“Rechanging Lives Inc.’ s mission is to create an environment that welcomes troubled youth that have been incarcerated, provides a safe and loving environment that integrates counseling, academic pursuits, mentoring, group therapy, and an active program schedule that encourages its teens to make heart-felt, life- changing decisions to ensure a healthy and productive life all while fostering interfaith dialogue and community cooperation.”

In 1889 Jane Addams founded Hull House: the first settlement house to exist in the United States. This all purpose community center helped the poor that lived in Chicago, Illinois ( Current Picture of Hull House (en.wikipedia.org):

On May 18, 2009, Rechanging Lives, Inc. was established after its President/Founder Yolanda Johnson survived a long family history of incarceration. For instance, her youngest brother was given two life sentences. Also, one of her nieces is currently serving twenty years in prison. July 16, 2011 marked the day Rechanging Lives, Inc. received tax exemption. Roseland Community Center; photo courtesy of Dallas Housing Authority

Photo courtesy of

On 4408 S. 2 nd Avenue Dallas, TX is the old Lee G. Bilal building. It formerly was a community center for Ethiopian Muslims. Back in 1925, it was the original Lagow School House. However in 1926 when the Lagow School District was annexed, The Lagow family donated it to the City of Dallas. Yet, when Realtor Thomas Mitchell appealed to the City of Dallas in 1959 for the former hosiery mill (1931) to serve as a “Negro Dance Hall”, they rejected the idea ( At this time, Rechanging Lives, Inc. wants the building so that we can turn it into a Christian Charter School. Not only will it be a Christian Charter School but the rest of the block where the building is located will be used as a community center to offer job training and other community resources to allow the community of South Dallas to become self-sufficient. Also, we will have our RCL Café Experience restaurant to offer healthy food choices to the community. All along the property located at 4408 S. Second Ave. Dallas, TX was meant to be used for uplifting the community.

Mentoring Cognitive Group Therapy Parenting Classes Community Service Opportunities Bible Study After-School Tutoring Community Resources Community Events

In order to prevent juvenile delinquency, youth are able to participate in open gym at the Roseland Community Center. Sampling Plan (Open Gym Statistics)/Data Collection Procedures (Number of Male and Female Participants)/Tools (Line Graph and Table Chart) observed in the following:

DateNumber of MalesNumber of FemalesTotal 1-Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Jan Jan Jan Feb Feb Feb

Based on the results, the number of participants for open gym is declining. Therefore, other amenities must be in place for youth not to engage in delinquency. In order to fulfill this goal, funding has to be in place.

According to research, “[The] strengths-based practice requires an accounting of what people know, what they can do, what they want, and how they have managed to survive, given their circumstances. Practitioners must discover, name, and help employ the resources within and around the individual or collectivity (Saleebey, 1992; Sullivan & Rapp, 1994; Weick, Rapp, Sullivan, & Kisthardt, 1989).” Anticipated statistical and data analyses will show a decline in the rate of juvenile delinquency by 25% within the first year of our program implementation of the strengths-based perspective.

Data taken from:

Rechanging Lives, Inc. will have an impact on the decrease in juvenile crime rate by 10% in the first year of receiving funding.

In order to keep our programs intact, Rechanging Lives, Inc. will collaborate with service providers within the community, apply for grants, and conduct fundraising events.