About Us

Under 1 Roof Dallas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under 1 Roof founders, Verna L. Jones and Vanessa L. Ousley found each other while working at another nonprofit. Each had a passion for helping those in need obtain access to housing. Ms. Jones, a social worker, was working tirelessly to secure housing for homeless individuals and families due to various reasons (i.e. fleeing domestic violence, loss of income) for 23 years. Mrs. Ousley, an attorney, was fighting zealously for the rights of participants facing legal housing concerns. When their paths crossed, a natural partnership was formed that took advocacy for housing to a new level.  

 

In 2011, Ms. Jones and Mrs. Ousley decided to create a nonprofit organization dedicated to individuals/families with housing problems. Ms. Jones, armed with a Masters of Social Work, serves as the Executive Director for Under 1 Roof.  She oversees all strategic planning, grant applications and agency staff to main smooth functioning of all operational processes. Mrs. Ousley, a 22 year veteran of the legal field, served as the Director of Legal Services. Mrs. Ousley developed and instituted all legal programs and coordinated the representation of program participants. In October 2023, Mrs. Ousley passed away due to heart complications.

Our Mission, Our Promise:

In order to assist persons to become self-reliant, Under 1 Roof provides permanent supportive housing and other services to homeless and low-income individuals as well as families of our community. Our vision is a community where everyone has safe affordable housing and the tools to become self-reliant. To bring that vision into reality, we will provide permanent supportive housing to the homeless population in Dallas & Collin Counties.

WHY?
At Under 1 Roof we lead with WHY. We are committed to ending homelessness one family at a time through services, collaborations and community support. We work to move closer to eliminating the WHY for many homeless individuals and families with children.

Recent accomplishments:

Over the past 13 years, Under 1 Roof has made significant strides in providing permanent housing, rapid rehousing, and prevention services. Here are some of our key accomplishments:

 

Permanent Housing

 

Permanent Housing Placements: Successfully transitioned 80 individuals and 5 families from homelessness to permanent supportive housing.

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Housing Retention: Achieved a 90% housing retention rate for individuals and families placed in permanent housing.

 

Rapid Rehousing

 

Rapid Rehousing Programs:  Assisted over  500 individuals and families through our rapid rehousing programs, helping them quickly move into stable housing.

 

Emergency Housing Voucher Program:

 

Prevention Services

 

Rent Assistance: Provided rental assistance services to over 1000 households, preventing them from becoming homeless.

 

Utility Assistance: Assisted over 500 households with utility payments to ensure they can maintain their housing.

Eviction Prevention: Helped over 1000 households avoid eviction through legal aid and financial support.

 

Increased Housing Units

 

Partnerships with Landlords: Established partnerships with over 100 local landlords to secure affordable housing options for our clients.

 

Comprehensive Support Services

 

Case Management: Provided over 7000 hours of comprehensive case management to individuals and families, helping them access the resources and support needed to maintain housing stability.

 

Life Skills Training: Offered life skills training to Under 1 Roof program participants, covering topics such as budgeting, employment readiness, and tenant rights.

Community Impact

 

Reduction in Homelessness: Contributed to the reduction in the homeless population in our community over the past 13 years.

 

Community Awareness: Raised awareness about homelessness through community events, workshops, and advocacy efforts.

 

Policy Advocacy: Successfully advocated for local and state policies that increase funding and support for affordable housing and homelessness prevention.

 

Volunteer and Donor Engagement

 

Volunteer Support: Engaged over 1500 volunteers, contributing more than 60K hours of service to our programs and social work interns initiatives.

 

Fundraising Success: Raised over $300K through fundraising efforts, ensuring the sustainability and expansion of our services.

 

Grant Awards: Secured numerous grants totaling over $10 million to support our housing and prevention programs

 

These accomplishments reflect our commitment to ending homelessness and providing long-term solutions for housing stability. Thank you for supporting Under 1 Roof and helping us achieve these milestones. Together, we can continue to make a lasting difference in our community.