2018 Junior League of Collin County Excellence in Volunteer Service Awards

On April 26 the Junior League of Collin County (JLCC) held its 2018 Excellence in Volunteer Service Awards ceremony, recognizing the outstanding volunteer efforts of individuals and organizations within the Collin County community.

JLCC President Sheri Steele and Tonya Winchester, Collin County Volunteer of the Year

The event was opened by Junior League of Collin County President Sheri Steele and Excellence in Volunteer Service Awards Chair Dione Beilgard. City of Melissa Mayor Reed Greer led the audience in prayer, and City of Frisco Deputy Mayor Pro Tem John Keating led the Pledge of Allegiance, with additional remarks by City of Plano Mayor Pro Tem Rick Grady.

Dr. Cheryl "Action" Jackson was Keynote Speaker.

This year’s keynote speaker was Cheryl “Action” Jackson, founder of Minnie’s Food Pantry. Nonprofits and corporations in Collin County were called to nominate individuals and organizations, based on volunteer efforts in 2017. All nominations were reviewed, and winners were selected by the JLCC Community Advisory Board.

JLCC President Sheri Steele with Jewish Family Services leaders

2018 Excellence in Volunteer Service Award winners

Collin County Volunteer of the Year: Tonya WinchesterNominated by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
This award celebrates an individual whose extraordinary hands-on volunteer service contributes to strengthening Collin County.

Excellence in Leadership Award: Officer Art Parker, Plano Police
This award recognizes an adult volunteer who engages in unpaid charitable activities, demonstrates personal commitment to long-term volunteer services, and makes a significant impact in addressing the needs of Collin County. This individual exemplifies leadership and volunteerism while contributing to the mission of the organization in which he/she volunteers.

Youth Volunteer of the Year: Sydney DeWolf
Nominated by National Charity League Plano Area Chapter
This award acknowledges a young individual (up to 12th grade) making a difference in Collin County through volunteer and leadership activities or an organization dedicated to making a significant impact to better our youth’s lives.

Nonprofit Organization of the Year: Jewish Family Services
This award celebrates a Collin County nonprofit organization whose leaders and volunteers do extraordinary work to strengthen Collin County through the organization’s dedicated support. Examples include community, educational, military and public service organizations.

Youth Organization of the Year: Team Willow Bend, North Texas Performing Arts
This award recognizes a nonprofit organization, comprised primarily of Collin County youth volunteers, which provides services to improve the community. This award celebrates the development and implementation of a community service project targeting the needs of Collin County.

Collin County Business Leadership Award: USAA
This award recognizes a business that has consistently supported the nonprofit community and has created strong partnerships through employee involvement and time devoted to giving back. This is a company who is committed to making their community a priority for their organization.

Emerging Community Impact Award: Grace to Change
This award celebrates a Collin County organization founded or relocated to the area less than 5 years ago and has made large strides and driven positive change in a short period of time displaying huge potential to be a long-term asset to the community.

Spirit of Collaboration: Steve Perry (individual winner); Frisco Association of the Arts (group winner)

This year’s Excellence In Volunteer Service Awards sponsors included David and Chris Downs, SimplyConnect, Susie Cakes, Fiore 7, Pittman Designs, Community Impact, Ebby Halliday Realtors, Goldenlight Creative, Legacy West, Market Street and Tom Thumb.

The Limelight - Seven Loaves Food Pantry

Did you know that there are over 50,000 people living in poverty in Collin County? Seven Loaves Food Pantry was started at St Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano just over a year ago, in partnership with North Texas Food Bank and Plano ISD, to ensure that these poverished Collin County residents have the nutrition they need. In 2010, the pantry expects to feed up to 20,000 people.

Seven Loaves serves residents of all Collin county zip codes – 2/3 of residents served are the working poor and the remaining 1/3 have been laid off from work. Some once made six figures. Basic grocery items are provided to individuals and families as a supplement to their monthly needs. At an average cost of 28¢ per pound of food, Seven Loaves is able to maximize the value of every donated dollar.

Today the pantry serves about 250 people a week, half of which are children. Education around nutritional diet is an essential part of both the food pantry’s program. Participants learn about cost effective healthy choices and how to apply those choices to their lives.

Eligible individuals and families are able to obtain healthy food as a grocery supplement once a month, along with one week’s worth of healthy snacks for each child under the age of 18 in the family. One-time emergency food is also available without regard to residency.

The food pantry is open from 4-7pm on Thursdays and recently opened on Saturday mornings from 9am to noon, in order to meet increased demand.

In addition to the main food pantry, the organization also manages several projects throughout the year to tackle the poverty and nutrition issues within the county.

This summer, Seven Loaves Food Pantry partnered with Junior League of Plano and North Texas Food Bank to provide fresh lunches daily to 100 at-risk children in Plano and McKinney who would most likely go without meals during the summer months. Volunteers, including members of Young Men’s Service League and National Charity League in Addison and Plano, prepared meals on site, while Junior League of Plano delivered and distributed the meals.

Over 2,000 children will benefit from the current school supply drive. In addition to pantry clients, the school supply drive will benefit children at Metrocrest Social Services and Wesley-Rankin Community Center.

Food 4 Kids is a program that Seven Loaves offers for Plano ISD students during the school year, in partnership with the North Texas Food Bank. Hundreds of Plano ISD students go home on Friday and may not have anything to eat until they return to school on Monday. The Food 4 Kids program allows qualifying elementary-school children to take home backpacks each Friday filled with healthy food in kid-friendly containers. Through this program, Food 4 Kids provides weekend food supplements to over 1,000 students each month.

For more information on Seven Loaves Food Pantry, volunteer opportunities, or items needed, please visit http://www.7loavescommunity.org/, email info@7LoavesCommUnity.org or call 469-385-1818.