DALLAS LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION

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. THE YOUTH TEAM ALSO PROVIDES A FOUR-WEEK SUMMER CAMP FREE OF CHARGE FOR YOUTH AGES 8 TO 18. THE TEAM PROVIDES A WEEK-LONG AWAY CAMP, AND THEY ALSO TAKE A GROUP OF YOUTH TO AN OUT OF CITY MISSION TRIP DURING THE SUMMER. IN THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2022, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS DLF YOUTH SERVED THROUGH ALL ITS PROGRAMS WAS 1,032 AND 956, 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, 2023 AND 2022, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DLF NEIGHBORHOODS SERVED WAS 11,444 AND 15,793, RESPECTIVELY.