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EVERYONE.[Veteran Affairs Commission on November 10, 2022.]
WE JUST STARTED BY THAT WE HAVE QUORUM.SO WE'RE GONNA GET, UH, THIS MONTH'S OR THIS, UH, MEETING, UM, STARTED.
SO IT'S, UM, NOVEMBER THE 10TH, 1105, AND THE VETERAN'S AFFAIRS COMMISSION, UH, UH, COMMISSION, REGULAR MEETING, COMMISSION'S, REGULAR MEETING HAS NOW COME TO ORDER.
AND, UM, THE FIRST THING ON OUR AGENDA IS GONNA BE REVIEW THE, UH, MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.
I THINK BEFORE WE EVEN DO THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA DO A, UH, JUST A SHORT, UH, INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, CUZ WE HAVE A COUPLE, UH, THAT ARE JOINING US.
AND IF THERE'S ANYONE ONLINE THAT I DON'T SEE OR KNOW OF, UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TO, TO JUMP IN.
BUT WE'LL START WITH, UH, MISS, UH, COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER GALEN SHERMAN, UH, CITY COUNCILMAN, UH, RESENDEZ, UH, DISTRICT FIVE, UM, UNITED STATES NAVY, UH, GULF GUERA VETERAN.
UH, US ARMY VETERAN, 1971 TO 1973.
UM, IS APPOINTED BY UH, COM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SCHULTZ, ALTHOUGH I LIVE IN, UH, CHAD WEST DISTRICT.
UH, BUT SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A VETERAN AND CHAD SUGGESTED ME.
SO HERE I AM, LOCAL, LOCAL BOARD.
IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE? YES, THIS IS STEVE RAMOS.
UH, I'M, UH, I'VE BEEN APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL BLACKMAN.
COULD YOU REPEAT THE NAME AGAIN? STEVE RAMOS.
UM, COMMISSIONER RAMOS, CAN YOU TURN ON YOUR CAMERA SO WE CAN COUNT YOUR PRESENCE? OKAY.
ANYONE ELSE? ALL SEE, COMMISSIONER HINTON, DO YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF? YES.
I REPRESENT DISTRICT EIGHT, UH, VIA, UH, I, MA'AM.
UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT EIGHT VIA COUNCILMAN ATKINS.
WE'RE JUST GOING AROUND AND DOING EVERYBODY.
UM, INTRODUCING, WHAT'S THAT WAY? WHAT EVERYBODY KNOW.
I AM SERVING AT THE PLEASURE OF THE HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBER CASEY THOMAS, DISTRICT THREE.
HI, I'M DIANE BIRDWELL, US ARMY.
I, UH, SERVE FOR DISTRICT SEVEN BUCKNER TERRACE, PARKDALE, AND PARTS OF SOUTH DALLAS.
AND I AM DIS LET'S SEE, DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THIS FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, BUT I, THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES I GET TO COME IN PERSON CUZ I TOOK OFF FROM SCHOOL.
FRED WELLS, US ARMY, UH, DISTRICT 12, PETER SMITH, US ARMY DISTRICT 14, PAUL RIDLEY.
UH, I'M THE CO-CHAIR, UH, RONNIE MEUS, DISTRICT SIX, UH, NAVY RETIRED.
AND I'M THE, I'M CHAIRING THIS MEETING AND A FEW OTHERS, UH, DUE TO DEFAULT
SO, UH, BUT THIS IS MY PLEASURE AND PLEASURE MEETING EVERYONE.
AND AT, WITH THAT, UH, WAS A SUGGESTION THAT WE START THIS MEETING WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND I DON'T HEAR OF ANY OBJECTIONS, ANYBODY.
WE'LL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, NATION UNDER, UNDER GOD IN INVISIBLE LIBERTY.
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THANK YOU.SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED THEN.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE, THE MINUTES, UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, UH, WE ALL NEED A LITTLE BIT TO JUST REVIEW THAT.
JUST GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO LOOK AT THAT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE APPROVAL SECOND.
I PASSED OUT A LITTLE HANDOUT, UH, BEFORE I CAME IN.
UM, BOTH OF THE SPEAKERS FROM THE LAST MEETING WHEN WE ASKED THEM WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP THEM, UM, THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR FUNDS, THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR VERY MUCH.
ONE THING THEY SAID IS, IS VISIBILITY.
THEY'RE SAYING, UH, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE YOUNGER VETS ON THE STREET, NOBODY KNOWS THEY'RE THERE.
NOBODY KNOWS HOW TO GET AHOLD OF THEM AND THEY COULD HELP ANYMORE.
UH, I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE ADD TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, THE CITY DEVELOP A HANDOUT WITH MAYBE THEIR PHONE NUMBERS OR, OR CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO WHEN, FIRST, WHEN FIRST, UH, RESPONDERS MEET THE VETS ON THE STREET, WHETHER IT BE POLICE, FIRE OR WHATEVER, THAT THEY MAYBE HAND THEM THIS CARD OR, OR A HANDOUT THAT WOULD SAY, IF YOU'RE A VET, YOU CAN GET HELP BY CALLING THIS NUMBER, ET CETERA.
CUZ THE VETS DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND THEM.
YEAH, I, AND THEY, THEY DID EVERYTHING FROM HELP, UH, UM, VETS GET BURIED.
THE ONES THAT COULDN'T FIND A DD TWO 14 YEAH.
TO, UH, HELP 'EM GET JOBS OR WHATEVER.
SO I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US, IF WITH YOUR PERMISSION, UH, MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY.
UM, WELL, WHAT WE'LL DO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, AND, UH, WE'LL FOLLOW THE AGENDA AND THEN BRING THAT RECOMMENDATION TOWARDS THE END OF THE, UH, TODAY'S MEETING AND MAKE THAT PART, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE FOLLOW THE AGENDA, THEN WE'LL MAKE THAT MOTION RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO WE'LL HOLD THAT THOUGHT.
SO, SO TO START, UH, WE HAVE, UM, UM, ORGANIZATION CALLED HOUSING FORWARD, A VETERAN INITIATIVE, AND WE HAVE A SPEAKER.
I'M SARAH CRAIG WITH HOUSING FORWARD.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF OUR ORGANIZATION, IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, WE ACTUALLY CHANGED OUR NAME.
UM, WE WERE THE METRO DALLAS HOMELESS ALLIANCE, M D H A BEFORE THAT.
SO, UM, WE, THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THIS NAME CHANGE.
THE MAIN ONE BEING THAT WE REPRESENT DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTY, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES WITHIN DALLAS COUNTY THAT AREN'T DALLAS.
AND SO REMOVING A LOCATION SPECIFIC, UH, CITY IN OUR NAME JUST HELPS OTHERS FEEL MORE INCLUDED IN THE SERVICE AREA THAT WE PROVIDE SERVICES AND JUST BETTER REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
WE ALSO, UH, WANTED TO HAVE A MORE POSITIVE NAME THAT REPRESENTS KIND OF THE FORWARD MOTION OF OUR SYSTEM.
OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM HAS UNDERGONE TREMENDOUS CHANGE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND AS YOU'LL YOU'LL HEAR AS I SHARE, WE'RE MOVING WITH MUCH MORE POSITIVE FORWARD MOMENTUM.
AND WE WANTED A NAME THAT REALLY REPRESENTED THAT WELL.
AND, UM, WE HAVE ALSO JUST, UH, WE'RE HOUSING MORE PEOPLE FASTER THAN EVER, AND ALSO WE HAVE INCREASED COLLABORATION AMONG OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, MORE ALIGNMENT OF KIND OF VERY FOCUSED GOALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK TOWARD.
UM, AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE THE SECONDARY NAME, THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION, THAT IS THE GROUP OF OVER 120 NOW PLUS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, CITIES, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES THAT ARE A PART OF THIS GROUP THAT REALLY COMES TOGETHER TO SERVE OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS IN SOME CAPACITY.
UH, MANY OF THEM MIGHT BE DIRECT CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS OR THEY MIGHT, UM, THAT MIGHT JUST BE A PORTION OF THEIR POPULATION.
SO THEY'RE MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
THERE'S WORK GROUP MEETINGS, MONTHLY MEETINGS.
WE HAVE A VETERANS WORK GROUP WHERE WE'RE SOLELY FOCUSED ON UNHOUSED
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VETERANS AND HOW CAN WE HELP SERVE THAT POPULATION BETTER.SO THAT'S MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION.
WE HAVE SEVERAL VETERANS GROUPS THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THAT COALITION, SO THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY, AGAIN, WORKING ON KIND OF THAT TARGET POPULATION.
SO, UM, FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT ME AT ANY POINT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR, UH, WANT MORE CLARITY ON SOMETHING AS I SHARE.
SO, UM, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE, THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND ACTUALLY, I ALSO DID NOT HAVE YOU ADVANCE IT SO YOU CAN GO ONE MORE
SO, UM, AS A SYSTEM, WE ARE WORKING MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN WE EVER HAVE.
IF YOU LOOK AT QUARTER THREE OF THIS YEAR, COMPARED TO QUARTER THREE OF LAST YEAR, WE ARE HOUSING PEOPLE 35% FASTER THAN WE EVER HAVE, BUT ESPECIALLY IF YOU LOOK YEAR OVER YEAR.
AND, UM, THAT IS DUE TO MAJORITY IN PART TO THE DALLAS REALTIME RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVE.
AND WE HAVE NOW THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND ALL OF THAT TO, UH, BEGIN TO SERVE OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR COMMUNITY MORE EFFECTIVELY.
UM, WE ARE SEEING, SO EVEN AS WE'RE HOUSING MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER, WE ARE SEEING INCREASED PRESSURE ON OUR SYSTEM.
UM, WITH OBVIOUSLY RISING RENTS IN DALLAS, UH, A TIGHTER HOUSING MARKET, WE ARE SEEING MORE INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS KIND OF SEEKING ASSISTANCE.
AND SO AS A COMMUNITY, UM, YOU CAN ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT.
IS THE 17%, IS THAT ACROSS THE BOARD OR IS THAT IN THE SUBSECTION OF LOW INCOME THAT YOU MENTIONED IN THE, SO THAT WAS A STAT WE FOUND ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THAT WAS AC WE DID NOT RUN THAT DATA.
IT WAS A, A STAT THAT WAS PUBLISHED.
UM, SO, BUT IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD.
BUT ONE THING, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN, AN IDEA OF, SINCE YOU ASKED ABOUT KIND OF THAT LOW INCOME SUBSET, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT KIND OF THE D F W AREA, THAT'S 30% A M I AVERAGE MEDIA AND INCOME.
AND BELOW, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT HOW MANY AVAILABLE UNITS THERE ARE IN OUR AREA, THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 20 HOUSING AVAILABLE UNITS FOR EVERY HUNDRED HOUSEHOLDS.
SO CLEARLY THAT MATH DOESN'T WORK, RIGHT? SO THERE'S ALWAYS HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE LEFT OUT OF HOUSING WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THAT VERY LOW TO NO INCOME, UH, GROUP OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OUT OF THIS 35% MORE PEOPLE, UH, CAN YOU TELL HOW MANY WERE VETERANS? WE CAN, UM, AND I HAVE SOME OF THAT DATA.
I DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC NUMBER TO TELL YOU, BUT ONE THING I WILL TELL YOU AND WE'LL, UH, GO THROUGH THIS IS THAT, UM, WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO GETTING READY TO ACTUALLY, WE'RE SEEKING AN OFFICIAL DECLARATION TO HAVE EFFECTIVELY ENDED VETERAN HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO IT'S A LONG PROCESS, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT PROBABLY WON'T HAPPEN BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT TYPE OF THING.
BUT I'LL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO KIND OF WHAT THAT MEANS, KIND OF WHAT ARE THOSE MEASUREMENTS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
UH, WE DO KNOW THAT SINCE 2019, WE HAVE HOUSED OVER 1400 VETERANS THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
AND SO ONE OF THE WAYS, AS WE'RE SEEING KIND OF MORE NEIGHBORS COME TO THE FRONT DOOR OF OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM VIA SHELTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE WORKING TO DO AS A SYSTEM IS INCREASE DIVERSION.
DIVERSION IS A VERY COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO SHELTER.
UH, WHAT DIVERSION IS, IS ESSENTIALLY, UH, LIKE ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, FAMILY GATEWAY HAS BEEN PRACTICING DIVERSION FOR MANY YEARS.
WHEN A FAMILY REACH IS OUT AND SAYS THEY NEED SHELTER, THE A CRISIS MANAGER ACTUALLY EXPLORES WITH THEM.
DO THEY ACTUALLY NEED TO COME INTO SHELTER OR DO THEY, CAN THEY, MAYBE, CAN THAT CRISIS MANAGER HELP TALK TO THE LANDLORD THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH? IS THERE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY JUST LOST A JOB AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY KIND OF JUST MISSING A GAP IN, IN INCOME, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THE NEXT JOB.
THEY'RE JUST REALLY KIND OF NEEDING A LITTLE BIT OF AN INTERVENTION THERE.
SO THEY SEE KIND OF WHAT INTERVENTIONS ARE AVAILABLE.
SOMETIMES IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FAMILY MEMBER THAT MAYBE THEY, UH, HAD, UH, AN ARGUMENT WITH AND MAYBE THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF WORK TO MEDIATE BETWEEN THE TWO AND, AND MAYBE FAMILY IS AN ALTERNATIVE.
UM, NO MATTER HOW NICE THE SHELTER, SHELTER IS A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE.
SO IF WE CAN AVOID, UH, INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES HAVING TO COME INTO A SHELTER EXPERIENCE, THAT'S REALLY BEST.
IT ALSO, AGAIN, AS THEY MENTIONED, IS COST EFFECTIVE.
SO, UM, CURRENTLY, AGAIN, FAMILY GATEWAY HAS BEEN DOING DIVERSION FOR MANY YEARS.
SO WE HAVE THE DATA THAT SHOWS THAT ON AVERAGE, UH, AN INTERVENTION THROUGH DIVERSION COSTS ABOUT $1,200 PER HOUSEHOLD, WHEREAS A SHELTER STAY ON AVERAGE IS ABOUT $12,000.
SO YOU CAN SEE AS A COMMUNITY, IF WE CAN DO MORE DIVERSIONS AND ACTUALLY DIVERT FOLKS FROM SHELTER, UNLESS THEY REALLY NEED IT, THEN THAT'S BETTER FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THOSE HOUSEHOLDS, AND THAT'S THE SYSTEM OVERALL.
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YOU, UH, WORK WITH THE TEXAS TENANT UNION AND OR THE EVICTION RESOURCE CENTER? I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NAME, BUT YEAH, WE WORK WITH A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS, YES, PRETTY FREQUENTLY.UM, SO FOR US, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE UNHOUSED WHO REALLY NEED THAT ASSISTANCE.
WE DO HAVE, OBVIOUSLY, CONNECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE EVICTION SPACE, THROUGHOUT, UM, LOW INCOME SPACE, ALL OF, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF SPACES.
