Cristal Finds a Place to Belong at White Rock Center of Hope

NTFB partner provides food and community for neighbors.

Cristal isn’t exaggerating when she says White Rock Center of Hope is one of her favorite places.

A single mom who also cares for her ailing mother, Cristal first visited the North Texas Food Bank agency partner three years ago. They’d recently moved and between rent, moving expenses and other necessary bills, she simply didn’t have enough money for groceries that month.

Staff and volunteers provided her with food assistance during that first visit, and Cristal says they were so welcoming that she inquired about volunteering to complete some required community service.

Initially, Cristal remembers being frustrated that she had to volunteer at all. It didn’t take long, however, for her to look forward to her shifts.

“I really love being here,” Cristal says. “This place helped me think about others and realize that I’m not the only one in need.”

After Cristal finished her required volunteer hours, she continued to return to White Rock on her days off to give back. A staff member there also helped her update her resume and ultimately land a job as a beautician at a higher paying salon in Dallas.

“I feel like I will never be able to repay everything that White Rock has done for me. It has made me a better person,” she says. “It’s really changed my life.”