A Place Where Hope Begins
Community Link: A Beacon of Hope for Northwest Tarrant County
Community Link has become a place where hope begins for many in Northwest Tarrant County. In 2024, the center continued their journey of growth and transformation, expanding their services to meet the evolving needs of the community.
Serving Northwest Tarrant County, Community Link works tirelessly to alleviate hunger and poverty by providing food, case management, and mental health counseling.
The Food Pantry remains the cornerstone of the organization. While it continues to operate as a drive-thru pantry, the center introduced a card-scanning system to increase efficiency for returning guests. Securing food has become more challenging in recent years, and we are deeply grateful to our local partners for their continued support. The pantry is also where most volunteer opportunities take place. In 2024, 2,216 new families were served. The food pantry currently feeds 160 families three days a week, providing over 37,000 meals annually.
Meeting Unprecedented Demand
Community needs have been relentless since the onset of COVID-19. With rising inflation and food prices, 2024 has seen the highest demand for our services to date.
“As funds that were once available during COVID begin to deplete, we are now focused on building a sustainable budget,” said Executive Director Trey Harper. “Our goal remains to provide a high level of service and quality to the community. We continue to seek funding, volunteers, community partners, and local businesses to help us meet this need.”
While Trey oversees fundraising and community relations, his colleague Executive Director Lara Gay manages human resources and accounting. This shared leadership model ensures the smooth operation of all services
Innovative Partnerships for Better Access
To strengthen food markets and provide greater access to fresh produce and protein, in 2023 Community Link launched the Farmer Buy Back Program and now funds this program. This initiative allows them to purchase unsold produce at the end of each market day and donate it back to the pantry, encouraging greater farmer participation while providing fresh food to those in need.
In addition to Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, Community Link collaborates with over 20 local churches across Tarrant County to broaden the reach and impact
Expanding Support Beyond Food
Beyond food assistance, Community Link also offers mental health services through their Case Management program.
This program supports neighbors with needs beyond food, helping them navigate complex systems to access essential resources. The case managers assist with everything from securing permanent housing to credit repair and benefits enrollment.
For many in Northwest Tarrant County, this program is where hope begins again — and it’s the only social service agency of its kind in Tarrant County.
Since 2021, Community Link has expanded access to mental health counseling through Link to Hope Counseling, which was adjusted in 2023 to serve the entire Northwest Tarrant County community. This program has already had a profound impact, with over 5,000 counseling sessions provided in 2023 by the team of nine licensed therapists. For more information, visit LinktoHope.org
Volunteers: The Heart of Our Mission
Volunteers are critical to the success of our mission. Every year, individuals and groups come together to help in the food pantry, ensuring that services run smoothly. Volunteers assist with food orders, help with the drive-thru pantry (by appointment on Wednesdays), and organize online shopping and pickup. Volunteer shifts are available from 8:45am to 1pm, Monday through Thursday. Signing up is easy — just email volunteers@community-link.org.
How You Can Help This Holiday Season
As the Christmas season approaches, we encourage you to consider supporting Community Link by volunteering, donating food, or making a financial contribution. You can drop off donations at the main building at 300 Belmont Street, Saginaw or at communitylinkmission.org/give.
