unhelpful coping strategies” like smoking and drinking—try to keep them to a minimum.

If you feel overwhelmed or unsafe, seek help from a local mental healthcare provider.

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