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Deloitte's 22nd Annual Community Impact Day at JFC at Juliette Fowler Communities - 144 Deloitte employees participated

The residents and staff of Juliette Fowler Communities are overjoyed and beyond grateful for the hardworking crew of 144 employees from Deloitte who spent eight hours volunteering for the firm’s 22nd Annual Community Impact Day at Fowler Communities on June 10. Deloitte, a global provider of audit, advisory, tax, and consulting services, not only provided volunteers to work at Juliette Fowler Communities but also donated $9,000 to cover the supplies and expenses necessary to complete the designated projects, culminating with a party complete with a petting zoo and musical entertainment for residents to enjoy. Throughout the day, Deloitte volunteers planted over 1,400 flowers and plants, spread more than 300 bags of mulch, and served 350 residents with more than 50 projects and activities.

In the Dallas area, Deloitte employees volunteered at 18 different nonprofit sites on the firm’s Community Impact Day – a nationwide program. Juliette Fowler Communities, a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages, is its largest volunteer site.

“This year we had 144 employees – one of our highest turnouts – for our 22nd year of working at Juliette Fowler Communities,” said Nolen Cornett, senior manager, risk and financial advisory, Deloitte & Touche LLP. “Impact Day has been one of my favorite days each year since I started at Deloitte. I am both proud and happy to work for an organization willing to coordinate with nonprofits to take a full day off to volunteer and make an impact at projects across the nation. Juliette Fowler employees and volunteers put forth so much effort to organize this special day. Without question, our outside beautification projects along with our interactions with the wonderful residents make everyone walk away with smiles on their faces. We are looking forward to working together for many years to come.”

Some of the day’s projects including weeding, planting, and mulching over 36 flower beds; removing outdated flower bed edging; re-staining teak wood outdoor furniture throughout campus; cleaning windows and outdoor furniture; constructing newly purchased pool furniture and an outdoor drinks cooler

Resident projects; joining residents for conversation and coffee during breakfast; door-to-door activities for bed-bound patients including bingo, coloring, reading devotionals, puzzles, and singing; conducting senior exercises; helping assisted living residents organize their apartments; providing senior IT sessions to assist with phones, computers, and emails; crafts; Luau-themed bingo; mattress flipping; board games; art projects; baking and nail painting.

“Because Deloitte is still working remotely, Impact Day had the additional benefit of fellowship for our team, some of whom had never met another Deloitte employee!” added Cornett. “It also served as a wonderful recruitment tool as a large group of our summer interns also participated.”

“There are no words to express what this day means to us each year at Juliette Fowler Communities,” said Nicole Gann, president and CEO, Juliette Fowler Communities. “We could not do all of this without them. We are reminded of Deloitte’s amazing employees every day as we walk past the many gardens that they planted for our residents and staff to enjoy. One of our residents commented that Deloitte volunteers were everywhere. She said, “One moment, I looked outside, and volunteers were waving back at me while washing my windows! Glorious!’ Everyone was touched by these spirited and dedicated volunteers.”

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Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in North Texas and one of only two in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Children, youth, and family services at Fowler include foster and adoption services, a residential program for women ages 18-24 at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system, and a new Youth Support Center – a one-stop location to help Dallas youth, both boys and girls ages 12-24, escape or avoid human trafficking and exploitation. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.  

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Junior League of Dallas Volunteers Pictured are Renick Hall, Presleigh Watson, Jill Benoit, Caroline Hardin, Allison Gaughan, Tommie Ethington at the Artful Awakenings Art Show. Volunteer Kari Harris was unable to attend.

Seven members of the Junior League of Dallas have spent each Tuesday night for the past year at Juliette Fowler Communities in East Dallas, where they served as art teachers engaging with residents with dementia and helping them create different themed pieces each week – a powerful way for those with memory loss to express themselves when they cannot find their words. The Artful Awakenings program was created by a Junior League of Dallas member in collaboration with Juliette Fowler Communities in 2017, and it remains a beloved program for the residents. While the activity is art, the purpose is meaningful engagement. Art is the backdrop for conversation and storytelling. The volunteers learned that each resident has purpose, and they simply served as the “tool to help them find it.

The volunteers shared that while many arrive to class with anxiety, they are joyful by the end of class. Each class triggers fond memories and fun conversation, and the residents support each other and thrive on the socialization – something that many withdraw from when memory fades.

This year’s art classes were led by JLD Project Chair Allison Gaughan, who is also a middle school art teacher who immediately understood the importance of this project as her grandmother had Alzheimer’s. In addition to Gaughan, the group included Jill Benoit, Tommie Ethington, Renick Hall, Caroline Hardin, Kari Harris, and Presleigh Watson.

Each year, the Junior League volunteers put together an Art Show of their students’ work from throughout the year at Juliette Fowler Communities. This year’s show was April 9. All artists, their families, and residents of Juliette Fowler Communities as well as the public were invited. Works of art, grouped by themes and seasons, included spring flowers, fall leaves, hand turkeys, and New Year’s fireworks. Because of the pandemic, this year’s show included 80 pieces of art from over a three-year period. An overview of the artists’ personal experiences while creating the work were included within each piece of framed art. These experiences are documented by the volunteers at the end of each art class.

For example,

As Rae Ann painted bluebonnets, she repeated how good it was to be alive and how beautiful and talented her children are.

While creating a piece with trees and applique leaves, Dorothy read out her family tree as far back as her grandparents and said she missed her sisters.

As Flo created her piece, she recalled summers lifeguarding and swimming, while her fellow classmate Gloria complimented her work talking about the beautiful fall colors of autumn.

While creating her piece, Dena spoke about her garden and how the bright colors reminded her of the petunias she planted each year.

JLD Volunteer Caroline Hardin stated, “Even if I hold their hands with a paint brush in it, they still see they are accomplishing something and creating something, and it is something very different from the rest of their day.”

