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Big plans for Round Rock Serving Center

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Written by Cathy Kincaid Monday, 07 November 2005

Picture of Lori Scott, director of Round Rock Serving Center

Director Lori Scott has big plans for the Round Rock Serving Center, the city’s largest food pantry and social services organization. A new 13,000 sq. ft. facility is scheduled for completion in December. Even though the building will house a larger food pantry, Scott seems most excited about the addition of a thrift store and furniture warehouse in the building.

“We are modeling this project after the Georgetown Caring Place,” Scott said. “The Caring Place funds all their social services, and that is our goal for the Serving Center.”

Scott says that one of the advantages to having a thrift store generate revenue is that it decreases dependency on grant funding.

“When the organization is able to fund itself, the client’s needs are better met,” Scott said.

Scott served as director of the Caring Place for more than six years and saw that thrift store grow from generating $100,000 a year in revenue to more than $500,000.

She cites an example of the advantage of an organizations’ self-sufficiency while at the Caring Place.

“When [President] Clinton cancelled much of the welfare program forcing people to go to work, many of them were unable to pay for childcare on the wages they earned as unskilled laborers. The Caring Place, because of the revenue generated from their thrift store, was able to set up a childcare service to meet their needs.”

The Serving Center now services around 700-750 families a month. Families can shop in the food pantry every two weeks with a limit, depending on the size of the family. Produce is distributed in front of the center on the first and third Thursday mornings serving about 175 families.

“There is always food available,” Scott said. “They are able to receive food four times a month.”

Scott explained that the financial assistance is not as available. The Serving Center has a daily budget with money received from different grants it receives. Each grant makes money available for different needs.

“If we have used the daily money designated for paying the rent, we can’t give money from another grant designated for paying [something like] the utilities.”

Eventually, Scott says the store will generate the money needed to enable the Serving Center to distribute financial assistance more reasonably and increase the services the Center provides.

“The families will be able to pick up their food in the pantry,” Scott said, “and receive a voucher for clothing and furniture to shop in the thrift store and warehouse.”

With a thrift store to staff and increased hours in the pantry, Scott says the number of volunteers will double to 150-200. She needs to find key people in each area to supervise and train the additional volunteers. She is currently visiting the service clubs in the community recruiting volunteers.

“I lie awake nights planning how we can get this all staffed,” Scott said, “and the pantry and store stocked by the time we are ready to open. It’s a huge task, but we’ll get it done.”

With the opening planned for sometime the first of the year, Scott plans to have a blitz in November and December to collect for the thrift store and the furniture warehouse.

What it is...

A Texas non-profit corporation
Services include a food pantry, financial assistance for utilities, rent, prescriptions, transportation, temporary lodging and gasoline
Membership includes 20 churches, 3 businesses and YMCA of Greater Williamson County