Grassroots efforts bring food, water, and hope to West Dallas residents in need
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At one point this week, three-fourths of West Dallas residents were without power.
A text we sent to neighbors Monday noted that 7,580 of 10,495 Oncor customers in zip code 75212 were affected. The power outages began Sunday and, even today, 959 West Dallas households don’t have electricity.
By Tuesday, with no end in sight, leaders across the West Dallas community were working together to make sure their neighbors had food, water, blankets, light and hope. Many volunteers were without power and running water themselves.
All day Wednesday, Costco hot dogs wrapped in foil, candles from Aldi, bags of oranges and pallets of bottled water were delivered to addresses in La Bajada, Los Altos, Gilbert-Emory, Bickers Park, Homestead, Westmoreland Heights, Victory Gardens and the Dallas Housing Authority communities. Efforts continued Thursday with donated tacos and discounted pizzas.
Most deliveries were made to senior citizens and large families of six, seven, even 12 who were without power, heat or running water.
Bickers Park resident James Armstrong III, pictured above delivering tacos, posted on Facebook that his last delivery of groceries, fresh produce and hot tacos was to an elderly West Dallas woman. She had been without water, lights and food since Monday and was surviving on a sleeve of crackers and five bottles of water.
“We MUST attach testimonies to this crisis so that the inequities of our city remain real and relevant,” Armstrong wrote.
Two days of rapid fire communication between neighborhood association and nonprofit leaders resulted in roughly 60 homes visited and more than 150 people cared for during the winter storm.
“We served everyone who we could,” posted Raul Reyes Jr., president of grassroots coalition West Dallas 1.
“As a West Dallas resident, this pollution is a threat to my own health, the heath of my family, the enjoyment of my home and the value of my property.”
These words are part of a public comment form that environmental justice advocacy group Downwinders At Risk created, inviting West Dallas residents to push back against the presence of roofing plant GAF, pictured above, in their neighborhood.
Today — Friday, Feb. 19 — is the final day to submit public comments.
Managed under the EPA’s Clean Air Act, GAF’s federal permit comes up for renewal every five years. Grassroots coalition West Dallas 1 is encouraging neighbors to make their voices heard.
Read Dallas Free Press’ story by freelancer Sona Chaudhary to learn more.
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We know this is an ask. Anyone in Dallas who completes the survey can be entered into the raffle for a $50 gift card, and West Dallas residents (75212) can opt into a follow-up interview. If selected, they’ll be paid $30 for their time.
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We’re working with West Dallas 1 president Raul Reyes Jr. (pictured above at right, with Dallas Free Press executive director Keri Mitchell) to reach as many neighbors as possible. Here are some ways we can make sure you and your neighbors are counted in the survey:
• We can attend a community event to either survey people verbally, or hand out and collect paper surveys.*
• We can make or receive calls to survey people over the phone.
• We can block walk to survey people at home.*
(*Mask-wearing and other COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place at all times.)
For in-person or phone surveying, we have a limited number of $5 gift cards to thank people who complete the survey and sign up for our West Dallas text message service in either English or Spanish.
Reach out to Dallas Free Press executive director Keri Mitchell at 469.290.4553 or keri@dallasfreepress.com if we can serve you and your neighbors directly, and please share the survey with friends, neighbors and colleagues digitally. You also can simply share our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram posts about the survey.
More COVID-19 vaccine hubs have opened in Dallas, but supplies are limited and even registration has barriers. Dallas Free Press created a “How to get a COVID vaccine in Dallas” map and is texting neighbors with registration and vaccination updates.
We have a dedicated reporter watching official news and online conversations so we can make updates and send alerts as more doses become available. Bookmark our map and sign up for our West Dallas text message service in either English or Spanish so you’ll be among the first to know.
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Keri Mitchell has spent 20+ years as a community journalist, including 15 years dedicated to community and civic journalism at Dallas’ Advocate magazines. She launched Dallas Free Press in early 2020 with the belief that all neighborhoods deserve reporting and storytelling that values their community and holds leaders accountable.
Mitchell says she is energized by “knowing our work is making an impact — listening to people, telling their stories with strong narratives paired with compelling data that leads to change. I also love spending time in our neighborhoods and with our neighbors, learning from them and working to determine how journalism can be part of the solution to their challenges.”
Mitchell is proud to be the winner of multiple awards during her journalism career including: Finalist in Magazine Feature Reporting (2018) and Finalist in Magazine Investigative Reporting (2017) from Hugh Aynesworth Excellence in Journalism, Best Feature Story (2011) from Texas Community Newspaper Association and Best Magazine Feature (2011) from Dallas Bar Association Philbin Awards.
Areas of Expertise:
local government, education, civic issues, investigative and enterprise reporting
Location Expertise:
Dallas, Texas
Official Title:
Founder + executive director
Email Address:
keri@dallasfreepress.com