“Artful Awakenings is a conduit to meaningful moments, supporting all that Fowler Communities has learned as an I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence –Fowler is the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in North Texas and one of only two in Texas,” said Nicole Gann, president and CEO, Juliette Fowler Communities.  “Our I’m Still Here® engagement-focused program connects with those living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias through abilities that do not diminish with time. The amazing volunteers from Junior League of Dallas are enhancing the lives of our residents living with dementia, bringing them joy and fulfillment.”

Families attending the art show enjoyed seeing the art created by their loved ones. Dora Garzon and her son Samuel enjoyed the show with Dora’s father Jose, who was all smiles. She commented, “Seeing the art pieces and reading the accompanying comments really touched my heart. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to see our loved ones in such a beautiful way.” 

Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in Dallas and one of only three in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Children, youth, and family services at Fowler include foster and adoption services, a residential program for women ages 18-24 at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system, and a new Youth Support Center – a one-stop location to help Dallas youth, both boys and girls ages 12-24, escape or avoid sex trafficking and exploitation. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.  

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Visionary Women Luncheon JFC President and CEO Nicole Gann; Leeza Gibbons; Luncheon Chair Michelle Feavel

From Momisms to “Dancing with the Stars,” Gibbons captivated attendees with personal stories, her journey with her mom’s Alzheimer’s, and the importance of fierce optimism and resilience

National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and National Caregivers Month were recognized in a grand way on November 18 at the Juliette Fowler Communities Visionary Women Luncheon at the Omni Dallas Hotel. The annual luncheon, which featured Leeza Gibbons and the Visionary Women Award recipient AWARE, was originally scheduled for May of 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic. Without question, it was worth the wait for those in attendance.

A sea of purple, the official color of the Alzheimer’s movement, could be seen as guests walked toward the ballroom through an artwork display presented by the Junior League of Dallas (JLD). The carefully placed easels, each highlighting unique works completed by residents with dementia at Fowler Communities, also included unique messages about the uplifting experience each resident had while creating the art. The program, called “Artful Awakenings,” is a powerful, weekly art program which has been led by members of JLD since 2017.

Many guests stopped to greet Gibbons and have her sign her 2009 book, “Take Your Oxygen First: Protecting Your Health and Happiness While Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss,” in whichGibbons shares her family's personal struggle with Alzheimer’s disease after her mother's diagnosis and provides practical advice to caregivers on how to care for their own needs.

Using her experiences hosting, producing, and reporting for shows such as “Entertainment Tonight, the PBS show “My Generation,” and her own talk show, “LEEZA,” Gibbons became an instrumental advocate for healthcare, wellness and caregiving, ultimately becoming a social entrepreneur creating Leeza’s Care Connection. A nonprofit located in California and South Carolina, Leeza’s Care Connection offers free services and support to help families cope when facing a chronic illness or disease.

Luncheon Chair Michelle Feavel kicked off the event by thanking Honorary Luncheon Chairs Mary and Roland Bandy and all the attendees, including sponsors – each of whom donated their sponsorship in full when the pandemic caused the luncheon to be cancelled in 2020. Sharing her positive experiences at Fowler, first as a volunteer and then a board member, she highlighted the theme of the luncheon, That’s My Why.

“At Fowler, I have witnessed the genuine care, love and concern afforded every resident,” said Feavel. “This level of care and concern at Fowler is My Why – why my husband and I have chosen to invest at Fowler.”

Chairman of the Board Ben Brooks then presented awards to this year’s three recipients: Miranda Sullivan, the Juliette Fowler Faith and Service Award; Deloitte, the Erika McKenzie Volunteer Award; and AWARE, the Visionary Women Award. Sullivan, a recent graduate of Texas Christian University who exemplifies the spirit of Juliette Fowler, was honored for her leadership and excellence on campus and in the community. Deloitte was honored for 20 years of volunteer service during Impact Day, its companywide day of service. AWARE was honored for its philanthropic leadership in support of Alzheimer's care and research.

“AWARE’s impact at Fowler has been transformational through their support of music and art therapy programs, their funding of our I’m Still Here Center for Excellence in Dementia Care, and their extraordinary advocacy for individuals living with dementia, and their care partners, through Dementia Friendly Dallas,” said Ben Brooks.

Following lunch – a macerated fig salad, pecan encrusted chicken breast, and lemon meringue tart and classic cheesecake – JFC’s President and CEO Nicole Gann took the stage to share her Why. Recapping the passion of Juliette Peak Fowler, JFC’s founder 129 years ago, Gann shared that Juliette was Fowler’s first Visionary Woman and is also credited with being Dallas’ first philanthropist, whose choice was always to serve and help others.

“Today, Fowler remains intergenerational, and we are still looking out into the community just as Juliette did, asking ‘Who needs our help?’” said Gann. “That’s My Why.”

Gann highlighted recent accomplishments at Fowler including the groundbreaking of 144 new apartments for the “Forgotten Middle”– those seniors who do not qualify for traditional affordable housing and cannot afford other senior living options available. She thanked the women of AWARE and others for their support enabling JFC to expand services for those with dementia and their care partners. JFC is the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in North Texas and one of only two in Texas.

Gann introduced Leeza Gibbons and NBC 5’s News Anchor/Medical Reporter Bianca Castro, who took the stage for “A Conversation with Leeza Gibbons.” Gibbons began by highlighting her early days working in Dallas, calling Texas her adopted home state.

“It was the 80s, and Dallas was at its prime. I remember being at Southfork many times for interviews, and there was Billy Bobs and Urban Cowboy – but what drew me to Dallas was the chance to work for then WFAA News Director Marty Haag,” said Gibbons.

She explained that her Barbies were named after news reporters – Nancy Dickerson and Barbara Walters, and “they ran newsrooms and covered global affairs.” While Gibbons was a freshman at University of South Carolina, Barbara Walters had been made the first female anchor of the nightly news, and Gibbons knew she wanted to explore this field.

