Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI)

First Unitarian Church of Dallas, under Dr. Laurel Hallman’s leadership, was a founding member of Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI), a multi-ethnic, multi-issue organization of 60 varied religious congregations in the Dallas metropolitan area. Through DAI, First Unitarian has enhanced its outreach and ministry to touch the lives of thousands for the cause of social justice. A sample of local and state initiatives follows.

Education:  After School and Tax Reform
Dallas Area Interfaith convinced the City of Dallas as well as Dallas Independent School District (DISD) to create and later to increase funding for after school programs throughout the school district.  In 1994, no public funds supported after school programs in Dallas.  By 1998, almost $3.85 million dollars of public money was being invested in after school funding for all DISD schools. 

First Unitarian members led a 15-strong DAI delegation at a 2006 public hearing of the Texas Tax Reform Commission.  DAI's position on school finance reform called for a broad-based business tax and no increase in the sales tax rate.  Texas Industrial Areas Foundation organizations testified at every Commission hearing across the state, using the Unitarians' script. The Commission and Governor Perry accepted the IAF tax reform proposal, which was passed by the Texas Legislature. The San Antonio Express-News  and John Sharp, Commission head, stated that the intended sales tax hike did not happen due primarily to the tenacity of the Texas IAF. 

ESL/Citizenship: Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Matricula Consular
Dallas Area Interfaith was a key organizer of the April 2006 500,000 person Mega March Immigration Rally, the participants dressed in white and carrying American flags as DAI instructed. We signed people on to the DAI agenda and registered voters. 

Following our call for expanded access to matrículas for our congregation members, the Mexican Consul General in 2006 agreed to set aside three Saturdays for DAI congregation members to apply for their matrículas. DAI worked with the Mexican consulate and Dallas police to provide 2100 matriculas in four sessions.  One session provided ID cards to 650 individuals in one day, the largest ever in North Texas.

Housing/Infrastructure
DAI, Nations Bank and the City of Dallas created funding to build affordable homes in South Dallas, a neglected, run-down area.  The City set aside $450,000 for soft second mortgages (dramatically reducing the long-term cost of a house); Nations Bank created a fund of $3.5 million for mortgages.  Thus far forty (40) new homes have been built.

At the neighborhood level DAI brought about the new Grauwyler Recreation Center in the Love Field area, funding to renovate Exline Recreation Center in Old East Dallas and other services such as street repairs, drainage, cross walks, warning lights and sidewalks near elementary schools, and neighborhood policing.

HEALTH CARE: Indigent Health and CHIP
The DAI Collin County cluster successfully changed the guidelines for indigent care by educating the originally resistant county commissioners and community on the need for increased investment.  Through numerous meetings, training, and creation of a health task force, at our recommendation, Collin County officials recognized the need to increase indigent health care in this wealthy county. Commissioners raised the level to qualify for indigent care from 21% to 50% to 100% of poverty level.  The County also allocated an additional $500,000 for indigent care. The commissioners publicly thanked Collin County Interfaith (DAI) for keeping the issue before the county.

 Dallas Area Interfaith and the Texas IAF Network played a key role in the 2006 expansion of CHIP.  DAI and our sister organizations pressed the Lt. Governor to stop holding the legislation hostage and get a bill through the Senate that allowed more children to be covered.  After tense discussion with Texas IAF leaders and particularly DAI, the Lt. Governor broke the impasse and the Senate and the House expanded care by 100,000 children.  The Lt. Governor publicly thanked the Texas IAF network for our role in passing CHIP and Rep. Sylvester Turner recognized us as key to the passage of this legislation.

KATRINA EVACUEES
DAI, led by an organizer who grew up in First Unitarian, worked with Katrina evacuees in the Dallas area to ensure that their voices were heard as they struggled to regain control of their lives. In February, 2006, DAI held a press conference calling for FEMA to extend their housing assistance program for Katrina evacuees, set to expire that month, for 6 months. DAI leaders, Katrina evacuee leaders, the Dallas Housing Authority, and other service agencies worked together. FEMA's extended deadline amounted to over $100 million in additional support for survivors in North Texas.

The  Texas IAF and Louisiana IAF network convinced the US Congress to pass our draft legislation extending housing for an additional eighteen months in 2007 and transferring FEMA responsibility for disaster housing to HUD.

The Katrina Survivors Network, with members scattered throughout the metroplex, is now an active dues-paying member institution of DAI. First Unitarian supplemented the members' $1, $5 and $10 contributions to fulfill their pledge.

PUBLIC SAFETY
First Unitarian and the North Cluster led DAI's research/action on improving the crime situation plaguing all of Dallas. They proved to reluctant city officials in 2007 that the department could develop an incentive package and increase the force by 200 new officers per year for four years, to the nationally recommended force level. With the incentives, the Police Academy had its largest ever class. Now the 200 per year budget increase is untouchable even in the current 2008 city budget cutting.

Learn more about Dallas Area Interfaith here.