Jascott, who has volunteered since 2009, was the guest of honor at the Storehouse’s 2024 volunteer appreciation event at Riders Field, where she threw out the first pitch before a Frisco RoughRiders game 

The Storehouse of Collin County has named longtime volunteer Kathy Jascott as the 2024 Volunteer of the Year for her dedicated service since 2009. Jascott, who has been a volunteer for The Storehouse since it first opened Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, has logged more than 1,069 volunteer hours*, sorting and organizing donated clothing and helping people find the clothing they need for themselves and their families – all at no cost. On April 28, Jascott was the guest of honor at The Storehouse’s 2024 Volunteer Appreciation Celebration at Riders Field, where she was invited to throw out the first pitch at the Frisco RoughRiders game.

“Volunteering with The Storehouse has given me a new purpose after retirement,” said Kathy Jascott. “The Storehouse team is like a second family to me, and it is an honor to be recognized as volunteer of the year. I tell others that volunteering at Joseph’s Coat makes you aware of the needs of other people, and you can make an impact on their lives beyond providing them with clothing. We often refer neighbors to other programs of The Storehouse for additional help, and if The Storehouse cannot provide what they need, they will refer them to others who can.”

The Storehouse’s four integrated programs – the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, Project Hope Neighbor Care, and The Academy Education Program – work hand in hand to provide pathways toward transformation for the neighbors. As neighbors’ needs are identified in various programs, team members provide additional direction and assistance to help serve them holistically.

“Working closely with our neighbors leads to trust and a relationship with them, and they often open up to us about what is happening in their lives,” added Jascott. “One time we received a letter from a neighbor who had come to Joseph’s Coat in need of a coat, and we couldn’t find her size at first. She said in her letter that to most people she was invisible until she met us, and that really hit me. There are so many in need due to a variety of reasons, and we truly don’t realize that.”

Jascott expressed her amazement at the tremendous growth The Storehouse has seen since she first began volunteering. In the beginning, neighbors came to Joseph’s Coat and waited in a line to shop for clothing. In 2023, The Storehouse began serving neighbors by appointment three days a week. Today Joseph’s Coat distributes more than 7,500 articles of clothing to approximately 300 households per month. Neighbors may schedule appointments to shop for clothing once every two months.

“It has not only been exciting to see the changes within Joseph’s Coat, but also the addition of new programs at The Storehouse and how they all work together to best serve the neighbors,” added Jascott. “Years ago, I would have never imagined The Storehouse would have The Academy Education Program, which has led to job partnerships and employment for neighbors! Working together, we are building more community and helping our neighbors move toward long-term transformation.”

Today Jascott volunteers two to three times a week for about two to three hours at a time. She focuses much of her time on donated children’s clothing – one of the biggest needs in the clothing closet. The staff also refers to her as the children’s PJ queen because she is the best at locating and matching the pajama tops and bottoms, which she then pins together.

Originally from New Jersey, Jascott has lived in Texas for over 30 years. She and her husband Ron live in Plano and have a blended family with six children and 11 grandchildren, all of whom reside in Texas. She first learned about The Storehouse as a member of St. Andrew Methodist Church.

“When The Storehouse first began, I was just about ready to retire,” she said. “I worked in elementary education with children with special needs. “Volunteering at Joseph’s Coat is just what I do now, and I love it!”

Jascott shared that there are many incredible stories of serving neighbors in Joseph’s Coat.

“I can tell you that we witness miracles on a regular basis,” added Jascott. “Once a neighbor desperately needed some shoes in an unusual size. We couldn’t find anything, and then I saw in another area, a new pair in his size. And when we had that terrible ice storm a few years ago, a man came in who had no warm clothing. I happened to walk into another room and find a bag of sweatpants and other warm clothing – all in his size.  Once a woman came in who had many children. Her older daughter was getting married, and she had nothing to wear for her wedding. We just happened upon a mother-of-the-bride dress hanging on a rack and found matching shoes – all in her size. These types of miraculous and emotional stories happen over and over again!”

Jascott enjoys sharing with others how important it is to volunteer. “I know that volunteering is a commitment, but once you do it, it changes your life. And through working in Joseph’s Coat, as an added benefit, you will also soon have the most organized closet at home because you are so used to sorting!”

“I don’t know how we could begin to thank Kathy Jascott for her many years of service in Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet at The Storehouse,” said Candace Winslow, CEO, The Storehouse. “She has been with us from the beginning, and she understands the impact that our integrated programs can have on our neighbors. She is a delight and a blessing to everyone she meets, and we are beyond grateful for her steadfast dedication to serving others. We congratulate Kathy, a beloved member of our Storehouse family, on this very special honor.”

To volunteer at The Storehouse, visit www.thestorehousecc.org/volunteer-sign-up.

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* Jascott's recorded volunteer hours only date back to 2016. She has also volunteered many additional hours from 2009-2016.