As the conversation shifted to a focus on caregivers, Gibbons talked about the need to be resilient. “Optimism is a strategic advantage in life. When you are optimistic, your brain gets you to a solution more quickly.” She talked about having the Tigger effect. “You must bounce forward to the next thing...resilience is key.”

Gibbons shared that her Why is her mother and her grandmother. “My mother was so courageous in her journey. She was a strong Southern woman who drank sweet, iced tea, said yes ma’am and mixed bourbon with her Coke, and she was my biggest supporter.”

But the day of her mom’s diagnosis, “my music completely stopped.”  She was hosting her talk show, growing her family, business was perfect. “But change comes for all of us. My family went to their own corners. My sister was depressed, my brother in denial, and my dad sat in a corner with wine looking at pictures of my mom. I decided to get busy. I’m going to fix this. I’m going to travel and interview doctors, and I will figure this out.”

When Gibbons told her mother she didn’t know what to do, it was her mom that told her, “You have spent your life telling stories. Go tell this.”

“That’s my Why,” said Gibbons. “If you don’t reveal it, you can’t heal it. I started a foundation to help families like mine.” For those that did not share her vision telling her this would not help her career, she “subtracted them” from her life.

Her mother had told her early on, “When I kick and scream and can’t call you by name” that’s when you know it’s time to make a change. “It’s time to help Daddy let me go.” Her mom then pulled out a brochure and said, “This is the kind of place I’d like to be.” 

“We didn’t have guilt because of this,” continued Gibbons. “We pulled together early as a unit, making these decisions early. This helps keep families from falling apart.”

Castro asked Gibbons why she has referred to her mother as her Jiminy Cricket. Gibbons shared some of her mom’s favorite momisms: “Pretty is as pretty does – pretty always does something; Don’t be too big for your britches; and It’s a poor frog that doesn’t praise its own pond.” Her mother always kept her balanced.

Gibbons then talked about her experience on “Dancing with the Stars” as one of the “dumbest things” she ever did. The day she was supposed to dance the mambo was her shared birthday with her mom, who was in a skilled nursing home at that time.

“When the announcer on the show said, ‘Dancing the mambo – Leeza Gibbons and her partner Tony Dovolani, I wanted to throw up and it still gives me post traumatic stress,” said Gibbons. “But I decided to dance and celebrate my mother and families who feel like they don’t have anything to dance for. I’m a control enthusiast, but you can’t lead on the dance floor. You must wait for the music and for your partner to move, and then you react and respond. This experience taught me to focus on what is left and not what is lost. “Dancing with the Stars” gave me a better appreciation for living in the present.”

Gibbons then highlighted the journey of the caregiver and her work with Leeza’s Care Connection as a place to come, get a hug, a cup of coffee. “We need community, and I love the intergenerational community at Fowler Communities. We connect to resources; help you call on your courage and summon your strength. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

Touching on her time on “Celebrity Apprentice,” she shared that she was apprehensive about doing it but proved everyone wrong by winning it. She recalled her mom saying, ‘Nice girls can finish first. Put your blinders on and don’t look at the others.’”

After winning “Celebrity Apprentice,” Gibbons took her earnings and invested them in her hometown, Columbia, South Carolina, to support family caregivers at her flagship Leeza’s Care Connection location.

Castro closed the conversation by asking Gibbons what she would want others to know.

Gibbons concluded, “Hemingway said, ‘The world breaks everyone, and afterward many are strong at the broken places.’” She said that she does not agree with this. “I think the world tests everyone, but if you are flexible and forgiving, you don’t have to break.”

Luncheon media sponsors were CultureMap Dallas and NBC 5. Proceeds benefit Fowler’s One Heart Fund to support residents’ greatest needs. To support Fowler, go to www.fowlercommunities.org/donate-now

 

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Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing. As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in North Texas and one of only two in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Children, youth, and family services at Fowler include foster and adoption services, a residential program for women ages 18-24 at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system, and a new Youth Support Center – a one-stop location to help Dallas youth, both boys and girls ages 12-24, escape or avoid human trafficking and exploitation. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813. 

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Freedom Day at Juliette Fowler Communities

 

Fowler Communities was one of 22 North Texas volunteer sites providing service projects to honor 9/11 victims, first responders, military, and veterans on this special anniversary year

 

On Friday, September 10, volunteers could be found gardening, engaging with residents during a patriotic-themed party, and leading patriotic crafts throughout the picturesque 20-acre campus of Juliette Fowler Communities for the Communities Foundation of Texas’ (CFT)  20th annual Freedom Day community service event – held in observance of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the federally-recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance, September 10, and as part of CFT’s North Texas Giving Day season of giving.

One of 22 nonprofit partners selected as a volunteer site, Juliette Fowler Communities is a faith-based, nonprofit organization serving residents at various life-stages. Volunteers worked alongside members of the Dallas County Master Gardeners to transform the front entrance and courtyard areas with fresh mulch and new flowers while other volunteers placed flags out in the courtyards and participated in a patriotic-themed party with games as well as patriotic crafts.

“Not only did our residents love interacting with the wonderful, enthusiastic volunteers, but our grounds received a much-needed makeover with fresh mulch and flowers, replacing greenery lost in the winter storm,” said Nicole Gann, CEO and president, Juliette Fowler Communities.  “We were honored to be chosen as a volunteer site for this important day and appreciate the hard work of the volunteers who gave so generously of their time.”

CFT for Business (CFT4B), a program of Communities Foundation of Texas facilitates community involvement and philanthropy for companies of all sizes. Since CFT’s first Freedom Day in 2002, more than 14,000 volunteers from CFT4B member and sponsor companies have completed more than 50,000 hours of service on 9/11 to turn a day of tragedy into a day of doing good. This year, 500+ volunteers including CFT for Business member company employees, event sponsors, CFT fund holders, staff, service partners, partnering nonprofits, and DFW-area veterans will join in service around the theme of Building Thriving Communities for All.