UM, BUT REALLY OUR IS FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY UNHOUSED AND NEEDING THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND THEN, UM, JUST LASTLY, WE'RE WORKING AS THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION TO REALLY SCALE DIVERSION ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE ADDITIONAL PILOT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE STARTED TO KIND OF, UH, HELP WITH THE IN INCREASE.
UH, WE ARE SEEING THE INCREASED NEED WE'RE SEEING.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A REAL, UH, UPDATE ON DALLAS REALTIME RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVE, WHICH, UH, IF ANY OF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THAT INITIATIVE, IT'S A 72 MILLION, UH, INITIATIVE THAT WAS PASSED, UH, OCTOBER, JUST THIS PAST OCTOBER WAS A CELEBRATION OF KIND OF THE YEAR MARK OF IT.
AND, UM, IT WAS A LARGE INITIATIVE, A BIG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN LOTS OF DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS AND CITIES AND FOLKS TO KIND OF INCREASE FUNDING TO SERVE OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.
IT'S A COMBINATION OF VOUCHERS.
UM, PLUS THERE WAS 10 MILLION OF PRIVATE MONEY RAISED TO HAVE SOME OF THAT FLEXIBLE FUNDING.
UM, WE ALL KNOW GOVERNMENT FUNDING CAN MANY TIMES BE VERY, VERY RESTRICTED.
SO THE FLEXIBLE FUNDING GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GIVE LANDLORD INCENTIVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH I'LL DISCUSS IN JUST A MOMENT.
SO OUR DALLAS REALTIME RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVE HAS HOUSED OVER 1200 INDIVIDUALS AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND EVEN SINCE I EMAILED THIS REPORT, I, I WANNA SAY THEY UPDATED THE NUMBERS WE'RE AT OVER 1,265 AT THIS POINT FOR WHERE WE'RE AT, UH, WITH THAT.
AND THAT'S EVEN WITH KIND OF THE TIGHT HOUSING MARKET WE'RE EXPERIENCING.
THAT'S WITH, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL AN IDEA, THAT'S WITH ONLY 7% OF APARTMENTS IN THE DFW COMMUNITY, ACTUALLY, EXCEPT VOUCHERS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WITH THOSE VERY CHALLENGING CONDITIONS.
WE'VE, WE'VE, UM, HOUSED THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
AND, UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE TO KIND OF COMBAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING WITH THE TIGHT HOUSING MARKET, WE HAVE A LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT TEAM THAT WAS REALLY A PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, WAS TO BUILD CAPACITY WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR ARE FOLKS WHO ARE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON FINDING HOUSING.
SO FINDING LANDLORDS AND, AND PROPERTY MANAGERS WHO MAYBE THEY'VE NEVER ACCEPTED VOUCHERS BEFORE, UM, OR, AND THEY NEED TO BE WATCHED THROUGH THE PROCESS.
MAYBE THEY, UM, HA HAVE ACCEPTED SOME AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, MIGHT NEED SOME ENCOURAGEMENT TO DO ADDITIONAL.
I ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH A LANDLORD YESTERDAY WHO HOUSES SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS, AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE SUPPORT YOU RECEIVE? YOU KNOW, DO YOU FEEL SUPPORTED AS A LANDLORD IF THERE'S AN ISSUE? AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES.
HE SAID, THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THIS PROGRAM, THEY WANNA STAY IN THE PROGRAM.
AND HE SAID, THEY'RE FANTASTIC.
THEY FOLLOW THE RULES, THEY DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
UM, HE'S LIKE, THERE ARE SOME OF THEM IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHO ARE THE PROPERTY MANAGER'S KIND OF FAVORITE PERSON BECAUSE THEY JUST, THEY'RE RESPONSIVE, THEY DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AND, AND ALL OF THAT.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM A LANDLORD WHO HAS MULTIPLE PROPERTIES WHERE WE HOUSE OUR NEIGHBORS.
DO YOU, DO YOU WORK WITH, UM, DEVELOPERS WHO ARE, DON'T HAVE PROPERTY OUT FOR RENT YET? I MEAN, WE WERE BUILDING SO MANY APARTMENTS IN THE DFW AREA.
YOU, YOU, YOU OUGHT TO START, I SHOULD SAY OUGHT TO.
COULD YOU START EARLIER IN THE PROCESS, I GUESS, TO GET THESE LANDLORDS SIGNED UP? YEAH, WE, WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
UM, ONE OF THE TOUGH THINGS, WE, A LOT OF THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT NOW ARE, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY MAYBE OF THE HIGHER, HIGHER RATES THAN WHAT, BUT THERE ARE TAX ADVANTAGES TO SOME SET ASIDES.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO ENGAGE LANDLORDS.
WE WORK, UM, WE'VE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND FOLKS LIKE THAT OF GREATER DALLAS.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY KIND OF SEEING HOW WE CAN WORK WITH THEM TO KIND OF HELP THEM JUST BE AWARE THAT THE PROGRAM IS THERE.
AND ALSO BE AWARE OF KIND OF HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS.
ONCE FOLKS ARE HOUSED, THEY IMMEDIATELY ARE IN CONTACT WITH A CASE MANAGER WHO PROVIDES THEM WITH ANY WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES THEY MIGHT NEED AND REALLY SURROUNDS THEM WITH ANY SUPPORTS THEY MIGHT NEED TO MAINTAIN THAT HOUSING TO BE A GOOD TENANT AND TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO BE HOUSED EVEN AFTER THE PROGRAM.
MS. CRAIG, IF I COULD ASK, UM, YES, REALLY QUICKLY, HOW MANY APARTMENT COMPLEXES DID YOU INDICATE THAT, UH, RAPID HOUSING IS WORKING WITH? YOU KNOW, I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE NUMBER OF HOW MANY WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH.
UM, WE DEFINITELY HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I JUST DON'T HAVE IT HERE TODAY, BUT I CAN GET IT FOR SURE.
MY QUESTION IS, YOU SAID YOU WORK WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF GREATER DALLAS AND ALL THAT AND THEY WORK WITH, OR THEY USED TO WORK WITH THE MARINE CORPS, YOU KNOW, TOYS FOR TOTS AND ALL THAT.
SO MAYBE YOU CAN HIT 'EM UP ON THAT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA WORK WITH THE MARINES, YOU MIGHT WANNA
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HELP 'EM WHEN THEY'RE HOMELESS.BUT, UM, MY QUESTION IS HOW IS IT LEGAL FOR THEM TO REFUSE SECTION EIGHT? TO ME, THAT'S DISCRIMINATION.
IT IS, BUT IN TEXAS YOU CAN ACTUALLY DISCRIMINATE BASED ON PAYEE SOURCE, BUT WOULDN'T FEDERAL LAW DISCRIMINATION TRUMP THAT? UM, NOPE.
IN TEXAS YOU CAN JUST, LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY OWNERS CAN DISCRIMINATE BASED ON THE TYPE OF OF PAY.
SO THEY CAN SAY, EVEN THOUGH A VOUCHER HOLDER CAN PAY THE FULL RENT, THEY CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA GO THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT PROCESS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
WHERE WOULD I FIND THAT? CUZ I, I MEAN, THAT TO ME JUST IS FASCINATINGLY AWFUL, YOU KNOW? AND SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE, I KNOW I BELIEVE YOU, BUT WHERE WOULD I LOOK THAT UP? UM, LET ME GET A LINK FOR YOU SO I CAN SEND THAT, UH, TO, DO YOU WANT ME TO SEND IT TO YOU? YEAH.
I'LL, I'LL SEND THAT ON AND KEEP SHARED.
CAUSE I THINK VETERANS KNEW THAT SOME, YOU KNOW, SINCE WHAT, UP TO ONE THIRD OF SOME, IN SOME CITIES UP TO ONE THIRD OF THE HOMELESS CAN BE VETERANS AND THEIR YOUNGER ONES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO DISCRIMINATE LIKE THAT, JUST, THAT'S NOT WHY WE SERVED.
AND YOU KNOW, ANY OF US COULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL A PAYCHECK AWAY FROM HOMELESSNESS.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN SAY NO, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP WHEN THEY COULD SAY, NO, WE HEAR YOU, WE SUPPORT YOU IN THAT
AND SO, YES, UH, I AM LIVING ON THE STREET, I'M A VET.
HOW WOULD I KNOW ABOUT YOU? HOW WOULD I FIND YOUR ORGANIZATION? SO WE WORK WITH A LOT OF THE VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OUT DOING VARIOUS, UH, AND EVEN NON-VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WAS A PART OF THIS KIND OF, AGAIN, CAPACITY BUILDING OF THE SYSTEM WAS MAKING SURE THAT IT, WHEN A VETERAN ENCOUNTERED THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, WHETHER IT'S COMING TO THE BRIDGE, MEETING A STREET OUTREACH WORKER WHO'S ENGAGING THEM IN AN ENCAMPMENT OR WHEREVER IN THE SYSTEM THEY MIGHT ARRIVE.
UM, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S KIND OF AN ASKED INITIALLY.
SO THEY'RE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED.
AND THEN ONCE WE KNOW THEY'RE A VETERAN, THEY'RE LITERALLY PUT ON A PATHWAY VERY QUICK TO HOUSING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS A COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW IN ORDER TO GET AN OFFICIAL DECLARATION THAT YOU HAVE ENDED VETERAN HOMELESSNESS.
ONE OF THOSE MARKERS, THERE'S LIKE SIX, BUT ONE OF THEM IS THAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT VETERANS WHEN THEY'RE IDENTIFIED AND THEY, THEY COME INTO THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, THEY'RE IDENTIFIED REHOUSED WITHIN 90 DAYS OR LESS.
SO IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT NO VETERAN WILL EVER BECOME UNHOUSED IN OUR COMMUNITY AGAIN, BUT IT'S TO SAY THAT WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE ARE SET UP TO RESPOND QUICKLY, IDENTIFY THEM, AND GET THEM BACK ON A PATHWAY TO HOUSING.
VERY QUICKLY, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, DO YOU, OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, ARE YOU DEALING MOSTLY WITH SINGLE VETS OR ARE YOU ALSO DEALING WITH FAMILIES? UH, WE'RE, I KNOW WE'RE DEALING WITH BOTH, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE STATISTICS TO TELL YOU TODAY WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS.
SO YOU, ARE YOU HELPING A FAMILY GET HOUSED AS WELL AS A SINGLE? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THESE, UH, THE DALLAS REALTIME RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVE HAS HELPED FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS, SO, GOOD.
FOR THE VETERAN SPECIFIC PROGRAM, UH, THOSE SIX METRICS YOU MENTIONED, CAN YOU SHARE THOSE AS WELL WITH CHRISTINA? OKAY.
I I, I KNEW SOMEBODY IN HERE WAS GONNA ASK ME WHAT THE SIX WERE WHEN I WALKED IN.
IT'S OKAY IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEM OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD SHARE IT WITH CHRISTINA, CUZ I YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THE, UH, THE QUESTION THAT I GUESS I HAVE IS, IS ONCE THEY'RE, UH, I ACTUALLY HAVE SEVERAL ONCE.
UH, VETERAN HAS IDENTIFIED THEY'RE PUT INTO THE PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE 90 DAYS TO GET REHOUSED.
DO THEY HAVE TO, UH, REMAIN HOUSED FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME? AND HOW DO WE, UH, AND BY THAT I MEAN YOU, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND US DALLAS VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION ENSURE THAT THAT PERSON STAYS HOUSED.
IT'S, THAT'S JOBS, INCOME, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
ALSO WORKING WITH THE, I'LL STOP THERE AND THEN I'LL ASK THE OTHER QUESTION.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DALLAS REALTIME RAPID REHOUSING NUMBERS MM-HMM.
SO IT TOOK A COUPLE MONTHS TO GET SYSTEMS IN PLACE, GET IT UP AND RUNNING.
SO WE RAN THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN HOUSED IN THAT PROGRAM, AND 99% ARE STILL HOUSED.
SO THEIR CASE MANAGERS ARE ENSURING THAT THAT PERSON, YOU KNOW, HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, WHEN WE ACTUALLY MOVE A PERSON, IF A PERSON IS MOVING FROM, SAY, UH, THROUGH OUR ENCAMPMENT WORK, THEY'RE MOVING FROM AN ENCAMPMENT INTO HOUSING, WE ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE BASIC FURNITURE ESSENTIALS THEY NEED, THEY MAKE, WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THINGS LIKE POTS AND PANS TO COOK DINNER.
UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE SOFT GOODS MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A HOME, NOT JUST IN SOME EMPTY, CAVERNOUS SPACE.
IMAGINE GOING FROM THE QUIET, YOU KNOW, FROM THE, FROM THE NOISE
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OF THE STREETS TO THE QUIET OF A HOME.IT CAN BE QUIET A TRANSITION FOR FOLKS.
SO OUR CASE MANAGERS, THEIR CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS IS MUCH MORE FREQUENT INITIALLY.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT TAPERS OFF AND THE CONVERSATIONS ARE ALWAYS, THEY START WITH KIND OF, WHAT'S THE GAME PLAN HERE? WHAT'S THE END, END RESULT HERE? SO FOR SOME FOLKS, THEY NEED, UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF ACROSS OUR SYSTEM FOR SOME FOLKS, THEY NEED A LIGHT LEVEL OF INTERVENTION.
MAYBE THEY LOST A JOB AND THEY JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME SPACE TO GET ANOTHER JOB, GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
FOR OTHER FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE, THAT THEY MIGHT NEED MORE OF A LONG-TERM INTERVENTION.
THEY MIGHT NEED SOME, SOME, OR A MEDIUM TERM, IF YOU WILL.
THEY MIGHT NEED 18 MONTHS OR SO.
MAYBE THEY'RE RECOVERING FROM SOME TYPE OF CONDITION, OR THEY NEED TO, TO GET, UH, SOMETHING HEALTH CONDITIONS OR SOMETHING UNDER CONTROL BEFORE THEY CAN REALLY BE ON THEIR OWN.
AND THEN OTHER FOLKS NEED PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS WHO MIGHT HAVE DEBILITATING, YOU KNOW, MENTAL OR PHYSICAL, JUST TRUE DISABILITIES, THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE A WORKING CITIZEN WHO CAN, YOU KNOW, WORK TO HAVE AN INCOME ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THEM.
THEY NEED PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND KIND OF THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS FOR OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY, WE HAVE APPLIED FOR A SPECIAL NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY THAT CAME AVAILABLE, UM, JUST A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
UM, AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY TO TARGET UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, AND IT'S TO INCREASE YOUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
SO IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, IN THE, UH, STATE OF HOMELESSNESS ADDRESS THAT HAPPENED IN MAY, UM, WHICH IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO, TO CHECK IT OUT ON OUR WEBSITE, I, I TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY JUST HAS A, IT'S ABOUT AN HOUR LONG, BUT IT HAS A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INFO AND KIND OF THE STATE OF THINGS IN OUR SYSTEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW THIS LAST, UH, POINT IN TIME COUNT, UM, WHICH HAPPENS ANNUALLY, IT'S KIND OF OUR CENSUS OF OUR NEIGHBORS TO SEE KIND OF HOW OUR SYSTEM'S DOING.
