Dallas Fort Worth Nonprofit Business Journal

Category: Education

  • Leadership ISD currently recruiting community leaders for its civic leaders fellowship

    Leadership ISD is accepting applications for its 2018-2019 Civic Leaders Fellowship in Dallas, Tarrant and Harris counties. The applications are open until Apr. 29.

    Leadership ISD’s Fellowship is a highly selective 10-month program that provides civic leaders the information and insight to effectively influence systemic transformation.

    The program guides Fellows through a deep dive into the most relevant topics in public education from early childhood to governance, school choice to accountability, and everything in between. It provides multiple avenues for Fellows to gain richer insight into district and campus challenges, to witness optimistic bright spots firsthand, and to build relationships with key stakeholders in the field. The program also empowers the Fellows with practical advocacy skills to share vision, engage diverse stakeholders, and take courageous action together.

    According to the Leadership ISD website, an ideal candidate for the Civic Leaders Fellowship is someone who:

    • Passionately defends the potential of all kids
    • Has demonstrated leadership ability and commitment to civic engagement
    • Employs creativity and purposeful obstinance in the face of challenges or failures
    • Views tension and discomfort as natural precursors to growth
    • Willingly explores the implications of race and poverty on educational outcomes

    To find out more and apply, click here.

    ABOUT LEADERSHIP ISD

    Leadership ISD advances educational excellence and equity by informing and connecting leaders to shape policy, lead strategically, and champion change. Its vision is a Texas where public education offers opportunity and hope to all children. To find out more, visit the organization’s website.

  • Helping Hands for Single Moms and Dallas County Community College District Foundation to partner

    In an attempt to provide critical support for the continued expansion of Helping Hands for Single Moms into Dallas, the nonprofit organization has partnered with the Dallas County Community College District Foundation. The partnership was announced in a press release.

    According to Lori Jaide Watson, Senior Director, Relationship Management at the Dallas Community College District Foundation, “Education serves as a catalyst for improving the lives of single mothers, and this partnership provides these mothers with a strong foundation and aid in reaching their full academic and professional potential.”

    The Dallas County Community College District Foundation will join together with several other organizations, including Southwest Airlines, who are also supporting Helping Hands for Single Moms’ expansion to Dallas.

    The Dallas board of directors held a strategic planning session on Saturday, February 24, 2018 which included community networkers and leaders with input in to expanding the brand and growing the program in Dallas.

    “Helping Hands for Single Moms Dallas has a remarkable potential to serve over 100 families annually, and we need to get the word out to those who understand the positive impact on the community when a low-income single mom earns a college degree,” said Chris Coffman, Executive Director of Helping Hands for Single Moms, in a press release.

    ABOUT HELPING HANDS FOR SINGLE MOMS

    Helping Hands for Single Moms is a community based nonprofit that assists impoverished single mom families with their pursuit of a college education and financial independence.

    Helping Hands for Single Moms was established in Phoenix, Arizona in 2002.  Over the past 16 years, it has delivered over $4 million in scholarships and services to hundreds of low-income single mom college student families.  Since 2005, 229 moms have earned college degrees in various disciplines including nursing, business, education, and, more.

    Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • Cognizant U.S. Foundation to open spring 2018, focused on STEM funding

    Cognizant will be investing $100 million in U.S. technology education via a new nonprofit foundation, according to a press release shared on the organization’s website.

    The foundation will support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education in several cities across the U.S., though details on which cities have not been announced.

    The IT company has an office in Irving and plans to expand its training programs to the Dallas area later this year.

    Additional details will be announced, and the official launch of the Cognizant U.S. Foundation will be held during an event planned to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina later this spring.

  • University of North Texas Health Science Center and Lena Pope announce new partnership

    UNT Health Science Center (UNTHSC) announced via its website this week that it has teamed up with Lena Pope to expand access to high-quality early learning experiences for children and families in Fort Worth with a new on-campus child development center.

    Lena Pope’s new Early Learning Center will serve the children of UNTHSC staff and students, as well as families from the community. Set to open in summer 2018, the new facility will also prioritize 50 percent of available enrollment for children from low-income families.

    The on-campus child development center is part of UNTHSC’s Best Place for All initiative to create programs, policies and a work environment that increase team member satisfaction and engagement. It also helps fulfill Lena Pope’s goal of expanding access to high-quality early learning experiences for local children and families regardless of income.

    “Providing quality and accessible childcare is one of the most critical workforce issues in the United States,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price in the announcement.  “UNTHSC is a pioneer in Fort Worth, responding to a need among their students and employees for high-quality childcare, which is an area of expertise for Lena Pope. This partnership exemplifies the best of Fort Worth, bringing together two renowned institutions to provide more local children an ideal educational foundation.  This is a model we need to see replicated throughout the city, and I will do my part to build on their success.”