“Uniting volunteers in both hybrid virtual and in-person projects to honor 9/11 victims, first responders, military, and veterans who serve the North Texas community puts such a positive spin on a day that is very difficult for everyone,” said Monica Egert Smith, senior vice president, chief giving and community impact officer, CFT. “It was a joy to spend the morning at Juliette Fowler Communities, working on patriotic crafts with the residents and visiting and sharing stories about their lives. This is day that brings everyone together, introduces us to many wonderful people we would not normally meet, and gives us a chance to pause and reflect while making a positive difference. On behalf of the Communities Foundation of Texas, I want to thank Juliette Fowler Communities for such a special day. Our volunteers were touched by the experience.”

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Juliette Fowler Communities is a Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in North Texas and one of only two in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Children, youth, and family services at Fowler include foster and adoption services, a residential program for women ages 18-24 at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system, and a new Youth Support Center – a one-stop location to help Dallas youth, both boys and girls ages 12-24, escape or avoid human trafficking and exploitation. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813

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Leeza Gibbons Leeza Gibbons, Emmy Award-Winning TV/radio personality, philanthropist, New York Times best-selling author, and caregiver advocate, returns to Dallas to take the stage as the featured speaker for the 2021 Juliette Fowler Communities’ Visionary Women Luncheon on Thursday, November 18, at noon, at the OMNI Dallas Hotel.

AWARE will be honored as the 2021 Visionary Women Award recipient for its philanthropic leadership in fighting Alzheimer's disease

Leeza Gibbons, Emmy Award-Winning TV/radio personality, philanthropist, New York Times best-selling author, and caregiver advocate, returns to Dallas to take the stage as the featured speaker for the 2021 Juliette Fowler Communities’ Visionary Women Luncheon on Thursday, November 18, at noon, at the OMNI Dallas Hotel, 555 S. Lamar Street. AWARE will receive the Visionary Women Award for its dedication to fighting Alzheimer's disease through funding and support of programs, projects, and research. The luncheon featuring Gibbons was previously scheduled for May 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic.

“We are so excited to be moving forward with a new date for our Visionary Women Luncheon in November, which is also National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Caregivers Month,” said Nicole Gann, president and CEO, Juliette Fowler Communities. “These designations are a perfect complement to the work of our speaker, Leeza Gibbons, and AWARE, our Visionary Women Award recipient, as well as Juliette Fowler Communities. Each plays a role in serving those living with Alzheimer’s and their families.”

Using her experiences hosting, producing, and reporting for shows such as “Entertainment Tonight, the PBS show “My Generation,” and her own talk show, “LEEZA,” Gibbons became an instrumental advocate for healthcare, wellness and caregiving, ultimately becoming a social entrepreneur creating Leeza’s Care Connection. A nonprofit located in California and South Carolina, Leeza’s Care Connection offers free services and support to help families cope when facing a chronic illness or disease. Her mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s inspired many of her actions. After winning “Celebrity Apprentice,” Gibbons took her earnings and invested them in her hometown, Columbia, South Carolina, to support family caregivers at her flagship Leeza’s Care Connection location. Her focus on helping others “call on their courage” and “summon their strength” during a health challenge is a common theme to her life. In her 2009 book, Take Your Oxygen First: Protecting Your Health and Happiness While Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss, Gibbons shares her family's personal struggle with Alzheimer’s disease after her mother's diagnosis and provides practical advice to caregivers on how to care for their own needs.

“In addition to Leeza’s extensive background in the field of entertainment and news media, she is such an instrumental advocate for healthcare, wellness and caregiving, and a true voice of hope,” added Gann.  “Her diverse and impressive career, coupled with her personal story and dedication to help caregivers, will leave our audience empowered and uplifted.”

Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities is the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in North Texas and one of only two in Texas. Utilizing the I’m Still Here® approach, a unique paradigm shift in memory care, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It is an engagement-focused program connecting with those living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias through abilities that do not diminish with time. By offering families and professionals ways to emotionally connect with loved ones who are still there through communication techniques and life enrichment, this program sparks creativity and engagement, helping them to thrive.

The luncheon will also feature an art display presented by the Junior League of Dallas (JLD) highlighting work completed by residents with dementia at Fowler Communities through “Artful Awakenings,” a weekly art program which has been led by members of JLD since 2017.

The Visionary Women Luncheon Chair Michelle Feavel announces the 2021 luncheon award recipients: AWARE will receive the Visionary Women Award for its philanthropic leadership in support of Alzheimer's care and research; and Deloitte will receive the Erika McKenzie Volunteer Award for its 20 years of volunteer service at Juliette Fowler Communities. Miranda Sullivan, a recent graduate of Texas Christian University selected by TCU campus ministry, will receive the Juliette Fowler Faith and Service Award. Honorary Luncheon Chairs are Mary and Roland Bandy.

“Juliette Fowler Communities is thrilled to honor these 2021 award recipients for the incredible impact they have made and continue to make in this community and beyond,” added Michelle Feavel, luncheon chair.

The Visionary Women Honoree AWARE, founded in 1989, has raised and donated nearly $14 million in support of programs, projects, and research to help individuals affected by Alzheimer’s in Dallas and North Texas. Founding members include Evelyn Ponder, Cyndy Hudgins, Ruth Sharp Altshuler, Nancy Nelson, Billie Leigh Rippey, and Anita Sampels. In 2011, AWARE became a component fund of the Dallas Foundation. Since 2014, the AWARE members have worked in partnership with The Dallas Foundation to review grant applicants and provide funding to nonprofits in Dallas and North Texas working on the front lines in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. AWARE has funded Fowler’s music and art therapy programs; provided the lead gift for training, implementation, and certification for Fowler’s I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care; and provided the lead gift for Dementia Friendly Dallas.

