Esperanza Community Center at Dobie is now providing social and medical services in Richardson ISD’s former Dobie Pre-Kindergarten School.
The center, which officially opened Oct. 15, houses a senior center, food pantry, medical clinics, childcare and other resources.
“This neighborhood is one of the most vibrant communities in Dallas with huge, huge potential,” said Jaynie Schultz, a former Dallas City Council member. “Done well, we can help thousands of young people build strong and healthy futures.”
The big picture
RISD closed Dobie Pre-K ahead of the 2025-26 school year as part of Project RightSize, which aimed to reduce the district’s budget shortfall.
After Dobie closed, Andy Sommerman, Dallas County commissioner for District 2, directed $4 million in Economic and Community Development funding to create the resource center. The center’s purpose is to provide care from “womb to tomb” for the surrounding Esperanza neighborhood, which has an average income of less than $50,000 per household, he said.
“We took a school and gave it a new chapter,” Sommerman said.
Services include pre-natal care, childcare, mental healthcare, medical care and dentistry, as well as a food pantry, senior center and educational resources.
“‘Esperanza’ means hope and hope belongs here,” Sommerman said.
A closer look
Community service providers at Esperanza include:
Additional programs include a community garden, a free after-school program run by Big Thought and an RISD Family Literacy program.
Tom Ervin, Dallas County District 2 chief of staff, said the district’s partnership with RISD was crucial to opening the center.
“The Esperanza Community Center would not exist if the Richardson Independent School District did not believe in and embrace this vision as well,” Ervin said.
Mike Jasso, RISD’s assistant superintendent of district operations, said the social and medical services offered at Esperanza are necessary to help students succeed in school.
“We know that learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” Jasso said.
Quote of note
“Over 50 years ago, Barbara Jordan asked us to close the gap between the promise and the reality of liberty and justice for all,” Ervin said. “Hopefully, Esperanza Community Center can bring change to this community so that we can begin to make that promise a reality.”
