DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - An economic shot in the arm has been given to scores of deserving non-profits, thanks to the State Fair of Texas.
The fair awarded more than $300,000 in grants and scholarships to 40 South Dallas non-profits in its 2021 grant cycle.
"We really started our grants program to make sure that some of the proceeds from the event went to our community initiatives, which includes our grant making and some of the signature programs that we provide for the community," says Dr. Froswa' Booker-Drew, vice president of community affairs and strategic alliances of the State Fair of Texas.
What's particularly noteworthy of the 2021 grant cycle is that the funds were raised in the year when the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the fair.
"Those funds were from 2020, when we didn't have a fair," says Dr. Booker-Drew. "So the fact that the organization still committed to being able to provide resources, even though we didn't have any event last year, is amazing."
Of the 40 grant recipients this year, 11 were awarded grants for the first time.
"We weren't necessarily aware of a lot of these groups," Dr. Booker-Drew says; "but after reviewing their application and learning more about what they're doing, we were excited to be able to give them something to continue the great work that they're doing."
70 percent of the organizations receiving grants this year are led by people of color, including Richard Miles, the founder of Miles of Freedom.
"Someone who was wrongfully incarcerated and took his settlement money to start an organization to help other people impacted by incarceration is just always mind-blowing to me," says Booker-Drew.
In the six years since the grant program started, the State Fair of Texas has awarded more than $2.5 million in grants to non-profits.
Here's the complete list of 2021 State Fair of Texas grant recipients:
• 2 Inspire Peace Inc.
• 2ndSaturday*
• African American Museum
• After8ToEducate
• Austin Street Center*
• Beacon Hill Preparatory Institute
• BoardBuild*
• Braswell Child Development Center
• Cardboard Project
• Carter's House
• Cornerstone Crossroads Academy*
• Crossroads Community Services
• Dallas Bethlehem Center
• Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce
• Dallas Free Press*
• Dallas Innovation Alliance
• Dallas Leadership Foundation
• Empowering the Masses
• First Choice Social Services
• Forest Forward*
• Frazier Revitalization
• Green Careers Dallas
• Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House
• Jubilee Park and Community Center
• LipGloss For Love
• Metropolis LGBTQ+ Empowerment Expo*
• Miles of Freedom (MOF)
• Park South Family YMCA
• Rae's Hope*
• Redemption Bridge
• South Dallas Fair Park Faith Coalition*
• Southern Dallas Link
• St. Anthony Community Center
• St. Philip's School and Community Center
• The House of Rebirth*
• The Way Back*
• Trusted World*
• United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
• Young Leaders, Strong City
• Youth Revive Inc.
*Denotes a first-time State Fair of Texas grant recipient.
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