All Community Outreach Celebrates 40 Years of Serving Families in Collin County 

The North Texas Food Bank partner supports neighbors with food, clothing, education and more. 

At All Community Outreach (ACO), staff and volunteers don’t take it lightly when they say they are working to change lives in Collin County.   

What started 40 years ago as a small office on Main Street has grown into a multi-faceted organization operating out of a much larger facility where neighbors in crisis can access food, clothing, essentials such as hygiene items and programs to change their lives. The North Texas Food Bank Partner also offers services meant to support long-term transformation, such as GED classes, computer literacy and job skills, as well as financial and budgeting classes. 

“By first securing their immediate needs for food and housing, our case directors walk hand-in-hand with each family through programs and services offered to provide a path to long-term financial stability,” says Chief Executive Officer Marjorie Burr. “It’s truly life changing.”  

Food Pantry Outreach Manager, Geoben Johnson can rattle off the statistics—ACO served over 12,000 people last year and distributed 1.4 million pounds of food in partnership with North Texas Food Bank—but it’s the people they’re serving where he sees the true impact first-hand. 

A teenager once came in who was without a permanent home and staying on friends’ couches. She needed transportation so ACO supplied her with a bike that had been donated by Target as well as food and other basics. She biked to school and work and later received a donated car from her church. Now, she’s in college. “We know her life will be much better now, but she needed a boost, and ACO was there in her critical time of need,” he says. 

Another neighbor who completed his GED through ACO’s education offerings shared with staff that because he has a GED, he’s able to enlist in the Navy and pursue his dream of serving his country. 

In the pantry, neighbors include grandparents raising grandchildren, parents and individuals who share that even while working, they don’t have enough to pay for food and their other bills. 

“We don’t turn anyone away for food, and we’re still seeing new people every month,” Goeben says. 

In the ACO Learning Academy, the agency partners with Goodwill and other businesses in the community to offer adult education courses. They also have a computer lab available for neighbors by appointment. 

Their main location also features the ACO Cares Center. Qualifying neighbors are invited to shop there by appointment at no-charge with an ACO “credit card” that can be used for clothing, household basics and essentials like diapers and laundry detergent. On the other side of the facility, which takes up almost an entire block, ACO has a client-choice pantry where neighbors shop for groceries. If someone is unable to get out of their car or doesn’t have time because of a job or other commitment, ACO also offers drive-up pantry services once a week. 

In addition to its main facility, ACO operates a resale shop and donation center in Allen whose sales support the programs and services of the nonprofit. 

NTFB could not serve the neighbors of Collin County without strong partners like ACO. Congrats, ACO on 40 impactful years!