For many North Texans, however, accessing medical care comes with significant barriers, particularly for uninsured individuals or those living in chronically underserved neighborhoods.
The Dallas Mavericks and Mavs Foundation are committed to bridging these gaps through philanthropic initiatives, including the Mavs Foundation grant program. This season, the Mavs Foundation awarded $50,000 grants to a pair of non-profit organizations dedicated to improving lives through holistic healthcare services— Agape Clinic and Jubilee Park & Community Center.
For decades, these two organizations have been pillars in the Dallas community, providing essential medical services to some of the area’s most vulnerable residents.
Learn more about their tireless efforts to build a healthier community:
Unconditional love— it’s what “agape” means, but at Agape Clinic, its meaning transcends the dictionary definition.
Founded in 1983, and expanding to meet the community’s needs every year since, Agape provides everyone, regardless of financial or geographical restrictions, access to high-quality health services.
“The Agape Clinic is here to care for vulnerable North Texans,” said Amy Dunivan, director of development at Agape Clinic.
“With Dallas County having one of the highest populations of uninsured individuals [in the country], and with poverty and zip code being the number one indicator for health, Agape Clinic is here to fill in the gaps.”
While donations are always appreciated, they are not mandatory to receive care. Agape Clinic operates under the principle that healthcare is a human right and provides unconditional care without restriction, all at no cost to the patients.
The exhaustive list of comprehensive services includes preventative care, chronic disease management, pediatric care, behavioral health care, women’s wellness care, lab diagnostics, specialty services, dental care, and much more.
At the heart of its mission, Agape aims to remove barriers to healthcare. With the $50,000 cash infusion from the Mavs Foundation, the clinic will expand its services, particularly for uninsured women and children.
“Within the zip code of Agape— 75246— 91% of girls and 35% of women live in poverty. We have such a responsibility to provide care to those who need it the most, who work two to three jobs, who balance kiddos and healthcare and childcare and transportation,” Dunivan added.
“I feel very lucky to be able to do what I do. My job is to advocate for those who don’t have a voice. I have the opportunity to connect with the Mavs Foundation on behalf of our patients, and that, to me, is a very humbling opportunity.”
Learn how you can help Agape Clinic in its mission to provide the community with barrier-free healthcare at TheAgapeClinic.org.
In Southeast Dallas, Jubilee Park & Community Center is focusing on another urgent health crisis— drastic disparities in life expectancy.
Founded in 1997 through the union of several community partners, Jubilee Park & Community Center was created to revitalize a once thriving middle-class 62-block neighborhood, which, at the time, had the highest crime rate in Dallas and limited access to essential resources.
Nearly 30 years ago, the first of its major projects was the creation of a park. Today, Jubilee Park & Community Center is working tirelessly to provide services under five key pillars of impact that create lasting change— education, opportunity, housing & workforce, safety, and its newest area of focus, health.
“Health is super important in Jubilee because there’s a lot of disparities here in this community,” said Alejandra Saldaña, health & wellness manager at Jubilee Park & Community Center.
“Unfortunately, our neighbors are living about 20 years less than folks living north of I-30. And there’s a ton of reasons for that— we’re a food swamp, a food desert, and there’s many things that align with the social determinants of health that directly impact the individual and the community’s health.”
With a staggering 20-year disparity in life expectancy based on what side of the highway community members fall on, this $50,000 Mavs Foundation grant will help Jubilee on its mission to rewrite the future for its community.
Jubilee’s health & wellness team delivers comprehensive physical and mental healthcare services to 1,700 patients annually at the Jubilee Park Community Clinic, and through fitness programs, wellness activities, and youth sports, helps 650 residents each year improve their physical health.
“What I love about working here at Jubilee Park is the sense of community that you feel when you walk through the doors— the staff, community members— people know each other, we take care of each other,” said Marissa Castro Mikoy, Jubilee Park & Community Center president & CEO. “I do this work because I believe it’s the right thing to do. For me, it’s about restoring equity and justice to an area of Dallas that has suffered from inequities and injustice over 50-60 years.”
“It really means a lot for an organization like the Mavs to recognize the work we’re doing in one specific neighborhood in Dallas.”
Find out what you can do to join Jubilee Park & Community Center in their efforts to improve quality of life and life expectancy in Southeast Dallas at JubileeCenter.org.
By investing in these vital community health initiatives led by Jubilee Park and Agape Clinic, the Mavs Foundation is doing more than just awarding grants— it’s breaking down barriers, expanding access, and championing the well-being of North Texans.
As World Health Day reminds us, health equity comes when communities unite to support one another, and thanks to the efforts of these 2024-25 Mavs Foundation grant recipients, North Texas is not just envisioning a healthier future, it’s building one.
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