Thinking big has always come naturally to Dallas. But with nearly 30 percent of children in Dallas County living below the poverty line, banks — big, small and in between — are working to ensure this vulnerable population can thrive — no small task.
This week, 1,100 bankers are in town to examine the banking industry’s “new frontiers.” On Sunday, many will gather in South Dallas, an area embarking on a similar journey of growth, to see firsthand how banks and their nonprofit partners are harnessing capital and commitment on a local level.
They will see Vogel Alcove, which, with tax credit investment provided by JPMorgan Chase, provides free services for children living in homeless shelters. Fair Park’s Eban Village, built with the help of Bank of America and Mutual of Omaha Bank, offers safe living for hundreds of South Dallas families.
Project Still I Rise’s Empowered Pedals program, fueled by Comerica Bank, teaches engineering and management to kids who help run a bicycle shop. And Jubilee Park’s community center, funded by Union Bank, Northern Trust, Bank of Texas and PlainsCapital Bank, provides courses in financial education and computer skills.
Whether through federal tax credits, construction loans or mortgages, banks and their nonprofit and public partners are helping to renew the spirit of South Dallas, restoring it as a place where families can pursue the dream of homeownership, businesses can succeed and children can grow.
These crucial partnerships create limitless possibilities for our future homeowners, public leaders, entrepreneurs and big thinkers.
Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, president and CEO of the American Bankers Association, Washington, D.C.