With more than 10 years of experience in teaching, Desiree Moore brings skills from various teaching genres and overseeing and directing schools with high-quality curriculums to her role as program director of our Child Development Center. Desiree has a passion for innovative thinking and creativity and works with a team of teachers and educational psychologists to make sure our Child Development Center provides high-quality care and education. Her dedication to innovation ensures that the center stays in line with the latest trends and practices in child development.

Desiree leads a team of teachers and staff members in implementing child development programs, ensuring that each child’s needs are met while maintaining compliance with all state regulations. Desiree is also responsible for developing policies and procedures that promote the highest level of care and education for our children.

Prior to this role, Desiree was the director of education at The Family Place, which allowed her to provide strategic leadership in all our education programs ensuring that they align with our mission and values. Prior to joining The Family Place, she held various leadership positions, including at The Goddard School and Children’s Lighthouse Learning Centers. She has also worked with Texas A&M on implementing programs in early childhood to create a healthy, fun way of learning for children who lack in other areas of life, such as food and shelter.

Desiree’s educational background includes a master’s of Business Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce as well as a bachelor’s degree in General Studies and an associate’s degree in Teaching from Blinn College. Desiree’s commitment to her work and passion for children’s education and well-being have made her an invaluable member of The Family Place team. She has elevated the center’s operations, and her leadership has provided a rich environment for children to learn and grow

The Family Place’s Resale Shop is a vital part of our mission to support survivors of domestic violence. The shop accepts donations of clothing, household items, and furniture from the community, which are then provided free of charge to clients in need. The store is staffed primarily by volunteers, and all excess inventory is sold to the general public to raise funds for our programs. Our exciting, seasonally appropriate merchandise is also sold to the general public.

Located at 11722 Marsh Lane, Suite 354, at the southeast corner of the Park Forest Shopping Center, donations are accepted Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Furniture donations are only accepted on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. To ensure that donations meet the shop’s guidelines, items must be in closed containers or sealed garbage bags. Items that cannot be accepted include mattresses, office furniture, large appliances, and baby gear.

The store is open to shoppers Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Our Resale Shop is known for carrying high-quality brands such as Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, and Lululemon, making it a popular destination for thrifty shoppers.

By donating and shopping at the Resale Shop, community members are supporting our vital work while also reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Come shop with us!

For more information, call the Resale Shop at 214-358-0381.

Our leadership and staff recently traveled to Austin to participate in Domestic Violence Advocacy Day. CEO Mimi Sterling and other representatives from the organization met with legislators to discuss the importance of continued support for survivors of domestic violence.

During the meetings, The Family Place representatives highlighted funding priorities and policy initiatives for the legislative session. These included $88M in funding for family violence program services, $5M for offender accountability, and $600,000 for lethality risk reduction. We also advocated for updating survivor service provisions, codifying virtual hearings for protective orders, increasing access to justice for stalking survivors, and reducing lethality due to firearms.

Domestic violence affects a staggering number of Texans, with 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men experiencing family violence. The lifesaving services provided by organizations like The Family Place are crucial to supporting survivors and ensuring their needs are met. Without funding from the state, local, and federal governments, these services would not be possible.

The Family Place operates three shelters across Dallas County, providing survivors with safety, food, clothing, transportation, legal services, counseling, and case management. The demand for these emergency services continues to increase as the community grows, making funding and support from the government more critical than ever.

Our representatives urged legislators to prioritize the safety of survivors of domestic violence and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. Our efforts at Domestic Violence Advocacy Day show our commitment to making a difference in the lives of those affected by domestic violence and our dedication to ensuring the continued support and funding necessary to provide lifesaving services to those in need.

It’s a big year at The Family Place—our 45^th anniversary—and we’re celebrating all year long with the theme of Building Brighter Futures. In this newsletter, we’ll be sharing stories about the many ways we’re doing that. Just look for the “45 Ways” heart icon to count along and learn how we’re making a difference together.

