Empowering Families Since 1986

Family Gateway is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Mayor Pro-Tem Annette G. Strauss in 1986. We provide stability and life-changing supportive services to families with children experiencing or near homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties in Texas. We are the leading agency in addressing family homelessness in our community and serve as the entry point for families seeking assistance. Services we provide include assessments to determine what interventions a family needs, creative solutions to avoid a shelter experience (e.g., eviction prevention), emergency shelter, supportive housing, general and vocational case management, and education programming.

What Makes Us Different

• We operate the only emergency shelters in our community that serve all types of families and keep them together.

This includes single parents with children, married and unmarried couples with children, multi-generational families, and families with boys over the age of 12 who are often separated from their family at other shelters. We strive to address key drivers of homelessness, such as affordable housing, quality education, employment opportunities, and strong support systems.

• We utilize best in class tools and resources so the families who need our services the most are served first. We do this by working with families to prevent evictions and keep them in their homes.

This enables us to serve more children and families. Most other agencies operate on a first-come, first-served basis. If a shelter experience cannot be avoided, we triage families into the best shelter for their needs. When all shelters are full, we provide families with a hotel room so they do not return to sleeping in their cars.

• We focus on housing and employment for adults, and education for children to provide a sustainable solution to family homelessness.

We know from data collected that there are thousands of homeless families in Dallas and thousands more living on the brink. The economic tightrope these families are walking is long, and just one thing can knock them off: a medical emergency, a lost job, illness, domestic violence, a lack of affordable housing, or the ever-increasing cost of rent.

• We seek to create change, not just in the lives of individual families, but in our community. We are involved in community-wide action that addresses underlying problems, provides lasting solutions, and not only pulls families out of the crisis of homelessness but also prevents other families from experiencing it in the first place.

We do this by:

• Playing a leadership role in our Continuum of Care (CoC)
• Staying current on best practices (i.e. Assessment & Diversion)
• Forming partnerships with businesses and other stakeholders
• Building community awareness and education
• Providing volunteer and donor opportunities

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Statement

The underlying systems for education, health, housing, and employment perpetuate homelessness and disproportionately affect people of color and other marginalized groups. For children, the effects of homelessness are especially traumatic. At Family Gateway, we deliver services using an evidence-based approach, are building a staff and board that represent the communities we serve, and consciously incorporate lived experience from current and previous clients. We seek to address the barriers and disparities that people of color and other marginalized groups too often face. We believe that every family deserves safety and stability to regain self-sufficiency and while in our care, we walk alongside families to advocate for them, ensuring they feel valued and understand their importance.