Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Shepherd.
So, before we jump into specific questions about your organization, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
For ten years, I lived a vagabond lifestyle, traveling the world and exploring different ways of living. In 2017, I returned to Dallas and hit rock bottom. I had been a party girl until the fateful day I got arrested for drunk driving. Convicted of the DUI, I was determined to bring my life to a better place.
I got a job at Café Momentum, a restaurant that works to rehabilitate post-release juvenile offenders. I became the job skills training manager, a position that meant I worked with the teens for sometimes 10 to 12 hours a day. I got to hear all kinds of stories about their lives. I would also watch them nod off during work and wonder why so many were so exhausted, sleeping in class or simply not going at all. It turned out that the kids often didn’t have a safe place to sleep. Sometimes they rode the bus or the train all night because they had no place to go. One young man was sleeping in his friend’s closet. He would sneak in and out while the parents were asleep so nobody knew he was there.
I recognized a lot of issues from my own years living a transient life. The big differences though are that I chose that life, which many of these young people did not do, and I was somewhat older at the time than they are. The common experiences gave us a place to being to communicate. I realized that I wanted to make more of a difference in the lives of these young people, whose stories touched my heart. I had the opportunity to hear a local preacher, Paul Rasmussen, speak on finding your life purpose. His advice was to look at what you were angry about because anger is passion. I was angry about my kids – as I saw the young people at Café Momentum – having no consistent place to sleep. I began by interviewing all the successful projects I could find in the Dallas Fort Worth area. I talked to founders, CEOs and social workers at Trinity Restoration Ministries, Viola’s House, Buckner Next Steps Program, Jonathan’s Place, Christ Haven in Keller and City Square’s TRAC program, just to name a few. The people behind these organizations are among my biggest advocates!
Shepherd Inn is my attempt to serve at-risk youth in the Dallas area through shelter, education and stability. The shelter is the first pillar of the program. A stable, supportive home to finally feel secure is essential to moving forward in virtually all aspects of a young live. Simply knowing one has a bed and a meal can make all the difference.
Let’s talk about stability in housing for a moment. Some people think that if a kid isn’t living on the street, the situation is good enough. Many of the youth I was working with did not live with their biological parent. Many lived with extended families such as a grandmother, a cousin, or even a step-parent. Others lived with boyfriends or girlfriends, or couch surfed among various friends’ houses. A few could afford a motel. Some would stay with their pimp, in a trap house or an abandoned house, or even with strangers. You name it, I’ve heard it.
I believe, if you ask a child, “Is your living situation stable?” there is only one acceptable answer: Yes. If their answer is anything else, there is a problem. In this case, a stable environment is safe, clean, and reliable. It’s a place a kid can return to without negative consequence, that is heated or cooled appropriately, where their stuff can be expected to be safe while they are at school or work.
The next essential is education. Shepherd Inn offers several options for these youth to finish high school. Online education and GED make up one potential path. James Madison High School and local magnet Lincoln High School are nearby, and Shepherd Inn has also partnered with Cornerstone Crossroads Academy for tuition-free education. Of course, residents with diplomas are encouraged to continue their educations. This could be anything from a certificate from a trade school, an associate degree or other programs offered at nearby El Centro Community College, and more. Whether someone’s interest is becoming a hairdresser or going into nursing, Shepherd Inn is determined to help them get started. Young people who have completed high school are asked to perform community service until they find employment.
Stability is the final aspect of the program. In this safe and stable environment, residents can grow confident about pursuing a fulfilling and sustainable future. Shepherd Inn offers life skills classes, such as financial literacy, to provide such essential tools needed for managing their lives. Other opportunities include a workout space, book club, horticulture, meal preparation and partnerships with a few local businesses for paid job skills training. Our youth currently have the opportunity to work at Burnett Home Services, Tarantino’s Restaurant and Cafe Momentum to name a few. Once these youth can organize their own life and living space, any kind of growth is possible.
In 2019, I was living in a one-bedroom in Lakewood. I was heartsick at not being able to do something for the young people I worked with. I mean, I could hardly take in 30 kids who needed help and guidance. I looked at the big programs like Jonathan’s Place and started dreaming of a similar facility. Then I ran across a quote, “Do for one what you wish you could do for many.” I wished I could provide housing for many youths, but I could only reasonably take in one.
In May of 2019, I took a leap of faith and asked one of the young girls in my life if she would like to move in with me. I decided I was ready to stop talking about helping her and girls like her, and just do it! So I contacted her mother and she gave me temporary custody so I could have her in my home. (Our girls tend to be either parental surrender or they have aged out of the foster care system.) I converted my living room into another bedroom and realized that although this was better for the girl, it wasn’t a real solution. I began looking for a bigger place.
In the meantime, I made arrangements for her to finish high school through Cornerstone Crossroads Academy (CCA). The executive director offered to show me the new building that had just been acquired. It was a small school in the Wheatley Place neighborhood of South Dallas. Since I eventually wanted to take in more kids, I knew I needed to live near the school. That same day I drove through the area and saw the only house for sale was exactly what I needed and within walking distance of school!
I looked at my finances and thought it was a pipedream, but I went to Wells Fargo and completed a mortgage application. The mortgage officer told me about a grant that might be available though it would take a few months to get a result. I applied without much hope, but imagine my surprise when I was told the very next day I got the grant! Additionally, I was approved that same day for a mortgage that was more than enough to purchase the home.
