FC Dallas Foundation Community Action Grant Program

Purpose:

The purpose of the FC Dallas Foundation’s Community Action Grant program presented by CornerStone Staffing is to support non-profit organizations with similar missions of promoting healthy, active lifestyles for underserved youth in the North Texas area. Each grant recipient will receive a $5,000 grant from the FC Dallas Foundation in partnership with CornerStone Staffing. This is a $2,500 increase in grant funds per grantee from 2018. Applications for the 2020 grant cycle will open in November 2019.

Requirements:

1. Provide opportunities for underserved youth
2. Serve those in the local North Texas community
3. Focus on nutrition or healthy activity

2019 Grant Recipients:

Heart House

Established in 2000, Heart House provides safety, education, and opportunity to refugee and underprivileged children (through intervention and support services) to move students from a mindset of chaos to calm. They focus on tailoring their after school and summer programs to promote mental and behavioral health in a critical time in these children’s lives. Lenita Dunlap, the CEO of Heart House believes, “That play is ‘serious’ work for a child—especially for a refugee child, because through play, they learn, heal, and connect, promoting overall social-emotional health.” Along with the social aspect Heart House offers these children homework assistance, mentoring, counseling, and a safe space from negative influences in their community.

www.hearthousedallas.org

Lakewest YMCA

Lakewest YMCA looks to promote a healthy lifestyle through spirit, mind and body. Their outreach program allows for children in elementary school to participate in an eight week season with soccer fundamentals. They also offer spring and fall seasons that have the structure of weekly practices, and one game a week. “The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas is thankful for the support of FC Dallas Foundation for our Lakewest YMCA Youth Outreach Soccer program," said Kristin Kelley, Associate Vice President of Development, YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. "(Through the grant) participants in West Dallas have access to the fun and physical activity of soccer. Funds will be used for staffing the league, sports equipment and jerseys.”

www.ymcadallas.org

Mercy Street

Mercy Street looks to provide community restoration through sports leagues, camps, and building relationships throughout West Dallas. The West Dallas community struggles with urban decay and impoverished resources. Their leagues and camps help build strong, healthy athletes, develop character and build sports fundamentals. "Mercy Street is honored to be selected as a Community Action Grant recipient. This grant will provide over 100 scholarships for student athletes who would not otherwise be able to play in our soccer, baseball, softball and football leagues,” said Wynne Wideman, Director of Development. Mercy Street has had events with FC Dallas, Clayton Kershaw and the Dallas Cowboys in their efforts to provide safe environments for the communities they serve.

www.mercystreetdallas.org

6 Stones - Liga HEB

6 Stones looks to revitalize communities in the Hurst, Euless, Bedford and Grapevine. Their focus is to transform lives, homes, and community through building homes, restoring damage, and building a community relationship through intramural soccer programs. “Our intramural soccer league helps to connect at-risk students to the Beautiful Game, and I can't think of a better partner than the MLS team best known for playing their kids," said Communications Coordinator Steven Jones. "Players get so excited when you tell them that our local professional team is supporting them, and having the FC Dallas brand behind our league encourages these kids to dream big and work even harder in the classroom to remain eligible for the program.” Along with the at-risk youth they serve they help supply disadvantaged kids with school supplies so they may qualify for the intramural league.

www.6stones.org

Homegrown Helper Gift pres. by CornerStone Staffing

The FC Dallas Homegrown Helper Gift presented by CornerStone Staffing is a $5,000 donation to an organization that has been voted on by FC Dallas homegrown players.

2019 Recipient: ChildCareGroup

The mission of the Child Care Group is to champion a strong two-generation system that teaches children and parents, trains early childhood professionals and assists families. Established in 1901, ChildCareGroup teaches children and parents, trains early childhood professionals and assists families. We believe ALL children, regardless of background or circumstance, deserve a quality early education and a solid foundation to help them succeed in school and life.

www.childcaregroup.org