Photos by Ariel Desantiago/The Collegian
ALEX HOBEN
editor-in-chief
alexandra.hoben@my.tccd.edu
TCC’s Family Empowerment Center held a community event to highlight the various resources available to everyone in Tarrant County.
On Sept. 8, in the courtyard just beyond SSTU, the community resource fair was available to students and faculty. Booths and tents were set up with colorful and informative flyers, swag to be handed out and bright red balloon arches swaying in the wind. The event was arranged by the staff behind the center: coordinator Allison Knott and South student activities employee Amalia Guadalupe; they have been planning this event since April.
“We’re a very small, but mighty team. It’s only the two of us, Amalia and myself,” Knott said.
Knott was excited to see the turnout for the event and to share what the center can provide for the TCC community.
“The Family Empowerment Center is like a one-stop shop for resources for our students in the community,” she said. “We support them by assisting with food, clothing and shelter. We offer financial literacy workshops, we have legal workshops and we oversee the campus food pantry. We also bring in the Tarrant area food bank once a month to do the fresh market.”
Knott said that the Family Resource Center is the only one in the district located on South Campus, which means that they take referrals and cases from across the campuses all to help the TCC community.
“We just want students to know that the family empowerment center is here to serve them,” Knott said. “We’re in building SFOF and we’re open five days a week, eight to five.”
Guadalupe explained that the main point of the center is to take the burden off the shoulders of students so they can focus on their studies rather than their stresses.
“We want to make sure any barriers the students have, we can help them to be successful in the school,” she said.
The booths set up were not only related to TCC but to the Tarrant County area. One of them was Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, a non-profit law firm that offers its services to students as long as they are under a certain income level.
Attorney Cameron White explained that the firm provided counseling and representation to those having issues with moving, as well as providing assistance with expunctions and nondisclosures to help students apply for jobs.
“You can actually speak with an attorney so long as it’s a civil legal issue, by all means, feel free to call, and we should be able to provide some assistance.” White said.
South student Rilesha Bowles was excited to share that it was her first day employed with the center and she was happy to find a place at TCC that aligned with her values.
“I lead a women’s empowerment group that I launched at the beginning of the year and I was approved for work study, so I had passed by the office before,” she said. “The Family Empowerment Center was just a great addition to what I’ve already been doing, and I feel that is going to be a great resource and help for me in school while I’m in school and my career as well.”
