On 9 December, the Zonta Club of Dallas, USA, wrapped gifts for a holiday party at Our Friends Place, a women’s shelter in Dallas, Texas.

The club participated in the fundraising and purchased some workout/jogging 2-piece sets, umbrellas and gift cards for all the residents of Our Friends Place. Fun and folly ensued while boxing and wrapping all of the boxes. Festive food and drink were also served.

The club partners with Our Friends Place each holiday season during the 16 Days of Activism Campaign. The Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women and Girls campaign is from 25 November through 10 December every year, coordinating the 16 Days with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November and Human Rights Day on 10 December each year.

The vision of Our Friends Place is a world where all women are change agents for themselves, their families, and their communities. In 1987, they opened the first home with a mission to help young women break generational cycles of abuse, neglect, poverty and homelessness through empowering self-reliance and independence. Since that day, Our Friends Place has provided a stable place for more than 500 young women in Dallas to build the skills and confidence to avoid poverty and homelessness.

As part of the program, every resident enrolls in an education or vocational program, has a job, pays part of their earnings as rent and part to build their savings while attending weekly group sessions about life and job skills.

In 2017, Our Friends Place created SOAR to Success, an innovative, award-winning homeless prevention program. This non-residential program serves more than 500 youth each year in partnership with schools and youth-serving agencies in North Texas.