As the fall fundraising season nears, many North Texas non-profits will be saluting individuals and organizations with awards. One of the first to announce its lineup of awards is New Friends New Life that is celebrating its 25th anniversary at its luncheon taking place on Friday, September 29, at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.
In addition to having Kerry Washington as the keynote speaker, the presentation of NFNL’s ProtectHER Awards will be made to The Meadows Foundation and Yulise Reaves Waters Esq.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, The Meadows Foundation has “provided a transformative grant support to help removed barriers trafficking survivors face.”
As noted previously, The Meadows Foundation collaborated with NFNL and Bonton Farm to launch the Liberty Street Garden providing a program in which NFNL clients will be hired “for at least 90 days to work in the garden with opportunity for promotion and growth.” The first full year of the garden’s operating costs is being funded by a grant provided by The Meadows Foundation.
Before becoming the chief innovation officers for the Lone Star Justice Alliance, Yulise was an assistant city attorney and lead community courts prosecutor. It was during that time that she “used court innovation strategies to address unmet needs that caused people to become justice-involved, including women who had been trafficked and sexually exploited.”
She also co-founded the “Second Chance Community Improvement Program (SCCIP) in 2014 which became the first-ever felony community court in Dallas County and what is believed to be the first-ever young adult specialty court in the state of Texas.” As a result, SCCIP was awarded the 2018 National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ Equity and Inclusion Award for “excellence and leadership in demonstrating and promoting cultural proficiency in treatment court services.”
Created in 2013, the ProtectHER award “celebrates individuals, corporations and other entities who exhibit exceptional support of women and children locally, nationally and internationally.”
Tickets and sponsorships of the luncheon are available here.
*Graphic/photo provided by New Friends New Life