For the past 20 years, Deloitte LLP, this year’s Erika McKenzie Volunteer Award honoree, has selected Fowler Communities as a volunteer site for its annual international day of service, Impact Day. In 2019, Deloitte held its 20th Impact Day and its 19th year of volunteering at Fowler Communities. Impact Day was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. Approximately 150 volunteers, many of whom return year after year, spend the day working on projects at Fowler, providing all necessary funding. Activities include gardening, painting, organizing, cleaning, building, or engaging in activities with residents.

Juliette Fowler Faith and Service Award Recipient Miranda Sullivan, a recent TCU graduate who will pursue a PhD in government at The University of Texas, has exemplified the spirit of Juliette Fowler through service on her campus and in the community while maintaining a high GPA. In the long term she would like to be a professor of political science so she may teach and conduct research. While at TCU, she served as president of Disciples on Campus; president of Chi Delta Mu; fundraising director of TCU Dance Marathon, a student run philanthropy for the local Children's Miracle Network through Cook Children's Medical Center; and children’s ministry assistant at University Christian Church.

Gibbons is currently seen on-camera as co-host of the Rose Parade. She is also the author of the New York Times best seller, Take 2: Your Guide to Creating Happy Endings; and Fierce Optimism: Seven Secrets for Playing Nice and Winning Big. Gibbons has received numerous recognitions for her achievements, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her TV work, and the ICON Award for her work selling over a billion dollars in products through direct response. Gibbons lives in Los Angeles with her husband, New York Times best-selling author Steven Fenton, and their rescue pup, Biggie.  She has three children, daughter, Leksy, and sons, Troy and Nate.

“Please join us for this exciting opportunity to hear the amazing and compassionate Leeza Gibbons, and help us honor three outstanding award recipients,” added Nicole Gann. “Your support of this luncheon and Juliette Fowler Communities provides critical funding to our One Heart Annual Fund, enabling us to continue to implement the most innovative programs, while caring for the most vulnerable among us, the young and old at Fowler.”

Luncheon media sponsors are CultureMap Dallas and NBC 5. Tickets are $200, and sponsorships are available. Contact Jamie Rodgers,  jamier@fowlercommunities.org, 214-818-0342.  Visit https://fowlercommunities.org/visionary-women-luncheon/

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Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in North Texas and one of only two in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Children, youth, and family services at Fowler include foster and adoption services, a residential program for women ages 18-24 at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system, and a new Youth Support Center – a one-stop location to help Dallas youth, both boys and girls ages 12-24, escape or avoid human trafficking and exploitation. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.  

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Kiewit Supports The Ebby House Kiewit employees selected The Ebby House at Juliette Fowler Communities, which provides transitional living for girls, as the recipient of a $100,000 donation in honor of Women in Construction Week. In addition to the donation, Kiewit hopes to mentor girls in the program and educate them on the wide range of career opportunities in construction. Pictured left to right are Katie Pedigo, The Ebby House Public Relations; Brittany Conrady, Kiewit co-chair South Central Women’s Group; Sabrina Sims, Kiewit co-chair South Central Women’s Group; Lisa Mumford, The Ebby House Program Director; Shane Peterson, Kiewit Senior VP/District Manager

This spring during Women in Construction Week – a national week designed to highlight and recognize the contributions of women in the construction industry – The Ebby House at Juliette Fowler Communities received the type of donation nonprofits dream about.  Kiewit Infrastructure South Co., a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation, one of the largest construction and engineering organizations in North America, presented a check for $100,000 to The Ebby House, a two-year residential program for women, ages 18-24, at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system. This strength-based program mentors up to 12 young women at a time for up to 24 months to instill life skills, provide housing, healthcare, education, career guidance, job training and permanency. It is a home for young girls ready to launch into successful adulthood. The Ebby House is named for the late Dallas real estate icon Ebby Halliday Acres to honor her for incredible work ethic and her lifelong work to help women gain financial independence. Ebby helped cut the ribbon for its grand opening in 2014. 

“We were really interested in an organization that would provide women, especially women in difficult circumstances, the means, education, and support necessary to realize their greatest potential,” said Brittany Conrady, senior environmental manager at Kiewit. “We have an initiative to help girls network, meet people, and ask questions to help them with their careers. We are passionate about connecting with young women to share our experiences in the construction industry.”

Kiewit employees selected Ebby House, which provides transitional living for girls, as the recipient of the donation in honor of Women in Construction Week. In addition to the donation, Kiewit hopes to mentor girls in the program and educate them on the wide range of career opportunities in construction.

“Our hope is to continue our relationship with Juliette Fowler Communities and The Ebby House by mentoring girls and providing tours. Ultimately, it’d be great to welcome them into the Kiewit family someday,” said Sabrina Sims, support engineer at Kiewit.

“Charities like Ebby House bring awareness to the unforgiving realities that many children and young adults face on a regular basis,” said Shane Petersen. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to support the work The Ebby House is doing on behalf of the Kiewit Corporation.”

Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in Dallas and one of only three in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Children, youth, and family services at Fowler include foster and adoption services, a residential program for women ages 18-24 at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system, and a new Youth Support Center – a one-stop location to help Dallas youth, both boys and girls ages 12-24, escape or avoid sex trafficking and exploitation. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.  

Kiewit is one of North America’s largest and most respected construction and engineering organizations. With its roots dating back to 1884, the employee-owned organization operates through a network of subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Kiewit offers construction and engineering services in a variety of markets including transportation; oil, gas and chemical; power; building; water/wastewater; industrial; and mining. Kiewit had 2020 revenues of $12.5 billion and employs 27,000 staff and craft employees.

Learn more about The Ebby House at https://fowlercommunities.org/the-ebby-house/.

