Empower Women. Fight Poverty. Impact Generations.

Click below to see who and how we serve in our 2021-22 WiNGS Impact Report:

The Racial and Gender Wealth Divide in Dallas Area

The economic divide in Dallas is among the widest in the nation.  While Dallas enjoyed strong economic growth, there are significant gender and racial disparities that show not everyone reaps the benefits. The newly released Dallas Scorecard (Prosperity NOW 2019) shows an income poverty rate of 18.3 for Dallas overall compared to 24.1 for people of color. This statistic worsens when compared to a state rate of 14.0 and national rate of 12.7.

Racial and Gender Inequities

Added to racial disparities, gender inequities place further barriers for women in Dallas. the poverty rate for females is 1.2 times greater compared to males. (Texas Women’s Foundation, 2019). And while 30% of household in the Dallas metro area are female headed, they represent 53% of households living in poverty. Similarly, 70% of jobs in Dallas pay less than $44,496 per year – which cannot sustain a single mom with just one child.

Women also face significant barriers in the workplace that result in a nationwide wage gap of $.80 for every dollar a non-Hispanic male earns. (National Women’s Law Center). This wage gap is wider for women of color. Black women make an average of $.61 and Hispanic women make an average of $.53 for each dollar a non-Hispanic male earns.  For low-income, female-headed households of color, the gender wage inequality has overwhelming effect on the self-sufficiency and well-being of those families.  In 2018, over 22% of Dallas County children live in poverty. (Center for Public Policy Priorities)

These are the women and families WiNGS works hard to serve, empower, and advocate for.  With the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the wide-reaching impact will be most immediate and severe on the women and families we serve.

Intervening and Addressing Root Causes

WiNGS provides proven and comprehensive programs on multiple fronts to intervene, address, and break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage caused by the unequal amount of barriers women of color face.

• Our Nurse-Family Partnership significantly increases birth outcomes, improves maternal and postpartum health, promotes infant health, and builds family self-sufficiency and stability.
• Our Financial Resiliency program provides families with the ability to understand and manage household finances and  empowers them to achieve financial security and build financial wealth.
• Our Career Development program provides community members with paths to income opportunities that offer more equitable living wage and career growth opportunities.