Message from the City Manager and Chief of Equity and Inclusion

Welcome back to the first installment of our Equity and Inclusion newsletter of 2021. Despite the difficult obstacles and events we faced last year, the Equity and Inclusion Team ramped up their efforts to offer equitable, inclusive and innovative solutions to the problems the COVID-19 pandemic has presented and exacerbated.

To recognize and uplift the initiatives of the Equity and Inclusion Team we have created a ‘Year in Review’ video to highlight their 2020 accolades. To view the video, click here.

Click the image to watch the video.

We look forward to creating more partnerships and initiatives with different community stakeholders and organizations. If you are interested in having your organization’s efforts featured in our upcoming newsletters, please fill out this form to be included in future issues. In the meantime, please take advantage and utilize the community resources listed below to connect residents to the City's ingoing efforts such as housing, food assistance for residents, and most recently vaccinations. 

                                T.C. Broadnax                                 Liz Cedillo-Pereira

                                 City Manager                          Chief of Equity and Inclusion

Dallas Community Based Testing Sites

Criteria for testing sites is as follows:

• Persons with symptoms of potential COVID-19 infection, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, new loss of taste or smell, vomiting or diarrhea, and/or sore throat; OR
• Anyone 65-years-old or older, OR
• Anyone with chronic health issues (diabetes, asthma, heart issues, etc.); OR
• If your employer was open during the Dallas County Safer at Home Order, you can get tested even if you don't have symptoms. For a full list of CISA employees available to get tested click here. 
• Persons with symptoms who have been actively engaged in large group settings, such as public gatherings or congregations of people, within the past fifteen (15) days

The community-based testing sites operate Monday through Saturday with varying times:

• Eastfield College, 3737 Motley Dr, Mesquite, TX 75150
• 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• This location is for City of Dallas and Dallas County residents only
• Must provide documentation of address (ex. Utility bill)
• Ellis Davis Field House, 9191 S Polk St. Dallas, Texas 75232
• 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (or until testing limit is reached) 
• This location is for City of Dallas and Dallas County residents only
• Must provide documentation of address (ex. Utility bill)
• Mountain View College, 4849 W. Illinois Avenue Dallas, Texas 75211
• This site will operate from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday
• No residency or ID requirements

Requirements (Eastfield & Ellis Davis): If you meet the criteria for COVID-19 testing, please do not delay acting. Any photo ID is sufficient including a recreation center ID, a Student ID, an ID with your name and photo. It does not need to be a government-issued ID.

• For more information contact OEMdepartment@dallascityhall.com or visit Dallas County COVID-19 Testing locations.

The City has expanded COVID-19 testing to provide mobile testing to residents in underserved communities without transportation. Eligible residents may schedule appointments between:

• 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., 7 days a week by calling the UrgentCare2GO screening line at 1-888-601 0568.
• For more information regarding the requirements for mobile testing, please click here.

There are now various drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites sponsored by the State of Texas, to find a location near you visit Texas Department of State Health Services webpage and enter your zip code.

Walk Up Locations

Walk-up locations are open Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or until testing limit is reached. No appointment required. Must be a Dallas city or county resident. Address verification required (utility bill or library card). 

Waiting period up to 1 hour No restroom on site

• Sam Tasby Middle School 7001 Fair Oaks Avenue , Dallas, Texas 75231
• Parkland’s Irving Health Center 1800 N. Britain Road, Irving TX 75061
• West Dallas Multipurpose Center 2828 Fish Trap Road, Dallas, Texas 75212
• Tuesday to Saturday

Inquiries related to test results, please contact:  covidresults@phhs.org

Parkland Testing Sites

Parkland Hospital has opened four community-based clinics open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment only for current Parkland patients who meet the medically necessary criteria. Patients can call the COVID-19 patient line at (214) 590-8060 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or visit www.parklandhospital.com/COVID19testing. 

• For a full list of Parkland COVID-19 testing sites click here. 

