At The Dallas Foundation’s Mary M. Jalonick Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI), recognizing life-changing, life-affirming organizations is paramount.

That’s the case yet again in 2022. The organization, founded 10 years ago, announced its recent awarding of more than $300,000 to five Dallas-area nonprofits. The figure is six times greater than in any previous single year and brings the total of WPI’s giving to more than $830,000.

Jubilee Park and Community Center, located in Southeast Dallas, received the highest grant of $150,000. Another $40,000 was awarded to each of the following: ACT for Justice, Girls Embracing Mothers (GEMS), Hope Supply Co., and Metrocare Services.

“The women of WPI are honored to impact so many North Texans across all five of these nonprofits who are inspiring and cultivating change for Dallas,” said Sarah Losinger, a founding member of WPI, in a statement. “We know each of these organizations will translate their awards into additional, and much needed, resources for communities across Dallas.”

A model for equitable access to health care

The award granted to Jubilee Park is in support of the Jubilee Clinic, which will serve as a model for equitable access to health care. Currently, residents of the 62-block neighborhood it serves have a life expectancy 22 years less than those of citizens a few miles north.

“Jubilee Park and Community Center is thankful to the members of WPI for their support and recognition of the importance of place-based holistic care for our neighbors to thrive,” said Marissa Castro Mikoy, president and CEO of Jubilee Park, in the statement.

“Our organization sits in one of the most medically underserved neighborhoods in Dallas. We’re eager to use this grant toward The Jubilee Clinic’s capital campaign so that we can increase access to primary health care and preventative health resources right here in our community,” she added.

A mission to educate, inspire, and empower

The WPI has a mission “to educate, inspire, and empower women to become confident and engaged donors at every stage of their philanthropic journey while connecting them with the needs of the community and the organizations addressing those needs.”

Each year, members of WPI choose four or five organizations to visit, in person or virtually, to determine their grant eligibility. These visits allow members an opportunity to hear from the organization’s leadership, tour the facility, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the organizations being considered for the pool of grant funds. Grants are awarded during the organization’s year-end luncheon.

Here’s more about the other 2021 recipients:

ACT For Justice equips underserved Dallas residents to fight crime on their street while sharing with them the hope of the gospel. It mobilizes them, educates them on their right to live in a safe neighborhood, connects them to attorneys, and gives local leadership tools and support to take back their neighborhood—where crime is no longer tolerated and where hope is restored.

Girls Embracing Mothers focuses on empowering kindergarten- through high school-age girls whose mothers are in prison to break the cycle of incarceration and to lead lives filled with vision and purpose.

Hope Supply Co.(formerly known as Captain Hope’s Kids) was founded in 1989 as The Hope Foundation for the Homeless, a clearinghouse of donated resources. During the early 1990s, as mothers with babies and children became the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population, its board of directors voted to focus their mission on meeting the needs of homeless and at-risk children. In 2015, it re-branded to Hope Supply Co. to better reflect its commitment to providing hope as well as necessities like diapers, wipes, clothing, baby food, formula, and school supplies.

Metrocare Services serves more than 55,000 adults and children annually. It’s the largest provider of mental health services—including mental health challenges and developmental disabilities—in North Texas. In addition to behavioral healthcare, the 50-year-old organization provides primary care centers for adults and children, services for veterans and their families, and accessible pharmacies. It also provides housing and supportive social services.

The Dallas Foundation: helping families and individuals ‘reach their full potential’

The Dallas Foundation, established as the first community foundation in Texas in 1929, brings together people, ideas, and investments in Greater Dallas to help families and individuals reach their full potential. In 2020, in partnership with more than 400 fundholders, it invested over $60 million into the community.

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