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Juliette Fowler Communities Butterfly Release Each resident released his or her own butterfly symbolizing a new beginning after this long, pandemic year.

Moving forward with small steps in the opening of the campus, this visual and symbolic butterfly release served as a time for all to express gratitude and begin anew

Juliette Fowler Communities, a certified Monarch Waystation, released over 350 butterflies representing each resident in a special event on May 13 to mark small steps in the opening of the campus during this next phase of the pandemic. Gathering outdoors in the Harwood Garden to join the celebration, the 350 residents of Fowler Communities, along with staff members, expressed gratitude – each excited to begin anew while remembering that God’s love endures forever. The residents were elated to all come together for the first time since the beginning of pandemic and enjoy each other’s company as well as the event, which lifted everyone’s spirits on a beautiful sunny day. One resident was overheard saying that this event was a ‘healthy shot of hope – even better than the vaccine!’

“We had such a wonderful time,” said John Marr, a resident. “We each released our own butterfly symbolizing a new beginning after this long, pandemic year.”

Just as it has for 130 years, Juliette Fowler Communities persevered during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The first pandemic they endured was the Spanish Flu of 1918. Fourteen months ago, new protocols were put into place to adapt and serve the current residents and staff with one priority: protecting the lives of all who live and work at Fowler. Throughout both, the resilience of the JFC was tested, and teammates answered with a resounding reinforcement of JFC’s values in each action: Love People, Pursue Excellence and Make A Difference. Only 7 percent of residents and 17 percent of team members experienced COVID-19. These numbers reflect the successful implementation and adoption of all safety protocols. Fowler Communities will continue to follow “love your neighbor basics” – wear a mask, safely distance, sanitize, and wash hands often.  

Juliette Fowler Communities Chaplain Venessa Harmel was joined by area ministers in leading the program and butterfly release, including the Rev. Andy Mangum, regional minister at Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest, and Rev. Virzola Law of Northway Christian Church. JFC President and CEO Nicole Gann provided opening remarks.

“Butterflies are the greatest symbol of transformation,” said Nicole Gann. “Today is important because we have been living though a pandemic; we have been thriving; we have had each other to lean on; and now we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I love looking out and seeing everyone wearing our new t-shirts with Psalm 118, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.’ Today we celebrate what we have done and our transformation into our next steps with great possibilities and hope.”

“What a peaceful and stress-free time, which is unique for these times!” said Liz Thurmond, a resident. “It was such a wonderful release of hundreds of butterflies.  I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I hope we are going to do more events such as this,” said Jane Piano, a resident.  “I loved seeing everyone together!”

The Fowler Community has a Monarch Waystation, which began two years ago as part of its Dallas County Master Gardener Association program. Since 2019, residents have enjoyed watching the stages of transformation as caterpillars turn into butterflies.

"I don't have the words to describe this event,” said Ann Wuermser, a resident. “It was just something you had to feel. And that is something for me to say because I'm a writer, and I know plenty of words!"

“It was an exceptional event,” added John Wrench, a resident. “I thought it was a good expression of the intent to allow new opportunities for the seniors in our community. It is an event that no one in our community will ever forget – my neighbors and I can’t stop talking about it!”

Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in Dallas and one of only three in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Children, youth, and family services at Fowler include foster and adoption services, a residential program for women ages 18-24 at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system, and a new Youth Support Center – a one-stop location to help Dallas youth, both boys and girls ages 12-24, escape or avoid sex trafficking and exploitation. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.  

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Flag Raising Ceremony at Juliette Fowler Communities (JFC)
 
Project warms hearts of residents at Juliette Fowler Communities during challenging year
 
When Roman Fox, 14, a student at Providence Christian School and a member of BSA Troop 125, began the process of planning for his Eagle Scout project, it proved to be somewhat of a challenge to find a location willing to accommodate him during COVID-19 restrictions. Fox’s family, who attends St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church was familiar with the nearby Juliette Fowler Communities (JFC), an intergenerational community of residents at various life stages. After learning JFC was willing to work with Fox, the family participated in a meeting and tour of JFC’s 20-acre campus and fell in love with the organization’s close-knit family atmosphere. Once Fox learned about JFC’s wish for a flagpole to be installed at the entrance, he knew he had found his perfect project.
 
“I think that the flagpole is a great project because 2020 was a tough year for everyone,” said Roman Fox. “Juliette Fowler Communities is a faith-based, nonprofit organization that serves youth and elders with housing and issues related to aging and homelessness. This project will be beneficial to both the organization and its residents as it will enhance the main entrance, exhibit their love and pride of our country, support our veterans, and draw attention to their community.”
 
Fox raised over $2,600 from 40 donors for the project, which involved over 31 workers, including fellow boy scouts, leaders, and other adults working a total of 277 hours from October to March. Outside of planning, fundraising, and purchasing materials, project tasks included digging the hole, pouring cement, working with an electrician for lighting, installing the 25’, 200 lb. flagpole, building a surrounding flagstone patio, and adding stone edging, five boxwood bushes, and two floodlights.
 
“I have grown up building things and have a creative mind,” added Fox. “I really enjoyed sketching out the project and determining and organizing all of the things that would be needed to complete it.  We began this process in late October and just completed it with an official first flag raising on Saturday, March 13. It is so rewarding knowing what we did as a team and how much work it took to do it. We built a symbol of our freedom and a structure that will bring joy to people for a very long time.”
 
As residents of the community began to learn about the project, they found joy in watching the group work and seeing the progress.  Additionally, several of JFC’s resident veterans were elated.
 
Colonel Jim Bell, a veteran and resident at JFC, reached out to Fox to provide him with a donation to assist with the fundraising portion of his project.
 
“That flag raising meant a lot to me,” added Colonel Bell. “You know, I’ve seen many flags raised over the years, and each one continues to remind me why I fought for this country. I was in the Army for over 20 years and appreciate members of the community that pay tribute to our service.”
 
