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Leadership Dallas cohort showcases volunteer projects to Dallas council
Summary
Participants in the Leadership Dallas program presented projects to the City of Dallas council work session on June 1, highlighting nonprofit partnerships that promote early learning, food access, domestic-violence support and youth services; no formal council votes were recorded.
The City of Dallas work session on June 1 heard presentations from the Leadership Dallas cohort, which described volunteer projects and nonprofit partnerships intended to expand services across Polk County.
Leslie Bull, a Leadership Dallas participant, told the council the cohort met monthly to study topics from government operations to economic development and nonprofit services, and said she partnered with Sable House to support survivors of domestic violence. "Their services include emergency shelter, 24 hour crisis hotline support and educational groups for women and children," Bull said, adding she serves on Sable House's board.
Mackenzie Newland, founder of the Reading Nest, described integrating the Mariem Polk Early Learning Hub's resources into her mobile outreach, distributing education kits and helping families sign up for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. "We gave out over 30 in Dallas so far, and we're gonna continue this," Newland said, and the Chemeketa Community Campus will host book drop-off locations while a mobile book van will operate on a monthly schedule.
George, academic adviser at the Chemeketa Community Campus, said the program's mobile van became fully operational in May and that multiple county locations will host the van on a recurring schedule. "The van was fully mobile," he said of the May effort.
Other cohort members described a range of volunteer placements. Laura Leon Cipriano, director of the Schmeichela Polk Center, described the James Took Community Kitchen, a volunteer-led meal program that serves at the Methodist Church on Thursdays. "They're feeding currently about 60 to 100 neighbors every single week," she said, and asked for volunteers and donations.
Hayden Albritton, a personal banker at Columbia Bank, described volunteering at Acres of Hope youth ranch and highlighted program activities intended to support youth healing and skill-building. James Wilson, a retired educator, said he volunteered at Dallas Community High School tutoring math four days a week.
Audrey McMorrow, programs coordinator at Dallas Community School, described a partnership with Community Mediation Services that led to a contract for 10 to 12 one-hour sessions of conflict-resolution instruction for eighth- and ninth-graders starting this fall. "Students will receive sessions that focus on peer relationships, group collaboration, high school transition and real life conflict situations," McMorrow said.
During group reflections one presenter said a county shuttle program had cost the city more than expected. "It cost the city 150,000 or more just to have a shuttle that nobody used," George said; other speakers said the amount was less and that some costs were refunded. Councilors and participants repeatedly framed the presentations as opportunities to connect volunteers with local nonprofits.
The council received the presentations and organizers said they will collect participant feedback via a planned survey. The session closed with awards and group photos; the work session adjourned until 7 p.m.
