Ferguson Road Initiative

ENGAGE AND EMPOWER A COMMUNITY OF ADVOCATES TO ADVANCE A SAFE, BEAUTIFUL, PROSPEROUS AND PROUD COMMUNITY IN FAR EAST DALLAS.

COMMUNICATION: FRI REGULARLY COMMUNICATES WITH OUR 93,000 CONSTITUENTS, 2000 UNIQUE BUSINESSES, 52 APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, 30 CHURCHES, 40 NEIGHBORHOODS, 17 SCHOOLS AND MORE THAN 20 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. FRI PUBLISHES A SEMI-ANNUAL FRIDAYS MAGAZINE BULK MAILED TO 18,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND HAND DELIVERED TO 52 APARTMENT MANAGEMENT OFFICES. WE PROVIDE A DIGITAL NEWSLETTER, NEWSFLASH, WITH A READERSHIP OF MORE THAN 2,000 INDIVIDUALS. WE PROVIDE AN UPDATED MONTHLY DIGITAL RESOURCE DIRECTORY THAT GOES OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE. WE HOLD SEMI-ANNUAL FRI COMMUNITY CONNECTION TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY AND SEPTEMBER, AND WE HAVE A ROBUST PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THROUGH FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM. WE PROVIDE SEMI-ANNUAL BRIEFINGS THAT REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF OUR ORGANIZATION THAT ARE MAILED TO ALL FRI MEMBERS AS WELL AS RECIPIENTS OF OUR NEWSFLASH. WE ALSO HOST PERIODIC TASK FORCE MEETINGS TO ADDRESS CRIME AND PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY THAT COMMUNICATES UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING CRIME INITIATIVES AND SAFETY PROGRAMS. OTHER COMMUNICATION VENUES INCLUDE SPECIAL EVENTS, FAIRS, AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS.

WE CONTINUED TO PUBLISH OUR RESOURCE DIRECTORY THAT WAS MAILED TO (50) APARTMENT, (17) SCHOOLS, (30) FAITH COMMUNITIES, AND (20 NONPROFITS) REGARDING WHERE FAMILIES SHOULD GO IN THE FAR EAST DALLAS SERVICE AREA TO RECEIVE RENTAL, FINANCIAL, FOOD, CLOTHING, AND WORK FORCE ASSISTANCE. WE DID THIS BY CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE NOT ONLY WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS IN FAR EAST DALLAS, BUT WE EXPANDED OUR RESOURCE COMMUNICATIONS TO ALSO INCLUDE MORE THAN (40) SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE MESQUITE, BALCH SPRINGS, GARLAND, AND PLEASANT GROVE COMMUNITIES.

COMMUNITY BUILDING: FRI IS A BACKBONE PARTICIPATORY ORGANIZATION WHOSE KEY PROGRAMS INCLUDE COMMUNITY-BUILDING AND COALITION PROJECTS. WE PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT BY GUIDING VISION AND STRATEGY, RAISING FUNDS, CONVENING MEETINGS, SUPPORTING ALIGNED ACTIVITIES, ESTABLISHING SHARED MEASUREMENTS, BUILDING PUBLIC GOODWILL AND TRUST, COMMUNICATING OPPORTUNITIES AND RESULT TO CONSTITUENTS, ADVANCING POLICY, AND MOBILIZING RESOURCES. THESE SERVICES ARE HELPING OUR AREA NONPROFIT PARTNERS MAKE A POSITIVE "COLLECTIVE IMPACT." FRI WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENSURE OUR PARTNERS ARE SUCCESSFUL IN FULFILLING THEIR MISSIONS. OUR CORE STRENGTH IS IDENTIFYING AND BUILDING CIVIC LEADERS. WE IDENTIFY, TRAIN, AND COACH THEM SO THEY CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THEIR VOLUNTEERS TO SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS.

FINANCIAL SERVICES/EDUCATION: FINANCIAL SERVICES/EDUCATION: FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS FRI HAS PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION LITERACY PROGRAMS TO OVER 17,000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AND HAVE KEPT MORE THAN $29,000,000 IN TAX REFUNDS TO BE SPENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. OVER 50% OF OUR FAMILIES ARE HISPANIC. IN 2023 WE PREPARED 980 FREE TAX RETURNS, PROVIDED $1,335,831 IN REFUNDS TO THE TAXPAYERS, WE SAVED THE TAXPAYERS $286,244 IN TAX PREPARATION FEES AND PROVIDED 245 HOURS OF FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND LITERACY IN THE PROCESS.