Additional Testing Sites

• Walgreens, no-cost drive-thru testing site:
• 2060 S. Buckner Blvd, Dallas, TX,
• Hours of Operation: Open from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, seven days a week.
• Requirements: Residents must complete a screening survey to determine if they qualify for a test.
• For more information regarding eligibility and how to sign up, visit: Walgreens COVID-19 information
• Walmart no-cost drive-thru testing site is administering COVID-19 tests at four locations:
• Locations: To find a location near you, click here.
• Hours of Operation: Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 7 am to 9pm.
• Requirements: Residents who are interested must take a pre-screening test to see if it is necessary. Once they qualify the resident will make an appointment to get tested
• To take a pre-screening test and set up and appointment visit Do I Need a COVID-19 test. For questions about testing call 800-635-8611.
• CVS has opened up four new no-cost, drive thru COVID-19 locations in the North Texas region:
• Locations: To find a location near you click here, and enter both your ZIP code and distance from your home to find a testing location near you. 
• Hours of Operation: Patients must schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 test.
• Requirements: More information about CVS Health and their testing sites can be found at their COVID-19 resource center.
• To schedule an appointment, patients must register here. 
• Paul Quinn College, free no-cost testing:
• Location: 3837 Simpson Stuart Road, Dallas, Texas 75241 •
• Hours of Operation: Saturdays from 10am to 4pm
• Requirements: Valid email address & phone number required, no insurance, residency, or symptoms required for testing
• Methodist Health System in-person testing system:
• Location: 3155 W Wheatland Road, Dallas, TX 75237
• Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 9 am to 1 pm by appointment only
• Requirements: Patients must take a pre-screening test to qualify for a COVID-19 test. To be screened for an appointment, call 214-933-8811
• For more information, visit Methodist Health System.
• Baylor Scott & White no-cost, drive-thru testing site:
• Location: 4500 Spring Ave, Dallas, TX 75210. 
• Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9am to 1pm appointment only.
• Requirements: Patients must be screened in order to schedule an appointment. To be screened for an appointment, call 214-933-8811
• For more information or to make an appointment visit the Baylor Scott & White website.

For up to date information regarding Dallas testing sites be sure to keep up with county updates. 

Caregiver Guides for Families During COVID-19

As a parent/caregiver, your first concern is how to protect and take care of your children and family. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared can reduce your stress and help calm likely anxieties. This resource will help you think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect your family—both physically and emotionally—and what you can do to help your family cope.

• To explore these parent/caregiver resources, click here.

2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 is the first set of guidelines that provide guidance for healthy dietary patterns by life stage, from birth through older adulthood, and for the first time, there are chapters devoted to each life stage, including chapters on infants and toddlers and women who are pregnant or lactating. 

• To view the guidelines to make smarter choices, click here.

American Psychiatric Association Resources

To provide support in the response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the American Psychiatric Association is providing a collection of authoritative and timely resources in their information hub to help individuals cope with distress and crisis.

• To explore their resources, please click here.

Texas COVID-19 Vaccination Plan

The Texas Department of State Health Services has convened a team of appointed external and internal subject-matter experts (SME) into the COVID-19 Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel (EVAP) to develop vaccine allocation strategies as recommendations to the Texas Commissioner of Health. 

• The best one-stop location for the state rollout of vaccines is this page on the Department of State Health Services website. It contains a useful overview of the staged rollout plan, where we are in that plan as a state, and sub-links to things like provider location maps and weekly allocation histories. To view a larger version of the graphic below, click here.

Arts and Culture

Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration Week 2021

In January 2021, the City of Dallas will host its 39th annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a weeks’ worth of virtual events. Our 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week will culminate with a virtual Scholarship & Awards Gala, on Saturday, January 23rd.

• To view the calendar for the week of celebrations and participate in them, click here.

Dallas Public Library Arts & Culture Events

The Dallas Public Library is currently offering daily arts & culture programming for children and families. Registration is simply a phone number and email address to reserve a spot for the different events offered.

• To explore the many events offered, please click here.

Community Building

#HowWeHeal from Racism Join Dallas TRHT on January 19th, 2021 for the National Day of Racial Healing from 9am-3pm as they explore what the city of Dallas can do as a community to heal from historical and contemporary racist policies and practices. Featuring Nikole-Hannah Jones, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Creator of The 1619 Project, New York Times Magazine Staff Writer, MacArthur Genius, and Winner of the National Magazine Award. To register for this event, click here.   YMCA 21 Day Equity Challenge The 21-Day Equity Challenge is a powerful opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of how inequity affects our lives and our communities. Join the YMCA as they explore bias, food insecurity, racial injustice, systems thinking, dimensions of diversity, health disparities, and more, by taking the 21-Day Equity Challenge. To view each day's topics and learnings, click here.  2nd Annual Equity Indicators Symposium  Join the Office of Equity and Inclusion - Equity Division in partnership with Communities Foundation of Texas for the 2nd Annual Equity Indicators Symposium - Building an Equitable and Inclusive Bounce Back. The virtual symposium will consist of three panels: Business Strategies that Promote Equity, Moving Racial Equity Forward in Dallas, and A Blueprint for an Equitable Bounce Back. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, January 22, 2021, from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm as part of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week.  For more updates on this event, please check out the Equity Division here.