AND WE SAW A 40% INCREASE IN CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT SURGE JUST DID NOT HAPPEN ALONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT HAPPENED ACROSS OUR NATION.
SO OUR NATION SAW SIMILAR TRENDS.
UM, AND A LOT OF THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK OF IT AS KIND OF THE STILL AFTER EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC.
A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC, WE COULD NOT ENGAGE WITH OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS FOR THEIR SAFETY OR, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR STAFF, FOR EVERYONE'S HEALTH SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE SORT OF DISTANCING, RIGHT? SO, UM, MANY PEOPLE WHO, UH, FELL INTO HOMELESSNESS DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME WERE NOT QUICKLY PUT ON A PATHWAY TO HOUSING.
SO, UH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IF YOU ARE LIVING ON A SIDEWALK, ANY PHYSICAL OR MENTAL, YOU KNOW, UH, ISSUES YOU MIGHT HAVE OR EVEN THAT YOU HAVEN'T HAD BEFORE, IT CAN BEGIN TO BE EXACERBATED DURING JUST BECAUSE OF THAT SITUATION.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT WE SAW THAT BECAUSE OF JUST THE GAP IN SERVICES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BE GIVEN.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, UM, HUD IS OBVIOUSLY WATCHES THOSE TRENDS AND THEY ARE, UH, THAT WAS KIND OF WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY WAS, WAS TO BRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO AS I SAID, THE CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS NUMBERS KIND OF SURGE BY 40%, WHICH, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHO ARE THOSE FOLKS, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS TYPICALLY WITH SOME TYPE OF DISABILITY THAT'S GONNA PREVENT THEM FROM, THEY DON'T JUST NEED KIND OF A HAND UP AND THEN THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY.
THEY REALLY NEED KIND OF A PERMANENT, UH, UH, SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR, FOR RENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, SO OUR NUMBERS GREW BY 40%, BUT OUR STOCK OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS ONLY GROWN BY ABOUT THREE TO 5%.
UH, OR EXCUSE ME, I THINK IT'S, IT'S ONLY GROWN BY 3% IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT INCREASED AT THE RATE THAT OUR POPULATION NEEDS HAVE.
THAT, SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO, MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IS GOING, IS REALLY ABOUT THAT YOU MENTIONED 7%, EXCEPT 7% OF, OF OPEN UNITS NOW ACCEPT VOUCHERS.
WHAT IS A PATH, OR HOW DO WE THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL THROUGH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS CREATE MORE PATHS FOR SPECIFICALLY HOMELESS VETERANS, BUT THEN HOMELESS? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, HOMELESS PEOPLE OVERALL.
UM, WE NEED MORE LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO, UH, IS IT, IS TAX INCENTIVES ENOUGH? DOES THAT, DOES THAT ACTUALLY WORK? IS IT LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, I WE NEED TO MARKET THE BENEFIT OF HAVING HOMELESS VETERANS BE THE, THE TARGET AUDIENCE? UM, LIKE WHAT'S THE PATH? YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S ALL A ALL IN BOTH, RIGHT? I THINK, UM, I THINK OUR, IF OUR CITIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES CAN HELP TO GIVE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES FOR LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY OWNERS, THAT'S GREAT.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THE DALLAS REALTIME RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVE WAS ACTUALLY THOSE PRIVATE DOLLARS THAT I TALKED ABOUT.
THOSE WERE ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY RAISED TO GIVE US ROOM TO GIVE LANDLORDS INCENTIVES.
SO, UM, SOME LANDLORDS MIGHT SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS OF, OF HOUSING SOMEONE WHO'S COMING, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM LIVING ON THE STREETS.
UM, WE CAN GIVE, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL DAMAGE MITIGATION FEES THAT MIGHT HELP
[00:30:01]
THEM FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE TO FEEL LIKE, OKAY, I CAN, I CAN RESTORE MY PROPERTY IF SOMETHING HAPPENS.UM, OR IT MIGHT BE THAT WE FIND A LANDLORD, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AS YOU WERE SAYING, THOSE UNITS THAT ARE COMING ON BOARD.
ONE THING THAT WE DO IS WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT UNITS DO YOU HAVE COMING ON BOARD NEXT MONTH? AND, AND IF YOU HAVE FIVE UNITS, 10 UNITS, 20 UNITS, CAN I PUT A DEPOSIT ON THOSE UNITS NOW AND HOLD THEM SO WE CAN MOVE FOLKS INTO THEM NEXT MONTH? SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT OUR TEAM IS CONSTANTLY WORKING ON.
UM, AND REALLY IT'S JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR FOLKS ARE UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS, ARE PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU AND I, AS YOU SAID.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALL, UH, A VERY MANY OF US DON'T REALIZE KIND OF HOW CLOSE WE ARE AT TIMES TO, TO BEING UNHOUSED FOLKS OURSELVES.
UM, IT'S JUST THAT A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE JUST A LACK OF THOSE SOCIAL SAFETY NETS, YOU KNOW, A LACK OF FAMILY, FRIENDS, COMMUNITY.
UM, A GENTLEMAN I SPOKE TO ABOUT A MONTH AGO AT OUR, WE HAVE A HOMELESS ALLIANCE FORUM WHERE ONCE A MONTH FOLKS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WHO'VE BEEN UNHOUSED OR HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH HOMELESSNESS, THEY ACTUALLY CAN, CAN COME TO THAT AND GIVE US FEEDBACK ON HOW THEIR EXPERIENCE WAS WITH THE SYSTEM.
UM, CAN, CAN ALSO GAIN RESOURCES FROM THAT.
UM, BUT THIS GENTLEMAN, HE WAS IN HIS MID SIXTIES, HE WAS HERE IN THE DFW AREA FOR WORK WHEN HE HAD A MEDICAL ISSUE, A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, HE ENDED UP MEETING OPEN HEART SURGERY.
AND BY THE TIME HE WENT THROUGH REHAB AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND WAS ABLE TO GET OUT, HIS, HIS ENTIRE HOUSING SITUATION HAD FALLEN APART.
UM, AND HE, YOU KNOW, HE, HE DID NOT HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO.
SO, UM, HE'S CURRENTLY AT AUSTIN STREET SHELTER AND HE, YOU KNOW, WAS KIND OF TALKING ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE THERE.
YOU KNOW, HE'S HAVING, HE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD EXPERIENCE AND THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN TO MAKE PEOPLE COMFORTABLE AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
HE'S VERY EDUCATED, VERY, YOU KNOW, SPEAKS ELOQUENTLY.
UM, HE'S A GENTLEMAN WHO'S RIGHT NOW EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE OF JUST HIS SITUATION.
SO, UM, IT'S SOMETIMES HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND REALIZE THAT LIKE IT COULD BE ANY OF US AT ANY TIME.
GO BACK FOR A MINUTE, IF I COULD OH, GO AHEAD.
IF, IF I COULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST FOR MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS, WE ARE AT 1137.
WE GOT A COUPLE MORE SPEAKERS IF WE CAN ALLOW HER TO GET THROUGH THIS WONDERFUL PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT'S CHALKED WITH GOOD STATS AND I ENJOY NUMBERS.
CUZ I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SLIDES YOU HAVE REMAINING, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR REST.
I THINK WE'RE ON SEVEN, SO WE'RE GET THERE.
UM, AND THIS JUST GIVES US AN, AN IDEA SNAPSHOT OF KIND OF THE RACIAL EQUITY COMPONENT OF IT, KIND OF THE RACIAL MAKEUP OF, OF WHO WE'RE HOUSING.
UM, AS WE KNOW, UH, BLACK INDIVIDUALS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED IN THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, 76% OF THOSE ARE, ARE BLACK HOUSEHOLDS ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN HOUSED.
UH, AND THEY MAKE UP 54% OF THE TOTAL HOMELESS POPULATION.
SO WE ARE HOUSING THOSE FOLKS, UM, AT A, AT A HIGHER RATE.
AND WE ARE STILL FINDING THAT THERE'S A, A GAP IN THE LENGTH OF TIME IN THEIR HOUSING SEARCH.
SO BLACK HOUSEHOLDS ARE IN THEIR HOUSING SEARCH FOR 96 DAYS, WHEREAS THE OVERALL POPULATION IS 94 DAYS AND IT'S 87 DAYS FOR WHITE HOUSEHOLDS.
AND OUR LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT TEAM, YOU KNOW, THEY DO FIND, UH, THAT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY DO EXPERIENCE SOME BIAS IN THINGS FROM LANDLORDS AND FROM PROPERTY MANAGERS.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST WORKING AGAIN TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, ADDRESS THOSE AS WE SEE THEM.
UM, JUST AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, KIND OF OUR ENCAMPMENT WORK.
ONE OF THE WAYS, UH, THAT WE ARE HELPING WITH ENCAMPMENTS THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN HOW, UH, WE HAVE AS A CITY ADDRESSED THEM IN THE PAST.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS.
WE HAVE LOTS OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE HAVE LOTS OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER NONPROFITS WITHIN THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION, AND WE ARE ACTIVELY COMING TOGETHER AND WORKING TO, UH, ADDRESS ENCAMPMENTS.
AND WE ARE ACTUALLY HOUSING FOLKS FROM ENCAMPMENTS AND THEN CLOSING THOSE ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE DONE A TOTAL OF NINE ENCAMPMENTS SO FAR.
AND THEN, AND THAT CAN SOUND KIND OF LIKE A SMALL NUMBER, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS, IT'S 112 FOLKS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED THROUGH THOSE ENCAMPMENTS, AND 108 OF THEM HAVE BEEN HOUSED ON A PATHWAY TO HOUSING.
SO, UM, THAT, AND THOSE ARE FOLKS, THOSE ARE OUR CHRONICALLY UNSHELTERED FOLKS.
A LOT OF THEM ARE FOLKS WHO, WHO ARE LIVING IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS.
SO, UM, AND THE NEXT SLIDE JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF KIND OF WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
UM, WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS TO, UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
UM, KIND OF WHO'S INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS? SO IT'S, UM, THE SITE PLANNING BEGINS AND IT'S KIND OF THE, UH, BASED ON THE CITY OF DALLAS AND KIND OF HEALTH RISK, SAFETY RISKS THAT KIND OF BUMPS UP THE PRIORITY OF, OF WHICH ENCAMPMENTS ARE, ARE BEING ADDRESSED.
UM, AND WE WORK CLOSELY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
AND THEN IT'S ASSESSED TO KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE OUR RESIDENTS HERE, WHAT ARE THEIR PHYSICAL NEEDS, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, HOW CAN WE PROVIDE RESOURCES? THEN WE BEGIN KIND OF DOCUMENT COLLECTIONS.
SO IT'S MAKING SURE THEY HAVE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR SOMETHING SO THAT THEY
[00:35:01]
CAN SIGN A LEASE WHEN THAT TIME COMES.AND THEN IT BEGINS HOUSING IDENTIFICATION.
SOME OF OUR FOLKS HAVE BACKGROUNDS THAT ARE CHALLENGING TO HOUSE, WHETHER THEY, THEY MIGHT HAVE SOME TYPE OF, UM, CONVICTION ON THEIR RECORD THAT MIGHT MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING TO HOUSE THEM.
SO WE BEGIN TO LOOK FOR HOUSING FOR OUR FOLKS, AND THEN THE LEASE UP PROCESS.
AND THEN, UM, OF COURSE, JUST THE CLOSURE MAINTENANCE OF THE SITE.
SO, UM, THE KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR THIS PROGRAM ARE REALLY, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE WHEN YOU'RE READY.
UM, THE KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR THIS PROGRAM ARE REALLY FINDING HOUSING AND THEN KEEPING HOUSING.
SO AS I MENTIONED, HOUSING PLACEMENTS ARE UP 35%.
UM, AND THEN ALSO OUR RESIDENTS ARE MAINTAINING THAT HOUSING WITH GOOD CASE MANAGEMENT, WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THOSE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES THEY MIGHT NEED.
THEY MIGHT NEED EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, WHATEVER THOSE LOOK LIKE, WE'RE GETTING THEM THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED.
AND OVER 99% REMAIN HOUSED AFTER SIX MONTHS.
AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU ALL, OF COURSE, THIS SLIDE WILL INTEREST YOU ALL SPECIFICALLY, UM, THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
WE'VE HOUSED OVER 1400 VETERANS SINCE 2019.
AND THEN ALSO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL SAW, THERE WAS A PRESS RELEASE FROM HUD AND THE VA JOINTLY, UM, THAT THEY'VE SEEN A DECLINE BY 11% NATIONWIDE OF VETERANS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE LARGEST DECLINE WE'VE SEEN IN FIVE YEARS.
IT MEANS THAT ALL OF THE POLITICAL WILL, ALL OF THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT TOWARD THIS, UM, WE ALL BELIEVE THAT OBVIOUSLY IF SOMEONE HAS SERVED OUR COUNTRY, THEY, NO ONE SHOULD SLEEP ON THE STREET.
BUT ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE SERVED, SERVED YOUR COUNTRY, THERE'S DEFINITELY NOT, UM, WE DO NOT WANT THOSE FOLKS SLEEPING ON THE STREETS.
AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, POLITICAL WILL AND, AND RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
SO, UM, SO JUST TO, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UM, THERE ARE KIND OF THREE PARTS TO REALLY OUR SYSTEM.
AND IT'S, UM, WE HAVE AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY FLAGS VETERANS AS THEY'RE ENTERING THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, GATHERED KIND OF ALL THE SPECIFIC VETERAN RESOURCES TOGETHER.
UM, AND THEY HAVE KIND OF, THEY'RE IN A WORK GROUP TOGETHER, AND WE ALSO WORK TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE KIND OF ALL THE INTERVENTIONS THEY MIGHT NEED.
OUR VETERANS MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, T S D OR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY NEED HELP WITH THAT ARE, UH, THEY NEED SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS FOR US.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE.
WE ALSO HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A BY NAME LIST, AND THEY LITERALLY WORK THROUGH THAT LIST AND ENSURE THAT THERE'S A PLAN FOR KIND OF EVERY VETERAN THAT'S ON THAT LIST.
WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE OUT IN THE PROCESS, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, UH, AND I'M READING SOME OF THESE NOTES FROM MY COLLEAGUE SARAH, UH, WHO'S NOT HERE, BUT, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE NEXT, UH, MONTH, COUPLE MONTHS TO BE REALLY READY FOR THAT, UM, VISIT FROM UNITED STATES INTERAGENCY COUNCIL AND HOMELESSNESS IS MAKING SURE THAT SOME OF OUR VETERANS WHO ARE SORT OF OUTLIERS THAT ARE KIND OF SEEMING TO LINGER IN THE SYSTEM, SOMETIMES IT'S BECAUSE REALLY THEIR INTERVENTION, THEY WANT TO END UP WITH FAMILY.
AND SO IT'S TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, UM, THAT THEY'RE READY TO DO THAT, READY TO REUNITE WITH FAMILY AND THAT WE CAN HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SOMETIMES IT'S THAT THEY'RE IN, UM, SOME TYPE OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND SO REALLY HOW CAN WE GET THEM MOVED INTO A PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION? SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING CURRENTLY.