“Working with Roman Fox on this very special Eagle Scout project not only provided our Fowler Family with the flagpole we have been wishing for, but it also proved to be such a heartwarming experience for us all,” said Nicole Gann, president and CEO, Juliette Fowler Communities. “Roman is right that this has been such a challenging year for everyone – not only with the pandemic but also the winter storm, which caused significant damage on our campus. Watching Roman and his team work during these past few months has been such a joy and truly lifted everyone’s spirits, giving them something wonderful to discuss and look forward to! This flagpole will always instill a sense of pride in our hearts not only for our country, but it will also remind us of a time when a soon-to-be Eagle Scout and his crew gave us hope for a brighter tomorrow.”
 
Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in Dallas and one of only three in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019 and 2020.  Juliette Fowler Communities’ new Youth Support Center is a one-stop location to help Dallas youth escape or avoid sex trafficking and exploitation, and The Ebby House is a residence for young women, ages 18-24, at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system. The Ebby House program instills life skills and provides mentoring, health care, education, career guidance and job training. Additional services of Juliette Fowler Communities include foster and adoption services. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.  
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The Youth Support Center Program The Youth Support Center (YSC), serves as a one-stop location to help Dallas youth escape or avoid sex trafficking and exploitation. Partially funded by a grant through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and administered through The Office of the Governor’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth project, the program plans to serve at least 25 youth, male and female, ages 12-24, in its first year, by providing whole-person services from carefully selected and vetted partner agencies.
 
This one-stop location for child and youth victims (male and female) provides whole-person services from carefully selected and vetted partner agencies
 
Juliette Fowler Communities (JFC), an organization serving vulnerable children, youth and older adults at different life stages, opened a Youth Support Center (YSC), serving as a one-stop location to help Dallas youth escape or avoid sex trafficking and exploitation. Partially funded by a grant through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and administered through The Office of the Governor’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth project, the program plans to serve at least 25 youth, male and female, ages 12-24, in its first year, by providing whole-person services from carefully selected and vetted partner agencies.
 
The center, which had a soft opening in the fall, was destroyed by Winter Storm Uri; however, Juliette Fowler Communities has relocated the program and services continue at an unspecified location to protect the privacy of program participants.
 
The Youth Support Center provides counseling, coaching, mentorships, and educational and life skills programming as well clothing, emergency food, and toiletries. Transportation is also provided for those unable to access the center. The center also offers male specific programming each week. Trained coaches, who are available during all open hours, engage with program participants, helping them to establish plans with goals while maintaining relationships through treatment and into restoration.
 
“Juliette Fowler Communities is thrilled to add this needed program in the East Dallas area through our Children, Youth and Family Services programs,” said Nicole Gann, president and CEO, Juliette Fowler Communities. “We are passionate about helping children and youth heal from trauma, abuse, and neglect.”
 
In mid-2020, The Office of Governor Greg Abbott approached Juliette Fowler Communities to apply for a grant to open the center because they knew of the success of The Ebby House on the JFC campus. Named for Dallas area real estate icon and philanthropist, Ebby Halliday, The Ebby House opened in 2014 to provide a residential home and support services for young women who age-out of foster care while also extending services to young women who left the foster care system prior to their 18 th birthday.
 
“Governor Abbott’s Office believes that this new center will fill the gaps in service delivery for at-risk and sex-trafficked youth in Dallas County,” added Gann. “Through our work with The Ebby House over the past seven years, we have seen a great need for coordinated services for children before they age out of the foster care and/or youth programs. The Youth Support Center gives us an opportunity to reach at-risk and sex-trafficked children/youth before they become adults and before they require the services of The Ebby House.”
 
While more awareness has been generated in recent years about sex trafficking, the problem remains a serious one in both the city of Dallas – one of the top ten cities nationwide with the most sex trafficking – and throughout the state of Texas – the second-largest hub for sex trafficking in the country.
 
“We know that sex trafficking is a $99 million-a-year crime; there are an estimated 400 trafficked teens on the street each night in Dallas; the average age of entry into trafficking is 12-16; and most of these children/youth are runaways, who are often trafficked within 48 hours of leaving home,” added Gann.
 
While there are agencies in Dallas County to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, and drop-in care, there is currently not a location where at-risk children/youth, including those rescued from sex trafficking, can go for prevention and resiliency training, therapeutic care, and wrap-around services in one place. 
 
“Oftentimes, these children/youth are forced to juggle a bus schedule, face transportation issues, and manage appointments across many agencies to access whole-person care,” added Gann. “Bundling a spectrum of services at one location allows for consistent case management, provides greater access, removes the transportation burden, and keeps at-risk children/youth from falling through the cracks.”
 
Also unique to this center is extensive collaboration with community partners which will provide a full continuum of care to trafficked children/youth. Partners include: Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, providing care coordination; Traffick911, providing intake and assessment services; Together We Thrive Texas, providing on-site advocacy; Cornerstone Crossroads Academy, providing education services as well as the Education Youth Support Center, providing tutoring for GED programs, high school classes, vocational schools, and college classes; Youth180, providing counseling and mental health services; The ARK Group, providing training to JFC staff and volunteers to hold group sessions; Texas Workforce Commission, providing information and job search assistance; Our Friends Place, providing a life skills program; Bob’s House of Hope, providing support and aid for male sex trafficking victims; and numerous workshops and activities with partners including Children’s Health, the Stewpot, and Legal Aid. JFC is also currently exploring medical care partnerships for on-site or telehealth as well as potential workforce partners including Dallas College, Texas Advancement Center, Learn to Serve 360 and more.
 
Program participants have access to a full kitchen facility, social space, laundry room, bathrooms with showers, and rooms of various sizes for classes, private offices, and therapy sessions. Additionally, there is access to wellness programs, including a community center, exercise equipment, and pool. The space provides ample room for social distancing and for the expansion of additional programs over time. Referrals to the program will come through law enforcement, Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, and Traffick911 as well as other city partners. JFC staff manage the program, coordinating all collaborative partnerships and each youth’s individualized plan which will provide a schedule of services that will begin and continue until the youth reaches determined goals.
 
