To
Encourage and Support Faith Based Community Partners
that Empower Lives and Neighborhoods in South
Dallas.
The model emerged as a result of King
of Glory Lutheran Church youth group challenging
the congregation to join them in their summer
mission to improve the lives of residents living
in the inner city. “Imagine what 1800
people could do,” asked one youth, and the
response was a collective effort of adult volunteers
realizing the possibilities. In The City
For Good was formed and a number of grass roots
organizations in the Fair Park area were selected
as mission partners. One by one, members of King
of Glory began to build relationships with dedicated
South Dallas leaders already working to make a
difference in their community by providing programs
such as a food pantry, a drug rehabilitation center,
a gang intervention program, and reading and mentoring
initiatives. In The City For Good began
mission partnership support by coordinating additional
volunteers and fundraising to aid already established
programs.
Over the course of five years, services and
volunteers have extended beyond the congregation
of King of Glory Lutheran Church. Corporations,
private funders, and other Churches of diverse
affiliations have joined to support In The City
For Good’s efforts to create and strengthen
collaborative partnerships for empowering communities.
We are an organization dedicated to facilitating
collaboration between churches, non profit organizations,
educational organizations, corporations, and
individuals who are seeking to build relationships
while working to revitalize the inner city.
In The City For Good works in active partnership
with ten South Dallas community grass roots nonprofit
organizations: Circle of Support, Hope
Restoration, Mothers Against Teen Violence, Mt.
Olive Food Pantry, Park South YMCA, South Fair
CDC, St. Phillips School and Community Center,
Sunny Acres Community Association, Victory Life,
and Vision Regeneration.
In The City For Good provides support services
requested by our South Dallas Community Partners.
Requests and services include: Volunteers, Transportation,
Meal Preparation and Food Provisions, Landscaping,
Technology Integration, Playground Equipment,
Building Supplies, Flooring and Cabinetry Installation,
Summer Program Support, and Financial Support.
Terry Kittleson, Charles Beck, Steve Burley,
Mike Popejoy, Mary Hager, David Pederson,
Paul Taylor.
Ryan Wood
ryanmwood@msn.com
(304) 888-7236 (c)
(214) 753-5677 (o)
The structure of the organization starts with
assigning an In The City For Good lead volunteer,
given the title MPL/ Mission Partner Leader,
to each South Dallas Partner Organization. The
MPL serves as a liaison between the partner organization,
other volunteers, and the In The City For Good
Staff. MPL’s are carefully chosen. MPL’s
inform the In The City For Good Staff on the
specific needs expressed by each South Dallas
Partner Organization. The individual attention
from MPL’s allows In The City For Good
to customize the support and services provided
by the organization and to maximize effectiveness.
While our Partners work to empower citizens
residing in South Dallas zip codes 75210, population
9,280 and 75215, population 18,612, In The City
For Good's vision is to act as an intermediary
between volunteers and funding sources that are
less or otherwise unavailable to our partners.
In The City For Good is committed to serve the
South Dallas, Fair Park community. The South
Dallas community socioeconomic standing is considered
to be at poverty level; 75210 average annual
family income$19,803 and 75215 average family
annual income $25,660. The racial make-up of
the community is predominantly African-American;
75210 at 80.4% and 75215 at 83.6% African-American.
A small portion of the community is Latino; 75210
at 17.2% and 75215 at 11.3%.
In The City For Good’s mission stems from
recognition of the importance of Collaborative
Partnerships for empowering communities. Our
partners have accomplished outstanding works
with limited resources. It is our goal to serve
as an intermediary partner between successful
South Dallas grassroots nonprofit organizations
and resource change agents outside their immediate
community.
In The City For Good seeks to duplicate the
Godly partnership modeled in the Biblical text
of 1 Samuel 18:1, “…Jonathan became
one in spirit with David and he loved him as
himself.” David was one of God’s
most outstanding servants, and Jonathan was David’s
strongest supporter, next to God. In The
City For Good’s South Dallas partners are
outstanding servants for God and we wish to be
their Jonathan.
Ruth 1:17, “ Where you go I will go and
where you stay I will stay. Your people will
be my people and your God my God,” acts
as a commitment anthem between the In The City
For Good MPL’s (Mission Partner Leaders)
and South Dallas Partners. MPL’s are In
The City For Good volunteers who nurture, maintain
and value personal relationships with our South
Dallas Family.
We are a ministry of diverse community servants
seeking to bridge unspoken dividing lines to
represent a united Dallas Community.
Currently, In The City for Good is assisting
Victory Life in city building approval permits
and is committed to build a debt free new Drug
Rehabilitation Home located on Spring Avenue.
In The City For Good received a donation of
a play ground from the Hill School in Fort Worth,
Texas and relocated the play ground to the site
of Hope Restorations soon to be built community
center. Members of In The City For Good and members
of Hope Restorations founding Church, True Lee
Missionary Baptist Church had a workday to erect
the playground at its new home.
An In The City For Good MPL (Mission Partner
Leader) is on the board of South Fair CDC, Mothers
Against Teen Violence, Circle of Support, Outcry
In The Barrio, Mt. Olive Food Pantry, Hope Restoration,
and Park South YMCA.
In The City For Good provided landscaping, volunteers,
financing, and the parking lot for Sunny Acres
Community Center. And, we continue to assist
with technology integration for their brand new
computer lab.
In The City For Good made repairs and replaced
the Park South YMCA's bathroom facilities.
In The City For Good provides transportation and
meals every Tuesday night to the youth of Vision
Regeneration, Inc.’s Bible Study.
As we seek to become recognized by businesses
and corporations as a trusted intermediary
partner to invest funding and other resources
on their behalf, to well established, proven
inner-city organizations, we pledge to maintain
the integrity of our values.
- isten first
- earn through observation,
study and mentorship of our partners
- ove one another as the
Body of Christ
- everage requested resources
and funding to empower programs that leave
a
- egacy to individuals
and the community in which they live
- Allow passion to lead by allowing people
to get involved in areas they sincerely
care about.
- Utilize people's unique strengths
and gifts and transformation will occur
through serving.
- People volunteer first
and build relationships and the resources
follow.
Involve our volunteers directly with
receiving partners.
- Build community support
systems of serving people.
- Multiply gifts through investments and
matching funds.
- Organize effective systems
keeping overhead low.
- Leverage resources
by encouraging multiple partnerships.
- Measure
effectiveness through measurable impact
of community, partnering organizations
and individual relationships.
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