AND AGAIN, THAT BY NAME LIST, EVERY VETERAN IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIED.
AND THEN KIND OF THAT TIME CLOCK STARTS, THE MOMENT THEY'RE IDENTIFIED THAT LIKE WE NEED TO QUICKLY GET THEM ON A PATHWAY TO HOUSING.
AND THEN, UM, AND OUR TEAM IS, WE HAVE A TEAM MEMBER WHO IS VERY FOCUSED ON VETERANS.
THAT'S A, A LARGE PART OF HER JOB.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH HER ENTIRE JOB AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND SO SHE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH OUR PROVIDERS TO ENSURE HOW WE CAN, UH, QUICKLY HOUSE OUR VETERANS AND HELP THEM, UM, RECEIVE WHAT THEY NEED.
UM, OUR THREE BIG GOALS AS A COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE WHEN YOU'RE READY.
OUR THREE BIG GOALS AS A COMMUNITY ARE, UH, REDUCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, REDUCING CHRONIC UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
AND CURRENTLY WE ARE WORKING TO SCALE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND HAVING TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN SERVE ALL OF THOSE FOLKS THAT WE'VE SEEN.
UM, AND WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE TO HELP KIND OF, UH, REDUCE THAT.
AND THEN SECOND, UM, WE WANT TO END VETERAN HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING ON.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS REDUCING, UH, FAMILY AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE ARE WORKING TO RAISE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO REDUCE SPECIFICALLY YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
THERE ARE SOME GAPS IN OUR SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN FOR FAMILY HOME HOMELESSNESS, WE'RE WORKING CURRENTLY TO KIND OF DEFINE WHAT THOSE THRESHOLDS THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO KIND OF MEET AND EXCEED OUR, UH, TO, TO CONSIDER IT A REDUCTION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU SAID YOU HAD 72 MILLION FROM THE, THIS PROGRAM LE I GUESS LAST YEAR.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT THOSE WERE.
IT'S REALLY A ONE-TIME SHOP FOR US TO MAKE A BIG REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS
[00:40:01]
IN OUR COMMUNITY.AND, UM, SO AGAIN, 62 OF THAT WAS KIND OF THE VOUCHERS FROM DIFFERENT COUPLE DIFFERENT CITIES.
UM, SOME VOUCHERS AND SUPPORT FROM DALLAS COUNTY AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT TO KIND OF MAKE THAT INITIATIVE HAPPEN.
SO, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO SORT OF, UH, BACKFILL THAT, IF YOU WILL, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, IT DOESN'T END WHEN THAT PROGRAM ENDS NEXT YEAR, AT THE END OF 2023, UM, IS THIS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE UNSHELTERED NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY THAT WE APPLIED FOR THAT WOULD PROVIDE SIMILAR FUNDING TO SUSTAIN THE SYSTEM OVER THREE YEARS.
I DON'T WANT TO ADD TO YOUR TIME, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS.
WHAT DO YOU WISH, IF YOU HAD A WISH YES.
WHAT DO YOU WISH THE CITY OF DALLAS WOULD DO TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORT THAT WE'RE NOT NOW? UM, YOU KNOW, WE, IT'S, IT'S BIG ASK THE THINGS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WILL BE, UM, ONE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST NEED MORE LANDLORDS, RIGHT? SO WE NEED MORE FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING TO SAY YES AND, UM, UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY AND HOW THEY CAN HELP, UH, NEIGHBORS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, IT'S ASKING OUR NEIGHBORS TO SAY YES IN MY BACKYARD WHEN THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES.
MANY OF YOUR DISTRICTS THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING HAVE PROJECTS TO SERVE OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS COMING ONLINE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S RAISING SUPPORT FOR THOSE AND HELPING, HELPING OUR COUNCILMEN, UH, AND WOMEN FEEL SUPPORTED, UH, WHEN THEY ARE BRINGING THOSE, UH, BIG INITIATIVES IN THEIR AREA.
THERE ARE SEVERAL DISTRICTS WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING CURRENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE AND, AND CHANGE.
CHANGE IS SOMETIMES SCARY, RIGHT? WE ALL EXPERIENCE THAT.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST HELPING NEIGHBORS UNDERSTAND THAT THESE, THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S KIND OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL OF US.
IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL OF US TO END HOMELESSNESS.
IT'S ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER.
SO, UM, JUST FOLKS SUPPORTING THEIR COUNCILMAN IS, IS SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP US TOO.
ANOTHER QUESTION, CAUSE WE HAD, WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, GROUP, BUT, UH, JUST THE LAST QUESTION RIGHT QUICK THOUGH, WHEN YOU SAY, UH, WE NEED MORE LANDLORDS, UH, IN DISTRICT SIX, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE DEAL A LOT OR WE MEET A LOT WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, LANDLORDS.
UM, HOW, HOW DO WE GET YOU INVOLVED? DO YOU ATTEND THESE MEETINGS? BECAUSE WE MEET WITH 'EM AS A COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME AND OH, OKAY.
SO I MEAN, YOUR GROUP OR SOMEBODY SPECIFIC FROM NOT, NOT FROM, UH, THE BRIDGE OR AUSTIN OR YEP.
KNOW IT WOULD BE FROM OUR, OUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, LITERALLY MARSHA JACKSON IS OUR LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT MANAGER, AND MS. MARSHA IS INCREDIBLE AT HELPING OUR LANDLORDS UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED WITH US.
UM, AND I CAN SEND HER INFORMATION TO YOU SO Y'ALL CAN CONNECT FOLKS WITH HER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I JUST WANNA ADD ONE FINAL THING.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY ADDITIONALLY AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS AND I WORK IN CO COMPLIANCE AND I TEXT A COLLEAGUE OF MINE AND HE IDENTIFIED THAT SO FAR WE'VE RECOGNIZED, AND I WORKED WITH 3000 APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS PROPER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ALL OF THEM, BUT WE DO RECOGNIZE 3000.
ONE RECOMMENDATION I'M GOING TO OFFER IS THAT EVERY MONTH, UH, THE CITY OF DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS CODE COMPLIANCE, WE GO OUT AND WE, UH, TALK TO DIFFERENT APARTMENT COMPLEX'S JUST ABOUT WHATEVER CODE COMPLIANCE NEEDS THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
AND IT WOULD BE GOOD IF, UM, MS. MARSHA JACKSON WOULD REACH OUT BECAUSE SHE COULD ACTUALLY ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS AND JUST SHARE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, UM, THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF PLANO, I JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK, CITY OF PLANO DID SOME, UH, ACTUALLY LIKE AN EVENT FOR LANDLORDS WHERE THEY BROUGHT TOGETHER CODE COMPLIANCE.
YOU KNOW, ALL THE FOLKS THAT KIND OF ARE A PART OF THE PIECE OF THE, THE PROCESS.
UM, AND KIND OF BROUGHT THEM ALL TOGETHER FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED TO KIND OF DO SOME PRESENTATIONS ON LIKE, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO, UM, WOULD I GET YOUR CONTACT, OR HOW WOULD I GET AHOLD OF THAT DEPARTMENT FOR MARSHA TO GET IN CONTACT? UM, JUST THE GENERAL CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT.
C CHRISTINA IS, YES, SHE'S OUR LINK.
I WILL SEND YOU MARSHA'S INFORMATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
OUR, UH, NEXT, UH, SPEAKER IS PUT MY GLASSES ON.
IT'S FROM, UH, DANIEL, UH, AND SALVADOR MONTOYA, THE HEROES FOUNDATION.
AND WE'RE SORRY WE, UH, KIND OF RAN OVER ON THE LAST ONE, BUT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.
[00:45:09]
GOOD MORNING.FOR FIRST OFF, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT, TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN, UH, A LONG MISSION AND PURPOSE OF MINE, SO I'M NOT A VETERAN.
UM, MY, MY DAD IS A MARINE VIETNAM VET.
MY FOUNDATION HONORS MY FATHER DANIEL MONTOYA, WHO IS A MARINE VIETNAM VET, AND MY LATE UNCLE SALVADOR MONTOYA, UH, WHO'S ALSO, UH, VIETNAM, BUT ARMY VET.
UM, I STARTED MY MISSION WHEN I WAS LAID OFF BACK IN 2016.
UH, I WAS A VERY, I HAD A GOOD CAREER IN TECHNOLOGY.
I WAS A SOLUTION ARCHITECT IN WHICH I'D HELPED COMPANIES IDENTIFIED CURRENT STATE, UH, FUTURE STATE, AND I WOULD IDENT, I WOULD CREATE GAP STATE IN, IN ORDER FOR THE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES.
UH, IF IT'S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, IF IT'S PROJECTS, IF IT'S MOBILE DEVICES, UM, I WAS LAID OFF ON THAT.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MY FAITH HAS, UH, KIND OF BLESSED ME TO KIND OF COME INTO HERE.
BUT I WANTED TO REPLICATE THAT.
AND ALL MY, MY, MY DAD'S VIEW ON THE REASON WHY I DIDN'T SERVE WAS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SEE THERE WAS A FINANCIAL GAIN OUTSIDE OF WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU GET OUTTA THE MILITARY, HIS EXPERIENCE COMING FROM VIETNAM WAS VERY, UH, WAS, WAS VERY HARD.
AND SO HE HAD TOLD ME THAT, UM, I'M NOT SAYING WHAT DOESN'T MEAN, SO, BUT
UM, I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS RIGHT.
UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE MY DAD, UH, STARTED OFF, HE GOT HIS, WENT TO VIETNAM, GOT HIS DEGREE THROUGH, UH, THE GI BILL THROUGH, UH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
EL PASO WAS IMMEDIATELY PUT ON THE FORKLIFTS OF SAFEWAY IN EL PASO, UH, EVEN WITH FOOD SUIT AND TIE COLLEGE DEGREE, PUTTING IT, UH, ON THE, ON THE FORKLIFTS, UH, ROSE HIS WAY INTO, UH, A VICE PRESIDENT OF, UH, SUPPLY CHAINS FOR, UH, VITRO PACKAGING.
UH, WHICH WE STARTED OFF VERY HUMBLE WHEN WE GREW INTO UPPER MIDDLE CLASS.
AND MY MOM AND MY DAD TAUGHT ME THAT WORK ETHIC.
AND FOR ME, THAT WORK ETHIC IS UNDER, UH, UH, KIND OF, UH, KIND OF WHAT HAS GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF CONTINUE THE HEROES FOUNDATION BECAUSE AS THE PREVIOUS, PREVIOUS PRESENTER SHARED THAT I WAS ALMOST HOMELESS, UH, THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED ALL OF US VERY DIFFERENTLY.
THIS WAS MY PASSION, THIS WAS MY PURPOSE.
AND I GAVE MY LAST FEW DOLLARS, UH, TO VETERAN FAMILIES IN NEED, UH, PARTNERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AS WELL AS THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION.
AND I WAS LIVING ON MY BROTHER'S COUCH.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW THIS WOULD EVEN TURN OUT.
IT'S ONLY THROUGH HIS GRACE THAT, UH, I'M HERE EVEN HERE TODAY.
UH, AND THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER, BUT MY FOUNDATION, UH, IS TO, THE GAP I SAW EARLY ON WHEN I FIRST STARTED WAS NOT ON THE VETERANS THAT WAS ON THE COMPANIES.
UH, VETERANS ARE, ARE GIVEN A LOT OF RESOURCES OR PROVIDED A LOT OF RESUME WRITING.
UH, HOMELESSNESS ARE GIVEN, UH, PROGRAMS. THERE'S A LOT OF NONPROFITS OUT THERE THAT FOCUS THEIR EFFORTS ON PROVIDING FOR VETERANS, BUT THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT ACTUALLY IMPACT THE COMPANIES TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
COMPANIES HAVE THE MISSION, HAVE THE HEART WANT TO DO BETTER, WANNA HONOR HEROES, BUT A LOT OF PROGRAMS AREN'T BUILT WITHIN THEM.
MY PURPOSE IN TAKING, REPLICATING MY, MY IT EXPERIENCE WAS TO KIND OF BUILD OUT DIVERSE INCLUSION AND VETERAN PROGRAMS WITHIN COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE THAT BRIDGE BETWEEN THE NONPROFITS THAT HAVE SOLID COMMUNITIES, THAT HAVE SOLID PROGRAMS. AND HOW DO YOU BUILD THEM WITHIN THEM.
HIRE HEROES IS A GREAT, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT HAS, UH, KIND OF LIKE AN INTERNSHIP TYPE PROGRAM.
COMPANIES STILL AREN'T READY TO RECEIVE IT.
COMPANIES DON'T KNOW WHERE IT FITS.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF INTRICACIES WITHIN COMPANIES AND MULTI-DEPARTMENT, INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION THAT NEEDS TO EXIST BEFORE THESE PROGRAMS CAN GET IMPLEMENTED OR UPDATE.
THAT IS WHERE I WANT TO EMBED.
I WANT TO MAKE MY, I, THERE WAS AN EXPERIENCE I HAD AT A HIRING EVENT WHERE A VETERAN HAD TO CHOOSE, AND THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, BEFORE I GOT LAID OFF, YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN GAS MONEY AND, YOU KNOW, DOES HE, HE HEAVILY HAD $20 IN HIS POCKET.
DO I GO TO THIS JOB FAIR BECAUSE I NEED A JOB, BUT THEN WHAT DO I DO FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK? AND IT BROKE MY HEART BECAUSE I KNOW COMPANIES WEREN'T READY.
THEY COME FULL SUIT, THE SUIT TIED TO THE, TO THE T UH, AS MY DAD, UH, ALWAYS IRON CLUB.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING WAS ALWAYS PERFECTLY DONE.
AND COMPANIES WOULD JUST TAKE THE RESUMES AND KIND OF PUT 'EM TO THE SIDE.
CUZ 93% OF OUR POPULATION ARE CIVILIANS LIKE MYSELF.
UM, SO UNDERSTANDING THE RESUME EXPERIENCE, UNDERSTANDING THE RESUME VERNACULAR, UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYERS.
AND THE FIRST LINE DEFENSE IS ALWAYS A
[00:50:01]
RECRUITING PROCESS.THE, THE RECRUITERS WHO ARE ME.
SO, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A HEART, I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING
SO I WANTED TO HELP TRAIN COMPANIES.
I WANTED TO HELP BUILD PROGRAMS WITHIN COMPANIES.
I MAKE A BIGGER DIFFERENCE BY GOING TO THE COMPANIES FIRST AND BUILDING THESE PROGRAMS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REALLY DO IDENTIFY VET READY VERSUS VET FRIENDLY.
THERE'S A VETERAN FRIENDLY COMPANIES THAT THAT THAT, THAT ARE FANTASTIC AND HAVE A MISSION IN, BUT IT'S ALMOST AS IF IT'S MORE OF A RECRUITING STRATEGY.
VETERAN READY COMPANIES HAVE AN, UH, KIND OF A END TO END FROM A DIVERSE INCLUSION ASPECT, UH, INCLUSIVE.
