State of Gill: Fall 2026
Gill Children’s Services is a litmus test for the effectiveness of our social services. When children are consistently referred to us as a last resort, we can identify persistent gaps in the local resource network. These are some pitfalls we have observed in the last decade.
Dental Surgery
While there are many local clinics that offer preventive care at an affordable rate, there are no resources for children who need extensive treatment performed under anesthesia. Our friends at Catholic Charities, Dental Health Arlington, and more cannot accommodate such severe cases. When the child is uninsured, the cost is compounded. Dental treatment has represented the majority of our financial assistance allocation for 20 years. We have invested over $3.4 million of funding for dental treatment in the last 10 years.
Childcare
For childcare to be considered affordable, a family must earn over $402,000 a year according to a recent study. It’s no surprise why some parents chose to stay at home to care for their small children. For parents who do not have that choice, subsidized childcare is available for some. However, the wait list is typically months long. A single parent who secures full-time employment may have a significant gap between when their job starts and when their application for subsidized childcare is approved. Gill narrows the gap by providing short-term funding for parents who cannot afford the registration and first few weeks of care before receiving their paycheck. In the last decade, Gill has provided over $495,000 in childcare expenses so parents can become gainfully employed.
Birth Certificates
Birth certificates are the key to enrolling resources such as in affordable housing, school, or health insurance. The cost of issuing a birth certificate for Texans is $23, and for a family navigating homelessness or poverty, not having a birth certificate can be a major roadblock. No other agencies are equipped to dispense funds to access this documentation, and Gill fills the gap. We have funded over 4,000 birth certificates in the last 10 years.
As we look forward to the next ten years, we can expect some gaps to continue, some to emerge. We remain steadfast in our mission to provide a safety net for children who fall through the cracks of an ever-changing community.
