Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL)

Join Healthy Futures of Texas and Trust Her, an initiative of the nonprofit Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL), for a LinkedIn Live event exploring innovative approaches to improving healthcare resources and health outcomes for women and young people. This professional dialogue will provide insights for healthcare providers, educators, and community leaders preparing for the 2025 Annual Symposium. RSVP and be part of an essential conversation exploring innovative approaches to break down barriers and provide vital resources for women’s health and youth-serving professionals. 🗓 Monday, March 4th 🕛 12 pm - 1 pm CST 🌟 Topic: Removing Barriers to Birth Control

CPAL's Trust Her Initiative is excited to partner with Healthy Futures of Texas on their annual Statewide Symposium in Dallas this year. Check out the event page to learn more and register!

"The students in the UNT Mayborn School of Journalism teamed up with the Dallas-based Child Poverty Action Lab in a project that studied 144 Denton rental communities and found that 65% of local landlords don’t disclose all of the fees they charge on their websites, or in telephone calls... Students spent about eight weeks on the project and found that some renters were paying hidden fees for services they neither use nor need. Those costs, students found, can increase Denton residents’ monthly rent by a median of 5%. Many of these fees don’t show up until the lease is signed or monthly bills are sent out. Keller said the class project found that the additional costs caused an increase on rent from as little as 4% and as high as 10%. What exactly is a junk fee, though? “We were working with CPAL’s definition, and this is anything above and beyond rent that we discovered is not disclosed on the front end,” she said. “There’s the pet piece. Pest control: You have to pay a monthly pay for pest control. Maintenance fees. Amenity fees, like you’re not using the gym, but you end up paying a fee for that. And package fees. You know, it was just nickels and dimes.” Students in the class called rental communities and visited websites to see what was disclosed. The class was also able to get lease agreements from students. The project found that there were fees assessed that renters couldn’t really contest, such as garbage collection fees that cover the cost of staffers who collect renters’ trash left by their front doors. A renter could take trash to the dumpster and never leave bags for management to collect, but that wouldn’t eliminate the fee." https://lnkd.in/gckHpYx2

"I am also energized by the possibilities. Issues like education, health, and employment are interconnected, and addressing them requires scalable, community-centered solutions. Blue Meridian is uniquely positioned to contribute to the work of those leading the way." - Jim Shelton, President, Blue Meridian Partners It's exciting to see Jim Shelton named as one of The Chronicle of Philanthropy's 16 People to Watch in 2025! In the coming year, Jim will move into the Chief Executive Officer role, leading Blue Meridian into our next chapter of work advancing social and economic mobility for young people and families in America. Inspired by cities like Dallas, TX which are working to positively change life trajectories for residents, Jim is hopeful about Blue Meridian's role in creating impact at scale. Check out the full list: https://lnkd.in/gaT5JzSH

Congrats to Marissa Castro Mikoy and the Jubilee Park team -- huge news for Dallas' neighborhood movement: 'Jubilee Park & Community Center has been awarded the Promise Neighborhoods Grant from the U.S. Department of Education to lead the Jubilee Park Promise Neighborhood Initiative (PNI)...This marks the first time a Promise Neighborhoods Grant has been awarded in Dallas and the first in Texas in more than a decade. “Thanks to this grant, Jubilee Park will help Dallas ISD close the opportunity gap in Southeastern Dallas so our students can reach their fullest potential in our classrooms and in their lives,” said Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde.  "Winning the Promise Neighborhood grant is a milestone in Dallas' growing movement to build comprehensive support systems where children live and learn," said Alan Cohen, CEO of Child Poverty Action Lab. "Jubilee's selection validates three decades of sustained community investment and demonstrates that transformative change isn't just possible—it's happening. This achievement underscores what can be accomplished across Dallas with a long-term focus on bringing resources directly to neighborhood life and creating opportunities for every family."' https://lnkd.in/gMyTus34

I encourage you to click through and read the Letters to the Editor printed by The Dallas Morning News today. Each letter provides a thoughtful tribute to Sharon Grigsby and her incredible legacy at the paper. Publishing these notes was a classy move by DMN. I am certainly biased, but I wholeheartedly agree with everything the readers shared. Here is just one example: "Sharon, you brought heart to everything you wrote about, whether shining the light of praise or fearlessly holding people and organizations accountable. You will bring that same heart to whatever project you end up leading at the Child Poverty Action Lab. This is a brave move, and I know it will turn out well for you and for the city. I hope you are fully aware of how respected, appreciated and loved you are by this community." --Garrett Boone, Dallas https://lnkd.in/gqJhaSK5

'Rising property values and rents at properties not subsidized by government programs will make that gap worse, according to CPAL. The city could lose about 54,000 of unrestricted, affordable rental units over the next decade. These options typically house families making 50% or less of the area median income, which is up to $48,700 for a family of four... “Most likely, these families are sacrificing things like preventative healthcare, nutritious food, and educational experiences in order to keep a roof over their heads,” said Ashley Flores, CPAL’s Chief of Housing. When families spend a disproportionate share of income on housing, they are economically vulnerable and at greater risk for housing instability, Flores added. “This precarity ultimately impacts prospects for long-term upward mobility,” she said. The report surmised — based on data from the Lightcast labor market analysis firm — that the region will add 587,000 jobs by 2034, but over half of all jobs will pay less than $50,000 in 2024 dollars. In order to support lower-income households, essential workers and homelessness prevention, affordable rental options must prioritized, according to the report. “To help families realize upward economic mobility, access to housing that is affordable, safe, stable, and in a thriving neighborhood is critical,” Flores said. “Both production of new affordable housing and preservation of existing affordable housing are needed to ensure that supply meets demand in the future.”' https://lnkd.in/gKE2Qd2A

“In a career spanning 40 years, Sharon Grigsby has been a powerful voice for The Dallas Morning News… This week, Sharon announced plans to move on to a new chapter in the community she loves so dearly. Next year, she will join a soon-to-be-announced project being launched by the Dallas-based Child Poverty Action Lab… “When you think about why local journalism is so important, the answer should include a picture of Sharon,” said Katrice Hardy, executive editor of The News. “She’s relentless about ensuring that this community is not just informed about decisions and programs and practices that deserve more scrutiny, she’s equally relentless about the pursuit of the good and inspiring and remarkable. We all have learned so much from Sharon and not just by what she wrote and reported, but how she did so with passion and grit and always by trying to help and uplift others.” https://lnkd.in/g73TXi-U

"Speaking with teens, parents, guardians, local clinics, and teen-centered organizations in Dallas County, we uncovered a series of challenges teens faced in learning about sexual health. What if, instead of searching for the right information, it found you right where you already were?  Our design for CPAL's Trust Her mobile pop-up was rooted in this idea... By showing up at public events and spaces where people already felt at ease—like farmers’ markets and community gatherings—we created an environment for sexual health education that didn’t feel clinical or intimidating. Showing up in these familiar places sent a clear message: conversations about sexual health are normal and didn’t need to be shrouded in shame." https://lnkd.in/g2295Adq

When you were a teen, how did you learn about sexual health? Who did you trust? For many young people today, sex-ed is defined by misinformation, stigma, and a lack of open conversations. In partnership with Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL)'s Trust Her initiative, we flipped the script on the dreaded “talk” and transformed the conversation around sexual health into a team-oriented and approachable experience. Through a mobile pop-up that meets teens and their parents where they already are—farmers' markets, street fairs, and community events—we created a space where curiosity and education thrive. Learn More: https://lnkd.in/gYsCD-Pf #sexualhealth #teenhealth #herchoice #sexed