The Family Place was one of the first family violence agencies and is now one of the largest in the country. As we focus on the future, we’ve identified six priorities to keep us growing in the right direction.

The first focus is a big one—our budget for 2023 is $17 million. We have our work cut out for us to raise that much money—the largest budget in our history. To meet the needs of our clients takes a collective effort of our community coming together with their time, talent, and treasure.

Our second focus area is Program Outcomes and Enhancements. We’re transitioning our service delivery model to work more in depth with clients resulting in even more impressive outcomes. Our chief client services officer has been hard at work auditing each program. Through these evaluations, we are making changes to better serve our clients. One of those changes is through our hotline where we have increased our answer rate from 65% to over 94% in a 12-month period.

Since I joined The Family Place 18 months ago, I’ve worked to Invest in Talent & Infrastructure, which is our third 2023 focus area. We’re continuing to develop our high-performance workforce to improve our infrastructure, including a new safety alert system for the organization. In addition, we need to continue to attract and retain top talent to grow our team. In this newsletter you can read about some of the great jobs we have open, so please pass those on to candidates in your circle.

We’re continuing to Invest in Our Culture through trust, transparency, communication, fun, and better benefits. We’re also enhancing our employee value proposition to make The Family Place a premier employer of choice.

The Family Place Board of Directors has always been one of our greatest assets. In 2023, we’re working to increase board/client mentoring relationships to fully utilize the important resources we have on our side.

Finally, we’re Refreshing Our Brand with input from a diverse committee of stakeholders. The Family Place has a strong and recognizable brand, but even the best brands need a polish every once in a while!

Stay tuned for updates on these initiatives throughout the year, and, as always, thank you for your support!

With gratitude,

 

 

 

 

Mimi Sterling

CEO

Highland Dallas Foundation Has Awarded Over $2 Million to The Family Place Since 2015 

Dallas, TX (October 13, 2021) – The Family Place is pleased to announce a $1 million grant from the Highland Dallas Foundation in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is the second $1 million grant issued by the Highland Dallas Foundation to The Family Place since 2015. The grant will be used in part to fund the ongoing rebuilding and restoration of full services to emergency shelter facilities damaged by Winter Storm Uri, which devastated North Texas in February.

The Family Place is a nonprofit organization that empowers victims of family violence by providing safe housing, counseling and skills that create independence while building community engagement and advocating for social change to stop family violence. Winter Storm Uri left 123 of The Family Place’s clients displaced after pipes in one of the agency’s three residential facilities burst, causing significant structural damage. Approximately $500,000 of the Highland Dallas Foundation’s grant will provide funding for repairs to The Family Place’s Safe Campus Emergency Shelter. The remaining funds will support The Family Place’s Enduring Promise Foundation Campaign and will help provide long-term funding for on-site medical staff who provide essential medical services to clients in two on-site clinics.

“The Family Place would like to thank the Highland Dallas Foundation for being an important part of the solution to ending family violence in our community with its long-standing support of our organization,” said Mimi Sterling, CEO of The Family Place. “Prior to this grant, the Highland Dallas Foundation provided critical funding to help build our emergency shelter medical and dental clinics, which provide vital medical and dental care to our clients. This latest grant helps ensure The Family Place can continue to serve the Dallas community for years to come helping victims become strong survivors.” 

“The support we’ve received from the Highland Dallas Foundation goes beyond these generous grants. When we asked donors to participate in our ‘Adopt A Family’ program, the Highland Dallas Foundation stepped up to adopt all the families in need, providing holiday gifts for every resident in our emergency shelter, who were so grateful to receive such an unexpected surprise. This impromptu gesture highlights the level of care and commitment for the Dallas community that drives Highland Dallas Foundation’s philanthropy. We’re grateful for the ongoing collaboration between the Highland Dallas Foundation and The Family Place, which has been instrumental in providing needed services and promoting awareness of domestic violence in our community.”

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, “Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) was launched nationwide in October 1987 as a way to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues while raising awareness for those issues. Over the past 30+ years, much progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals.”