SO NOW YOU HAVE A BUDDY SYSTEM, NOW YOU'RE FOCUSED ON RETENTION.
HOW ARE YOU GROWING? HOW YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROGRESSING YOUR BONUS IN EVERYTHING.
BUT THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT NEED TO BE BUILT WITHIN COMPANIES BECAUSE DIVERSE INCLUSION IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY WITH A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND VETERAN PROGRAMS IN SOME SENTENCES ARE ISOLATED AND KIND OF PUT OUT IT'S DIVERSITY AND IT'S VETERANS.
I BROUGHT, UH,
AND SHE WAS EVEN BEFORE THAT WITH JC PENN.
AND SHE'S BEEN ON MANY BOARDS TO HELP ME BECAUSE SHE'S LED MISSION TO HIRE WITH SERVICE KING, WHICH REACHED ALL HER GOALS.
AND FROM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING.
SO SHE'S BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.
UH, I'VE DONE CONSULTING, I'VE BEEN PART OF COMPANIES LIKE INTERSTATE BATTERIES WHERE I LED THEIR FULL, UH, INNOVATE INTERSTATE BATTERIES VALUES MISSION.
UM, I'VE, I'VE BEEN PART OF DOMINO'S RECENTLY, SECURONICS IT CYBERSECURITY CARE COMPANY.
I DO A LOT OF CONSULTING, UM, OUTSIDE OF MY NONPROFIT TO FUND MY NONPROFIT CUZ I'M NOT GOOD AT ASKING FOR HELP.
BUT, UH, I JUST WANNA SHARE MORE, GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING AND I'LL LET LARA TO KINDA EXPLAIN SURE.
BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR SLIDES, JUST KIND OF INTRODUCTION.
WELL, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR HAVING US.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION AND BELONGING WITH KRA CHAMPIONS COLLISION.
UM, PART OF MY MISSION AND KRAS CHAMPIONS MISSION IS TO SUPPORT, UH, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE HEROES FOUNDATION, UM, TO HELP BUILD A BETTER VETERAN COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO IN TODAY'S SLIDES YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT THE HEROES FOUNDATION IS FOCUSED ON.
UH, WE HAVE A, UH, NUMEROUS COMPANIES THAT ARE NOW, UM, JOINING THE ALLIANCE, UH, TO HELP SUPPORT AS WELL.
AND SO IF YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
UM, I'LL HAVE, WELL, CHRIS TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REDEFINING HOW OUR HEROES SERVE.
UH, SO WE'LL MOVE PAST THAT, UH, THAT SLIDE.
WE WANNA BE, UM, WE'LL MOVE PAST THAT SLIDE TOO.
HE, HE DID A GREAT, ARE YOU WANNA GO BACK? JUST, OKAY.
THE, THE GENTLEMAN ON MY LEFT IS MY, MY UNCLE AND MY DAD IS ON THE RIGHT.
SO I JUST WANNA, THAT'S THE, OKAY.
HE WANTS TO SHOW OFF HIS FAMILY AND, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT
ALRIGHT, SO WHERE CAN WE LEAD CHANGE? THERE'S FOUR INITIATIVES AT THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE H RRA COALITION THAT WE WANT TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS WORKFORCE INITIATIVES.
AND THEN FOURTHLY, WHICH IS WHERE I I FIT IN, IS THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UM, OF OUR, EXCUSE ME, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION OF VETERANS DEVELOPMENT AND HELPING EMPLOYERS, UH, BE MORE VET FRIENDLY AND VET READY.
UM, AS WE LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO HIRE MORE VETERANS AND MILITARY SPOUSES.
AND I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE I PUT THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION FOR MY NONPROFIT IN HERE THIS WAY.
ALLOCATION OF FUNDS, UH, WHERE I SUPPORT.
SO WHERE I'VE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY RELIEF, RELOCATION ASSISTANCE, AI INNOVATION, AND VETERAN NETWORK.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS EMERGENCY RELIEF VETERANS THAT ARE LIKE FOR COVID.
AND I DID MY BEST TO DO WITH THE FUNDS THAT I HAD AT, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE BACK AS MUCH AS I CAN.
I DO A LOT, I DO A LOT OF GIVING FOR HOMELESSNESS, FOR, FOR CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS.
UH, RELOCATIONS, SINCE IT'S MY HOPE IF, YOU KNOW, I'M BLESSED ONE DAY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT, TO BE ABLE TO HELP.
A LOT OF MILITARY ARE PUT INTO INSTALLATIONS AND OR LOCATIONS THAT THEY WERE VOLUNTOLD TO GO.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
AND IF WE'RE COMPANIES, MOST COMPANIES, UH, ENTRY LEVEL TO MID-LEVEL POSITIONS AREN'T ALLOCATED BUDGET FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
SO THEREFORE MY FOUNDATION AND MY HOPE WOULD BE TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE THAT IF THEY WANT, IF THEY'RE BASED IN THE LOCATION, YOU KNOW, JUST THROWN OUTTA CALIFORNIA, BUT WANT TO COME TO DALLAS CUZ THE PGA INTERNATIONAL CAME TO FRISCO AND I HAVE A JOB OPPORTUNITY THERE, BUT PGA DOESN'T HAVE BUDGET FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE THAT MY FOUNDATION CAN HELP.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS SOMETHING I'M ENAMORED WITH.
I LOVE TECHNOLOGY AND I THINK THAT, UM, OUR ARCHAIC WAY OF RECRUITING PROCESSES HAVE KIND OF STIPEND, UH, HAVE KIND OF PREVENTED AN OBSTACLE, PRODUCE AN OBSTACLE FOR VETERANS TO BE EMPLOYED BECAUSE APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS WEED OUT MORE THAN THE WEED IN APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS. NOW, EVEN WITH AR, ALGORITHMS ARE NOW PREVENTED MORE BASED ON RESUME WRITING AND YOUR, YOUR RESUME AS OPPOSED TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION.
SO THE ALGORITHM IS BASED ON DIFFERENT POINTS OF WHICH IT READS THE, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, THE WORDS AND IT KIND OF ALIGNS, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT YOUR MATCHES ARE.
[00:55:01]
I KNOW THE TECHNOLOGY EXISTED AND SEVEN YEARS AGO I MET WITH THOMPSON REUTERS WHERE IT DID UH, READ AND UNDER UNDERSTAND RESUMES, LONG SCRIPT TEXTS TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PERSONALITY FITS AS WELL AS, UH, TECHNICAL FITS.AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO KIND OF CULTIVATE.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I TRIED TO DO EARLY ON, UH, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC UNFOR, LIKE THE PAN PRE PANDEMIC.
BUT IT'S JUST GONNA TAKE A LOT OF DATA, A LOT OF WORK.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I DO WANT TO FIND BECAUSE I THINK THE, AS THEY TRANSITION OUT THE MILITARY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DATA POINTS THAT COULD BE SHARED WHERE YOU'RE MATCHING CULTURE, YOU'RE MATCHING PERSONALITY, YOU'RE MATCHING NOT JUST SKILLSET, BUT ALSO MOS ARE VERY DECEIVING, ARE, ARE VERY, AREN'T A GOOD, ACCURATE RECORD OF HOW YOU WOULD FIT INTO CORPORATE AMERICA.
THERE ARE MANY OF MY FRIENDS THAT HAVE SAID THEIR MOS HAD 'EM IN SECURITY.
I WOULD BE A GOOD COP BECAUSE, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG, BUT SOME OF THEM WANTED SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN CORPORATE AMERICA AND IT, THERE WAS AN ALIGNMENT.
SO, UH, PART OF MY, MY, MY FUND, WE WERE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED WOULD BE TO ENABLING AND HELPING THE APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS TO UPDATE TO THE NEXT GENERATION WHERE WE CAN START FOCUSING ON CULTURAL FITS BASED ON POSITION, BASED ON COMPANY AND JOB.
UM, PART OF THE MISSION IS TO LEVERAGE OUR NETWORKS RESOURCES AND INFLUENCE TO BE BETTER, UH, TO BE BETTER, UH, WITH DIVERSITY.
MILIT, MILITARY AND VETERAN ENVIRONMENT.
UH, COME TOGETHER IN NOT ONLY CREATING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR OUR NATION'S VETERANS AND MILITARY SPOUSES, BUT ALSO SUPPORTING VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES AND OVERALL COMMUNITY.
THIS COALITION, UH, WHICH WE'RE PART OF, WE'LL SHARE BEST PRACTICES AS WELL AS AVAILABLE RESOURCES WITH OUR COMMUNITY ALLIANCE.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE TO THE RIGHT, UH, WE HAVE THE FOUNDING MEMBERS, UH, CHRIS MONTOYA, WHO IS THE CEO OF THE HEROES FOUNDATION, UH, MYSELF, LARA LUTER WITH KRAS CHAMPIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A HOST OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS, ALSO DR.
KATINA ROBERTS, UH, ROBERTSON WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
VERY INFLUENTIAL, AND WE APPRECIATE HER KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE, UH, AS WE ARE BUILDING OUT, UH, THIS COALITION, NEXT SLIDE.
AND THE FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT IS TO CENTRALIZE A LOT OF THE RESOURCES.
SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS, A, AS DR.
ROBERTSON HAS PUT IT MANY, MANY TIMES, IS EXECUTION.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON EXECUTION, NOT SO MUCH STRATEGY.
UH, LET'S GET OUT THERE, LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND OUR, OUR, OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS AND OUR GOALS, ESPECIALLY LARA.
LARA IS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE FEW, ONE OF THE, I WAS SO EXCITED, SHE WANNA BE PART OF IT BECAUSE SHE'S FOCUSED ON DELIVERY.
UH, WHEREAS WE, A LOT OF COALITIONS AND A LOT OF ALLIANCES FOCUSED ON THE STRATEGY, TALKING, UH, DR.
ROBERTSON AS WELL AS, UH, LARA ARE VERY FORWARD FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND SO WE WANTED TO CREATE SOMETHING WHERE WE HAD FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING PRIVATE RESOURCES THAT COME TOGETHER AND SHARE RESOURCES WHERE, NOT JUST, NOT JUST OPEN JOBS, BUT HOW DO WE SHARE, YOU KNOW, CRASH CHAMPIONS.
HOW, HOW THEIR COMMUNITY, THEIR, THEIR NETWORK OF COMPANIES.
UH, MY, MY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS, I'M, UH, SHOWING A LATER SLIDE, A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.
UH, THEY ARE MORE THAN WILLING, WILLING FROM THE WATCH, THE, UH, DC LEVEL TO SHARE THEIR RESOURCES FROM A FEDERAL, UH, STANDPOINT.
YOU KNOW, WHO WE KNOW IF YOU NEED TRAINING, IF YOU NEED DOCUMENTATION, IF YOU NEED US TO PROMOTE SOMETHING ON YOUR BEHALF THROUGH A VANTAGE POINT, WHICH IS THROUGH THE VA, UH, THERE.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
EVERY COMPANY COULD TAKE PART IF GROUP, WHICH IS REPRESENTED HERE, UH, MARVIN MCNEIL, RAY PITTS, UH, NEEDED CRAFT CHAMPIONS FOR SOMETHING, OR JUST BEST PRACTICES FOR A HIRING EVENT, THEY CAN GO AS A MENTOR.
HOMELESS VETERAN REENTRY PROGRAMS. WERE YOU AWARE OF THE PROGRAM THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS MORNING EARLIER? NO, SIR.
SO YOU HAVE ANOTHER, ANOTHER PARTNER TO GO TO
A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE, ARE WITH THE LABOR SHORTAGES.
A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE STRUGGLING FOR TALENT.
MY, MY PROJECT, UH, POST BAND AFTER THE, UH, I WAS IN MY BROTHER'S COUCH.
IT WAS CRAP FOODS, UH, WHO, UH, OFFERED ME MY FIRST PROJECT BACK, UH, A LOT OF 'EM TO GET BACK INTO THEIR, AND THE, THE STRUGGLES THAT WE HAD WAS EMPLOYMENT.
UH, THEY WERE BASED OUTTA GARLAND.
THEY MAKE LUNCHABLES, UH, VINEGAR, BARBECUE SAUCE, BUT THEY STRUGGLED WITH EMPLOYMENT.
UM, SO THEY WERE LOOKING AT ALL A DIFFERENT AVENUES.
AND AMAZON RIGHT NOW KIND OF REDISTRIBUTES THE CURVE BECAUSE THEY JUST PAY ANYTHING THEY WANT.
AMAZON JUST RAISES COMPENSATION TO THE POINT WHERE COMPANIES ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP.
AND THE TOUGH PART ABOUT THAT IS THAT IT PUTS IT BACK ON THE COMPANY AS FAR AS THE, THE COST AND EVERYTHING.
SO I WAS PART OF ALL THESE STRATEGY SESSIONS, BUT WITH THE, THE ONE THING THAT THEY ALL WANTED TO DO WAS, WHAT ARE ADDITIONAL TALENT POOLS? AND HOW DO WE START GOING BEYOND JUST OUR APPLICANT TRACK SYSTEM? OR NO ONE WASN'T RECRUITING, AND I KNOW SERVICE KING.
HOW DO WE START GOING, HOW DO WE START GETTING A BROADER TALENT POOL HOMELESSNESS? UH, FOR ME, AT CRAFT FOODS, THERE WERE TWO GENTLEMEN THAT
[01:00:01]
WERE, UH, THAT WERE VETERANS, THAT WERE HOMELESS, AND THEY WERE FULLY GAINFULLY EMPLOYED.BUT THE PANDEMIC HIT US ALL VERY DIFFERENTLY.
UM, SO HELPING KIND CREATE THESE PROGRAMS AND WORKING WITH OUR RESOURCES, PUTTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, AND HELPING THEM KIND OF BUILD THEM WITHIN THE CORPORATE INFRASTRUCTURE TO WHERE IT ALIGNS.
CAUSE
SO TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, CUZ AGAIN, WE WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE'S TIME, OF, OF THE FOUR TACTICAL, UM, OBJECTIVES THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON IN WORKFORCE INITIATIVES.
CHRIS, UH, DID A GREAT JOB OF HIGHLIGHTING HOW WE WANT TO BRING, UM, FEDERAL, LOCAL, AND STATE, UM, UH, RESOURCES TOGETHER TO HELP PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER KEY AREAS THAT WE WANT TO, UM, HELP SUPPORT ON THE EMPLOYER SIDE IS SHOWING THEM HOW THEY CAN, UH, GET A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE AT KRAS CHAMPIONS.
SO BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS, UH, COALITION, UH, WILL ALLOW ME TO HELP, UH, PROVIDE THOSE EXPERTISE TO OTHER COMPANIES THAT WANT TO HELP BRING VETERANS ON INTO APPRENTICESHIP ROLES.
