Community Development

All families, including seniors, are drawn into community through a variety of programming and community events, much of it at “The Rose” community center located in the center of Roseland Homes. At the same time, the 20 Roseland Partners, including five churches, five schools and a number of social agencies, collaborate and work together to build on each other’s offerings to continually improve Roseland Community programming. Roseland Community residents participate in program planning. We believe stronger community means more social capital and more social capital leads to better health and other improved outcomes. Some of activities Incarnation Place fosters to build community:

Roseland Partners. Roseland Partners is the group of 20 organizations which have come together to offer services to the Roseland Community. Incarnation Place first convened the group in 2015 and continues to facilitate quarterly group meetings.

Roseland Homes Community Center. The center, called “The Rose,” is the venue for many activities supported by Incarnation Place. Hence, it’s a critical element in providing services to the Roseland Community. Incarnation Place was a key catalyst for reopening the center in 2017, seven years after it closed for lack of funding. The neglected building, including the inside basketball court, was in dire need of repair. Incarnation Place identified Behind Every Door as the potential operator of The Rose and worked with the Dallas Housing Authority and Behind Every Door to accomplish the reopening. Incarnation Place contributes a significant amount to pay for the operating costs.

Thanksgiving, Easter and other Community Feasts. Whether at Thanksgiving or Easter or other special holidays, Roseland residents love to get together for community-wide celebrations and holiday feasts. Often collaboratively organized by Incarnation Place, local churches, other Roseland Partner organizations and Roseland residents, there are activities for the children, and everyone attending brings favorite dishes, musical talent, joyful hearts and healthy appetites – and community members who have been strangers become transformed into friends!

75204 Day of Service. Once a year, usually in the springtime, Roseland residents, along with volunteers from Incarnation Place and five local churches come together for a “clean up” or “makeover” day at one of the local schools or nonprofit agencies. There, some 350 or more enthusiastic folks spend a full day planting gardens, painting hallways, decorating classrooms and otherwise brightening the building’s atmosphere and providing support and encouragement for the students, teachers and other administrative staff members. The day is started with a delicious breakfast and a joint worship service, and ended with a celebratory party for the 20-30 members of the organizing leadership team.

Welcome Wagon for New Residents. Once a month, Incarnation Place gets a list from the Dallas Housing Authority of all new residents who have moved into the neighborhood. Incarnation Place then leads a team of community members to welcome the new families – usually numbering three to five. The “welcome” involves everyone introducing themselves, giving the newcomers a basket filled with homemade food, supplies and other gifts. Additionally, the “welcome team” teams ask the new residents about any needs and provides information on the range of available community resources. New residents receive a follow-up call a couple of weeks after the in-person visit, asking about any problems and offering any needed help.

Senior Programs. The Dallas Housing Authority, along with Incarnation Place’s support and collaboration, provides a wide range of programs for the approximately 200 to 300 senior citizens who reside in Roseland. Programs include exercise classes, bingo, arts, music, group meals, cultural field trips, and more. Roseland’s seniors love to get together, and often plan their own events, including Bible studies and community outreach.

Bible Studies. Incarnation Place offers a variety of Bible studies. The most popular is a 12 year-old, lay-led Bible study on Monday nights. Its attendees come from four to five different churches, and are a diverse group: young and old, Black, White and Brown. Having a regular attendance of 35 or more, the evening includes a delicious meal, warm fellowship, spirited group singing, a different participant teaching each night and small group discussion, which focuses on how we apply faith to our everyday lives. Most attendees will say that this community and Bible study experience has made a transformational impact on their lives.