About The Family Place
In 1978, a group of community volunteers organized The Family Place as one of the first family violence shelters in the state. Today, The Family Place is the largest family violence service provider in Texas, with three emergency shelters providing 177 shelter beds each night, including the state’s only shelter for men and children, and three counseling centers. The Family Place served 11,933 clients in 2020 providing 62,118 days of emergency shelter, 36,015 days of transitional housing, 18,526 hours of counseling to nonresidential clients, and 8,758 hours of counseling to batterers. All The Family Place’s services are in Spanish and in English. For more information on The Family Place, call 214.559.2170 or visit familyplace.org. 

About The Highland Dallas Foundation
The Highland Dallas Foundation was established in 2011 for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. The Highland Dallas Foundation is a supporting organization of The Dallas Foundation, the oldest community foundation in Texas. Since its inception, the Highland Dallas Foundation has contributed tens of millions of dollars to charitable causes focusing on the following issue areas: education; support for military, veterans, and first responders; health and medical research; economic and community development initiatives; and youth and family. This charitable giving has made a tangible impact on improving the lives of Dallas residents. 

This month  Mimi Crume Sterling joined The Family Place as CEO upon the retirement of CEO Paige Flink, who has served the organization for 30 years. Paige will work closely with Mimi over the next few months to take The Family Place into the next chapter.

Mimi was most recently Vice President of Environmental Social Governance and Belonging at Neiman Marcus Group. She relocated her family to Dallas in 2014 after 15 years of working in luxury fashion and lifestyle PR, branding, and marketing in New York City. Mimi joined Neiman Marcus Group originally as Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations. After five years in that role, she led Corporate Culture and Philanthropy as a part of the Neiman Marcus Group transformation team.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Mimi to lead the incredible team at The Family Place and continue the impactful legacy that Paige created,” said Harold Ginsburg, Chairman of the Board of The Family Place. “Paige has played a crucial role informing and influencing public perception of family violence and the North Texas community’s response to it. It is with great confidence that we welcome Mimi to continue to carry out our mission.”

“Mimi’s philanthropic spirit and diverse background make her the ideal fit for this role,” Paige said. “I look forward to working closely with her in the coming months as she transitions to lead an organization I love. I truly couldn’t be leaving The Family Place in better hands.”

Mimi has raised her family with a focus on service and exploration of diverse cultures.  She says philanthropy was a part of her life from a young age, starting with shadowing her mother who was active within the Indianapolis Children’s Museum Guild throughout the 1970s and 1980s. As a curious and energetic life-learner who has traveled to more than 40 countries and lived on three continents, Mimi meaningfully connects with people from many walks of life. Her happiest place is creating—building communities, solutions, and bright futures. 

“It’s with great honor and gratitude that I take the reins as the new CEO of The Family Place,” Mimi said. “I could not be more privileged to join such a critical and impactful organization, and I’m dedicated to continuing to execute and implement the laser-focused mission of The Family Place. We want to ensure bright futures for every victim of family violence, empowering them to lead lives free from abuse for generations to come.”

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The Agency Engages Victory Search Group to Find Next Generation of Leadership to Follow in Flink’s Footsteps

DALLAS (January 21, 2021)—Dallas-based family violence non-profit agency, The Family Place, is sending out a bittersweet announcement that current CEO Paige Flink, who has been with the organization in various leadership positions since 1991, is retiring in 2021 after helping to transition the new CEO. The Family Place, the largest family violence service provider in Texas, has hired Victory Search Group to lead the regional search for its next CEO to take The Family Place into the next chapter.

“Over the last 30 years, Paige has been instrumental in educating and changing public perception, including the North Texas community’s response to family violence,” shared The Family Place Board President Harold Ginsburg. “When she started with the organization, The Family Place had 38 employees and four facilities. Today it has more than 200 employees and eight facilities. She’s grown this organization into a national model, always putting the client first.”

