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So they say! And at ACO, that sentiment has never rung truer. Over the years, we have worked diligently to grow and expand our programs and services while operating within very real resource constraints. It’s not always easy—but meaningful work rarely is.
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” That may well be our motto for 2026 as we continue making thoughtful facility improvements and operational changes to better serve our community.
In the first week of the new year, ACO staff and volunteers began assembling new grocery shelving purchased through a grant to create a more efficient pantry layout. This work will allow us to return to client-choice shopping in early spring. Throughout the holidays, the need for food was so great that we maintained drive-through grocery distribution to ensure every family received enough to get through the season. At the same time, we faced ongoing challenges with aging refrigeration equipment, including costly repairs to our walk-in freezer. Still, we continue doing everything we can to meet the needs of our hungry neighbors.
Looking ahead, our long-term vision includes flipping the locations of the Food Pantry and the Learning Academy to opposite ends of the building. This change would dramatically improve the functionality of our space. However, the renovation will require several hundred thousand dollars—funds we do not yet have. New refrigeration units, upgraded electrical capacity, and significant finish-out work will all be necessary. A major naming donor for the ACO Food Pantry and Cares Center is critically needed as we pursue capital funding. In time, we will get there. Until then, we remain committed to working wisely with what we have. And the new pantry shelving and lighting look amazing!
We are so fortunate to have the Kiser-Covington ACO Learning Academy, which will offer even more classes and seminars in 2026. Our clients have asked for expanded opportunities—and we are responding. Demand for our digital skills classes has resulted in waitlists, prompting us to grow those offerings. We are also now providing budgeting and financial literacy classes in Spanish and soon hope to offer ESL (English as a Second Language). Requests for additional mental health and wellness seminars continue to increase, and we are planning accordingly.
While classroom space is limited, the movable walls in the Cares Center allow us to accommodate larger groups as needed until the Learning Academy can eventually move into a larger space. We are deeply grateful to the Kiser and Covington families for their support, which makes it possible for our clients to learn, grow, and pursue stable, sustainable employment. Through job skills training, employment services, and wellness programs, ACO is truly addressing the needs of the whole person.
In 2026, we are also expanding our housing services. ACO’s staff and Board of Directors have committed additional funds to support families in crisis who are at risk of losing their homes. With increased funding for rent and utility assistance, we will help more families this year than ever before. Although we receive funding from the cities of Allen, McKinney, and Plano—as well as from TXU, Atmos Energy and CoServ—it is not enough to meet the growing demand. As a result, ACO has allocated additional general funds to directly support families facing homelessness.
My vision is to someday build upon this work by establishing an ACO Housing Assistance Center, with dedicated staff and resources to intervene before families face eviction or homelessness. This center will represent another meaningful naming opportunity for a major donor and will help attract additional funding in the future.
Helen Keller once said, “Be happy with what you have while working for what you want.” I am happy and incredibly proud of what we have already built at ACO, and I am inspired by the potential ahead as we strive to meet the growing wants and needs of Collin County.
I am deeply grateful to our donors, whose generosity has made our programs possible; to our volunteers, who work side by side with staff to accomplish what would otherwise be impossible; and to our remarkable ACO team—the dedicated, resourceful employees who give their hearts, sweat, and tears to this mission every single day.
Together, we are making a difference—right where we are, with what we have.
One more thing... I highlighted above the Kiser-Covington ACO Learning Academy, made possible through the generosity of those incredible families. The Patricia Ann McGarity Volunteer Center was dedicated with funding from the McGarity family in honor of their wife, mother, and grandmother, who so graciously gave her time over the years. As a reminder, I would love to visit with you if you—or someone you know—may be interested in leaving a lasting legacy by associating their name with the ACO Food Pantry and Cares Center or the ACO Housing Assistance Center. Please feel free to give me a call.
Finally, I hope that you safely weathered our recent ice storm! While ACO doors were closed for all of our safety, our staff continued to work and stay in constant communications. I appreciate their determination and commitment.
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