LTVRise website
LVTRise has received a $30,000 grant from the Fund to Advance Racial Equity at North Texas Community Foundation, officials said on Thursday.
The grant will support programming for Las Vegas Trail residents, which include facilitating activities that build trust and understanding between residents and police officers.
The grant was made under the North Texas Community Foundation’s Improving Neighborhood-Police Trust category.
“LVTRise has long been a dedicated partner with the Fort Worth Police Department and the city of Fort Worth in working to improve the quality of life for residents in the Las Vegas Trail area,” said Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes in a statement. “Our partnership has helped to increase not just this community’s safety, but its wellness and resiliency as well. We are thrilled that they are the recipients of this significant grant and look forward to our collective work to improve relationships between the police and the community.”
LVT began as a mobile community center providing social services and access to resources for area residents after a series of town hall meetings uncovered significant deficiencies and a lack of resources in this part of the community. The meetings were sparked by a series of stories in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
In 2018, the Las Vegas Trail Revitalization Project became the registered nonprofit, now known as LVTRise, Inc.
Since its inception, LVTRise has dedicated its work to collaborating with community partners, empowering community members through training and case management and impacting the Las Vegas Trail community addressing education, improved quality housing and reducing neighborhood crime.
In spring of 2019, Rise Community Center opened to the public, providing a permanent home for the organization. In January 2021, the city of Fort Worth opened a branch of the public library system in the community center, furthering the resources available.
In May 2022, the Fort Worth City Council approved a land lease agreement that paved the way for a Las Vegas Trail Child Development Campus. Child Care Associates will build and operate the new facility that will be built adjacent to the Rise Community Center. Earlier this year, JPS Health System and Cook Children’s announced a joint medical center to be located at the corner of Calmont Avenue and Cherry Lane in the heart of the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood.
“North Texas Community Foundation continues to be a significant partner of our mission and work here at LVTRise,” said Paige Charbonnet, LVTRise executive director. “We appreciate the relationship we have with FWPD and look forward to strengthening that trust and understanding through this programming. We, and those we serve at LVTRise, are thankful to the North Texas Community Foundation for their continued support and dedication to our community.”
North Texas Community Foundation helps donors meet the needs of community by providing tax-efficient strategies to support the causes they care about most. At the core is a network of individuals, families and businesses intent on shaping the future of North Texas. The Foundation has $455 million in assets and made grants totaling approximately $44 million in 2022.
“North Texas Community Foundation provides grants to nonprofits working to build understanding and strengthen our community,” said Garrett March, associate director of community impact at North Texas Community Foundation. “We are grateful for organizations like LVTRise that are advancing solutions to make our community a safe place where there is opportunity for all.”