UM, AS FAR AS INNOVATION, CHRIS TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UH, BEING INNOVATIVE AND WHAT WE CAN DO.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, AS WELL IS DEVELOPING A CENTRAL PLATFORM TO BRING OUR H R A MEMBERS, UH, IN SOCIALIZING SUCCESS STORIES, EVENTS, OPENINGS, UH, FOR JOBS.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW THAT NETWORK TO HELP, UH, PROVIDE VETERANS WITH OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THE KEY AREAS AS FAR AS COMMUNITY IMPACT.
UH, PART OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, UH, LOOKING AT DOING, UM, AS WELL IS THE, THE VOLUNTEER UHM.
UH, WITH THAT, CHRIS TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHAT HE, AND HE'S BEEN VERY HUMBLE WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S DONE.
BUT, UH, PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO ALSO TAKE THESE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND REALLY GET OUT THERE.
NUMBER ONE, IT'S TO HELP VETERANS.
NUMBER TWO IS TO EDUCATE COMPANIES ON THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
UH, THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE MONETARY, MONETARY, UH, SUPPORT.
UM, AND ALLOWING THESE INDIVIDUALS TO CONNECT WITH VETERANS, UH, WHICH AGAIN, WILL OPEN UP DOORS FOR THEM.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, WITH THE D I E V OR D E I V, EXCUSE ME.
UM, AND THAT'S DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION FOR VETERAN DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO GIVE, UH, EMPLOYERS OPPORTUNITIES TO GET MORE EDUCATED IN HOW TO RECRUIT VETERANS.
UM, ALLOWING THEM AS THEY ARE.
UH, A PART OF SHRM, WHICH IS A PROFESSIONAL, UM, UH, HR ORGANIZATION, UH, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM TO WHERE IF THEY DO ATTEND CERTAIN, UH, EVENTS THAT WE HOST, UH, REGARDING, REGARDING TO EDUCATIONAL BEST PRACTICES WITH RECRUITING VETERANS, ET CETERA, THEY WILL ALSO RECEIVE CREDIT, UH, FOR ATTENDING THOSE EVENTS.
IT ALLOWS THEM TO GET EXPOSURE TO VETERANS AND THEN ALSO HELPS THEM AS WELL IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREER.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? NO, MA'AM.
SO, CHRIS, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THE, UH, MARKETING SIDE OF SURE.
I, I KNOW CRASH CHAMPIONS HAS OTHER NONPROFITS THAT THEY PARTNER WITH, UH, OUTSIDE OF HEROES FOUNDATION.
WELL, HOW DO WE START PROMOTING THAT? SO, PART OF OUR GOAL IS BRANDING AWARENESS.
WE REALLY START DRIVING, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR PARTNERSHIPS.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR HELP
I KNOW, UH, IN THE NEXT SLIDE WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT OUR MONTHLY COUGHING COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE OUR END OF THE YEAR GALA.
UH, WE'RE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS TO KIND OF RAISE AWARENESS TO WHERE WE CAN KIND DO MORE INTO THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WITH THE VA, THE HOPE OF THE VA IS, IS TO SCALE IT.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF, UH, THEIR, THEIR, UH, THEIR KIND OF, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, FROM A REBRANDING ASPECT IS BE MORE, UH, A STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS WITH HR DEPARTMENTS.
SO MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, MAKING SURE THE VA RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE OFFERED TO EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES, VETERAN EMPLOYEES, MILITARY SPOUSES, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WOULD JUST DRIVE, UH, FURTHER, UH, RETENTION, BUT ALSO JUST CULTURE.
SO, COFFEE AND THE COMMUNITY SERIES, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
WE JUST ACTUALLY CAME FROM ONE THIS MORNING, GUYS AT THE RED, WHITE AND U.
SO IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO BE THERE WITH ALL OF THE, UH, AMAZING VETERANS.
AND, UM, MYSELF, ALONG WITH, UH, ANOTHER COLLEAGUE AT, UH, WELLS FARGO, WAS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT BEST PRACTICES AND WHAT, UH, VETERANS NEED TO DO TO GET READY TO ATTEND EVENTS LIKE THIS, ALONG WITH, UH, OTHER PROFESSIONAL, UH, FEEDBACK WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE.
SO THIS IS A MONTHLY SERIES, UH, THAT IS LED BY CHRIS MONTOYA,
[01:05:01]
ALONG WITH GILES, WHO IS BACK THERE IN MELVIN, UH, SUPPORTING, UH, FROM A VISUAL, UH, ASPECT.BUT, UH, WE FEATURE, UH, A GUEST EVERY MONTH.
UH, AS MENTIONED, I WAS A GUEST, UH, FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
UH, IT PROVIDES BEST PRACTICES AND IT'S FOUNDED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS, UH, THE VRG, TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, US DEPARTMENT OF VA, AND OBVIOUSLY THE HEROES FOUNDATION AND OUR SALES CRASH CHAMPION.
SO WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY HOST, WHICH IS KEVIN BELCHER.
UH, HE WAS ACTUALLY, I'LL GIVE HIM ALL CREDIT.
HE HAD SAID THAT THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS IN THE PAST PRE PANDEMIC.
AND SO WE HAD ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT REGAINING A MONTHLY SERIES IN WHICH WE JUST COME TOGETHER, WE TALK.
SO WE HAVE KEVIN BELCHER FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS, DR.
ROBERTSON, WHO'VE SPOKEN A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES.
T HULLING, UH, FROM THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, UH, RAMON REESE FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS.
AND EVERY MONTH WE HAVE A DIFFERENT GUEST SINCE THIS WAS VETERAN'S DAY TOMORROW, UH, AND THIS IS THE RED WHITE, AND YOU, WE HAD TWO GUESTS.
WE HAD LAIA LUTER AS WELL AS DAVID WHITLEY FOR MOST FARGO, UH, SPEAKING BEST PRACTICES FROM THE HIRING EVENT.
AND THAT'S ALL OUR CONTENT IS FOCUSED ON, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE PROVIDE CONTENT THAT EITHER AN EMPLOYER OR JOB SEEKER CAN TAKE AWAY AND EITHER IMPLEMENT WITHIN THEIR DAILY LIFE OR AS, FROM MY, PER MY HOPE, A COMPANY CAN TAKE IT BACK AND SAY, THIS CAN FIT WITHIN MY, MY ORGANIZATION.
THAT WE CAN RECRUIT MORE OR STRENGTHEN OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS.
SO, USING THE GIVEN, SO THIS IS WHERE MY HEART'S AT.
UH, WE DO A LOT, AND IT'S HASN'T BEEN, IT'S BEEN A LOT FOR WHAT I CAN AFFORD, BUT WE DO HOMELESS VETERAN DINNERS.
WE, WE'VE, UH, GIVEN, UH, THANKSGIVING DINNERS AND CHRISTMAS DINNERS, WE'VE DONE, WE'VE WORKED WITH PARKS AND REC, UH, RECREATION THANKS TO, UH, ROSA GALLEGOS.
UH, SHE'S HELPED US BE ABLE TO, UH, IDENTIFY FAMILIES IN NEED.
LAST YEAR, WE, I THINK WE HAD IDENTIFIED AT THE MISTAKEN 50 TO 75 FAMILIES MM-HMM.
UH, CHRISTMAS TREES FOR VAN, UH, VETERAN FAMILIES IS SOMETHING THAT MY DAD ALWAYS, WE ALWAYS HAD A CHRISTMAS TREE.
UH, IT WENT UP AFTER THANKSGIVING.
AND SO, PART OF MY CHILDHOOD AND MY, MY MEMORIES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE IF IT'S ANYONE ELSE'S TRADITIONS THAT I CAN HELP.
AND I HAVE, AND IT IS BEEN, I STILL GET LIKE EMAILS WITH A CHRISTMAS TREE THAT GOES UP AND I GET THAT EMAIL.
UH, CHILDREN'S AND DALLAS ADVOCACY CENTER.
LAST YEAR, KRAFT FOODS DONATED TO FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, WITHIN CHILDREN'S HEALTH.
UH, THEY PROVIDED LUNCHABLES, UH, THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
WE DID A COUPLE YEARS AGO ADOPT A VENTURE FAMILY.
SO FAMILIES THAT WORK, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIED THAT THEY NEEDED HELP.
THEY SENT ME THE LIST, AND IF I COULD, I DID WHAT I COULD.
UH, AND THEN FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE VA, HOLIDAY BACKPACKS.
I KNOW WITH THE CITY OF DA, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION, WE DO BACKPACK GIVING, UH, IN, UM, WE, WE'VE DONE ABOUT 700 BACKPACKS THE LAST TWO YEARS, FULLY SUPPLIED FOR, UH, CHILDREN STARTING SCHOOL IN AUGUST.
UM, CHILDREN TO ME GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, VETERANS AND CHILDREN SHOULD NEVER GO WITHOUT.
UH, SO THIS IS SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE DO, UH, YEAR IN, YEAR OUT.
AND THIS IS JUST IDENTIFIES THE MEMBER AGREEMENT BETWEEN ME AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
JUST WANT TO SHARE IT THAT IT IS OFFICIAL, THAT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WE DO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
UH, WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR RESOURCES.
THEY USE THEIR, WE CAN'T USE THEIR SEAL.
THEY, THEY, UH, THEY, THEY HAVE SLAPPED MY HAND
UH, ONE OF MY CONSULTING ENGAGEMENTS, WE HAD AN EVENT IN KENTUCKY, SO I WAS ABLE TO USE THE US V VA TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES IN KENTUCKY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE JOBS.
UH, BUT THEY, WE HAVE FULL ACCESS TO 11 MILLION VETERANS.
UH, WE HAVE ACCESS LO, UH, NATIONALLY, UH, TO THEIR COMMUNICATIONS TEAMS, TO THEIR PAR UH, WE, WE ARE ABLE, IF WE GET AT LEAST, I WOULD SAY, THREE TO FOUR WEEKS, HEADS UP MM-HMM.
IF, IF THERE'S AN EVENT THAT COMES UP, THE VA IS IN FULL PART SUPPORT OF US.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE CORPORATE, UH, D E I V DEVELOPMENT, UH, AS MENTIONED, UM, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON ARE VETERAN RECRUITING, RECRUITMENT STRATEGY, UH, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ROADMAPS, UM, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, RETENTION, RECRUITED RECRUITMENT MARKETING, UM, SUPPLIER DIVERSITY, WHICH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
AND THEN, UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, ERGS, BECAUSE WE KNOW ONCE WE HIRE VETERANS INTO THESE ORGANIZATIONS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALSO FEEL WELCOMED, UM, AS A PART OF THOSE, UH, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, UM, STRATEGIES.
SO, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF, UH, COMPANIES THAT CHRIS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, INCLUDING CRASH CHAMPIONS, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE, UH, TODAY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
BUT, UM, HE'S DEVELOPED ORGANIC RECRUITING RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES, UH, FROM WITHIN, UH, A CULTURAL OF DIVERSITY, UH, FOCUSED ON HELPING TO ATTRACT, UM, PASSIVE AND QUALIFIED, UH, VETERAN TALENT, UH, INTO SOME
[01:10:01]
OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.AND WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS FROM A CORPORATE STANDPOINT, AGAIN, TO HELP THE, THOSE EMPLOYERS UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIRE VETERANS.
AND THEN SECONDLY, TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS TO, UH, ATTEND CAREER FAIRS THAT THESE, UM, COMPANIES MAY HOST THROUGH THE HEROES FOUNDATION IN ORDER TO INCREASE THOSE HIRING GOALS.
AND THE CRAFT LOGO, UH, THEY DID ADOPT AND THROUGH THEIR, UH, THEIR VETERAN B R G, UH, THE BUSINESS RESOURCE GROUP, INTERSTATE BATTERIES, THEIR, THE LOGO ACT, IT'S TOO SMALL.
BUT WE HAVE DEVELOPED BRANDING AWARENESS, UH, AND A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES ARE IN INFANCY.
SO THE DIFFICULTY IS CHANGE MANAGEMENT, BUT ALSO HOW DO YOU BUILD IT MORE FOUNDATIONALLY SET.
UH, SO DOMINO'S, UH, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I DID WAS MORE OF OUR RECRUITING PROCESSES AND MAKING SURE THEY WERE STA STABILIZED FROM A FOUNDATIONAL ASPECT.
THE CONVERSATIONS GOING FORWARD NEXT YEAR ARE, THEY HAVE THE BRANDING.
THEY, I'VE WORKED WITH THEIR MARKETING TEAM TO DEVELOP LOGOS, UH, FOR THEIR MILITARY INITIATIVE.
THEY HAVE A DIVERSE LOT, LIKE CONSISTENT WITH THE MANY COMPANIES.
THEY HAVE DIVERSE INCLUSION PROGRAMS, BUT SILOED ARE THE VETERAN INITIATIVES.
SO EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GONNA BE COMBINED AND JOINED.
SO A LOT OF DIVERSITY IS NOW GONNA BE, THAT'S WHY WE CALL D I V.
THEY'RE GONNA GO INTO THE UMBRELLA.
UH, SO A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS IS S IT'S AN IT CYBERSECURITY COMPANY.
UH, CURRENTLY, UH, I'M WORKING TO BUILD THE FOUNDATION WITHIN THE RECRUITING PROCESSES.
NEXT YEAR, THE GOAL IS TO, UH, EARLY ENTRY, INFANCY LEVEL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON VENTURES REALLY QUICKLY, UH, EXPLAIN WHAT PASSIVE MEANS.
DOES THAT MEAN THEY'RE NOT LOOKING ACTIVELY, BUT HAVE RESUMES OUT THERE? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO PASSIVE MEANS THEY'RE NOT ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, ON LINKEDIN, UM, YOU COULD ACTUALLY PUT ON THERE THAT YOU ARE NOW OPEN TO EMPLOYMENT.
SO IF THERE'S VETERANS THAT ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING, THEY CAN LET US KNOW AS RECRUITERS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES.
IF THEY'RE NOT, UM, WE HAVE OP WAYS TO EITHER EMAIL THEM OR MESSAGE THEM TO SAY, HEY, WE DO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES HERE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.
UH, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU? I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AT, AT THIS POINT, IT SUPPORT HELP.
UH, I, I CAME HERE JUST ASKING FOR HELP.
UM, AS NOW WE'RE POSITIONING OURSELVES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LAUNCH OF OUR HEROES RISE ALLIANCE, OUR COMMUNITY COALITION, A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE WANT TO GET UP ABOUT, WE HAVE LOGOS OF COMPANIES THAT HAVE, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE SUPPORTED, WE'VE HELPED, WE KIND OF HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF, OF HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM A FEDERAL, STATE, FEDERAL LEVEL, WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS THERE, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, WE HAVE NONPROFITS.
SO EXPOSURE IN A NUTSHELL, ANY WAY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, EDUCATE FOLKS, WHETHER IT'S EVENTS THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, OR IF THERE'S RESOURCES THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THAT WOULD HELP BENEFIT THE HEROES RISE ALLIANCE TO SUPPORT MORE HIRING OF VETERANS AND EDUCATING EMPLOYERS TO HIRE MORE VETERANS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
I'VE BEEN WORKING IN EDUCATION FOR 24 YEARS.
I HAD MY MOS IN THE ARMY WAS 35 DELTA TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE, UH, WHICH MEANT BASICALLY PHYSICAL SECURITY, A DOCUMENT SECURITY.
