A local non-profit organization focused on serving the needy celebrated the expansion of its services Thursday, Feb. 26.  

The Round Rock Area Serving Center hosted a ribbon-cutting for its Treasures resale shop and boutique at 1075 E. Main St. that afternoon. The event capped off a $7 million capital improvement campaign that began in 2022.  

“It’s been amazing to experience the changes and growth,” said Lori Scott, the Serving Center’s executive director, who’s been with the organization for 25 years. “Most importantly, the Serving Center has been able to meet the increasing needs of the community serving low-income households with food, housing assistance, utility assistance, prescriptions, transportation, and temporary lodging.” 

The Serving Center provides food, low-cost clothing and furniture, community gardens, refurbished computers and financial assistance for residents needing help with rent, utilities, prescriptions and more. Also, The Volunteer Center is a Serving Center program partnering with other nonprofit organizations to promote volunteerism in Williamson County.  

It began serving the community in 1986, initially providing some food and utility assistance out of a Main Street location it rented for free from a nursing home.  

In 2005, it constructed a building on the property, which became home to its food pantry and charity thrift stores after the nursing home was sold and the land donated to the Serving Center.  

The land just west of the building was long home to Little League fields and little else, abutting railroad tracks to the south.  

However, before the Covid-19 pandemic, a parcel was donated to Hope Alliance, which provides resources and emergency shelter for those affected by domestic violence. Hope Alliance later put the property up for sale.  

Scott recalled a Serving Center volunteer intended to leave half of his estate to the organization in his will. He unexpectedly died in an auto wreck, leaving the Serving Center $500,000 – just enough to purchase the Hope Alliance land for sale.  

The capital campaign sought to raise enough money for a 16,000-square-foot store that would allow it to ease its dependence on grant funding and donations.  

The City of Round Rock provides federal Community Development Block Grants to select organizations annually, for a combination of public service programs, critical home repairs and program administration. 

In 2024, the Serving Center received a $60,000 CDBG allocation from the City, with $30,000 each set aside for housing assistance and its food pantry. The City followed suit last year as well with the same allocation to the Serving Center.  

The organization also hosts an annual fundraising gala. The 20th Annual Karamu event will take place Aug. 8 at Kalahari Resorts.  

The Treasures resale shop enables the Serving Center to double the size of its stores and donation receiving area. The organization also has plans to add a veteran services provider in space previously housing a clothing store.  

The Round Rock Area Serving Center distributed 1.8 million pounds of food and served over 110,150 people last year.