A Message from Dawn and Andy Taft

Dear Friends,

As you know, the effects of Covid have exposed many of the vulnerabilities in our homeless care system. They are evident in our center city, but we see the effects throughout Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

Men, women, and families with children are living unsheltered throughout our area. While their stories are varied, they all face daily struggles that we shudder to even imagine. Illness, injury, fear, food insecurity, physical attacks, lack of sanitation facilities and more create constant stress where daily survival is the only goal. Just as profound, the mere idea of hope is lost. Without a safe place, a place to get clean, a place to sleep, a place to keep belongings…without an address…people cannot get better, much less get a job and change the direction of their lives. These people need our help.

Taxpayer-funded first responders are expected to manage an unmanageable situation. State law requires our police to move people on from camps, but to where? Preventable maladies cause stress on our ambulance services and county hospital system. Clean up by our code enforcement cut into community resources that could be spent elsewhere.

Our business community and neighborhoods also wrestle with homelessness issues. Panhandling, camping on private property and an array of antisocial behavioral issues discourage customers and clients from patronizing businesses and negatively affect operations and property value. Neighborhoods are challenged with safety issues, trash, sanitation and other issues. These conflicts sometimes pit the basic needs of the most vulnerable in our society against the interests of those with resources they want to protect and grow.

These are the issues that DRC is addressing through its efforts.

With your help, DRC is investing in solutions that actually make a difference and move people off our streets and into stable housing. We cannot continue to pour money into simply mitigating the fallout of homelessness. Housing is proven to cost less and lead to better outcomes, not only for those transitioning into housing, but also for taxpayers.

This is why we ask you to join us by sponsoring DRC’s Breakfast with the Mayor 2023. We are honored to serve as honorary chairs of this important event and encourage you to join us, Mayor Parker and fellow leaders of the Fort Worth and Tarrant County business community.

Please make your sponsorship commitment today and join us in helping people to find the Next Exit: Home.

Sincerely,
Dawn and Andy Taft
Breakfast with the Mayor 2023 Honorary Chairs