The Storehouse of Collin County, a nonprofit founded in 2009, provides short-term assistance and long-term transformation to residents of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties through four programs. Seven Loaves Food Pantry serves 5,000 families each month; Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet provides clothing at no cost; Project Hope Neighbor Care offers case management and resource referral; and The Academy Education Program provides free and reduced-cost classes to assist with language, job, or life skills development. During its previous fiscal year, The Storehouse served 146,922 unduplicated neighbors with the support of more than 2,000 volunteers. In August 2023, the North Texas Food Bank honored The Storehouse with the Hope for Tomorrow Award. Visit www.thestorehousecc.org. The Storehouse EIN: 27-1883333

As Mendez transitions from case manager to director, her focus will include developing more community resources as well as providing additional support to neighbors within The Academy and job partnerships

Nancy Mendez has been named the new director of Project Hope, a program of The Storehouse of Collin County which specializes in neighbor care. Mendez first came to The Storehouse in May of 2021 as the Project Hope coordinator to assist with assessing the needs of the neighbors, establishing relationships with them, and helping determine future program goals. She immediately began her training to be certified as a community health worker and became case manager for Project Hope in 2023.

“I fell in love with the mission of the Storehouse,” said Nancy Mendez. “Being a part of the transformation and change for the neighbors – what we call those we serve – and seeing their improvement, reinforced within my heart that this is all for a purpose and exactly where I want to use my gifts and talents.”

No stranger to transformation, Mendez came to the Dallas area 17 years ago from Mexico with a degree in child development. She soon became involved with Dallas Christian Women’s Job Corps (DCWJC), where she went through an eight-week program learning career development, resume writing and more. For three years she worked as a ministry assistant, engaging with DCWJC participants and assisting with the development of their goals, which proved to be a rewarding experience.

“At DCWJC I received wonderful training,” added Mendez. “I began taking some administrative courses at community college and soon heard about the position at The Storehouse for Project Hope coordinator.  At The Storehouse I quickly learned the complexity of serving those in need and the importance of meeting each neighbor’s physical needs before focusing on education and future transformation.”

Project Hope is an empowerment-based program of case management for needs beyond food and clothing. Through a network of community partners, Project Hope connects neighbors with resources that offer further stability including affordable medical care, mental health care, household furnishings and more. This program is positioned to walk alongside neighbors who are ready for the next step toward transformation with personalized support toward their goals. A Community Resource Guide (CRG) is provided online and to all neighbors who first meet The Storehouse in the food line. The CRG directs neighbors to resources for additional needs, such as new beds from Dallas Furniture Bank. Project Hope also partners with Methodist Dallas Medical Center, which brings its mobile mammography services to The Storehouse’s campus three times a year. Project Hope is always looking for more resources for neighbors not only for physical needs but also for professional services such as medical and dental. In 2024, the program is partnering with The Storehouse’s Academy education program and will focus on providing additional assessments and support of the neighbors enrolled in classes as well as employed by job partners.

“I have learned so much about critical thinking and the importance of understanding the needs of our neighbors through assessments,” added Mendez. “Integrating with The Academy and the students participating in our educational program will build upon our current neighbor relationships and allow us to better assess and evaluate needs. The neighbors participating in these programs are working hard and have demonstrated their commitment to their future success. I will also be meeting with each neighbor employed by our job partners to do an assessment of their needs, goals, and strengths as well as follow up to evaluate outcomes.”

“Project Hope is a program that has gone through many changes over the years,” added Candace Winslow, CEO, The Storehouse of Collin County. “We are excited about the changes we are implementing in 2024 that include a concentrated focus on service to our neighbors within The Academy and our job partnerships. By getting to know our neighbors well through assessment and ongoing conversations, we can tailor our support to address the root causes instead of simply putting a Band-Aid on what could be a recurring need. Working closely with neighbors in our Academy and employed by our job partners is a perfect way to ensure successful outcomes.  We are thrilled to have Nancy take the wheel in this new endeavor. Her experience, her heart to serve, and her own transformation are a powerful recipe for success, and we look forward to seeing our neighbors thrive and achieve their goals under her leadership.”

Mendez and her husband Rod reside in Plano with their three children: Kevin, 16, David, 12, and Eliana, 10. The family enjoys serving in their church, and their oldest son enjoys volunteering as a cart runner at The Storehouse’s Seven Loaves food pantry, where he utilizes his Spanish while serving the neighbors.

“I am very grateful The Storehouse has placed me in this position where I can empower our neighbors to self-advocate while teaching them how to access our resources as well as community resources,” added Mendez. “It’s exciting to see how Project Hope has evolved, from helping only women to whole families. The changes being implemented this year are going to help our neighbors overcome the many barriers in their lives and place them on paths to self-sufficiency and long-term transformation. It is an honor to be a part of their journeys.”

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The Storehouse of Collin County, a nonprofit founded in 2009, provides short-term assistance and long-term transformation to residents of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties through four programs. Seven Loaves Food Pantry serves over 5,000 families each month; Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet provides clothing at no cost; Project Hope Neighbor Care offers case management and resource referral; and The Academy Education Program provides free and reduced-cost classes to assist with language, job, or life skills development. During its previous fiscal year, The Storehouse served 146,922 unduplicated neighbors with the support of more than 2,000 volunteers. In August 2023, the North Texas Food Bank honored The Storehouse with the Hope for Tomorrow Award. Visit www.thestorehousecc.org. The Storehouse EIN: 27-1883333