During her time as CEO of The Family Place, Flink has created a fiscally sound organization through unique fundraisers such as Pepsi KidAround, Palm Night, and The Family Place Partners Card, which raises over a million dollars annually. Under Flink’s leadership, The Family Place has grown from an emergency shelter with 40 beds and one counseling office to three shelters providing 177 shelter beds each night—including the only shelter for men and children in the state—and three counseling offices in Dallas and Collin Counties. She led the organization as it built two state-of-the-art facilities and added innovative programming to meet client needs. After Faith and Liberty Battaglia were killed by their father during an unsupervised visitation in 2001, Flink led the charge to open Faith and Liberty’s Place Family Center. This program provided court-ordered supervised visitation and monitored exchange to prevent such tragedies. More recently, Flink has worked to coordinate shelter services with new technology that provides a real-time bed count to better serve clients seeking shelter.

“I’m excited about what The Family Place is going to do in the decades to come with the next generation of leadership in place,” Flink shared. “I’ve loved this job. I’ve worn a lot of hats in my life, but the one I’ve worn best is being an advocate for victims of domestic violence.”

In 2020, Flink won the D CEO award for Nonprofit Leadership Excellence and was honored in the Dallas Business Journal’s 2020 Women in Business awards program. She has received local and national recognition for her work on behalf of victims, including the Peace Award from the Sunshine Lady Foundation, the Women’s Advocacy Award from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, the Texas Women’s Foundation Maura Award, and the Mosaic Family Services Champion of Human Rights.

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On June 25, 2020, The Family Place will celebrate the opening of its new Southern Dallas Counseling Center with a virtual dedication on Facebook Live at 11 a.m. This new, expanded office will provide counseling and case management service to victims of family violence in Southern Dallas. The Family Place has had an outreach office in Southern Dallas since 1997 to bring counseling and support to victims living there who have transportation and other barriers to accessing services.

 

The Southern Dallas Counseling Center will also be home to The Family Place’s new African American Domestic Violence Council (AADVC). The AADVC was established to address the high rate of domestic violence homicides among African American women in Dallas County.

 

The office dedication will include brief messages from The Family Place CEO Paige Flink and Dallas City Council Member Tennell Atkins. Theresa Little, Community Outreach Advocate at The Family Place, will also moderate a discussion with AADVC members Torrey Carroll, Founder of TNC Psychotherapy, and Maggie Cathcart, CFO/Owner of Performance Masters Career Institute. The ceremony will conclude with a blessing of the building from Pastor Bryan Carter of Concord Baptist Church and closing remarks from The Family Place Board Member Delia Jasso.

 

“At The Family Place we understand that victims of domestic violence need programs that are designed specifically for their cultural and community needs” says Flink. “Being able to expand our offices to meet the growing demand for help in an area that to date has been a ‘social services desert’ makes this an exciting day!”

 

The Family Place’s Southern Dallas Counseling Center was furnished thanks to a generous donation from Texas Capital Bank. The artwork throughout the facility was donated by local artists including The Family Place Board Member Deborah Alves, Ari Brielle, Bob Campbell, Linda Clary, Suedabeh Ewing and Kimberly Kort.

With the high reports of domestic violence during shelter-at-home orders, the resources The Family Place provides are more important than ever. A recent study led by researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas found that domestic violence incidents increased 12.5% with the shelter-at-home orders. The Family Place’s new larger office space in Southern Dallas will allow case managers and counselors to see more clients and provide expanded space for support groups and community education meetings.

Faith and Liberty Battaglia were tragically killed by their father in 2001 as their mother listened through the phone. To honor their lives, The Family Place created Faith and Liberty’s Place in 2003.

Faith and Liberty’s Place (FLP) is a safe, neutral environment for supervised visitations or monitored parent exchanges. Parents’ issues stemming from domestic violence, such as divorce or custody battles, often get in the way of a child’s safety. FLP prioritizes the safety of both children and parents to prevent any abusive behavior.

