Helping Hands of Ennis: Founded in 1988 by a group of compassionate Christian individuals, Helping Hands of Ennis is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing uniform, consistent, and consolidated assistance to the needy in the Ennis community. With a steadfast commitment to helping families in crisis, Helping Hands of Ennis has been a beacon of hope for over three decades. By focusing on the principle of unity, this organization has successfully brought together a diverse group of volunteers, all driven by a shared goal of extending a helping hand to those in need. Through their unwavering dedication and selfless acts of kindness, Helping Hands of Ennis continues to make a significant difference in the lives of the less fortunate, ensuring that no one in the community is left unseen.

CARE Services is a small staff dedicated to CARE-ing for our Neighbors. Each volunteer, board of directors, and staff serves a vital role in helping us reach our full potential throughout Ellis County. 

We started as a small food pantry serving in a neighborhood and assisted TXU Energy customers. Four decades later we serve Ellis County with groceries, five partnered utility companies, financial assistance partnership with a medical clinic and a pharmacy, and other resources when funds are available.  

We serve low-to-moderate-income individuals and families who are 185% or below the poverty level. With the increased prices of goods and services, unexpected expenses, life changes, health issues, and job insecurity, our services are needed more every day. We want to assist our neighbors through these obstacles and help them become successful and good stewards of their resources.   

We have an online application for approval of services, and we consider the unexpected life situations that may arise within a family. Our mission is to serve until our neighbors can be sustainable or pay it forward as they serve others. 

We started as a small food pantry created by local churches. Since then, we have grown and grown and grown! No longer just a food pantry, today we help neighbors in numerous ways. In addition to providing supplemental groceries once a month, we are able to assist in bill payment when funds are available, provide resources for medical, spiritual and financial growth, and we serve the needs of Neighbors with many other resources. Under the direction of our Executive Director Deidre Hamid, we have grown CARE into a thriving hub for good works in Ellis County. Each week we provide thousands of pounds of food, have about 40 volunteers in our facility, and help hundreds of neighbors.

NECO: In 1979, “Helping Hands of Red Oak/Ovilla” was started by a group of concerned citizens and church leaders for the distribution of food, Christmas, clothing and minimal financial aid to the needy in the North Ellis County communities. For several years the organization operated out of private homes, churches, donated space and garages. This somewhat informal assistance continued operating until the late-nineties when it merged with another social service organization called “Red Oak Area Outreach.” With a broader base and combined resources, the two groups continued to serve the neediest in their community. In 2000, North Ellis County Outreach (NECO) was born and Denise Butler, who had served as a board member of the organization became its first Executive Director. The service area of NECO includes the towns of Red Oak, Ovilla, Ferris, Oak Leaf and Glenn Heights. It also includes two school districts: Red Oak and Ferris.

Over the years, NECO has worked hard to establish credibility and to win the confidence of a donor base which now includes approximately 25 churches, many individual donations, TXU Energy Assistance Program and the North Texas Food Bank. 100% of these donations directly benefit the clients who seek assistance from the agency. Overhead and administrative costs are covered by a thrift store that has been operated by NECO for the last fourteen years. The store and outreach office is located centrally, in Red Oak. The present facility is approximately 8,300 square feet and NECO owns the building.

In November 2014, a satellite office was opened to service the eastern side of the service area where transportation needs made it difficult to access our main office.  However, NECO chose to close the satellite office in May 2019, and work through the local churches to provide the necessary food for these families until God opens another door.

The thrift store, “Pennies from Heaven” (PFH) is a success story that many non-profit organizations would envy. In 2000, when Executive Director, Denise Butler was hired, gross receipts for the thrift store were approximately $54,000.00 per year. In 2019, the store grossed more than $359,000. The store is the grateful recipient of donations of used clothing and shoes, house wares, knick-knacks, toys and working appliances. Proceeds from the thrift store provide for all the overhead of the organization. NECO has an established reputation within the region and donations to the thrift store are a regular part of numerous families’ philanthropic giving each year. The community response has been a blessing. 

Desoto Food Pantry Inc

Our amazing team of regular and part-time volunteers are committed to helping others. We take our convictions and turn them into action! Seeing a need for energetic, nonprofit work in this area, we formed our organization to provide sensible solutions. We've consistently grown since then, all thanks to the helping hands of this amazing community! We focus on making the maximum positive effort for our community. Our members and volunteers provide the momentum that helps us affect change. Using data driven models, we provide solutions that make a long-lasting difference.

Essential Foundation Inc.'s food pantry is a community-based program dedicated to providing essential food assistance to individuals and families in need. With a mission to alleviate hunger and promote food security, the pantry offers a wide range of nutritious food options to ensure that everyone has access to balanced meals. Through partnerships with local businesses, organizations, and generous donors, the food pantry strives to create a supportive and inclusive environment where individuals can receive the assistance they require. Committed to making a positive impact, the local food pantry plays a vital role in addressing food insecurity within the community and fostering a healthier, more resilient society.

Manna House serves the needs in our community in a variety of ways.  Our primary outreach happens through the food pantry, where we receive generous donations from our partners as well as community members and distribute them to those underserved in Midlothian and its rural neighbors.

About the the Food Pantry

Manna House offers a choice food pantry. Clients are able to shop the aisles of the pantry at their own pace. This allows clients to choose from a wide variety of fresh meats, produce, baked goods, and boxed and canned items that best fit the unique needs of their family.  Learn more about healthy choices with our Nudge Pantry.