I WAS IN A NUCLEAR WEAPONS UNIT, DOESN'T REALLY WORK WELL ON THE CIVILIAN SIDE.
AND I'VE SEEN MORE GUNS AS A TEACHER THAN I EVER DID IN THE MILITARY, PRETTY MUCH.
NO, THAT'S WHAT KEPT ME FROM CRACKING MY HEAD ON THE CONCRETE COURSE.
I MEAN, COURSE, LITERALLY, YOU KNOW, BEING A VETERAN IS A REALLY GOOD THING IF YOU'RE A TEACHER.
BUT THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A GREAT JOB THING.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE VETERANS GO INTO EDUCATION, NOT JUST CUZ WE KNOW HOW TO FALL.
BUT BECAUSE, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT WAY TO, BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE IN IT.
WE NEED PEOPLE IN FOOD SERVICE.
WE NEED PEOPLE IN, UH, SECURITY MONITORING.
WE NEED 'EM AS TEACHERS, ET CETERA.
AND IT'S A GOOD WAY EVERYONE HERE THAT'S OVER THE AGE OF 25 KNOWS THAT YOU NEED A JOB TO FIND A JOB.
AND I HELPED GET A, UH, REFUGEE WHO WAS AN IRAQI VETERAN WHO WAS ALAN V'S.
I WORKED WITH HIM OVER THE SUMMER AND WE GOT HIM A JOB AT ONE OF THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS AS A PARKING LOT ATTENDANT, WHICH DOESN'T SOUND GREAT.
BUT NOW HE HAS A JOB AND HE'S GETTING EXPERIENCE.
AND WE NEED PEOPLE OF ALL KINDS IN THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HAVE Y'ALL LOOKED AT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS A POTENTIAL FORM OF EMPLOYMENT? CUZ THEY'RE, THEY'LL TAKE ANYONE WITH A WORKING KIDNEY AND ONE EYEBALL
I MEAN, IT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE DESPERATELY SHORT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S, THAT IS, UM, ONE OF OUR, UM, INITIATIVES UNDER THE WORKFORCE,
[01:15:01]
UH, WHICH IS THE FIRST ONE THAT WE, UH, DISCUSSED.UM, AND CHRIS WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
BUT, UH, WE ALSO, UH, HAVE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, WITH COLLEGES, UM, AS WELL.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO CONNECT VETERANS TO THOSE RESOURCES IN REGARDS TO OPPORTUNITIES AND ROLES THAT THOSE, UH, COLLEGES WOULD EITHER POST, UH, OR SHARE THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR.
AND HE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
GO AND GET JUST ONE QUICK POINT, IF, IF YOU ALL WOULD SHARE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH CHRISTINA, WHO'S BACK HERE.
AND WHOEVER SENT IT TO US, WE COULD PROBABLY GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS ON RIGHT.
BECAUSE LIKE WITH DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, YOU KNOW MM-HMM.
THAT'S, AND WE NEED PEOPLE OF ALL KINDS AND OKAY.
I'M RETIRING NEXT YEAR, SO REPLACE ME.
BUT THE THING IS
AND IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, YOU UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT EDUCATION IS, SAFETY IS, SECURITY IS.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VETERANS WORKING IN THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ANYMORE.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE A CONNECTION TO THAT.
I WORK AT BRIAN ADAMS HIGH SCHOOL, IF YOU WANNA REACH ME THAT WAY.
ALSO, THEY HAVE MY INFORMATION THEY CAN SHARE WITH YOU.
UH, I, I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING JOB FAIRS, YOU'RE GETTING PEOPLE, YOU'RE GETTING HOOKING UP COMPANIES WITH PEOPLE.
UM, I'M LIVING IN A MOTEL SIX MM-HMM.
HOW ARE YOU CONNECTING ME WITH THOSE JOB FAIRS, WITH ET CETERA? HOW, HOW PHYSICALLY? HOW'S THAT HAPPENING? OR IS IT YES, SIR, IT IS.
UH, SO WE HAVE A, A FEW DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS.
ONE FOR THOSE THAT ARE, ARE, ARE LIVING IN MOTELS.
WE WORK WITH, UH, OPERATION TINY HOUSE.
SO A LOT OF OUR GOALS GOING FORWARD ARE HOW DO WE PROVIDE RESIDENCY FOR THOSE THAT MAY NEED IT.
BUT ADDITION, WHAT WE DO AT THE GROUND LEVEL IS SUPPORT RECRUITING STRATEGIES FOR COMPANIES.
UH, WE DEVELOPED THE RECRUITING, THE TRAINING.
WE DEVELOPED THE, UH, THE SOURCING STRATEGIES.
SO THEREFORE SOMEONE IS LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT.
AND THAT'S THE HOPE OF OUR HEROES RISE ALLIANCE, IS THAT PROVIDE MORE VISIBILITY TO OPEN JOBS WHERE SOMEONE THAT, WHEREAS I THINK IT'S 75% OF PEOPLE ARE USING THE MOBILE DEVICES TO L PHONE.
SO WE NEED ONE, NOT JUST CONTENT SOCIALLY, BUT WE NEED IT MOBILE FRIENDLY.
SO WE'RE AS WHERE OUR GOALS ARE TRYING TO GET TO, UH, TO WHERE IT REACHES THE CONTENT, REACHES ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED.
ANYONE THAT JOINS OUR ORGANIZATION.
I KNOW ON FACEBOOK I'VE PARTNERED WITH, UH, ROXANNE GRIFFITH, UH, WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
UH, WE HAVE VETERAN-FRIENDLY JOBS.
WE HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE, UH, ON, AND WE, WE ALLOW ANYBODY TO JOIN, WELL, SHE DOES THE QUALIFYING, BUT MOST CAN JOIN.
BUT EMPLOYERS, THEY CAN POST THEIR JOBS.
THEY CAN ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE.
UH, AND FOR INSTANCE, UH, I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WELL, WE'RE WORK, WE'RE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO REACH MULTIPLE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.
CUZ I KNOW LIKE FOGA ANDHOW IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PARTNERS.
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR COOKS AND CHEFS.
HOW DO THEY COME OUT? WE'RE READY FOR THAT.
DOMINO'S PIZZA IS LOOKING TO TRAIN.
THEY'LL PAY, THEY'LL PAY HANDSOMELY FOR CDL DRIVERS.
HOW DO WE TRAIN 'EM OUTTA THE ABILITY TO BECOME CDL DRIVERS AND WORK FOR US, UH, WITH CRAFT FOODS? WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS MOBILITY PROGRAMS AND KIND OF APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. UH, M THREE WE'RE WORKING WITH UNIVERSITIES, LOCAL UNIVERSITIES, NOT JUST FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, CUZ LOCAL UNIVERSITIES, ESPECIALLY IN D W AREA M THREE CONSIST OF I THINK ABOUT 35 DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE THE POPULATIONS ARE, WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
SO WE'RE HELPING COMPANIES REACH THAT DEMOGRAPHIC.
WE'RE HELPING COMPANIES GO TO THEM.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH, WELL EARLY, I MEAN THE CONVERSATIONS, UH, HAVE BEEN EARLY, BUT I THINK IT'S EQUINOX IF I'M MISTAKEN, UH, REPRESENTING KIDS THAT DIDN'T GO TO COLLEGE BETWEEN 18 AND 24, HAVE THEIR REENTRY PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET AS MANY PROGRAMS AS POSSIBLE TO GIVE COMPANIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE.
CUZ A LOT OF 'EM ARE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY FROM LABOR COST PERSPECTIVES, COST PER HIRE TO HIRE PEOPLE.
UH, AND IT'S BECOME VERY EXPENSIVE AND IT COMES BACK DOWN TO THE CONSUMER.
BUT IN THE SAME, THERE'S A LOT OF UNFILLED JOBS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND SO THE COMPANIES ARE KIND OF, RECRUITING TEAMS ARE AT THEIR VANS WITH, BECAUSE A LOT OF RECRUITERS WILL USUALLY HAVE, UH, FROM, ESPECIALLY FROM MY EXPERIENCE, 20 TO 30 JOBS ON THEIR PLATE, GIVE OR TAKE.
THAT'S A, A FULL DESK RECRUITER AND A CORPORATE SIDE.
AND THEN THE, YOUR, YOUR SUBSET BETWEEN MARKETING IT FINANCE.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE KIND OF JUGGLING A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, DIFFERENT HIRING MANAGERS.
IT, IT'S LIKE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PROJECTS ALL AT ONCE.
SO THEY'RE BANDWIDTH TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY SOURCE IS, IS, IS ISN'T REALISTIC.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP 'EM.
THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU CAN FIND POOLS OF TALENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS AND WE DEFINITELY WILL BE, UH, CONNECTING WITH YOU.
UM, IS THAT THE END OF THE POWERPOINT
[01:20:01]
NEXT SLIDE.SO, UM, AS CHRIS MENTIONED, WE, WE'VE HAD A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HEROES FOUNDATION PROBABLY FOR OVER FIVE YEARS NOW.
SO THEY'VE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING, UH, MY ORGANIZATION UNDERSTAND THAT VETERAN HIRING IS IMPORTANT AND HE'S PROVIDED ME WITH THE PLATFORMS TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND SHOW THE ROI.
SO SOME OF THE KEY THINGS, AND I WON'T READ THROUGH ALL OF THESE, BUT, UH, REALLY PROUD OF WHAT THE HEROES FOUNDATION AND CRAFT CHAMPIONS, UH, PARTNERSHIP HAS RESULTED IN.
UH, BUT OUR RECRUITING TEAM HAS HIRED WELL OVER 1200 VETERANS AND SPOUSES.
UH, PART OF OUR MISSION TO HIRE INITIATIVE WAS TO HIRE 500 VETERANS WITHIN THREE, UH, WITHIN FIVE YEARS, WE DID IT IN THREE AND A HALF.
AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP OF CHRIS MONTOYA AND THE HEROES FOUNDATION.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE, UH, VETERANS AT SENIOR LEADERSHIP LEVELS, WHICH, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, IF IT'S AT THE TOP, WHATEVER THEY FI HAVE A PASSION FOR WILL TRICKLE DOWN
SO MY STRATEGY WAS, HEY, LET'S HIRE VPS THAT ARE VETERANS.
LET'S HIRE, UM, DIRECTORS THAT ARE VETERANS.
SO THAT WAY IT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO BRING MORE VETERANS IN, UH, JUST BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THOSE FOLKS IN POSITION.
UM, WE ALSO RECEIVED, WHICH I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE HEROES, UH, FOUNDATION, UH, EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR, UH, PARTNERSHIP JUST BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK WE'VE DONE.
WE HOSTED A LOT OF THE EVENTS, UH, FOR THE HEROES FOUNDATION AT OUR CORPORATE OFFICE.
SO WE BROUGHT IN WELL OVER A HUNDRED EMPLOYERS QUARTERLY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BEST PRACTICES ON HOW TO HIRE VETERANS AND HOW TO BRING THEM IN, UM, AND TO RETAIN THEM, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, ALSO, LO WON THE LARGE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR WITH THE GREATER DALLAS WORKFORCE SOLUTION.
UM, AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH OUR WORK WITH THE VETERAN COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'VE ALSO, UM, WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO, UM, HAVE THREE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT OUT, UM, IN 2020, WHICH ALLOWS FOR VETERANS SPECIFICALLY, UH, TO COME INTO OUR ORGANIZATION, WHETHER AT THE MANAGEMENT LEVEL OR AT A SKILLSET LEVEL, UH, AND CONTINUE TO GROW.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH U T D, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS.
I SIT ON THE MILITARY VETERAN COUNCIL.
UM, AND WE RECEIVE PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF OUR FOCUSES.
AND THE MOST RECENT THING THAT I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF IS OUR, OUR WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WITH THE SKILLS BRIDGE PROGRAM, ALLOWING VETERANS TO COME IN, LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION, AND, UM, US SNATCH 'EM UP.
SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I'VE DONE, UH, CREST CHAMPIONS, AND THEN ALSO THE SUPPORT COMING FROM, UH, THE HEROES FOUNDATION.
SO I JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO KIND OF SEE A CASE STUDY OF WHAT CHRIS'S WORK AND EFFORTS HAVE BEEN AND HOW THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED TO AN ACTUAL COMPANY.
AND I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE SHOULD WRAP IT UP.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ONLINE WITH ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
I DID HAVE SOMETHING I, I WANTED TO SHARE FIRST, CHRIS AND, UH, RIA, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR COMMITMENT.
CHRIS, YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND YOU'VE BEEN COMMITTED FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I GENUINELY, AUTHENTICALLY BELIEVE THAT THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR ARE NOT IN VAIN.
YOU WILL SEE WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE COME TO FRUITION.
YOU PUT TOO MUCH BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS INTO THIS TO NOT SEE IT.
I SAW THAT ON YOUR LAST SLIDE.
EMPLOYER SUPPORT FOR THE GUARD AND RESERVE.
NOW, I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU PARTNERED WITH THEM, BUT AS THE AREA CHAIR, I WOULD RECEIVE THE AWARDS, WHETHER IT WAS A PATRIOT AWARD OR ONE OF THE CERTIFICATES THAT COME IN.
THE, I WILL RECEIVE A BOX AND I WILL TAKE EACH CERTIFICATE, I WILL CONTACT VARIOUS EMPLOYERS, AND I WILL GO INTO THE EMPLOYERS, UM, HOWEVER THEY WANTED TO SET IT UP, WHETHER IT WAS A PRESENTATION OR JUST A HANDOFF, AN AWARD FOR WORKING WITH D O D OR RESERVIST, UH, WHILE THEY WERE EMPLOYED WITH THAT CIVILIAN ENTITY.
SO ALL OF THAT TO SAY, IF YOU, UH, WORKED WITH THEM, I BELIEVE THAT YOU COULD GET MORE COMPANIES ON BOARD.
I'LL PROVIDE YOU HIS INFORMATION.
WHEN I SAW E S G R, I WAS LIKE, WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT
THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AT SUPPORTING ME WHEN I HAVE TO GO FOR ACTIVE DUTY.
UM, THEY GAVE ME A PERFORMANCE RATING THAT I WASN'T EVEN THERE.
[01:25:01]
TO IN ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS.AND I BELIEVE IF YOU WORKED WITH JP HOGAN, YOU'LL HAVE MORE COMPANIES UNDER YOUR TUT LIT'S LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, HOWEVER YOU WANNA SEE IT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, JUST REMIND ME, JP HOGAN.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, WHAT WAS THE LAST THING I WANTED TO TO SAY? UM, I THINK THAT'S IT.
I WAS STILL ROLLING OFF OF, UM, COMMISSIONER BIRDWELLS KIDNEY AND WORKING EYEBALL COMMENT.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND JUST, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE A PART AND SERVE WITH YOU.
THAT'S THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
I WANTED TO COME BACK TO, UH, COMMISSIONER WELLS'S, UH, SUGGESTION.