Dallas County COVID-19 Vaccines

City of Dallas Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Recovery and Assistance

The Ad Hoc Committee on Recovery and Assistance meetings are recorded for public viewing. These meetings are jam-packed with COVID-19 related information and resources for individuals and businesses. Meetings will resume on January 14^th, 2021.

• To view past meetings and upcoming ones, please click here.

Dallas Mega Vaccination Site

The City of Dallas and Dallas County opened the first mega public COVID-19 vaccination site at Fair Park on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) estimates up to 2,000 people will be vaccinated by appointment each day. The mega vaccination site will be open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., pending vaccine availability. Vaccinations will be available by appointment only.

• People who wish to receive the vaccine through DCHHS must register online here to determine if they qualify.

Education Resources

Choose Dallas ISD

Finding the best-fit school for your child is now easier than ever! Choose Dallas ISD is a new online system that Dallas families will use to locate, apply to, and enroll in all Dallas ISD schools.  There are two main components to Choose Dallas ISD:

School Finder – use this tool to locate schools near your home or work, search for schools or programs that are of academic interest to your family.

Choose Dallas ISD Enrollment System – this is the system parents will use to submit an application for their student to attend a “choice” school.

• To attend a webinar ,or view recorded ones, to learn more about Choose Dallas ISD, please click here.

Dallas ISD STEM Exposition

Register for the largest STEM Expo in Texas! The Virtual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) EXPO is open to ALL Dallas area families! Come experience over 90 hands-on STEM exhibits and the Dallas ISD STEM championships in coding, mathematics, science, robotics, technology, and bridge building! To register please click here. The exposition will be taking place Saturday, January 23, 2021.

• To register for the exposition, please click here.

Aspire Tuition-Free Classes

Aspire is currently offering tuition free English classes, GED preparation, foundational classes, early childhood, and family literacy courses. The classes are delivered in English or Spanish, and they are tuition-free but there is a $40 material fee.

• To learn more about the courses offered and requirements, click here.

Employment Resources

Aspire to Lean Certification Training Sessions

Interested in a career in logistics, transportation, warehousing, distribution, or manufacturing? As part of the workforce preparation programming, Aspire offers free Powered Industrial Truck (forklift) training and certification to students. In just four days, students can learn how to operate forklift technology by OSHA Standards and receive official certification that is valid for 3 years. The cost is free for students that have a high school diploma/GED.

• To learn more about the program requirements and how to register, click here.

United Way Coronavirus Employment Resources

If you have been displaced or furloughed because of the pandemic, United Way Dallas has several resources to help you navigate job opportunities, file for unemployment benefits and find answers to employment questions.

• For additional information regarding current or potential income challenges, please click here to explore the resources.

Dallas Workforce Development FreshStart Employment Program

The Office of Workforce Development FreshStart Employment Program, is aimed at ensuring that current, unemployed, underemployed, seasonally employed and temporarily employed individuals with criminal backgrounds, have the opportunity to obtain full-time employment within the City of Dallas and receive the support needed to maintain and thrive in the workforce. 

• To learn more about the criteria and available positions, please click here.

Fair Housing

MLK Jr Community Center Social Services

The Social Services & Support Program provides emergency assistance to individuals and families who have experienced a temporary financial crisis. Financial services are based on the availability of funds. For assistance, you must either call to schedule an appointment with a caseworker or submit an application to be seen. No walk-ins are allowed.

• To learn more about their assistance efforts, please click here.

Dallas Eviction Assistance Initiative

The City of Dallas Office of Equity and Inclusion in partnership with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas has established an eviction assistance initiative consisting of education, training and legal representation to Dallas residential rental tenants who are negatively impacted by COVID-19 and unable to pay rent to remain in their homes. 

• Eligible Dallas residential tenants can apply for assistance starting Monday, Nov.30, by calling the Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas hotline at 1-888-529-5277 or by visiting Legal Aid's website.

United Ways Dallas Rental Assistance Collaborative

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the daily lives of all City of Dallas residents, especially those who have no financial safety net. The Dallas Rental Assistance Collaborative (DRAC) is our collective solution. If you are in need of rental assistance, applicants must meet a certain criterion to receive aid.

• To learn more about the criteria and the different DRAC partners, please click here.

City of Dallas Targeted Rehab Program

The Targeted Rehab Program is intended to preserve and improve homes that meet specific criteria. City officials will screen completed applications based on repairs needed. A lottery system will be used to select applications. The application period closes at 5 p.m. on January 29, 2021.