Most FLP clients are court referrals due to a history of family violence. While clients must reside in Dallas county, they do not have to be clients of The Family Place. FLP is one of the only visitation sites that is free for clients, allowing non-custodial parents to spend time with their children without any financial burdens.

The visiting and custodial parents park in separate parking lots, enter through separate entrances and arrive at different times to keep both parties safe from interacting with their partner. When the custodial parent arrives, he or she leaves the children with an FLP staff member to facilitate the visit. Once the supervised visitation concludes, the custodial parent leaves with the children and the visiting parent must wait an additional 30 minutes before leaving the premises.

In one day, there can be roughly five to six clients that use FLP for visits. Our sight supervisor, Ja’Sprie Mickens, ensures that all visitations run smoothly for our clients since the site consistently operates at capacity. With a CPS background, Ja’Sprie has always prioritized children’s safety and is glad to work more closely with families.

“My goal is to always put the child first. These children do not deserve to be caught up in grown up situations that are out of their control,” says Ja’Sprie.

Clients are so appreciative of FLP because it allows children to maintain relationships with both parents while preventing any further conflict from arising. This one-on-one supervision of visits by an FLP staff member allows families to get the most out of their time together. In providing a safe space for visits and exchanges, we can continue to make Dallas a safer community. 

The Family Place is the first responder when a victim of family violence needs shelter. 

What if your home was not a safe place? What if sheltering at home was the most dangerous place you could be? We've received calls from people being locked in rooms or stuck inside with their abuser because he's afraid she will contract COVID-19 if she leaves the house. Stress and financial struggles are also known to trigger abuse.

This is what many people in abusive situations are currently facing. Records show that domestic violence hotline calls have increased in the midst of COVID-19, and we have already seen that to be true.
 
The Family Place is here to serve and provide resources for those in need. We continue to take clients in our emergency shelters regardless of their symptoms. Once housed we take steps to get them testing if appropriate, medical care if needed, and isolation if necessary.
 
In critical times, we are encouraged by how our community comes together to support one another. We need your financial support as we continue to provide safety and healing to victims of family violence. 

Please make a donation today so we can continue to provide life-saving services to anyone who needs them.

Thank you for your support of The Family Place,
 
Paige Flink, CEO
 
P.S. For more insight on how were our helping our community during this time, read this interview on WFAA Channel 8. 

At The Family Place, we offer a variety of services and programs for survivors of family violence to equip them with the necessary means and tools to get back on their feet and start a new, better life.

Dignity at Work (DAW) is our job readiness program that helps clients obtain the necessary education, tools and resources to find employment and start building a sense of stability in their lives. Clients can participate in individual or group classes where they learn interviewing tips, how to avoid employment scams and participate in mock interviews.

Dignity at Work seeks to reduce barriers to employment by providing scholarship opportunities, transportation, educational resources, and hosting on-site career fairs. [Clients may also receive clothing vouchers, gas vouchers and bus passes as needed.] Dignity at Work also offers financial education for clients to learn how to manage money effectively and ultimately become financially independent.

Most importantly, Dignity at Work helps clients recognize and develop their unique skills, so they feel confident when applying for jobs. This program does not just help clients get a job but equips them with the with the tools and education to sustain long-term success.

Bridget Smith is our Employment Specialist who works directly with clients to create individualized plans for success. Bridget must cultivate relationships with prospective employers across many industries to create opportunities for clients. She also helps coordinate resource fairs and career fairs. If the career fair is not at The Family Place, she will accompany clients to the fair. She is currently working on an apprenticeship program to provide another path of employment for clients. With so many opportunities, clients can find a position that suites their needs and skillset.

As Bridget says, “the Dignity at Work program is different from any other program you will find in the community. The program is designed to meet the client where they are and build from there.”

Many of our clients have gone on and succeeded in numerous positions as educators, administrative assistants, real estate agents and entrepreneurs. With Dignity at Work, victims of family violence have access to more job opportunities and are empowered to confidently start their new life as a survivor.