AND, UH, DO YOU WANNA GO OVER IT AGAIN? OR, OR, UH, I JUST REMEMBERED, I, I WAS LISTENING TO THOSE LAST SPEAKERS, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING, AND BOTH OF THEM SAID THEIR PROBLEM IS VISIBILITY.
THE VETERANS DON'T KNOW THEY EXIST.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND THEM, ET CETERA.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE DIALYSIS, FIRST RESPONDERS ARE ENCOUNTERING VETERANS, WHETHER THEY'RE HAVING AN ISSUE OR THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY GET PICKED UP IN A HOMELESS BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE PANHANDLING OR, OR THEY'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH AN EMPLOYER OR WHATEVER.
UH, AND IF S SOMEBODY, IF THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS HAD A CARD OR HANDOUT THAT THEY COULD JUST HAND 'EM AND SAY, CALL THIS NUMBER.
YOU'LL GET H HELP WITH, UM, MEDICINE, WHATEVER.
I THINK IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO CONNECT THOSE VETERANS THAT DON'T KNOW THOSE TWO ORGANIZATIONS EXIST AND MAYBE SOME OTHERS, UH, WITH, WITH THEM.
THAT'S JUST ALL, THAT'S MY SUGGESTION IS THAT, THAT THE COMMISSION SUGGESTS TO THE CITY THAT THEY, THEY DEVELOP A HANDOUT OR, OR CARD TO HAVE FIRST RESPONDERS GIVE TO VETERANS WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER 'EM.
LIKE, LIKE A, LIKE A POINT OF CONTACT OR REFERENCE.
CAUSE THE VETS COULD, THOSE BOTH PEOPLE, WHEN I ASK 'EM WHAT WE COULD DO FOR 'EM, I THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA ASK FOR FUNDS.
THEY WERE GONNA ASK FOR CONNECTIONS.
AND BOTH OF 'EM SAID, GIVE US VISIBILITY WITH THE, WITH THE VETS AND FINE.
TO ME, THAT WOULD BE A SIMPLE WAY.
AND AT LEAST WHERE I LIVE, I, UH, WHEN I'M OUT LOOKING, UH, I SEE, UH, VETS INTERACT WITH POLICE OR FIRE OR, OR, OR WHATEVER.
AND, AND THEY'RE ALL DOING THE BEST THEY CAN FOR THAT VET.
BUT IF MAYBE THEY GIVE THEM A CARD OR A HANDOUT AND SAID, LOOK, CALL THIS NUMBER AND YOU CAN GET HOUSING.
CALL THIS NUMBER AND IT'LL HELP YOU GET A JOB.
CALL THIS NUMBER AND YOU CAN GET ME THE MEDICAL YOU NEED.
AND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE READY TO GIVE IT TO 'EM.
SOMETHING SIMILAR TO LIKE A RESOURCE CARD.
I WAS GONNA SAY, AREN'T THEY ALREADY DOING THAT WHEN THEY REFER THEM, YOU KNOW, TO HELP WITH, UM, WHEN THEY TAKE 'EM TO PARKLAND, WHEN DALLAS FIRE RESCUE TAKES 'EM TO PARKLAND, THE SOCIAL WORKERS THERE KNOW ABOUT THIS.
AND WHEN THEY GO TO A HOMELESS SHELTER, IF THEY CAN GET THEM OFF THE STREET, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN REFER THEM AND GET THE HOMELESS GUYS THAT ARE COMING TO GET 'EM.
THE, ALL THE HOMELESS SHELTERS ARE DOING THAT.
I DON'T, I'M NOT OBJECTING TO IT, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE ALREADY OUT THERE THERE, THE COPS ALREADY DO KNOW.
IT'S MAYBE NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN HAND OUT IN ENGLISH OR IN SPANISH, BUT, UM, I DO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY GET 'EM OVER TO UNION GOSPEL MISSION, OR THE BRIDGE OR THE STPA OR WHATEVER, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE TOURED THE BRIDGE AND THE FIRST THING THEY ASK YOU IS, ARE YOU A VETERAN? RIGHT.
SO THE MINUTE YOU GET 'EM INTO ANY SERVICE FACILITY, YOU KNOW, THEY DO ASK.
IT'S, I'VE TAKEN VETS TO THE BRIDGE, BUT ALL I KNEW WAS TO DROP THEM THERE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WOULD GIVE 'EM HOUSING WOULD HELP 'EM.
AND E NOT ONLY SHOULD WE MAYBE GIVE THOSE CARDS TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS, WE OUGHT TO GIVE A STACK OF 'EM TO THE BRIDGE, ET CETERA, AS VETS ARE IDENTIFIED.
JUST IF, IF I WAS ON THE STREET OR IF I WAS IN, PARDON ME, MOTEL SIX AND I WAS LOOKING FOR HELP AND THAT CARD SAID, YOU CAN, AS A VET, YOU QUALIFY FOR THIS, OR YOU CAN GET HELP WITH A JOB OR YOU CAN GET HELP WITH HOUSING, CALL HERE.
I'LL GO, I WAS GONNA SAY, THE BRIDGE DOES HAVE A VA REP THERE.
WELL, I RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT VA REP, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE VA CENTER OR NOT.
YOU, YOU CAN ENCOUNTER RESISTANCE, YOU CAN ENCOUNTER BUREAUCRACY, YOU CAN ENCOUNTER ALL KINDS OF STUFF THERE.
ALL I'M SAYING IS DESCRIPTION OF THE YEAR.
[01:30:01]
WELL THE, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS I LISTED IN THERE, UH, IF IT, IF IT SIMPLY SAID CALL, UH, UH, THE VETS, UH, DALLAS VET CENTER, UH, OR, OR THE, UH, THE OTHER ONE, THEY'LL HELP YOU WITH HOUSING OR WHATEVER THE VET MIGHT ON THEIR OWN, THEN GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.CUZ THEY DON'T KNOW THEY EXIST.
AND THAT'S WHAT BOTH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SAID.
CUZ THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T KNOW WE'RE THERE.
COMMISSIONER, THAT'S ACTUALLY A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE IN CO CO COMPLIANCE WE ARE, WE ENCOUNTER HOMELESS QUITE FREQUENTLY.
AND IF WE SIMPLY HAD RESOURCE CARDS THAT WE COULD HAND TO A VETERAN, ONCE WE IDENTIFY AS A VET AND NOW THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION, NOW THEY CAN MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION OR CHOICE.
I, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AS A VETERAN, I MAY NOT KNOW THAT SOMEBODY COULD HELP ME WITH SOMEBODY COULD HELP YOU.
I MEAN, I'M NOT OBJECTING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THE COPS BLESS LITTLE HEARTS THEY'RE DOING ALL THAT THEY CAN CUZ THEY'RE 600 SHORT.
BUT YES, I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO GET OTHER THAN JUST THE FIRST RESPONDER WE RIGHT.
WELL, I I I'M NOT BADMOUTHING ANY GROUP.
I'M NOT SAYING GIVE THE CARDS AS WIDE AS YOU CAN.
IT'S JUST ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ENCOUNTER THESE PEOPLE AND WANNA HELP 'EM.
THESE PEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE MM-HMM.
AND THAT WOULD BE INEXPENSIVE AND IT WOULD BE PRETTY SIMPLE TO DO.
WELL, THIS IS WHY I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT THAT WOULD BE NOTHING THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO ASK TO THE ATTORNEY.
BUT I DON'T THINK, UM, WE, I THINK, UM, YOU ALL CONSTRUCT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION TO WORK WITH COMMUNICATIONS TO, UH, UH, A DRAFT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO YOU ALL FOR REVIEW AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON.
AND THEN EXCELLENT IDEA, SIR, YOU MUST BE A VETERAN.
THEY ALSO GOT THAT, UH, CRISIS LINE NUMBER, UH, WHERE THE VETERAN YES.
THAT MIGHT BE WHAT YOU MENTIONED.
WELL, WHILE WE'RE ADDING NUMBERS, VERY WHILE WE'RE ADDING PEOPLE, LET'S ADD THE HOMELESS VETERAN HOMELESS PERSON WHO YES.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
MR. ROSS WANNA MAKE A MOTION? SO YOU GONNA MAKE A MOTION? JUST GOTTA SAY MAKE TO SAY MAKE A MOTION.
AND BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT, CAN I SHARE ONE MORE THING? IS THAT OKAY? SURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE FUTURE AGENDAS INCLUDE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I MEAN, WE ARE, WE, US ARMED FORCE VETERANS HERE ON THE FLOOR.
WELL, WE'LL, LET'S MOTION WHAT, HOWEVER WE NEED TO DO THIS.
WE HAVE TO ASK, THE CHAIR HAS TO ASK IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION.
SO WE HAVE TWO, TWO, UH, MOTIONS.
SO ON THE, UH, MOTION, UH, TO MAKE THE CARD OR, OR A, UH, RESOURCE CARD AVAILABLE, UH, TO FIRST RESPONDERS.
IT WAS, UH, THE MOTION, UH, WAS SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK IT WAS BROADER THAN THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
I DIDN'T HEAR, I THINK THE MOTION WAS TO MAKE IT BROADER THAN JUST THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
IT WAS GONNA BE CODE COMPLIANT FOR CITY OFFICIALS.
I RECOMMEND, I, I, UH, I RE WHAT DO I, DO I SECOND IT OR I NO, NO, NO.
CHRISTINA, I THINK WE NEED SOME RULES AND REGULATIONS OVER HERE.
SO THE MOTION IS TO IS FOR US TO INSTRUCT THE COMMUNITY, THE, UH, OFFICE COMMUNICATION, EQUITY INCLUSION, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO WORK WITH COMMUNICATIONS.
ALL WE CAN REALLY DO IS MAKE AN INSTRUCTION TO OTHER PARTS OF, OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND, AND WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
CITY COUNCIL MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT, UM, YEAH.
SO HAVE WE ALREADY HAD THE DISCUSSION THEN? THAT IS THE DISCUSSION IS YEAH.
THAT IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
SO THAT PASSES, OR NOW NUMBER TWO, WE'RE BACK TO, UM, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS NEEDS TO BE A MOTION OR A SIMPLE
[01:35:01]
RECOMMENDATION.I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE INCLUDE, UH, IN OUR AGENDA FOR OUR CALL TO A PART OF OUR CALL TO ORDER THAT WE RECOGNIZE WHY WE'RE HERE, INCLUDING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ON OUR AGENDA.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A MOTION.
IT'S IF IT'S, IF IT'S UP, WHO SETS THE AGENDA? CHAIR? THE CHAIR CAN JUST HAVE IT PUT ON THERE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHAT ANYONE THAT'S SITTING IN OR ANYONE HAS, OR THE DISCUSSION ON THE DESK.
NOW I'M SAY AND SAY THAT I, I THINK, I THINK THAT THIS QUESTION WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT TO CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND I KNOW THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SPOKE WITH THE CHAIR TAYLOR AT THAT TIME.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA, I'LL, WHAT I CAN DO IS I CAN CIRCLE BACK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND SEE WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED.
UM, AND THEN, UM, WE CAN, UH, WORK WITH THE CHAIR MOVING FORWARD TO SEE IF THAT'S YEAH.
SPOKE ABOUT THE VETERANS DAY PARADE.
UM, THE VETERAN'S DAY PARADE IS GOING TO BE HELD TOMORROW IF THERE'S ANYONE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER OR PARTICIPATE.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF, UM, CONVENTION CENTER PASSES FOR PARKING, BUT IT WILL BE TOMORROW.
IF YOU CAN BE THERE AS EARLY AS, UH, SEVEN 30 OR IF YOU COME A LITTLE BIT LATER, FEEL FREE TO TEXT ME.
I CAN GET THE PASS TO YOU OR I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU TODAY.
BUT WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS' VETERANS DAY PARADE.
THE, UH, GET, UM, ACCESS TO THE SIXTH FLOOR AND YES.
ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.
IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING JOURNEY.
I DON'T KNOW WHO I NEED TO TALK TO ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING JOURNEY GETTING THIS PARADE, UM, TOGETHER AFTER COVID.
ADDITIONALLY, IF IT RAINS, YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT.
SO THOSE ARE THE UPDATES THAT I WANTED TO GIVE ABOUT THE VETERAN'S DAY PARADE.
AND FINALLY, THIS MAY NOT BE MY PLACE, BUT I'M GONNA SHARE IT ANYWAY.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE ENTIRE TEAM HERE AT DALLAS CITY HALL.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO DALLAS CITY HALL, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL UPSIDE DOWN BUILDING.
UM, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF I, WE COULD PUT FACES WITH NAMES JUST ONCE THIS YEAR AND THE YEAR CLOSES OUT.
RELATED TO, UH, ANYONE ONLINE HAVE A QUESTION FOR, WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING HERE.
ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION FOR? UM, I, I WAS WRITING YARD BECAUSE I FIGURED THAT WAS THE STREET CLOSURES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M BRING A FRIEND, SHE'S A RETIRED TEACHER AND WE WANT TO SEE IT AND SHARE AND ALL THAT.
AM I SUPPOSED TO BE SOMEWHERE? WELL, YOU CAN MEET US AT THE COMMAND POST, BUT YOU MAY NOT HAVE TO RIDE DART IF YOU GET HERE ABOUT 700.
IF YOU GET HERE EARLY, YOU CAN JUST PARK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND I CAN GIVE YOU A PASS.
THE THING IS, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE SUPPOSED TO SET, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LIKE HAVE SOMETHINGISH.
YOU CAN MEET US AT THE COMMAND POST AND WE'LL PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS OR TASKS OR DID YOU WANNA MARCH? I, I, NO.
THEN JUST MEET US AT THE, AS THE TEACHER AT THE R C KIDS, I TOLD THEM I'D BE THERE AND CHEERED ON GOTCHA.
PEOPLE WITH THE, WITH MY THING WITH BRING BACK MY OPERATION MEDIA.
CALL ME PART OF MY OPERATION MEETING.
THEN JUST MEET US AT THE COMMAND POST ON THE PLAZA.
AND THEN FINALLY, ONE THING I WANT TO SAY TO, UH, THIS BODY IS THAT, UM, THE PARADE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY HAD TO COME UP WITH $15,000.
I'LL SHARE OFFLINE WHAT WE NEEDED TO COME UP WITH IT FOR, BUT WE HAVE TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT BAILED US OUT ON THIS ONE.
IT WAS THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION, IF I COULD SHARE THAT.
THEY SHOWED UP FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, VETERANS AND VETERANS AROUND THE WORLD FOR THIS PARADE.
THEY SHOWED UP, THEY HELPED US OUT.
AND ALSO DEPARTMENT, UM, PARK AND RECREATION, WHICH IS HEADED BY JOHN JENKINS.
THEY TOOK CARE OF US AND WE SALUTE YOU OVER THERE, CHRISTINA, FOR ANSWERING HER PHONE ON A SATURDAY.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH, I, I'M JUST GRATEFUL.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, HAVING OUR SIX.
ANYBODY ELSE, ANYBODY ONLINE WITH THAT? IT'S, UH, 1245.
AND SO THIS MEETING, UH, HAS ADJOURNED.
[01:40:01]
AND I FORGOT.