The holidays at the Dallas 24 Hour Club, a nonprofit serving homeless individuals in addiction recovery, are more than just a festive season. They are a time for hope, connection, and transformation. With holiday initiatives like the annual toy and stocking drives, the organization ensures that residents and their families experience the magic of the season while taking steps toward rebuilding their lives.
For Dawn LaQuay, The 24’s Women’s Program Manager, this mission is deeply personal. Once a client at The 24, Dawn’s journey to stability embodies the transformative power of the organization. Today, she helps oversee programs like the annual toy drive, which has become a cornerstone of The 24’s holiday efforts.
“It helps parents in recovery provide Christmas gifts for their children in a dignified way,” Dawn shares, emphasizing how the initiative brings joy and fosters reconnection within families impacted by homelessness and addiction.
The event allows over 100 parents to select and wrap gifts for their kids, transforming the act of giving into a heartfelt, meaningful experience.
“It’s more than just toys,” Dawn explains. “It’s about rebuilding relationships and giving families a chance to reconnect.”
Dawn recalls one particularly touching story about a resident estranged from their children for years. The toy drive became a bridge, allowing them to mail gifts and begin mending those fractured relationships. “It’s personal for me too,” Dawn adds. “When I was in recovery, I didn’t have a relationship with my children. But I always felt part of a family here.”
This year, the drive culminates in a shopping event at the Club on December 8, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. Donations are needed by December 7 to ensure every family has access to a wide variety of gifts.
Alongside the toy drive, The 24 organizes a stocking drive to bring joy to its residents. Each stocking is filled with essentials like fast-food gift cards, socks, charging cables, and winter necessities.
“For some residents, this may be the only gift they receive during the holidays,” Dawn says. “These stockings symbolize hope and remind them they are loved and supported on their recovery journey.”
Donations for the stocking drive are needed by December 16, with stockings delivered to residents on December 17.
Dawn’s journey to becoming the Women’s Program Manager is nothing short of extraordinary. After struggling with addiction for 35 years and serving two prison sentences, she says she arrived at The 24 with little more than anger and a small bag of belongings.
“I finally surrendered and stopped trying to enforce my will in all things. I started listening to those who had walked this path before me,” she says.
Within weeks, Dawn found a job at the Dallas Museum of Art, overcame the stigma of her criminal record, and began rebuilding her life. Four months later, she left The 24 with a car, clothes, and essentials she’d earned or received through donations.
Years of sobriety and hard work led her back to the The 24– not as a resident but as an employee.
“It’s incredible to come full circle,” Dawn says. “This place gave me the gift of recovery, and now I get to help others find that same hope.”
Beyond the drives, The 24 provides community meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas, serving hundreds of residents and visitors.
“It’s more than a meal—it’s about creating a sense of belonging,” Dawn shares. “For many, including myself, this might be the first time they’ve felt truly loved during the holidays.”
The Dallas 24 Hour Club relies on the generosity of the community to make these initiatives possible. Here’s how you can get involved:
“Love is our word of the year, and it’s at the heart of everything we do,” Dawn emphasizes.
For more information on how to donate or volunteer, visit dallas24hourclub.org.
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