“It is so important that a victim’s needs are met through a holistic continuum of care from prevention to recovery to re-establishment,” added Gann. “We are beyond excited about the positive and transformative impact Juliette Fowler Communities can make on these young lives.” 
 

Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in Dallas and one of only three in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019 and 2020.  Juliette Fowler Communities’ new Youth Support Center is a one-stop location to help Dallas youth escape or avoid sex trafficking and exploitation, and The Ebby House is a residence for young women, ages 18-24, at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system. The Ebby House program instills life skills and provides mentoring, health care, education, career guidance and job training. Additional services of Juliette Fowler Communities include foster and adoption services. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.  

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Juliette Fowler Residences Rendering This new independent living facility will provide much needed affordable housing for the middle-income senior population, which is expected to double on a national level by 2029.

 

New independent living facility will provide much needed affordable housing for the middle-income senior population, which is expected to double on a national level by 2029

Juliette Fowler Communities (JFC) has announced plans to construct a 144-unit senior housing community, the Juliette Fowler Residences, for limited-to-moderate-wealth seniors. A groundbreaking for the $24 million development at JFC’s 25-acre location at 1234 Abrams Road in East Dallas, is planned for early 2021 with move-in beginning in May 2022. JFC was awarded tax credit financing through The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ (TDHCA) competitive tax credit process which enabled the organization to move forward with its plans.

“We couldn’t be more excited that our ‘field of dreams’ is now becoming a reality to help meet the tremendous need for housing faced by the ‘forgotten middle’ seniors in our community,” said Nicole Gann, president and CEO, Juliette Fowler Communities. “This severe lack of affordable housing with supportive services is a national problem, and part of our goal with this new development is to bring this serious issue to light by educating our community, supporters, and funders that this is a looming crisis.”

Nationally, the middle-income senior population is expected to double by 2029 to 14.35 million (all 75+) with only 46 percent able to afford any form of senior housing. A 2019 study by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) shows that 54 percent of middle-income seniors could need housing and care by 2029. Most middle-income seniors will have health needs that present challenges for living at home: 8 percent will have cognitive impairment; 60 percent will have mobility limitations; and 20 percent will have high healthcare and functional needs, having at least three chronic conditions and needing help with at least one activity of daily living.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research, communities with housing affordability and accessibility of services contribute to the ability of seniors to successfully age.  

“This type of environment with extraordinary care and the opportunity for meaningful interactions will, without a doubt, delay or avoid some health challenges, which call for expensive healthcare options in the future,” added Gann. “By offering an affordable independent living option, more seniors will be able to benefit from living in community, instead of deteriorating alone.”

Fowler currently offers a mix of programs that range from high-to-moderate-priced independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation to affordable senior housing for those with extremely low incomes.

“Many seniors come to Fowler unable to afford our higher priced apartments, but they do not qualify for our lower income housing,” continued Gann. “This is especially heartbreaking for those with no family support and no place to turn. They are often afraid and alone.  Additionally, gentrification of neighborhoods is also a serious problem for many, making their residences unaffordable and pushing them out of homes they have lived in for years. Juliette Fowler Residences will bridge this critical gap in Dallas-area available housing, offering these seniors, ‘the forgotten middle,’ the benefit of aging successfully in a quality and affordable community. We anticipate reducing medical costs and falls and improving their overall mental health. Here, they will be a part of an engaging community where they can thrive and enjoy life.”

The Juliette Fowler Residences, a three-story apartment building with 144-units will offer floorplans from studio to a two-bedroom, ranging from 555 to 950 square feet, for seniors ages 62 and up. Apartments will include all appliances, including washers and dryers. The monthly rental program will benefit individuals with limited-to-moderate wealth who are on fixed incomes. An onsite service coordinator will be available to assist residents in securing services such as transportation, food, and other needs including aging support along with helping them to navigate healthcare. Amenities include an art room, library, fitness program and gym, business center, courtyard, access to an onsite chaplain, a chapel, pools, community gardens, and walking trails.

Additionally, JFC features the only dementia care program in Dallas, and one of only three in Texas, certified in the I’m Still Here® approach, a unique paradigm shift in memory care. As an I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care, JFC provides an engagement-focused program connecting with those living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias through abilities that do not diminish with time. By offering families and professionals ways to emotionally connect with loved ones through communication techniques and life enrichment, this program sparks creativity and engagement, helping them to thrive.

The JFC application to TDHCA for funding was one of 11 to receive the tax credit awards from the TDHCA and was the highest scoring application in the Urban Region 3, earning the highest award amount of $1.5 million over ten years. To qualify for this funding for the development, all apartments must be designated for older adult households earning 30 percent, 50 percent, and 60 percent of the area’s median incomes. The tax credit award, a crucial first step to construction, invites investors to fund the construction of the development in return for reducing their tax bill.

The remainder of the funding will come through a combination of traditional financing and donor support. “Our namesake, Juliette Peak Fowler, showed us what community could be and taught us to invite others to be part of the dream. As Dallas’ first female philanthropist, Juliette sought innovative solutions for the problems of early Dallas. We continue that tradition today by bringing together a collaborative force of business leaders and philanthropists who share our vision for our community and its seniors,” shared Gann.

Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages.  Located on 25 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing.  As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in Dallas and one of only three in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019 and 2020.  Additionally, on the grounds is The Ebby House, a residence for young women, ages 18-24, at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system. The Ebby House program instills life skills and provides mentoring, health care, education, career guidance and job training. Additional services of Juliette Fowler Communities include foster and adoption services. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.  

FYI, additional resource: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/em/fall13/highlight1.html

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research