June 2019
After8toEducate Collaborative
Ramps Up Outreach Efforts
The After8 Collaborative has been working together to amplify the news of services and support offered at the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center's Drop-In Center, operated by CitySquare .

This coordinated effort resulted in over 800 wallet cards and posters distributed to unsheltered youth, community service providers, educational professionals, and others. If you would like to receive wallet cards or posters to distribute or post, please email info@after8toeducate.com.

Outreach continued with information cards and "Fannie Packs" containing hygiene items distributed during the first-ever summer Metro Dallas Youth Count . This count, conducted on June 17 and June 21, provided opportunity for community volunteers to collect data and share resources with unsheltered youth in Dallas.

News about the Drop-In Center continued to spread with a recent feature in Dallas ISD's The Hub . After8toEducate and CitySquare TRAC staff remarked on the value of offering immediate support services for unsheltered youth.

“The Drop-In Center will be a place where homeless youth can really come and meet their immediate basic needs, like access to showers and laundry facilities,” said Hillary Evans, executive director of After8ToEducate . “We’ll provide crisis intervention and immediate support services and look forward to really serving a critical need to youth who need it.”

“Imagine that you’re 16 years old, just walking around and wandering through life,” Damian Gracia, CitySquare TRAC Program Manager at the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center said. “At least [at the Drop-In Center] you have a roof over your head and people who care about you. I can tell you, honestly, from my personal experience, that there’s a lot to be said just for feeling like a regular teenager and not some sort of statistic.”

Read the full story and view a walk-through tour of the center here.
Jones Day Summer Associates
Tour and Volunteer at the Center
The Jones Day Dallas Office Summer Associates and staff visited the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center for a Morning of Service. This group toured the Center, learning about collaborative efforts to end youth homelessness in Dallas, such as the co-location of services at the Center.

The Morning of Service continued with several service projects. Outdoor activities involved staining picnic tables and weeding the garden. Other tasks included setting up computers, recording inventory, sorting items in the clothing closet, and organizing offices in the Drop-In Center. After8 appreciates the efforts of these volunteers and wishes Jones Day Summer Associates the best during their summer in Dallas!
Mavs Foundation Unveils Technology Center at the Drop-In Center
A reception celebrating the donation of computers and other technology from The Dallas Mavericks Foundation to CitySquare took place at the Drop-In Center on June 4.

CitySquare President John Siburt welcomed The Dallas Mavericks Foundation and guests to the Drop-In Center. He described the innovative partnerships involved in the After8 Collaborative which made the Center possible.

Cynt Marshall, Chief Executive Officer of the Dallas Mavericks , spoke about the importance of investing in young people in order to ensure a better future. She explained the power of showing young people that they are valued and supported, and how caring for youth can change the world.

Special guest Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks Forward, emphasized the importance of community and education to lift up youth in Dallas. Dwight spent the afternoon with youth, including Dallas ISD graduates and rising seniors, listening to their stories and encouraging them to pursue their goals.
Recent Thomas Jefferson High School graduate Ruby Davis and Thomas Jefferson High School rising senior Carliyah Richardson share their career goals.
Dwight Powell speaks to community partners and youth at the reception celebrating technology gifts from The Dallas Mavericks Foundation.
Youth Participate in
Inaugural Yoga in the Garden Class
On June 28, After8toEducate offered the first-ever Yoga in the Garden program at the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center! Youth gathered for a class facilitated by CitySquare TRAC Community Engagement Manager Aja Rose.

The 17 participants practiced deep breathing, stretches, and mindfulness exercises. After yoga, youth enjoyed lunch at the Drop-In Center. Free breakfast and lunch are offered Monday through Friday at the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center as a part of Dallas Independent School District's summer meals program .
New: Take a Virtual Tour of the Drop-In Center!
Curious about the Drop-In Center at the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center? Now you can see the space from the comfort of your own home! Click here for a virtual tour.
Funding News
Team Depot Builds Garden Enhancements
On June 18, more than 50 volunteers from local Home Depot stores installed shade and seating areas in the garden at the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center. The new garden enhancements were made possible through an award by the Home Depot Foundation to After8toEducate .

This Team Depot installation adds dimension to the perimeter of the garden with two shade structures, seating, a mulch walkway, and plants framing the area. Team Depot volunteers came from stores in Dallas, Irving, and Plano to help with this build.

One Team Depot volunteer disclosed to the After8 team their excitement about contributing time to this project because they had personally experienced homelessness. Access to services like the ones offered at the Center would have helped this individual overcome homelessness after several years of living without shelter or stability.

With this installation, we are able to offer opportunities where youth experiencing homelessness can improve their social emotional and physical health and transition towards better life outcomes. Thank you Team Depot for supporting unsheltered Dallas youth!
Community Happenings
After8toEducate Founder Jorge Baldor Elected Chairman of Dallas Housing Authority Board
Jorge Baldor has recently been elected Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for DHA Housing Solutions for North Texas . DHA provides quality, affordable housing to low-income families and individuals through the effective and efficient administration of housing assistance programs across North Texas. DHA aims to create opportunities for program participants to achieve self-sufficiency and economic independence, providing housing assistance to over 54,000 people through Residential Communities and the Housing Choice Voucher program.
After8toEducate ("After8") is a first-of-its-kind, collaborative effort to support unsheltered youth enrolled in Dallas Independent School District high schools and provide immediate support services for homeless young adults ages 14-21. Powered through Social Venture Partners Dallas, After8 harnesses the strengths of Dallas ISD and nonprofit agencies Promise House and CitySquare.