New Friends New Life Receives Lead Grant of $150,000 To Impact Mission of Restoration and Empowerment
DALLAS – Dec. 12, 2022 – The Dallas Foundation, the first community foundation in Texas, is proud to announce the recipients of the Mary M. Jalonick Women’s Philanthropy Institute 2022 grants. The Women’s Philanthropy Institute awarded $300,000 to four nonprofit organizations that have made a significant impact throughout North Texas during 2022. In addition to New Friends New Life, which received the lead grant of $150,000, three additional nonprofits each received a grant of $50,000, including: Braswell Child Development Center, Community Basket Mobile Farmers Market and Mosaic Family Services.
“The Women’s Philanthropy Institute is an essential aspect of The Dallas Foundation’s mission in investing in tomorrow’s Dallas,” said Matthew Randazzo, CEO of The Dallas Foundation. “Through this program, women philanthropists have the opportunity to gather, learn about the issues affecting our community, the nonprofits addressing those issues and enact real change with their funds. Our lead grant recipient, New Friends New Life, helps women and their children overcome backgrounds of abuse, addiction and poverty by creating opportunities and healing services for them. This embodies everything the Women’s Philanthropy Institute stands for.”
New Friends New Life will use the funds from the grant to provide critical, basic needs, trauma-informed counseling, and economic empowerment resources to 240 members enrolled in its Women’s Program. Upon graduation from the four-step program, members are set up to achieve secure housing, are emotionally stable and financially self-sufficient.
The Women’s Philanthropy Institute was established by The Dallas Foundation in response to an expressed interest by women donors who wanted to learn more about their community and its needs. Based on the belief that first-hand observations provide a better view of the community, The Dallas Foundation created this program to meet women at every stage of their philanthropic journey, while connecting them with the needs of the community and the organizations addressing those needs.
“The Women’s Philanthropy Institute is thrilled to gift New Friends New Life with these funds to support their work restoring and empowering trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women and their children. They have done a significant job in raising awareness of the issue and its prevalence in our city, and responding to this urgent need,” said Julie Diaz, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at The Dallas Foundation. “The members of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute have, through their collaboration and investment, truly helped to advance the important work of all four of this year’s grantees.”
The Women’s Philanthropy Institute typically visits four to five nonprofits in the Dallas-area each year. Following each visit, members learn how to strategically evaluate a nonprofit, including a review of financial documents and organizational structure, led by The Dallas Foundation’s Chief Impact Officer. At the end of the year, members vote on which agency will receive the largest grant from the Mary M. Jalonick Women’s Philanthropy Institute Fund held at The Dallas Foundation. Grant money is raised by contributions from members. In the past ten years, more than 200 women have participated in Women’s Philanthropy Institute program and activities, granting just under $1M to the community through the Institute and leveraging over $35M in personal support from its members.
“We are ecstatic to be recipients of the lead grant from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute of The Dallas Foundation,” said Bianca Davis, Executive Director of New Friends New Life. “This impactful grant will help these brave survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation overcome the trauma and roadblocks of their past and achieve their dreams.”
For more information about The Dallas Foundation and Women’s Philanthropy Institute, please visit www.dallasfoundation.org.
