Alis grave nil. Latin for “nothing is heavy to those who have wings.”
The Vampire Court of Dallas® has taken to the task of helping lift up those being weighed down by life and its challenges. We recognize that sometimes wings can be clipped by our circumstances but to help individuals that require changes. And we recognize that changes that can be hard, scary, and require support that we are not capable of providing. However, we and the communities we live and work in have the ability to help support those groups. So, we have taken on the task of fundraising & supporting charities caring for these different disadvantaged communities within the metroplex. We do this to help
The displaced youth on our streets. Of which nearly 40% of homeless youth have reported feeling unsafe at shelters, and 48% have experienced homelessness four or more times. Over half of them have experienced sexual assault, and at least a quarter of them are LGBTQ. Not to mention, I believe we all can agree suicide is a plague that takes away our youth, and our veterans, and a risk to all those who suffer in silence. Veterans have one of the highest suicide rates in the US, compounded by poverty, PTSD, and substance abuse… averaging 20 suicides per day. On an average day, we as a nation see one life lost every 11 minutes. And, then there are the official reports say that 1 in 3 women & 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner & accounts for 15% of all violent crimes. Violence in the home should not be normative. Breaking the cycle for all involved not only helps those in these toxic relationships but also forges a better chance for healthy and successful relationships for future generations.
Now in hearing all of this, I’m sure you’re thinking the same thing we were: “How can I help?” There are so many incredible charities supporting these underprivileged communities that just need funding and assets to achieve their goals, that we decided to take our actions to the next level to help support them.
We’re the Vampire Court of Dallas®, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit that has donated nearly $27,000 since 2016 to these types of causes, and many more… all chosen democratically at our public meetings by our membership. Currently, we have 45 voting members in the DFW area, and a number over 100 including at-large members, supporters, and volunteers. We know we’re a micro-charity; we define success by doing our best at the local level, not by massive dollar amounts.
What we do:
I know the questions you must have; why ‘Vampire Court of Dallas®’? Or ‘Do all the members wear capes and plastic Halloween fangs?’ Well, some charities wear silly hats and drive toy cars, while others host exorbitantly expensive dinners that, unfortunately, preclude the involvement of young people and new professionals.
Why we do it:
To that end, we try to empower various alternative subcultures and engage with charities that directly impact the local area. We do this by partnering with various clubs and venues throughout DFW, as well as local small businesses. For example, our biggest events are the Bleeding Hearts’ Ball in February & Holiday Party and Toy Drives in December.
The VCD isn’t here to try to save the world; we’re just trying to do the best we can while making the world a better, more inclusive place. So, if you’re interested in volunteering with a local tax-exempt charity and want to try something a little different…