AT A GLANCE: COMMUNIT Y IMPACT Community Advancement: Equitable Revitalization We have reached a critical inflection point in ensuring the equitable future of the South Dallas community St. Philip’s calls home. We recognize that a person’s zip code is the most powerful single predictor of health and economic opportunity. Healthy neighborhoods create opportunity pathways for people of all backgrounds, while poor neighborhoods, like ours, function more like swamps than launching pads, destabilizing families and contributing to outcomes such as poor health, toxic stress, violence, hunger, and financial insecurity. Through our strategic Community Advancement efforts, St. Philip’s is committed to addressing concentrated poverty through equitable development that ultimately “fosters places that are vibrant, healthy and diverse through comprehensive strategies that benefit all members of the community.” For many, the bedrock of equitable development is meaningful community ownership of such efforts, fueled by investments that are catalytic, coordinated, and result in a triple bottom line. This is why St. Philip’s current community development efforts are focused in four coordinated areas to advance the neighborhood: collaborative community planning, affordable housing, economic development and community health and wellness. Our comprehensive approach is based on the belief that children and families have the right to a neighborhood that
provides safety, opportunity, and hope. This work is part of extending God’s Kingdom of hope, light and abundant life. We are excited to share the following updates to our Community Advancement efforts: •
Completion of our Neighborhood Equitable Development Planning process in collaboration with The Real Estate Council and JP Morgan
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Acquisition of four liquor stores which once promoted open drug sales, prostitution, and highly violent crimes. On more than one occasion these businesses were the cause of gunfire and fatalities during football games and practices. NO MORE! The vision is to revitalize these properties into healthy spaces that reflect the priorities and values of the community as expressed in the equitable development plan.
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Continued cultivation of walkable urban retail on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd with a focus on local businesses through recent leasing of St. Philip’s commercial property to enable re-opening of Clippin Crownz 4Christ Barbershop which was recently displaced from its former property. The shop provides much needed community service and a safe space for gathering and connection.
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Launched entrepreneurship workshops focused on helping local dreams become realities.
Many thanks to the following individuals, organizations, and corporations for their partnership in this vital work for our community:
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In-Kind Support
Daniel Leventhal
Winstead PC (David Martin, Grant Grubich, Jeremy Wilkins, Kasey Ratliff, Sherry Baldwin, Brian Morris, Laura Hoffmann, Jeff Cagnina)
The Men of Nehemiah CitySquare Cornerstone Baptist Church
Empire Roofing (Matt Kelley and Nick Castro)
St. Philip’s Neighborhood Association
Judge McStay
J Elmer Turner (Mike Turner, Logan Turner)
Jackson Walker LLP (Justin Shipley, Jonathan Vinson, Peter Wahl)
The Real Estate Council (David Fazio, Mike Geisler, Mandi Giles, Scott Rohrman)
Richard Meek Air Conditioning, Inc. (Richard Meek)
JP Morgan Chase Dawson Sodd (Tyler Milton)
Todd Howard
Candace Rubin and Chris Taylor
Will Murchison
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
WINTER MAGAZINE 2019
www.stphilips1600.org
Board Members Ron Whitehead Dan Stansbury Ashlee Kleinert Dotti Singhal Brent Alfred Bill Keslar John Mitchell Arnold Spencer Abigail and Andrew Sinwell Donors Marshall and Dee Ann Payne Claire Dewar Muse Family Foundation
