Behind Every Door operates community centers within low-income communities to be a resource for kids and families who live there. We run intentional programming from our centers for all ages, from bingo events for seniors to after care for school-age children. Our biggest focus is our children and youth programming which takes place on weekdays after school, and focuses around what we call our 5 E's:
1) Engagement - We prioritize engagement by building a healthy rapport with people who represent the community to best understand cultural wealth, what opportunities are there for impactful change, and then take action to follow through on what has been learned.
2) Education - Our emphasis on education offers people a supplemental chance for self-discovery and goal setting, child development for literacy and oral language skills, and exposure to practical learning experiences outside of the classroom applicable to daily life.
3) Encounters - We prioritize demonstrating the love of God by being present, providing safe environments for growth, and we connect spiritual application to authentic life experiences as we walk with people daily.
4) Expression - Through relationships, we partner to understand the way people express themselves and we seek to cultivate those processes.
5) Exploration - Exploration is a journey to gain understanding of people's current and past circumstances and exploring means to new opportunities to new narratives.
We exist to see the fullness of the Kingdom of God transform lives in underserved neighborhoods.
Cedar Crest is a neighborhood we have known over the last 10 years after working in a nearby apartment complex. We believe our experience, combined with Cedar Crest's storied past and the community's leadership, will result in an important new chapter for the neighborhood. Together with our neighbors, we have an opportunity to support a legacy and to invest in the future of a new generation.
$8 million dollars covers our purchase price, the renovations, and some operating costs. Over the last year, we have spent time listening to the community and learning. So, we are still determining exactly what will be offered. But we do know a few things already. This is going to be a community center, open most of the day 6 days per week and we will organize things around our 5E model throughout the year.
One thing we are sure about is that sports are going to play a key role. The Cedar Crest Comets are a historic sports organization dating back to the 1970s. We are working closely with key community leaders to ensure we can be the best partner. In addition to continuing football and cheerleading, at the community's request we will be bringing back baseball and basketball and introducing lacrosse, soccer and golf. Additionally, we are working on a partnership with a local film/production company to bring industry specific training in to the community.
For those we interact with, we hope it is to bring people together in meaningful relationships. We want to see people get to know one another and begin walking through life together. We want every person in the neighborhood, young and old, to understand and recognize their inherent value, that their dreams are important and worth fighting for, and that hope for a better future is something worth clinging to.
Organization name
Behind Every Door
Causes
Youth & Children, Education - K-12
Operating Budget
$1,000,000 - $2,999,999
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx
BIPOC Leadership
Executive Director/CEO
Address
2824 Swiss Avenue