Human Services

Human Service Issues in Dallas
The Community Council worked with social service organizations, public officials, community leaders and volunteers over time to meet and solve challenges. In broad categories, these include:

Public Health
Public health issues such as the need for expanded facilities, tuberculosis, polio, alcoholism, HIV-AIDS, immunization and the H1N1 epidemic have been at the forefront of the Community Council’s work. With an eye to the future, the Community Council conducted major studies that led to the creation of Children’s Medical Center, St. Paul Hospital, Presbyterian, and Parkland Hospital’s Community Oriented Primary Care Clinics.

Housing
In 1948, the Community Council produced a major study on the conditions/ needs of West Dallas, indicating that 90 percent of households were without running water. This study led to the annexation of the area by the city of Dallas and construction of the first public housing in West Dallas. Other housing initiatives addressed unmarried pregnant girls, seniors, the homeless and people with disabilities.

Cultural Diversity/Community Relations
As early as 1948, the Community Council led a bi-racial Area Committee. During the Civil Rights movement, CCGD created the Dallas Community Relations Commission to bring build more multi-cultural understanding. CCGD also created the MLK multi-purpose community center in south Dallas and the Dallas Concillio of Hispanic Service Organizations.

Youth
Children and youth have always been priorities for the Community Council. Throughout its history, the organization has worked on child health, juvenile delinquency, and prevention of teen pregnancy, and meaningful non-school hour activities for youth. The Community Council’s creation of the Lemmon Avenue Bridge led to today’s Youth and Family Centers on DISD campuses. Since 1998, the Community Council’s Community Youth Development Programs, working in the highest crime zip codes 75216 and 75317, have prevented 14,000 youth from being arrested, taught leadership skills, and kept them in school.

Seniors
Recognition of the needs of seniors has been part of the Council’s work since 1941, and continues today through the Dallas Area Agency on Aging. CCGD serves 200,000+ seniors today with housing, employment, dental care, transportation, nutrition, access to health care, benefits counseling, caregiver support and minor home repair.

Disaster Preparedness/Response
The Community Council’s disaster preparedness dates back to World War II. Today’s program includes on-going comprehensive training of all personnel. Through 2-1-1 and coordination of response by the nonprofit community, the organization played a major role in the response to the 2005 hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the 2008 hurricanes Gustav and Ike, 2009 wildfires, and the 2010 snow / power outage.

Information & Referral
From its very beginning, the Community Council has provided information service and publications to match people in need with services. As the leader in information about social services, today’s 2-1-1 services uses cutting-edge technology to connect people to services 24/7 in any language. In 2009, 2-1-1 received 440,00+ calls on housing, food, utilities, childcare, jobs, medical care, youth services, and seniors.