On Tuesday afternoon, the Dallas nonprofit Community Does It officially opened its doors to a new mental health facility located in the heart of Pleasant Grove.
The space, El Buckner Bazaar, which used to be a hall, was designed and decorated to transform into a chic, but a warm environment that's not only visually appealing but also set to serve a greater good.
"We wanted to make sure that it was really reflective of the people who work and live here who are going to be using this space," said Ashley Sharp, executive director at Dwell with Dignity.
Amazon donated $50,000 to Dwell with Dignity, a Dallas nonprofit dedicated to beautifying spaces through design for families in need.
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The new facility in Pleasant Grove is where a majority of the population is Latino, a detail Sharp and her team kept in mind as they decorated.
"Our amazing designer was able to go through and find pieces of art that really spoke to the population that we are serving, so there’s a lot of beautiful Hispanic art that comes deeply from their culture and their heritage," said Sharp.
During the unveiling of the new space, it was hard to find a dry eye as community members, volunteers and leaders from Community Does It marveled at the final product.
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"I have to cry because I'm so excited for the community," said Monica Ruiz, a co-founder and volunteer at Community Does It.
When it comes to mental health services in predominately Hispanic communities, resources are limited, but Ruiz said she's excited because the new facility will help bridge that gap.
"There's a lot of depression, and we need help, everybody needs help. I come to some classes that they do for the community, and they help a lot," said Ruiz.
They provide counseling, education and support for youth and families in need of mental health care.
"When you look at some of the statistics about the lack of access to affordable mental health care, particularly in the Hispanic community, there’s some glaring data out there, and when you talk to originations like Community Does It, who is really pushing the envelope with innovating and creating new ways to reach their community, it’s kind of a no brainer with saying, ‘Look this is such a great cause it’s going to have such a positive impact on the local community and no one else is really doing this right now,' so how can we make a real difference?" said Daniel Martin, a spokesperson for Amazon.
He said the donation was a way to give back to the local community in celebration of Amazon's annual Prime Day, which started on Tuesday, July 12.
