Last year, Dallas-Fort Worth topped the list for most inbound interstate moves of any metro region in the country and, forecasts show 2022 will be another strong year. While the boom is great for some local areas, there is growing concern that others are seeing slower growth due to difficult business climates and factors that impact community well-being.
The Metroplex Civic & Business Association, a new Dallas-based non-profit, is taking an innovative approach to alter that narrative to help ensure the entire Metroplex flourishes. The business organization is tapping into local companies and their employee base to increase charitable and civic engagement by connecting them with great charities and civic activities to make a difference in their communities.
“The MCBA believes strong community support and civic engagement is essential to creating healthy neighborhoods and business-friendly environments that will attract new people and business and help the region remain prosperous,” said Louis Darrouzet, MCBA’s chief executive officer.
The organization has created a step-by-step program for local businesses designed to help the business leaders educate their employees on civic needs and volunteer opportunities, while also empowering them with the tools they need to mobilize and actively engage in the community.
Darrouzet adds, “we believe that by understanding the wide-ranging needs across the Metroplex, our member companies and their employees can become more connected to their communities and understand how to support them so that the DFW area continues to thrive.”
Each member company has access to a customized, web-based platform that makes it simple to connect with charitable organizations in need of volunteers or monetary support. Through the MCBA portal, employees can discover opportunities to get involved and help shape the future of DFW. The platform also allows them to track their fundraising and volunteer efforts so they can immediately see how and where their combined work is making an impact.
“There is power in numbers. If everyone employed by one of our business member companies were to support just one community initiative, think of what an impact that could make on the health of our communities. Areas that are currently struggling to attract businesses and residents could be transformed into thriving communities that would attract new business, new innovations, and new neighbors that will help shape the DFW region and help it remain a vibrant place to live and work,” said Darrouzet.
“With so much uncertainty and the turbulent times that have recently faced, I strongly believe that active civic engagement contributes to the well-being and economic health of local communities and our country as a whole,” said Marina Marsh, founder, Web Loft Designs. “By joining MCBA, our company and employees are not only becoming more engaged in the community, but we are also modeling the leadership role organizations should play in shaping the future of the Metroplex. As an organization that serves both large and small customers, it is critically important that we reside and operate in an environment where everyone can be successful.”
By providing an easy pathway for employees to find opportunities to build better communities, the MCBA member companies are also cultivating great corporates cultures which extend beyond their organization and into the community driving success for the company, its employees, and the DFW region.
“We want to educate our member companies and their employees. We want to help people understand what has made today’s DFW a success story and how activities and actions we take today can influence what this great area will look like 20, 30, 50 years down the road, said Darrouzet.”
If you are interested in learning more about joining the MCBA, contact [email protected].
Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.
Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.
R E A D N E X T
-
Learn the ways medical school classrooms are looking more and more futuristic by incorporating simulation learning into their curriculums.
-
Takeaways from the latest Capital One Business Survey, capturing the sentiment among small business owners experiencing burnout and their enduring optimism for the year ahead.
-
The DFW Alliance of Technology and Women held its 19th annual Executive Forum last week, urging attendees to "crack the courage code" and empower women in business. Afterward, DFW*ATW's president, Shanthi Rajaram, spoke with Dallas Innovates about her takeaways from the event—and how being "comfortable with the unknown" helped her start her own entrepreneurship journey.
-
"This industry is young and evolving rapidly," says Cummins. "It's important that a company can position itself to react quickly to capture opportunities like this one."