    The Center will be located at 3620 Modlin Avenue, Fort Worth. It will occupy an existing building that is currently undergoing renovations to meet the specific needs of a high-quality early learning program. UNTHSC and Lena Pope are sharing the estimated $450,000 renovation cost.

    Read the full announcement here.

    ABOUT LENA POPE

    Lena Pope’s mission is to help create hope, happiness and success for children and families. The agency provides mental health, substance use treatment and family support services. It also operates Chapel Hill Academy, an open-enrollment and tuition-free public charter school for more than 500 elementary students in Fort Worth, and an Early Learning Center that provides quality early learning opportunities for children ages six weeks to five years. Find out more on the organization’s website.

    ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER

    UNT Health Science Center is one of the nation’s premier graduate academic medical centers, with five schools that specialize in patient-centered education, research and health care: The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The School of Public Health, The School of Health Professions, and The UNT System College of Pharmacy. Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • University of North Texas Health Science Center must repay $13M to U.S. Government

    Fort Worth’s University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) announced last week via its website that it must repay $13 million to the U.S. Government to cover errors made between 2011 and 2016, when UNTHSC improperly tracked and certified researchers’ “time and effort,” required to be reported when working on federal grants. Upon learning of the possible compliance issues, UNTHSC initiated an internal audit and investigation that reviewed approximately 120 NIH-funded research projects over the six-year time period and implemented immediate corrective actions.

    Since the discovery, UNTHSC has restructured its Division of Research and Innovation, hiring new compliance staffers, improving accounting processes and investing in new tools, training and technology to ensure compliance efforts match the strength of its biomedical research.

    “Integrity is one of our core values, and that means owning, correcting and learning from our mistakes,” said Dr. Michael Williams, President of UNTHSC. “We’ve strengthened our internal controls to promote accountability and transparency.”

    Read the full announcement here.

    ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER

    UNT Health Science Center is one of the nation’s premier graduate academic medical centers, with five schools that specialize in patient-centered education, research and health care: The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The School of Public Health, The School of Health Professions, and The UNT System College of Pharmacy. Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities to benefit from 9th Annual Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational held May 5th

    The 2018 Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational kicked off on Tuesday, January 23 at the offices of Winstead PC in Downtown Dallas, with an event hosted by Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities (PESC) board member, Mr. Robert McCormick. The 2018 Invitational chairs are Janiece Evans-Page, VP President, Global Philanthropy and Sustainability at Fossil Group and Mark Page, President of Operations for AT&T’s Chief Data Office.

    The Invitational weekend is presented by Healthcare Highways and will kick off on May 4th with a Friday Night Party sponsored by Alberstons Tom Thumb at the Omni Frisco. The evening will begin with a celebrity reception sponsored by Brown–Forman, followed by dinner, a live auction and presentation of the Roger Staubach Award. The Invitational continues on Saturday, May 5th, with an 18-hole charity golf tournament at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney.

    Tickets for the Friday Night Party begin at $750 and pavilion passes for the Saturday Golf Tournament are $50 each.  For ticket and sponsorship details contact Dana Vilardi at dvilardi@ejsmithenterprises.com

    *Pictured above: Emmitt Smith, Janiece Evans Page, Mark Page. Photo by Marcy Meeks.

    ABOUT PAT AND EMMITT SMITH CHARITIES

    Pat and Emmitt Smith Charities is a 501(c)(3) public charity that creates and funds unique educational experiences and enrichment opportunities for underserved children, including an annual Back to School program with Dallas ISD, a grants and scholarships program and Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities flagship leadership development program, TEAM 22. Pat and Emmitt personally mentor this group of high potential, high performing students from the Dallas area through their flagship, hands-on mentoring program. They have worked with two cohorts of ten students for the past seven years, providing them with mentors, cultural and educational opportunities and unique excursions with Pat and Emmitt, volunteerism and scholarships. Find more on the organization’s website.

  • KIPP DFW Public Schools to host ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 21

    KIPP DFW Public Schools will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony this Wednesday, Feb. 21 in Dallas for its newest campus – KIPP Pleasant Grove.

    KIPP supporter Andre Agassi will be in attendance, as well as leaders from the Turner-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund.

    The event is located at KIPP Pleasant Grove Primary and KIPP Pleasant Grove Middle School, 2200 N. St. Augustine Dr. in Dallas and begins at 11:30 am.

    Tickets are FREE, but seating is limited. Please register here to attend.

