CitySquare

The decision to wind down CitySquare was made in May 2024 after a lot of study by Manthiram, the board of directors and her leadership team. They considered a variety of scenarios, ranging from keeping some programs while spinning off others, to what was eventually decided: closing down completely but first turning programs over to other entities. “We had two goals,” she said. “One was to preserve as much of the programming as possible, and two was to ensure our employees had somewhere to go. And doing it this way satisfied both those goals with minimal impact.” Link to the full article: https://lnkd.in/gCkgf6Hj #CitySquare #transitionstory #partnerorganizations #neighborsfirst

We were thrilled to welcome the Dallas Mavericks staff for a day of service at the #CitySquare #FoodPantry! They helped our neighbors shop, beautified our campus, packed our mobile food deliveries and surprised us with a $5,000 donation! Thank you Cynt Marshall and #dallasmavericks for helping us serve our community today and through this transition ahead. #GoMavs #CommunityImpact #dayofservice If you want to volunteer or bring a group to volunteer check out our opportunities at: https://lnkd.in/gteQD4v

Read our update for program and staff transitions that occurred during the month of August. We also had the opportunity this past week to welcome current and former employees of Central Dallas Ministries and CitySquare back to the Opportunity Center for a reunion. We invited attendees to wear their favorite poverty fighter shirts, share stories, and browse through past artifacts (photos included!) from the organization’s history. Staff were encouraged to take home items that resonated with their time here. We remain grateful to those before us, who were instrumental in the shaping of our mission and its impact on thousands of our neighbors. Link to transition news here: https://lnkd.in/gWJjehMP #CitySquare #DallasTX #communityfirst #transitionannouncement #monthlynews #partnerorganizations

North Texas Food Bank's Peanut Butter Drive is September 1-30 and CitySquare is an official collection site. Drop off plastic jars of peanut or alternative nut butter at our location so we can provide our neighbors with this highly requested item! Thank you for helping serve our neighbors! 1610 S. Malcolm X Blvd. Dallas, TX 75226 Donate: 8am until 4pm Tuesday through Friday #CitySquare #partnerorganizations #communityimpact #foodpantry #resources

As I reflect back on my one year with CitySquare, I am proud that I accomplished much of what I set out to do here. I wanted to create a community and culture that embodied our founder’s original values. A culture that amplified our neighbors, and their stories and voices, while honoring the hard work and compassion of our teams. We’ve done this. Even while we transition, our staff remain dedicated and vigilant. They care so much about our work, and they have committed to transitioning our programs with dignity and grace. They trust me, our Board and leadership team, and the decisions we are making. I also wanted to ensure that I did what I could to strengthen the existing continuum around poverty alleviation and homelessness, and that resources were being leveraged in order to maximize impact. We are doing this through our partnership with The Stewpot. Even though it was a difficult and painful decision to close, in this transition, we are stepping aside to allow a stronger, more financially stable partner to not only continue the work on our campus, but to also magnify it. Through The Stewpot’s many services, as well as its partner-centered approach, I believe that our neighbors will receive even more of the wraparound support they need. When the Board hired me last August, they shared how important CitySquare was to the community and the people it served. I am encouraged that even though CitySquare’s name won’t be on the building next year, its legacy will be felt for years to come. The work we’re doing to step aside is truly “righting the ship” in an unexpected and humbling way. My time with CitySquare is coming to an end in December, yet I am grateful for the many friends I’ve made – the tears and joy that we’ve shared over these many months. My heart is at once both sad and hopeful for what may come next for me in my journey. My two boys, ages 15 and 11, remind me every day of God’s faithfulness. He won’t let you down, they say. Look at what He’s done through you, for our neighbors. Wisdom often comes in the most startling places. I can see God’s glory shining brightly through this transition. Warmly, Annam Manthiram CEO, CitySquare

Read about additional transitions of programs and staff to highly qualified partner organizations during the month of July; including our experienced Homeless Outreach Team, the case management of residents at The Cottages at Hickory Crossing, and the accepted offer to buy the Opportunity Center. https://lnkd.in/gWJjehMP #CitySquare #DallasTX #community #transitionannouncement #monthlynews #partnerorganizations

We are pleased to announce that our Board of Directors have voted to accept an offer from The Stewpot to purchase the Opportunity Center. The Stewpot has partnered with CitySquare for decades in serving homeless and hungry neighbors, and will continue to run the Neighbor Resource Center and Food Pantry from the Opportunity Center's central location at 1610 S Malcolm X Blvd. Click below to read the full announcement, as well as statements from The Stewpot's Executive Director, Brenda Ewing Snitzer and Dr. Froswa' Booker, a member of our transition team. https://lnkd.in/gWJjehMP #CitySquare #DallasTX #TheStewpot #opportunitycenter #partners #neighbors #homeless #foodpantry

Since our initial announcement in May, we have been working to transition our services to other partner organizations. Read about our progress so far, including our Child Nutrition Program, AmeriCorps operations and Destination Home program. https://lnkd.in/gWJjehMP

We love when our volunteer groups post videos of their experience at our food pantry. Check out this one from Birch Construction!