FOR OAK CLIFF

COMMUNITY BUILDING: FOR OAK CLIFF SERVES AS THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT BACKBONE FOR THE 75216 SUPERBLOCK NEIGHBORHOOD. ADVOCACY PROGRAMS, SUCH AS RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, HELP TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO NEED US THE MOST. COMMUNITY BUILDING PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:BACK TO SCHOOL FESTIVAL - FOC'S ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL FESTIVAL IS A VESSEL TO EQUIP THE COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS WITH THE NECESSARY SUPPLIES, RESOURCES, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR. IN 2023, WE HELD OUR 9TH ANNUAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL FESTIVAL, WHERE WE PROVIDED 6,500+ BACKPACKS TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. OUR FESTIVAL IS OUR STAPLE EVENT WHERE WE PROVIDE BACKPACKS FULL OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND FAMILIES ALSO ENJOY FREE FOOD, GIVEAWAYS, GAMES, MUSIC, AND PERFORMANCES. FURTHERMORE, WE INCLUDE VOTER REGISTRATION, WORKFORCE PARTNERS SEEKING CANDIDATES, AND LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS SHARING INFORMATION WITH PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS.JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION - HIGHLIGHTED BY A 6-FOOT-TALL JUNETEENTH HISTORY BOOK OUTLINING THE JUNETEENTH TIMELINE, THIS ANNUAL CELEBRATION INCLUDES FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES WITH FREE FOOD, GAMES, LIVE MUSIC, WATER SLIDE AND BOUNCE HOUSES AS WELL AS AN ON-SITE JOB FAIR AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES.SUMMER CAMP - IN 2023 FOC PARTNERED WITH BOOM (BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES AND OPENING MINDS) FOR ANOTHER EXCITING SUMMER CAMP SERVING 50 CHILDREN WITH ACCESS TO A FREE SIX-WEEK SUMMER LITERACY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM INSPIRED BY THE WORK OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS. DURING THE BOOM SUMMER CAMP, CHILDREN ENGAGE IN AN INTERACTIVE, MEANINGFUL CURRICULUM THAT INCLUDES SOCIAL ACTION, CHARACTER-BUILDING, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM, CHILDREN ARE EXPOSED TO CULTURALLY RELEVANT BOOKS AND MEET WITH COMMUNITY GUESTS TO LEARN HOW TO BE AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. VALUED AT OVER $37,500 IN FREE PROGRAMMING, FOC WAS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, HEALTHY SNACKS, VOLUNTEERS, A SAFE LEARNING SPACE, AND MORE THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP.FOR OAK CLIFFMAS - EACH HOLIDAY SEASON, FOR OAK CLIFF HOSTS THEIR ANNUAL CLIFFMAS SKATE PARTY - A NIGHT FILLED WITH FOOD, SKATING, AND A TOY GIVEAWAY. IN 2023 FOC SERVED A TOTAL OF 250+ CHILDREN WHO BENEFITED FROM OVER $5,000 OF TOYS GIVEN AWAY IN TOTAL VALUE. DURING THIS EVENT, FOC ALSO PARTNERED WITH OVER 80 INDIVIDUALS FROM LOCAL CORPORATIONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SERVED AS VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS.TEEN AMBASSADORS - THE TODD MIDDLE SCHOOL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AIMS TO IMPROVE AND DEVELOP THE CHARACTER OF STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE YOUNG PEOPLE OF OAK CLIFF HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, HELP AND RESOURCES TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AS SUCCESSFUL, PASSIONATE, AND HEALTHY LEADERS. IN 2023, THERE WERE 26 TOTAL NUMBER OF UNIQUE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM THAT COMPLETED A TOTAL OF 22 SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES. TEEN WORKFORCE INITIATIVE - THE FOR OAK CLIFF TEEN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN THE OAK CLIFF COMMUNITY. IN THE SUMMER OF 2023, FOR OAK CLIFF OFFERED STUDENTS A 10-WEEK AFTER-SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EMPOWER TEENS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH. DURING THIS TIME, A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT IS PROVIDED WHERE TEENS CAN EXPLORE THEIR IDENTITIES AND UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD. THEY DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS IN INNOVATION, TEAMWORK, AND LEADERSHIP WHICH ULTIMATELY HELP FOSTER ACADEMIC, PHYSICAL, AND MENTAL DEVELOPMENT, PREPARING THEM AS YOUNG LEADERS FOR FUTURE CHALLENGES. THERE IS ALSO AN ELEMENT OF COMMUNITY IMPACT. BY CULTIVATING POSITIVE COMMUNITIES, THE FOC TEEN INTERNSHIP AIMS TO NURTURE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, INSPIRING THEM TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2021, FOC HAS PROVIDED 26 TEEN INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO LOCAL STUDENTS. IN 2023, FOC EMPLOYED TEN LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ALL FINISHED THEIR INTERNSHIPS WITH A BANK ACCOUNT AND A LINKEDIN PROFILE COMPLETE WITH A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT.PHLEBOTOMY: METHODIST HEALTH SYSTEM STARTED THE METHODIST COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE TO SERVE THE 75216 ZIP CODE. FOC BECAME A KEY PARTNER AND A MAJOR OFFERING IN THIS COLLABORATION IS THE PHLEBOTOMY WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM, A FREE TWELVE-WEEK PHLEBOTOMY COURSE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. DURING 2023, FOC GRADUATED 35 STUDENTS FROM THE PROGRAM WITH STUDENTS EARNING A CERTIFICATION IN PHLEBOTOMY, RESULTING IN AT LEAST 16 STUDENTS GAINING IMMEDIATE FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT AFTER THE PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO OFFER COHORTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON A ROLLING BASIS FOR ENROLLMENT. FOC INTENDS TO OFFER MORE WORKFORCE CLASSES BEYOND THIS COURSE TO HELP LIFT-UP THE OVERLOOKED AND UNDEREMPLOYED TALENT IN SOUTH OAK CLIFF.AQUATICS - THE FOC POOL BRINGS FREE AQUATICS PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES TO THE SUPERBLOCK COMMUNITY, EXPANDING ACCESSIBILITY WHICH HAS TRADITIONALLY LACKED FOR THE 75216 COMMUNITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY. TRADITIONALLY, THESE SPACES ARE CONSISTENTLY MISMANAGED AND INADEQUATELY MAINTAINED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THERE IS A LACK OF PARTICIPATION IN AQUATICS WHICH HAS HINDERED THE COMMUNITY FROM LEARNING BASIC LIFE SKILLS SUCH AS SWIMMING. ACCORDING TO THE US SWIMMING FOUNDATION, 79% OF KIDS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES ARE AT RISK OF DROWNING. AS ONLY ONE OF TWO POOLS IN THE SUPERBLOCK, FOC AIMS TO PROVIDE STATE-OF-THE-ART, SAFE SPACE AMENITIES SO THAT MEMBERS CAN ACCESS FREE RESOURCES SUCH AS AQUATICS THAT ARE BASIC LIFE-TRANSFERABLE SKILLS. IN 2023, FOC ENGAGED OVER 655 SUMMER AQUATICS ATTENDEES AND TRAINED OVER 80 PARTICIPANTS THROUGH OUR FREE SWIM LESSON PROGRAM.

FOOD JUSTICE: IN 2023, FOR OAK CLIFF DISTRIBUTED OVER $97,885 WORTH OF FOOD, ACCOUNTING FOR 35,700 MEALS DISTRIBUTED. OF THIS TOTAL, 24,250 WERE LBS OF FRESH PRODUCE. LAUNCHED IN 2022 AS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BY A GROUP OF CONCERNED CITIZENS, DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DCHHS), AND PARKLAND HEALTH, FOC BEGAN THE FOC FARMERS MARKER TO PROVIDE FRESH, HEALTHY, AND AFFORDABLE PRODUCE TO THE COMMUNITY. THE MARKET IS ALSO A PLATFORM FOR LOCAL GROWERS TO SELL THEIR GOODS AND CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY. IN 2023, WE CONTINUED THE FOR OAK CLIFF'S FARMERS MARKETS, AND HAVE SINCE HELD OVER 30 FARMERS MARKETS GENERATING MORE THAN $50,000 IN TOTAL SALES THAT GO DIRECTLY TO SMALL, LOCAL BUSINESSES.HEART OF HARVEST - DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, FOR OAK CLIFF GIVES OUT HOT MEALS AND GROCERIES TO AROUND 150 FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY. EACH MEMBER IS USUALLY ABLE TO LEAVE WITH A TURKEY, A PRODUCE BAG WITH FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, AND A BAG FILLED WITH DRY GOODS. ABOUT 40 VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT THE EVENT.