Act (Advocates For Community Transformation)
Act (Advocates For Community Transformation)
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About this organization
Mission
Act's vision is for neighborhood safety to be a normal reality for everyone. Act equips underserved residents to fight crime on their street using the justice system. Our legal advocacy program reduces crime in high-crime Dallas neighborhoods through empowering residents to shut down crime-ridden properties on their street.
About
ACT OPERATES IN INNER-CITY COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING HIGH RATES OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE. BEHIND BARBED WIRE, WINDOW BARS, AND LOCKED GATES, MANY OF OUR FAMILIES LIVE LIKE PRISONERS IN THEIR OWN HOMES. DRUG HOUSES SURROUNDING THEIR HOMES NOT ONLY BRING ADDICTION TO THEIR STREET, BUT MORE SIGNIFICANTLY THE CRIME THAT FOLLOWS DRUGS AND MONEY-GUNS, VIOLENCE, PROSTITUTION, ROBBERIES, VANDALISM, ASSAULTS, AND MURDERS. IN OUR EXPERIENCE, MANY RESIDENTS DO NOT CALL THE POLICE OUT OF FEAR OR DISTRUST, AND THOSE THAT DO OFTEN FIND ONLY TEMPORARY RELIEF BEFORE THE KEY PLAYERS RETURN. THESE RESIDENTS ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH OR HAVE HAD NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES WITH OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AND DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO PURSUE RELIEF ON THEIR OWN. WE HAVE FOUND THAT, GENERALLY, HISPANIC AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESIDENTS DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER AND HAVE DIFFICULTY ACTING COLLECTIVELY. THEY FEAR RETALIATION IF THEY CHOOSE TO SPEAK UP.THE POWER OF ACT'S MODEL IS THAT THESE SAME RESIDENTS BECOME AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, KNOW THE CRIME-RIDDEN PROPERTIES, HAVE A VISION OF WHAT LIFE COULD BE LIKE IF THEY LIVED IN A SAFER PLACE-AND IT IS THESE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE LEGAL STANDING TO PURSUE JUSTICE. ACT'S MODEL EMPOWERS THEM TO EMBRACE THEIR INHERENT WORTH AND PROVIDES THEM THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT TO TRANSFORM THEIR COMMUNITY.RESIDENT EMPOWERMENT & LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM TO ELIMINATE CRIME,ACT'S RESIDENT EMPOWERMENT & LEGAL ADVOCACY MODEL, ENGAGES WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD TRUST AMONG RESIDENTS AND TO ENGAGE CLIENTS. WE THEN PARTNER WITH VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS FROM TOP-RANKED DALLAS LAW FIRMS TO EMPOWER OUR CLIENTS TO HOLD THE OWNERS OF CRIME-RIDDEN PROPERTIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OCCURRING ON THEIR PROPERTIES. IF A CASE CANNOT BE RESOLVED THROUGH NEGOTIATION OR SETTLEMENT, ACT TAKES IT TO COURT, WHERE WE HAVE HAD A 100% SUCCESS RATE AT TRIAL.COLLABORATION IS A CORNERSTONE OF ACT'S MODEL, AND OUR PARTNERS INCLUDE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, CHURCHES, AND NONPROFITS, AS WELL AS THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, CODE COMPLIANCE, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THE FIRST TEN YEARS (2009-2019)ACT HAS SPENT THE LAST DECADE REDEFINING NORMAL FOR OUR CLIENT FAMILIES IN WEST AND SOUTH DALLAS, EMPOWERING THEM SO THAT THEY CAN CREATE PEACE IN THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND HOPE FOR THEIR FUTURES. ACT HAS APPLIED ITS LEGAL ADVOCACY MODEL TO THREE WEST DALLAS TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS AND ONE SOUTH DALLAS TARGET NEIGHBORHOOD. ACT, OUR CLIENTS, AND OUR VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS RESOLVED 151 CRIME-RIDDEN PROPERTIES IN WEST AND SOUTH DALLAS. AS OF THE END OF 2017, FAMILIES WHO HAVE ENGAGED AS CLIENTS IN OUR TWO LEGACY WEST DALLAS NEIGHBORHOODS (WESTMORELAND HEIGHTS & WESTMORELAND PARK/LEDBETTER GARDENS) CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE AN APPROXIMATE 50% REDUCTION IN PART I CRIME SINCE WE BEGAN OUR WORK THERE IN 2010 AND 2012, RESPECTIVELY. BY COMPARISON, WEST DALLAS AS A WHOLE EXPERIENCED AN 11% REDUCTION IN CRIME. CRIME IN OUR ACTIVE SOUTH DALLAS NEIGHBORHOOD OF FRAZIER/MILL CITY DROPPED 14% IN TWO YEARS, COMPARED TO A 2.4% INCREASE IN SOUTH DALLAS AS A WHOLE. ACT HAS RECEIVED OVER $3.5 MILLION IN PRO BONO LEGAL WORK FROM TOP-RANKED DALLAS LAW FIRMS; RECEIVING OVER $600,000 IN DONATED LEGAL SERVICES IN 2018 ALONE. OUR CLIENTS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS NOW EXPERIENCE SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE CRIME IS NO LONGER TOLERATED AND DIGNITY AND HOPE ARE RESTORED. THE POWER OF ACT'S MODEL IS THAT THESE FAMILIES BECOME AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, KNOW THE CRIME-RIDDEN PROPERTIES, AND HAVE A VISION OF WHAT LIFE COULD BE LIKE IF THEY LIVED IN A SAFER PLACE. ACT IS TEACHING THEM THAT THEY HAVE LEGAL STANDING TO PURSUE JUSTICE, AND WE PROVIDE THEM WITH THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT TO TRANSFORM THEIR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE EMPOWERED THEM TO TRANSFORM THEMSELVES, AND BY EXTENSION THEIR COMMUNITIES, SO THAT THEY CAN SUSTAIN A HEALTHY AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD.
Interesting data from their 2019 990 filing
According to the filing, the non-profit's mission is “Act is a new model of ministry that uses the justice system to empower inner-city residents to fight crime on their street while sharing with them the hope of the gospel.”.
When referring to its actions, they were described as: “Use the legal system and the hope of the gospel to empower inner-city residents to fight crime.”.
- According to the law, the state of operation reported by the non-profit is TX.
- As per the filing, the address of the non-profit for 2019 is PO BOX 225225, DALLAS, TX, 75222.
- According to their form, the non-profit as of 2019 has a total of 42 employees.
- Is not a private foundation.
- Expenses are greater than $1,000,000.
- Revenue is greater than $1,000,000.
- Revenue less expenses is $555,057.
- The organization has 7 independent voting members.
- The organization was formed in 2009.
- The organization pays $2,256,239 in salary, compensation, and benefits to its employees.
- The organization pays $569,098 in fundraising expenses.
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