Our Friends Place

OUR FRIENDS PLACE IS DEDICATED TO HELPING YOUNG WOMEN BREAK THE GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF ABUSE, NEGLECT, POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS THROUGH EMPOWERING SELF-RELIANCE AND INDEPENDENCE.

OUR FRIENDS PLACES MISSION IS TO BREAK THE GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF ABUSE, NEGLECT, POVERTY, AND HOMELESSNESS THROUGH EMPOWERING SELF-RELIANCE AND INDEPENDENCE. OUR FRIENDS PLACE PROGRAMS EMPHASIZES EMPOWERMENT, NOT ENTITLEMENT, AND GUIDING YOUNG WOMEN ALONG A HEALTHY PATH BY STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION, CAREER PLANNING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, AND SELF-RELIANCE. OUR FRIENDS PLACE CONTINUUM OF CARE SERVES HOUSING UNSTABLE YOUNG WOMEN IN OUR TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER PROGRAM, AT-RISK YOUTH AND THEIR ADULT ALLIES IN OUR SOAR TO SUCCESS HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM, AND FINALLY ALUMNAE AFTER THEY GRADUATE FROM OUR PROGRAMS. OUR FRIENDS PLACE SERVES ABOUT 40 YOUNG WOMEN ANNUALLY THROUGH TWO APARTMENT-STYLE TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTERS LOCATED IN OLD EAST DALLAS. ONE CENTER IS IN A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR FRIENDS PLACE HAS BEEN AWARDED FOR ITS CARE OF THE BUILDING BY PRESERVATION DALLAS. THE SECOND CENTER OPENED THE DOORS TO ITS FIRST YOUNG WOMAN IN LATE 2015. BOTH HOMES ARE FULLY PAID FOR AND DEBT-FREE. BOTH CENTERS DELIVER THE SAME TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER PROGRAMWHICH RECEIVED A 2011 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FROM THE CENTER FOR NONPROFIT MANAGEMENTWITH A LIFE SKILLS CURRICULUM AND INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT FROM STAFF WHO LIVE ON SITE. OUR FRIENDS PLACES TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER MODEL PREPARES YOUNG WOMEN FOR SELF-SUFFICIENT ADULTHOOD. EACH CENTER HAS THREE CLIENT APARTMENTS WITH THREE BEDROOMS. A YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAS EXPERIENCED TRAUMA IS MORE LIKELY TO THRIVE IN HER STUDIES AND AT HER JOB WHEN SHE HAS A BEDROOM TO CALL HER OWN. WITH HER TWO APARTMENT-MATES, A YOUNG WOMAN SHARES A KITCHEN, BATHROOM, AND LIVING ROOM. AS AN APARTMENT, ALL THREE RESIDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING AND UPKEEP OF THE COMMON AREAS. WEEKLY LIFE SKILLS LESSONS ARE CONDUCTED AS A GROUP WITH ALL RESIDENTS FROM ALL APARTMENTS IN THE TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER AND THEN THOSE SKILLS ARE PRACTICED THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAMS. TOGETHER, RESIDENTS LEARN SKILLS FOR SECURING AND MAINTAINING A STABLE JOB, FINANCIAL LITERACY, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL HEALTH, AND OTHER SKILLS FOR SUCCESSFUL SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THE SOAR TO SUCCESS PROGRAM, OUR FRIENDS PLACES NON-RESIDENTIAL HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM, TAKES THESE SAME LIFE SKILLS INTO THE COMMUNITY AND SERVED OVER 1000 YOUTH AND THEIR ADULT ALLIES IN 2021. THIS PREVENTION PROGRAM PRIMARILY FOCUSES ON SERVING YOUNG WOMEN, BUT YOUNG MEN AND ADULT ALLIES ALSO BENEFIT FROM THIS LIFE SKILL SET. SOAR TO SUCCESS HAS LESSON STYLES WITH THREE LEVELS OF INTENSITY TO MEET SPECIFIC NEEDS OF YOUNG WOMEN. THE SOAR TO SUCCESS PROGRAM IS DELIVERED BY SEASONED EXPERTS. IN THE TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER (TLC) PROGRAM, OUR FRIENDS PLACE HELPED YOUNG WOMEN WITH THE FOLLOWING ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2019 TO BUILD THEIR OWN FUTURES: (1) 100% INCREASED JOB SKILLS; (2) 87% INCREASED SAVINGS AVERAGE AMOUNT $790.55; (3) 84% ATTENDED EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL CLASSES TO ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS; (4) 84% WERE EMPLOYED AT LEAST PART-TIME; (5) 57% DECREASED DEBT ACCRUED BEFORE OUR FRIENDS PLACE; (6) 42% INCREASED THEIR HOURLY WAGE AVERAGE WAGE $10.42/HOUR; (7) 68% SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED OR REMAIN IN THE PROGRAM. FOR YOUNG WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN THE SOAR TO SUCCESS PROGRAM, ACHIEVEMENTS ARE BASED ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY TO USE A RANGE OF SKILLS FOR FUTURE STABILITY: (1) 100% OF YOUNG WOMEN IN SOAR DISCOVERY INCREASED IN MORE THAN ONE SKILLS NEEDED TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS; (2) 100% OF YOUNG WOMEN IN SOAR DISCOVERY GAINED FINANCIAL LITERACY SKILLS; (3) 100% OF YOUNG WOMEN IN SOAR TAKING FLIGHT INCREASED JOB SKILLS; (4) 100% REPORTED LEARNING A SKILLS THAT WOULD IMPROVE THEIR LIVES FROM A SOAR WORKSHOP. AFTER YOUNG WOMEN TRANSITION INTO THEIR OWN APARTMENTS, GRADUATE, OR LEAVE OUR FRIENDS PLACE (OFP) PROGRAMS, THEY ARE INVITED TO THE OFP ALUMNAE GROUP. ALUMNAE HAVE A SPECIAL BOND AND BENEFIT FROM MEETING WITH EACH OTHER. ALUMNAE ALSO RETURN TO HELP YOUNG WOMEN CURRENTLY IN THE PROGRAMS. OUR FRIENDS PLACE CONTINUES TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND GUIDANCE TO ALUMNAE AS NEEDED. PROVIDING A CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT INCLUDES CASE MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT OUR PROGRAMS HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED NEW, EXISTING, AND FORMER CLIENTS AS THEY LEARN TO BREAK THE GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF ABUSE, NEGLECT, POVERTY, AND HOMELESSNESS.