    ABOUT KIPP DALLAS-FORT WORTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

    KIPP, the Knowledge is Power Program, is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college preparatory public charter schools with a proven track record of preparing students in educationally underserved communities for success in college and in life. KIPP DFW Public Schools is focused on motivating children to move forward with the power to lead successful lives of achievement today and in the future. Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park to host Sunday Social Mar. 18

    Dallas Heritage Village and the Art Deco Society of Dallas will host their 5th Annual Jazz Age Sunday Social (JASS) on Mar. 18.

    The JASS will feature an afternoon of dancing, traditional jazz (two live bands, The Singapore Slingers and Dave Washburn’s Three Quarters Fast Jazz Band), vintage vendors, food, ice cream, photo booth, best dressed contest, antique cars, and more.

    Tickets are $12 each, with kids 12 and under free. The event will take place rain or shine.

    Find out more on the event’s Facebook page.

    ABOUT DALLAS HERITAGE VILLAGE

    The mission of Dallas Heritage Village is to collect, preserve, and teach the history of Dallas and North Central Texas. Located in historic Old City Park, the museum uses its collections of historic buildings and furnishings, representing the period 1840-1910, to sponsor research, publications, and exhibits, and to present educational programs and special events for diverse audiences of children, families, and adults. Find out more on the organization’s website.

  • The Garden Network of Tarrant County wants to improve local food access

    This story originally appeared in the Star-Telegram.

    “We founded The Garden Network of Tarrant County to help our friends and neighbors access healthy food—and to empower those who can grow their own,” said Neale Mansfield, Executive Director of the new 501c3 nonprofit organization, on its Facebook page.

    The organization works by offering backyard raised bed vegetable gardens for $190 (an example from the organization’s Facebook page is pictured above). The Garden Network will build the beds, teach the purchasers how to grow fresh vegetables, and then connect them with local food pantries where they can donate a portion of their harvest to the hungry.

    Donors can support the organization in this way, by purchasing a bed and donating to a family in need, or by doing both for $350.

    The organization’s Facebook page states that in Tarrant County, 1 in 6 people often don’t know where their next meal will come from and that thousands of people in Tarrant County live in food deserts—neighborhoods without full-service grocery stores or other access to healthy food.

    The organization official launched last Saturday by showcasing six urban gardening programs, including sites at the Salvation Army, Presbyterian Night Shelter, and The Villages at Samaritan House in Fort Worth.

    “All of these projects represent precisely what the network seeks to accomplish. That is, empowering individuals to feed themselves, feed others, get training, gain employment, earn income and more,” Mansfield commented to the Star-Telegram.

    ABOUT THE GARDEN NETWORK OF TARRANT COUNTY

    To empower individuals and communities through gardening to improve local food access and food security.

    Building on a one-for-one model pioneered by Toms Shoes, donors can buy one garden bed to help your own family eat healthier, and also a second to help a food insecure family grow healthy food for themselves. And the Garden Network will employ homeless people to build these garden beds, giving them a chance to help themselves by helping others.

    Find out more on the organization’s Facebook page.

  • Heritage Farmstead Museum debuts exhibit depicting Blackland Prairie life during the Great Depression

    Heritage Farmstead Museum of Plano recently opened a new exhibit in the museum’s Farrell-Wilson house themed “Down But Not Out,” which offers a look at Blackland Prairie life during the Great Depression.

    The new exhibit seeks to enhance the visitor experience through an immersive, multi-sensory approach that includes interactive presentations. “Down But Not Out” features different scents in many of the rooms in the Farrell-Wilson Home, such as baby powder in the nursery, fresh baked bread in the kitchen, buttered popcorn in the movie theater room and more. The exhibit also includes “touch baskets” in many of the rooms, era-appropriate music and videos, talking mannequins, an interpretive 1930’s movie theater with simulated concession stand, and an interactive radio show kiosk.

    “We wanted to evoke memories and make memories,” explained Heritage Farmstead Museum Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Patty Shore (pictured above) in a press release. “Our focus is not on the doom and gloom of the Depression, but on the hopefulness and helpfulness of people during that time. The people living during that time were so resourceful.”

    The exhibit will be on display through May 2018.

    Heritage Farmstead Museum is located at 1900 West 15th Street in Plano. General admission is $3 per person. Docent-guided house tours are $7 per person (includes general admission), $5 for students and children, and free for children four and under and museum members. Grounds are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. for self-guided tours. Docent-guided house tours are available Tuesday through Sunday at 1:30 p.m. each day.

    ABOUT THE HERITAGE FARMSTEAD MUSEUM

    The Heritage Farmstead Museum, a four-acre historic site consisting of a restored, 14-room 1891 Victorian farmhouse with its original outbuildings, interprets rural life on the North Texas prairie between 1890 and 1925. The museum provides tours, field trips and programs for 35,000 visitors each year.  For more information, call 972.881.0140 or visit www.heritagefarmstead.org.