Now I could have waited until circumstances were perfect. I could have waited until I was able to buy a huge house or even an old hotel. I could have waited for my business structure to be finalized. I could have waited indefinitely, waiting for things to be just perfect. But I knew girls who needed help now, not in 6 months or six years, but now. So I bought the Dunbar House. It currently has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and two living spaces.
I realized I was going to need some help putting this all together. The first place I turned to was my community. I had no spare cash but I needed furnishings. I won’t say a lot about this, but I will say it’s amazing what people will donate, and what you can get on Facebook Marketplace.
With so many bedrooms, I thought I could serve more girls. However, I couldn’t do it alone. The first person to sign on was Chelmek Jackson. She became my case manager and is my strong conscience. My heart can tend to get overwhelmed by the girls’ predicaments, but Mrs. Jackson holds the line with what is acceptable. Next was Allison Leonard. Her official title is House Manager and her job is to keep Dunbar House running smoothly, but she does so much more than that. Most recent is Lauren “Elcie” Crawford. She provides babysitting services to our single mothers when we have one, and she covers a few overnight shifts per week so that Allison and I can get some time off. I realized the need was greater than one house, so I began planning for a second home. I was having a hard time finding a suitable location. Then it occurred to me. I didn’t have to buy the second place. I could rent it. I rented a townhome about a mile away, and that is now known as the Meadow House.
In April of 2020, I initiated a partnership with Women’s NPA, a non-profit incubator. This allowed me to fundraise in a way I was never able to on my own. One benefit of the 501c3 status that was extended to me was that I could accept tax-deductible donations. In-kind donations furnished the house, but that wouldn’t work for utility bills. Women’s NPA allowed me the freedom to take cash donations. Up until this time, I was supporting the whole endeavor through my work at Café Momentum. I was working full time, fundraising full time, and parenting full time. It was too many hats. Working with Women’s NPA, I raised enough money to be able to quit my job at Café Momentum and devote my time to Shepherd Inn. It takes about $5000 per month to run both homes, so I continue to fundraise on a regular basis.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No. Not at all! Opening not one but two transitional living homes in the middle of a pandemic was one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life. Quitting my salaried job and choosing to rely on complete strangers in my community to help fund this endeavor wasn’t easy either. Besides money though, the biggest challenge we have is how to live together in the age of Covid19. Dunbar House, for example, holds four girls and the House Manager. That is five people who have to learn to deal with each other in a productive way. With the pandemic, there is little opportunity to do things that give people a break from each other. The challenge is to maintain appropriate boundaries while building the household community.
Please tell us about Shepherd Inn.
Shepherd Inn isn’t like most other shelters or transitional living homes. What sets us apart from other non-profits is that we offer services to a demographic that is very often overlooked. People have told me that it’s too hard, too tough, that this will break me and it just might. But what if it doesn’t? What if it works? What if we change even one girl’s life and she breaks the cycle of neglect and abuse for generations to come? We would never know if we didn’t at least try.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Dallas is a fantastic city to begin a venture like this. First of all, the need is so great. That is not wonderful in and of itself, but it means there are plenty of opportunities to make a real difference. There are an estimated 4000 homeless youth in Dallas, that is, people between the ages of 16 to 24 who don’t have a stable living situation. These kids need our help. DART makes many parts of Dallas accessible to the clientele at Shepherd Inn. Many of them don’t have a learner’s permit, let alone a driver’s license, and even fewer own a car. Public transportation is their major way of getting around to jobs or school.
Dallas has one of the highest rates of restaurants per capita and is a rising economy. These two factors allow Victoria to leverage her food service experience into job opportunities for her residents. Not only do several of the young women work for Café Momentum, but Shepherd Inn has an alliance with Tarantino’s, an Italian start-up in South Dallas, to allow the residents to work with the restaurant. The generosity of local residents has kept Shepherd Inn afloat during this start up time. Nobody can match the kindness of Texans when they see a need.
On the downside, the homeless population in Dallas is currently increasing at a rate of about 10% per year. That means homeless youth are increasing at approximately the same rate. There are so few beds designated for that age group and the need is so great.
Another major concern is sex trafficking. Texas is among the top 3 states in trafficking, the other two being California and New York. Traffickers are sneaky and will take advantage of any perceived vulnerability a person has. Providing safe housing and education means the girls have resources that they can fall back on and they are less likely to be trapped in a negative situation. Although we are doing very well, Shepherd Inn still needs the support of the community.
Pricing:
- It costs $5000 a month to run both Shepherd Inn homes
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shepherdinn.org
- Phone: 8177188190
- Email: victoria@shepherdinn.org
behind the scenes at our first virtual fundraiser (photo by Paige Ward)
picking up donations in fort worth!
first Shepherd In graduate on her move out day
getting a car donated from Todd at Prancer Capital
buying the first Shepherd Inn home!
Resident learning home building and repairs with our paid job skills training partner, Burnett Home Services
a resident at work at our job training partnership, Tarantino’s in South Dallas
taking 2 of my kiddos to trade in my small Personal suv for a big SUV that fits everyone!
taking 2 of the girls to a motocross race in Corsicana for a day
Image Credit:
These two photos are by Paige Ward.
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