For 20 years, CitySquare and the Transition Resource Action Center (TRAC) have worked to help DFW youngsters (16-24 years old) make the challenging transition from foster care to self-sufficient adulthood. TRAC has helped nearly 1,200 youth per year to achieve a living wage, have access to safe stable affordable housing and receive trauma-informed support.
But like its clients, TRAC has transitioned from being a CitySquare program to being “a separate, independent non-profit organization.” That was recently achieved when TRAC received its official IRS 501(c)(3) designation.
And why is this a big deal? Because this status allows TRAC to “gain the autonomy and flexibility needed to expand its reach, deepen community ties and provide enhanced support to community youth facing homelessness.”
Like any parent, CitySquare is still front-and-center supporting TRAC’s development.
The game plan calls for each non-profit to focus “on its core competencies ensuring the stability and longevity of both non-profits and can be an aspirational model for other organizations seeking to strength their impact.”
As CitySquare continues to help homeless adults and families, TRAC will work with youngsters in many cases not prepared for the real-life challenges of adulthood.
According to CitySquare Interim CEO Mandy Shreve, “The real story here is the collaborative effort both our organizations are making to become the most effective, successful service providers we can be within our key areas of focus. As TRAC emerges to stand on its own, I believe this can be a powerful evolution and serve as an example for other non-profits seeking to focus on what they do best.”
As TRAC gets on its own two feet, CitySquare will “continue to provide vital support, including back-end office support, administrative oversight and fiscal sponsorship.”
*Photo provided by CitySquare