Nonprofit helps Frisco's less fortunate

In a city with a median household income of more than $100,000, people do not often associate Frisco with poverty or hunger. But one nonprofit organization aims to address these issues, and it has only grown since starting

in 1994.

Frisco Family Services began 20 years ago when a group of residents noticed some families in need of things such as new clothing for their children.

"Their thought was if kids are coming to school and their clothes are kind of tattered, I bet that there are other needs," FFS executive director Nicole Bursey said.

The group began with giving families new clothes . Today, the organization has expanded to provide more than

just clothing.

One of the organization's most used services is the food pantry, where people can shop for an allotted amount of food and other household items.

Last year, the food pantry ran out of items during the fall. Bursey said a 20 percent increase in people visiting the pantry and fewer donations during the summer contributed to the shortage. Many food pantry donations come from food drives at Frisco ISD schools, Bursey said, but the pantry doesn't receive those donations when school is out.

"During the summer months, school is out, but hunger doesn't go on vacation," she said.

People visit the pantry mostly during the summer months and the holidays, Bursey said.

"Anytime kids are home on breaks and things of that nature, it really takes a toll on a family's budget that's already stretched," she said.

FFS hosted two special Saturday donation days this year to help prepare the pantry for the fall and winter months. The organization set a goal for 60,000 pounds of food by Sept. 30 but received more than 80,000 pounds of food.

The organization also started a mobile food pantry in the last year. Volunteers deliver groceries to individuals with no adequate transportation or a disability.

Other programs the nonprofit offers include adult education classes and financial assistance.

For instance, Championing Adult Minds for Personal Success, or CHAMPS for short, is a class that teaches adults lessons such as job readiness and parenting. In some cases, FFS will help someone pay to attend a trade school and receive an education.

However, the individuals who receive this kind of help also need to take steps to help themselves, Bursey said.

"It's important for us to be providing a hand up and not a hand out," she said. "We have a responsibility as an organization to provide them with the support that they need, but on the other side, they have a responsibility to really be diligent and work toward making their situation better."

About 3,500 volunteers help in all areas of FFS every year, Bursey said.

"Volunteers are really the breath of our organization because, really, that's how it started," Bursey said. "It started with people being concerned. They are the lifeblood of our organization and are involved in every aspect of everything that we do."

Without the volunteers, FFS couldn't operate, Bursey said. And without community support, she said FFS might not exist.

"I'd like to think just as we're holding up the arms of those people and families that need us, the community is holding up our arms and making sure that we have everything that we need so that we can deliver on our mission," she said.

How to help

1. Donate

Make a monetary

donation online or mail to

P.O. Box 1387, Frisco, Texas 75034.

Drop off a food or other household item donation at

Frisco Family Services Food Pantry,

9085 Dogwood St.

Drop off household items such as clothing or furniture at Frisco Resale, 9125 Dogwood St. Schedule a pick up for large items online at

www.friscoresale.org.

2. Volunteer

To volunteer, check the orientation class schedule at www.friscofamilyservices.org and RSVP for a class by emailing

[email protected].

For more ways to help, visit

www.friscofamilyservices.org.