The Pacesetters Are Closing the Door on Homelessness in Dallas One Kid at a Time

On June 20 — tonight — from 6 to 8 pm, the first Dallas Commission on Homelessness Community Engagement committee meeting gathers to “educate, engage and gather feedback from the community to overcome challenges with homelessness in Dallas.”  It’s at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St. L1FN Auditorium (free parking after 6 in City Hall parking lot) and I hope to be there. Panelists include:

Bob Sweeney, Executive Director, Dallas Life
Daniel Roby, Executive Director, Austin Street Center
Wayne Walker, Executive Director, OurCalling
Blake Fetterman, Executive Director, Salvation Army
Moderator: Eric Nicholson, Staff Reporter Extraordinaire, Dallas Observer and the guy who has walked Tent City

Now let me tell you about one of the city’s most progressive and elite real estate networking groups, the Pacesetters, and how they have made an extraordinary commitment to eradicate homelessness in Dallas. 35 dynamic top-producing agents from a myriad of brokerages — think Bonnie Bauer, Sue Krider, Chris Hickman, Bob Moran, Anne Stewart, Debbie Tolson. They created the group back in 2003. It is by invitation only and very difficult to break into. Patterned loosely after the Masters of Residential Real Estate, 25 of the oldest and highest volume agents in town, the Old Guard, if you will, the Pacesetters are the next generation of Masters. Clay Stapp is now a member. The best example I can give of their spirit was the fun branding photo they took a few years back mimicking Vanity Fair’s famous Hollywood covers, guys in tuxes, ladies in evening gowns. The Masters of Real Estate were very upset, thought the photo was too show biz-y. But the Pacesetters, as the name implies, is the shake ’em up club. It’s innovative, tech-minded, an eye on the future of real estate, not always what’s been done in the past. Their newest branding photo, seen here, is taken at a Clay Stapp listing with what is, I swear, the biggest balcony in North Texas.Actually, TWO of the Masters of RE serve as mentors for the pacesetters: Ralph Randall and Joseph Guillano. The late Ebby Halliday herself was a mentor. The Pacesetters, like the Masters, is all about networking but also nurturing and training.  What they did says so much about who this group is: progressive, making Dallas a better city, thinking of others in need, and using resources to help rather than toot their own horns.

The Pacesetter Group gave Incarnation House a check for $3000. It came from their print ad budget. The ad will go to help buy school uniforms and backpacks for the 20 to 25 children who, on an average night, make Incarnation House their home from after-school until about 9 o’clock at night.

Because these children are functionally homeless and have unstable housing.

Something I’m sure we will hear more about from the Dallas Commission on Homelessness is the fastest-growing segment of homeless in Dallas: single women. Day after day we tour beautiful homes with en suite bathrooms, while there are many children in town who live in homes without running water. And not just one home: they move from apartment to apartment, sometimes even motels. There is not that stability of one place where you can go every single day for rest and respite from the world.

The Pacesetters wanted to do something about this.

Ebby Halliday agent Bonnie Bauer has been nudging the group for years to take on a philanthropic face, and give back to the community.

“I just felt that working on homelessness would be so appropriate because we are in the business of buying and selling homes and helping families get into homes,” says Bonnie.

“You have to have a nest to come home to, to spring from, so to speak. I looked around, then someone told us about Incarnation House. Sue Krider made a call, and then we realized that it was a new program in the embryonic stages,” says Bonnie.”I would so much rather help these youngsters with this incredible, incredible program.”

Incarnation House was started in 2012 when the Church of the Incarnation, in conjunction with DISD, created a Drop-in Friday program at North Dallas High School. At North Dallas High School, 80% of the students are economically disadvantaged, 71% are considered high risk, and 150 have no home. The program is for students who are homeless or in unstable housing situations. The program was so successful and needed, it grew to every night of the week. Incarnation House opened its newly renovated center on January 6, 2016 to offer children a “drop-in home” after school each night. 

Our vision is for all young people to reach adulthood healthy, supported and with full opportunity to thrive in life.”

Incarnation House was created by the Church of the Incarnation, but has since separated off into its own 501 (c) 3.

It’s a beautiful concept, run by former Verizon exec Teresa A. Keenan. She left Verizon in 2010 to lead City House, another nonprofit organization that helps homeless teens. The gal knows her stuff.

“These teens have had people in their lives who have let them down. They are looking for caring adults,” Keenan said. “We have the ability to pull an entire community together to be a part of the solution.”

In fact, Teresa lives in the community, Uptown. She walks to work every day.

“This is a home for children after school or sports activities, where they can find enrichment activities and stimulation,” says Teresa. “Our hope is to permanently change the course of an at-risk child’s life.”

The brand-new center is brightly decorated and equipped with a bathroom and shower — for kids whose homes have no running water, as many don’t. There is even a washing machine and dryer so they can do laundry. The enrichment programs consist of art in the art room with Dallas artist Pamela Nelson, time in the recording studio with Gary Lee, or getting high tech in the computer lab with video. Of course students can also kick back and read or study, with someone in the house to guide them on homework or questions, as a parent would. Sometimes they bake in the kitchen. Snacks are always plentiful —

“The snacks are the first place they head to when they come in after school,” laughs Teresa.

Dinner is provided and brought in by 6:00 p.m., 6:45 Life Skills, and then by 8:30 each child is taken home (wherever that may be in Dallas as these children are bused to school ) in a private car: Teresa brokered a deal with Uber. The children cannot spend the night, but they can take comfort in a warm, nurturing environment with enrichment activities, plenty of healthy food, and an adult in supervision for a few vital hours. Medical care is imported from Parkland via van once a month, and dental care comes from Baylor the same way. Counseling services are also available. The Alumni Association of North Dallas High School also provides support, mentoring and networking for these students.

I asked Teresa about rules, behavior, and drug issues, if any. She shakes her head no.

“There have been none,” she explained. “No issues. These students are sent to us by social workers at the school. If we did suspect drugs, the students would not be here.”

The House Rules are pretty simple and require a signature: be at Incarnation House at least once a week, participate and explore the skills offered, be a team builder, communicate with the staff: Teresa, her program manager Laura Fredericks and volunteer A.J. Durr, a social worker.

“When I first met Teresa, I asked her how many could use these services at North Dallas High,” says Bonnie. “She said 200. Right now they can only handle 35. I hope the Pacesetters can help grow this wonderful program.

Here’s the best news: last year there were 12 functionally homeless seniors in Incarnation House’s inaugural program. All 12 graduated from high school and are enrolled in an institution of higher learning!