Support the transformative work of The Storehouse of Collin County, help Collin County residents facing hardship, and be a part of the largest community-wide giving event in the nation
David Huerta, 17, and a junior at Plano West, came with his parents Amital and Sorangel to Plano in 2016. They left the economic and political hardships they faced in Venezuela to start a new life in Texas. Before David's father could secure employment, David's family depended on The Storehouse of Collin County for support from the Seven Loaves Food Pantry and Joseph's Coat Clothing Closet. David has now transitioned from a client to a volunteer serving each week at the food pantry on Wednesdays to help with set-up and on Thursdays as a Spanish translator.
“It was hard to be in a new country with a new language I didn’t know,” said David Huerta. “We had nothing and had to start a new life. At the beginning we found the Storehouse. I wanted to give back what I got, and I love volunteering and helping people. The volunteers at The Storehouse care about me even though I’m not fluent, and I care about them. At the Storehouse you always see someone smiling, and they are thankful. That really is the thing that keeps me going back. It feels like home.”
“David's journey from neighbor in need, to a self-sufficient member of our community, and finally to a volunteer serving others represents the mission of The Storehouse fulfilled,” said Candace Winslow, executive director, The Storehouse. “The Huerta Family is only one of the over 1,000 families we serve monthly. Your gift of $20 feeds a family, like the Huertas, for almost two weeks based on the food The Storehouse of Collin County is able to provide.”
Over 65,000 Collin County residents (6 percent) live in poverty; 1 out of 5 children (18.4 percent) in Collin County face food insecurity daily; and women ages 18-44 (23 percent) make up the largest demographic living in poverty.
“The number of those needing a helping hand in Collin County is more significant than most imagine and is on the rise,” added Winslow. “The Storehouse saw these needs when we opened our doors ten years ago. With your help we can continue our mission to serve the community by providing food through Seven loaves food pantry, clothing for families through Joseph’s Coat, and counseling and mentoring to women in crisis through Project Hope.”
Last year on North Texas Giving Day, Communities Foundation of Texas brought together 2,700 organizations and raised $48 million across DFW. The Storehouse raised a record-breaking $100,392 and has set a goal of $115,000 for 2019.
In 2018, funds raised on North Texas Giving Day helped The Storehouse feed 11,795 families, which equated to over 2 million pounds of food served; distribute 36,331 articles of clothing to our neighbors; and support 235 families in an ongoing relationship with counseling, financial benevolence and referrals to other agencies in the community.
The Storehouse’s Seven Loaves Food Pantry is the largest distributor for North Texas Food Bank in Collin County and serves over 1,000 families a month, providing over 75,000 meals. Joseph Coat Clothing Closet distributes over 4,000 garments a month, all at no cost, and provides professional attire and winter coats for families. The Storehouse’s Project Home program is a relational program tailored to support each individual woman who has been negatively impacted by generational poverty and violence.
On Thursday, September 19, 2019, visit https://www.northtexasgivingday.org, give to The Storehouse of Collin County, help those in Collin County affected by poverty, and be a part of the largest community-wide giving event in the nation.
The Storehouse of Collin County, a nonprofit organization housed within St. Andrew United Methodist Church, provides short-term assistance and long-term transformation to residents of Collin County in need. The Storehouse provides support through its three programs: the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, serving 1,000 families a month; Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, providing an average of 4,000 garments each month; and Project Hope, a mentoring program supporting women in crisis. The organization first began in 2009 under the name of Seven Loaves which provided only food pantry staples and grew over the years to meet a variety of needs. An estimated 130,000 people in Collin County live below the poverty level, more than half of which are children. In September 2018, The Storehouse received the North Texas Food Bank’s Partner Agency of the Year Excellence in Impact Award in recognition of its life changing services, meeting multiple needs for each family served. Visit https://www.thestorehousecc.org and watch this video https://vimeo.com/205134857.
Watch the Huerta Family story: https://vimeo.com/308094795, and see how the family used their newfound stability and gifts to help others facing similar hardships.