DALLAS (February 5, 2020) - Dallas based family violence agency, The Family Place, is pleased to announce the 14th Annual FORE! Golf & Tennis Tournament will be held on Monday, April 6 at Lakewood Country Club. This year’s Golf Chair is Kerry Cole and the Tennis Chair is Sally Giddens Stephenson.

Kerry Cole is the President of the Energy Equipment Segment at Arcosa, Inc.  Arcosa, Inc., headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a growth-oriented provider of infrastructure-related products and solutions with leading positions in construction, energy, and transportation markets.

Kerry was the President of Trinity Electrical Products until the time of the Arcosa spin-off. Prior to this, he was President of Trinity Structural Towers, Trinity Mining Equipment, Trinity Heads, and Trinity Structural Bridge business units along with other various leadership positions since joining Trinity Industries, Inc., in 2000. Kerry has over 29 years of experience in manufacturing organizations.

Kerry earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida.  He and his wife Kellie have three children and reside in Southlake. He is on the Board of Directors of The Family Place. 

Sally Giddens Stephenson is the Principal of L+S Creative Group, a full-service branding, graphic design, marketing and advertising firm that works with startups and established businesses to provide cost-conscious, comprehensive branding and ongoing support.

Sally is a former journalist with more than 28 years of experience. She started at The Dallas Morning News and was an associate editor at D Magazine for six years. Sally also worked for The Richards Group before starting her freelance career. She provides branding, marketing, creative concepts and copywriting. As a media strategist, she crafts storylines to maximize publicity or minimize exposure. 

Sally is a prolific ghostwriter who has written 22 books for experts from various backgrounds and spends much of her time assisting nonprofits helping those in need. 

Sally is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Science in English and German. She is an avid tennis player at Lakewood Country Club and is a proud grandmother. 

FORE! Golf & Tennis Tournament will return to Lakewood Country Club and bring together loyal corporate partners, community members and donors for a fun day to benefit a critical mission. The golf tournament begins with a player check-in at 9:00 am and a shotgun start at 10:00 am. The round robin tennis tournament begins with the player check-in at 9:30 am, and the doubles tournament will start at 10:00 am.  Following the tournaments, guests will enjoy a cocktail hour and a try their luck at a Prize Pull.

For tickets and sponsorships, click here or contact Mary Catherine Benavides at  mcbenavides@familyplace.org or 214-443-7770.

Media Contact: Allie Lesiuk
SMPR
allie@strausspr.com
214-352-6700

 

The Family Place to Break Ground on Ann Moody Place
Dallas-Based Domestic Violence Prevention Agency Celebrates
Its New Central Dallas Counseling Center With
Ground Breaking Ceremony 

 

 

 

 

Representatives from Top Donors to the Legacy Campaign
Stephanie Bernal, Kaleta Doolin, Lynn McBee, Francie Moody- Dahlberg, Paige Flink, Sarah Losinger, Susan Farris, T. Hardie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dallas, TX – May TK, 2016] – On Tuesday, May 17^th The Family Place will host a ground breaking ceremony for its new facility, Ann Moody Place, projected to open in Spring 2017. Among those who will be in attendance are current and past board members of The Family Place, donors to the current capital campaign, board members of Partners Auxiliary, members of SafeKeepers Giving Society, local city council members, representatives from the District Attorney’s office and the Mayor’s office, first ladies of area churches, doctors and administrators from area hospitals, financers of the facility, and The Family Place staff.

“Breaking ground on the Ann Moody Place is a milestone for The Family Place,” says Paige Flink, Executive Director [rst1] at The Family Place. “We’re looking forward to celebrating with everyone who has made this new facility possible. The Ann Moody Place will provide domestic violence victims with additional shelter and programs that we have not been able to provide to them before, many of which are the first of its kind in the country.”

The ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. with lunch provided by Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe, with speeches commencing at 12 p.m. Mike Coffey, Board President of The Family Place, will welcome all attendees to the ceremony, followed by speeches from various attendees instrumental in[rst2]  the center. The event will conclude with speakers participating in the symbolic dirt digging ceremony to commemorate the breaking of ground on the Ann Moody Place. The speakers will give remarks in the following order:

Welcome
Mike Coffey
Board President, The Family Place 

Invocation
Minister Cathy Moffitt, Heartfelt International Ministries

Remarks
Paige Flink
CEO, The Family Place

Lynn McBee
Foundation Board President, The Family Place

Frances Moody Dahlberg
Trustee & Executive Director, The Moody Foundation

Councilman Adam Medrano
District 2

Councilwoman Jennifer Gates
District 13, Chair of Domestic Violence Task Force

Todd Nordeen
Senior Vice President, JPMorgan Chase Bank

Ryan Suchala
Dallas Market President, Bank of Texas

Gilbert Gerst
Chairman, Dallas Development Fund
SVP, BOK Financial

Designed by leading architecture and design firm Corgan, The Ann Moody Place will feature: 13 emergency shelter bedrooms, housing up to 30 victims whom are in grave danger; a centralized hotline/call center to efficiently place clients in shelter or counseling throughout the city; an on-site kennel for beloved family pets that might prevent victims from fleeing to safety without them; specially designed play therapy rooms with observation areas and multiple activity rooms where children can receive the counseling they need; multipurpose spaces for job training to help clients increase their financial security and serve our youth violence education prevention program to prevent future victimization; a medical and dental clinic where residents and medical students from U.T. Southwestern Medical School, Parkland, and local dentists and doctors, can provide free medical and dental services to clients and their children; and finally, multiple private and group counseling rooms for victims to receive support to break the cycle of violence.

The Ann Moody Place is located in Dallas, TX. For more information about the Ann Moody Place or The Family Place, please visit https://familyplace.org

ABOUT THE FAMILY PLACE

The Family Place is one of the first family violence service providers in the state with a mission to eliminate family violence through intervention and proactive prevention, extensive community education, and advocacy and assistance for victims and their families. The Family Place now provides the largest number of victim services for in the State of Texas. Since 1978, The Family Place has counseled more than 225,000 clients, provided lifesaving shelter to more than 22,000 women, children and men, and answered more than 550,000 calls for help. The Family Place has also helped more than 20,000 batterers learn how to change their abusive behavior. Its youth program, Be Project, reaches approximately 6,000 students each year through youth education programs In 2016, The Family Place will also be the first to open a shelter dedicated to serving the growing need of our male clientele. All the programs are provided in Spanish and in English. For more information, visit  https://familyplace.org

 

Be Project is our domestic violence education program that reaches out to middle school, high school and college students to teach them about healthy relationships. The Be Project’s main goal is to educate students, parents and the community about teen dating violence and domestic violence. Last year, we reached 7,812 students with our programs.

Unfortunately, Dallas has a high domestic violence and teen dating violence rate, so this program is crucial to help end the cycle of domestic violence in our community. Nearly 1 in 3 teens who have been in relationships have experienced serious forms of dating violence or abuse.

Each semester the Be Project educators are assigned four schools to work with as part of a ten-week program. There are roughly 30 to 40 kids per classroom and educators teach multiple classes at each school. Our educators create tailored presentations for every classroom that are relevant to the needs and personalities of the students.
Be Project educators also actively reach out to the community by speaking at school lunches and attending football games.

The key to the program is consistency. Be Project’s curriculum, just like Math or Literature, builds upon the lesson of the previous class to create a solid foundation in helping end the cycle of family violence. An educator missing a class not only throws off the lesson plan, but also the students and the progress that has been made. 
  
“Be Project is here not just to help students, but also to support the community. We are a resource to prevent issues and answer any questions people may have,” says Jackie, one of our educators.