• To learn more about the program requirements and to apply, click here.

Food

North Texas Food Bank Senior Programs

Serving low-income seniors throughout 13-counties, The North Texas Food Bank directly partners with the Texas Department of Agriculture to distribute a senior food box program called Commodity Supplemental Food Program. If eligible, a participant can receive a pre-packaged box of non-perishables once a month provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at one of the multiple distribution sites.

• To learn how to qualify and sign up for this program, please click here.

Catholic Charities Dallas Hunger Services

Individuals interested in receiving food assistance from Catholic Charities must first become clients by providing at least one form of ID. Once you become a CCD Client, you are eligible to receive food assistance once per month, any given day of the month. Their service program is composed of 7 brick and mortar pantries as well as 2 mobile food truck pantries.

• To learn more about the CCD food assistance requirements, please click here.

City Square Food Pantry

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, City Square has extended their hours to Tuesday through Friday from 9AM to 1PM. There is no zip code restriction, and they have provided both drive-through and walk-up service options (first come, first serve). The Food Pantry distributes pre-packaged groceries (no client choice).

• To learn more about their service hours and location, please click here.

Food for Families with Students

Dallas ISD Curbside Meals

Food & Child Nutrition Services is providing meals to students at no cost whether in school or virtual! Our curbside service is every Wednesday from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM. Meals will be served at schools throughout the district.

• To learn more about any additional pick up times, please click here.

Health

Parkland Walk-In Wednesdays Do you need a flu shot? Wednesdays are Walk-in Wednesday at various Parkland Health Center locations. Flu shots are available at Parkland Community Health Centers throughout Dallas County from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. No appointment necessary! Please wear a mask. To learn more about this initiative, please click here. Dallas County Low-Cost Healthcare Centers and Community Clinics Dallas clinics and charitable medical centers provide a wide variety of health as well as dental care to low income and others in the community. There is assistance from a local community clinic for adults, children, immigrants, and residents who do not have health insurance. To find a low-cost healthcare center near you, please click here.

Immigrant Affairs

Immigrant Resources

InformedImmigrant.com is dedicated to increasing access to resources and knowledge for the undocumented immigrant community across the U.S. They understand that these times are especially hard on immigrant communities dealing with the unique challenges of coronavirus and immigration status, and would like to support the community by providing timely and relevant information.

• To explore their compiled resources by zip code to narrow your city, click here.

TPS Extension

USCIS will extend, through Oct. 4, 2021, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and the validity of certain TPS-related documentation (Form I-766, Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); Forms I-797, Notice of Action; and Forms I-94, Arrival/Departure Record) for beneficiaries under the TPS designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan, provided that the affected beneficiaries remain individually eligible for TPS.

• If this extension affects your status and are in need of immigration assistance, please click here for a list of local organizations that can help.

COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Payments and Mixed Status Immigrant Families

Millions of Americans in mixed-status families who were previously denied stimulus checks could soon receive direct payments as part of a bipartisan COVID-19 relief deal reached in Congress on December 21.

• To watch the FAW webinar regarding stimulus payments for mixed-status families, please click here. To view a larger version of the graphic below, click here.

Legal Aid

SMU COVID-19 Legal Helpline

SMU Dedman School of Law has launched a clinic project with an emergency helpline that offers North Texas residents the opportunity to secure free legal assistance with matters related to the pandemic, such as housing, immigration, and consumer protection, as well as small businesses. To contact the helpline dial 214-SMU-COVD (214-768-2683).

• To learn more about the helpline’s dates and hours, please click here.

Small Business Support

DreamSpring

DreamSpring provides businesses with business loans, advice and coaching, as well as connects them to local community partners and programming. They are currently providing services and resources to help small businesses navigate the COVID-19 business climate.

• To explore their resources and learn more about their programming, click here.

PeopleFund Paycheck Protection Program Assistance

PeopleFund is now accepting applications for the PPP program for both first-time and second-time borrowers. The Paycheck Protection Program provides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.

• To receive assistance from PeopleFund to receive PPP funding, please click here.

Project Dox Application Permits

Commercial Construction and Certificates of Occupancy applications for permits can be submitted online using ProjectDox. The city is offering training sessions for both companies and individuals to learn how to navigate the process of submitting permits.

• To learn more about the process and attend a training session, click here.

B.U.I.L.D.

B.U.I.L.D, is a Dallas County-wide small business ecosystem, with a strong focus on helping women and minority owners of small-to-medium businesses, the program leverages a website that centralizes the abundance of resources and initiatives.

• To explore the B.U.I.L.D. website and all the resources they offer, click here.

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