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Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions honors volunteers, cites 399-member Friends Group
Summary
At a lunchtime gathering, the Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) recognized volunteers and sponsors, announced the Friends Group now has 399 members across 42 groups, honored a 2024 Distinguished Sponsor and featured volunteer panelists from city staff and youth.
The City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions on a midday gathering thanked and recognized volunteers who support services for unsheltered residents, saying the OHS Friends Group has grown to 399 members organized into 42 local Friends Groups.
"Thank you all for making the Office of Homeless Solutions Friends Group what it is today," said Christine Crosley, Director of the Office of Homeless Solutions, opening the event and introducing council members and panelists. Crosley credited City Manager Kim Beiser Tolbert with initiating the effort and thanked staff members including Gloria Sandoval and Charley Schwiderman.
The event included remarks from council members in attendance and a prerecorded message from David Cash of Smokey Rose, the 2024 OHS Friends Group Distinguished Sponsor. Cash said his restaurant has partnered with OHS since February 2023 to provide meals for staff and to host events in support of inclement-weather shelter operations. "Well, I believe it's the right thing to do," Cash said of his business's volunteer work.
Organizers highlighted citywide volunteer activity and results: a Winter Warmth Charity drive collected 4,600 donated items from city employees, and the Friends Group now includes 42 separate neighborhood groups. Crosley and others urged embedding the Friends Group into city culture to expand support for unsheltered neighbors.
The panel included Dica Spencer, a City of Dallas environmental specialist and the 2024 OHS Friends Group Distinguished Volunteer, who has logged 32.5 volunteer hours and participated in 10 community service projects. "When you give of yourself ... you are a blessing to this community and a blessing to this city," Spencer said.
Nevaeh Chavarria, an eighth-grade student at Uplift Wisdom Preparatory and a junior member of the Friends Group, described volunteering in the shelter cafe and said seeing recipients smile after a meal convinced her she was making a difference. Nevaeh has recorded five volunteer hours and participated in two community service projects with the group.
Panelists encouraged new volunteers to try service at least once and described volunteer activities as a way to connect with people and learn about the complexity of homelessness. Organizers closed the hour by inviting attendees to collect a boxed lunch courtesy of Smoky Rose and to sign up at the back table to join or learn more about the Friends Group.
No formal motions, votes, or policy decisions were made at the event; it was a recognition and outreach meeting intended to recruit volunteers and highlight community partnerships. The hosts noted they would return to an executive session afterward and that council members present were supporting the initiative but did not take legislative action at the gathering.