Jackie’s favorite part of being an educator is the relationships she builds with the students. The connections she creates, whether for ten weeks or one day, are incomparable and genuine. As Jackie says, “the youth personally make my day. I can see the kids be themselves and share their intelligent and funny insights in the classroom. The students and I have a reciprocal respect for each other based on shared experiences.”

 The Family Place not only serves the Dallas community, but also helps victims throughout DFW. The Collin County Counseling Center offers a variety of services from domestic violence education programs to parenting classes. These groups provide a supportive, confidential environment for victims of family violence.

Our domestic violence education program follows an 8-week curriculum that educates clients on a variety of topics such as different ways an abusive partner uses power and control, coping skills, and identifying signs of an unhealthy relationship. Our parenting classes follow the Love and Logic framework and help educate mothers on creating caring relationships.

In addition to counselors we have a full-time case manager in Collin County, Ashleigh Hernandez. As a case manager, she stays in constant contact with her clients, reaches out to other organizations for resource and benefit support, and even goes to court a couple of times a week to be their support. On a given day, she can work with anywhere from two to five clients depending on their needs. “What we really do is guide the clients and help them utilize the resources that they have within themselves—their inner-resources. We serve as a catalyst for change and help guide the victims as they grow and develop a new life,” says Ashleigh.

Ashleigh is a “life-line” to her clients. She makes sure they are not isolated and lonely as they try to leave their abuser or overcome the trauma of their situation. She helps these victims get back on their feet and develop skills to become a survivor.

Ashleigh and the rest of our case managers serve as a shoulder to lean on during such a difficult part of their lives and help them start over. 

At The Family Place, Adopt-A-Family is our program to bring holiday cheer to the families in our care. This time of year can be especially difficult for clients in our care. Traditions are left behind, and families are adjusting to a new place they are calling home. Adopt-A-Family allows the holiday season to be filled with hope and love for our clients.  

Adopt-A-Family provides holiday gifts for all of our clients whether they are living in our shelters, transitional housing apartments, or come to us for outside services such as counseling and Dignity at Work classes. With the help of donors, over 300 families ranging from single women and men to parents with six children, are adopted through our program each year.

Families in our care are given the chance to fill out a wish list where they include clothing sizes, number one gifts and other things they wish for during the holidays. We rely on Santa’s little helpers to make sure every family is adopted. Gifts are delivered unwrapped and donors provide wrapping paper, boxes, tape and bows, so the parents can wrap the gifts their children receive and be a part of the smile on their children’s faces.

What makes it all worth it? As Meg Bittner, our Volunteer and In-Kind Donations Manager, says, “Often times, these gifts bring clients to tears because they are so appreciative of the generosity of donors and that their children can receive something for the holidays.”

Clients are truthfully so thankful for their gifts and we are so grateful for the individuals and companies who make Adopt-A-Family possible year after year!

The Family Place, the largest family violence service provider in Texas, is proud to announce a gift of $10,000 for Emergency Shelter Services from the Village Giving Circle Fund at Texas Women’s Foundation.

“We are so grateful to be a recipient of funding from the Village Giving Circle Fund at Texas Women’s Foundation,” said The Family Place CEO Paige Flink. “These funds will help victims of family violence escape grave danger and provide a second chance at building healthy lives for themselves and their children. The Village Giving Circle is elevating awareness of issues that affect African Americans in North Texas. African-American women and their children represent the majority of those we serve and are more likely to experience domestic violence than women of other races/ethnicities, so we especially appreciate the impact these funds will make.”

“The Family Place has a long history of serving the African-American community,” said A. Shonn Brown, Founding Officer and Co-chair. “We’re proud to support its efforts to save lives and change lives for the better.”

Organized in 2017, the mission of The Village Giving Circle at Texas Women’s Foundation is to honor, sustain and expand the legacy of African-American women’s philanthropy by funding organizations and initiatives that positively impact the African-American community in North Texas. The Village was borne out of a desire to harness the collective giving power and influence of African-American women philanthropists, and in recognition of the need to provide opportunities for like-minded African-American women to form connections that enhance their civic leadership activities.