Story and cover photo by Jennie Trejo. Additional photos provided by JPCC.
For the first time in Dallas history, a local organization has secured a highly competitive federal grant aimed at transforming the educational and economic future of an entire community. Jubilee Park & Community Center has been awarded a $992,003 Promise Neighborhoods Grant from the U.S. Department of Education– one of only seven awarded nationwide this year.
This groundbreaking initiative, known as the Jubilee Park Promise Neighborhood Initiative (PNI), will provide cradle-to-career support for students in Southeast Dallas, ensuring they not only access higher education but also complete their degrees and enter stable, well-paying careers. With this funding, Jubilee will expand its impact beyond early childhood and K-8 programming, offering targeted resources for high school and post-secondary students in the Woodrow Wilson High School attendance zone.
It’s a historic step– not just for Jubilee Park, but for the entire region. And for students striving to break cycles of generational poverty, it’s a promise of real opportunity.
For nearly three decades, Jubilee Park & Community Center has provided Southeast Dallas with afterschool programming, family support services, and workforce readiness initiatives. But despite these efforts, many students struggled to complete college, often facing financial pressures or the challenge of navigating an unfamiliar academic environment.
“Families in our neighborhood are sending their kids to college, but the issue is they’re not finishing,” says Marissa Castro Mikoy, Executive Director of Jubilee Park & Community Center. “Sometimes it’s financial– students need to support their families. Other times, the culture shock is overwhelming. They don’t have the support system to navigate those challenges. That’s where this initiative comes in.”
The Promise Neighborhoods Grant will allow Jubilee to extend its impact beyond early childhood and K-8 programming to include direct support for high school and post-secondary students. Key components of the initiative include:
This initiative will expand and enhance existing partnerships while bringing new resources into the community.
The Jubilee Park Promise Neighborhood Initiative is built on the understanding that education alone isn’t enough to break cycles of generational poverty. To create lasting impact, the initiative is guided by Jubilee Park’s five pillars, which address the interconnected social determinants of health:
These pillars reinforce Jubilee Park’s holistic, multi-generational approach, ensuring that students don’t just graduate from high school, but have the resources, stability, and support to succeed in higher education and beyond.
While this grant is specifically focused on education, Jubilee Park’s approach recognizes that student success is tied to family and community well-being.
“If you have great educational opportunities but don’t have access to food, stable housing, or healthcare, you’re much more likely to fall off track,” Marissa says. “That’s why this work is dynamic. We’re not just thinking about the students. We’re thinking about entire households.”
In the Jubilee Park neighborhood, 96 percent of households are working, but many are in low-wage jobs, with the average household income for a family of four at $65,000—far below the $104,000 living wage needed for a family of that size in Dallas.
“Families are constantly juggling bills, playing financial ‘whack-a-mole,’ hoping a crisis doesn’t push them over the edge,” Marissa explains. “We want better for them.”
That’s why Jubilee’s work wraps services around both students and families, ensuring that the community has the support needed to break cycles of poverty, not just for one generation, but for future generations to come.
As one of just seven grantees nationwide, Jubilee Park’s selection for this grant underscores the impact of community-driven solutions in tackling systemic challenges. With 28 years of experience walking alongside residents and strengthening community partnerships, Jubilee is uniquely positioned to lead this transformative initiative.
“We see every student as part of a greater community fabric,” Marissa says. “This grant allows us to provide the support they need to succeed—not just in school, but in life.”
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