Committed to a brighter future for children, neighbors and communities.

We consider a healthy neighborhood to be one that is safe, clean, and diverse; one in which it makes economic sense for people to invest and one where neighbors manage change successfully.

We consider a healthy neighborhood to be one that is safe, clean, and diverse; one in which it makes economic sense for people to invest and one where neighbors manage change successfully.

What a Gift

Grassroots has a long-term vision for investing in North Waco and because of that perspective, we get to know a lot of our neighbors. This relationship building helps when we are looking for lots to build new houses on in the older neighborhoods of Waco.

We first met Ms. Dodd’s mom about 20 years ago when we approached her about buying her empty lot. She wasn’t interested in selling at the time, but she was interested in what else Grassroots was doing in her community. One of the programs she took notice of was our homeownership program that seeks to help those wanting to purchase a home. She passed that information on to her daughter, Ms. Dodd, who was motivated to get into a house of her own that she could call home.

After completing our homeownership program, Ms. Dodd purchased a home in North Waco and currently resides at that residence. As the years passed along, her mother passed away but we kept in contact with Ms. Dodd. She came to us earlier this year to learn about property taxes and we inquired again about the family lot.  She finally decided that the time was right to sell. What a gift.

Now, the price of the lot has gone way up in the past 20 years.  In fact, the price for lots is 30 times higher today.  Fortunately, we have other community members that support our vision and mission in these neighborhoods and help contribute to the purchasing of empty lots. Earlier this year, the Thomas family came to us with a sizable donation and told us to use it to buy land and help make a home more affordable. So earlier this fall we were able to buy the lot from Ms. Dodd. Another gift.

We were blessed to be the recipients of these gifts, knowing that the true blessing would be building a house on this lot and providing a home to a family in the community.

But the story continues. Ms. Dodd reached out to us after the purchase of her lot and told me how excited she was. “I am happy to know that the lot will be used to build a home for a family in your program and that I was able to contribute to that. I’m sure my mom would have been happy about that also. And now I am able to repair my house that has needed some attention.”  A final gift.

We are so excited to help bring another new home into North Waco, help another renter become a homeowner and help an existing homeowner afford to make repairs to her home. These are the stories that keep us going and allow us to continue the work we are doing in North Waco.

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Grassroots Community Development
Grassroots Community Development3 days ago
"One year later, we have once again entered a season of joyful anticipation. Tis the season for great expectations and the fulfillment of promises. I have seen many seeds planted this year, new projects started and community-led actions initiated. With joyful anticipation, I look forward to seeing these ideas and efforts in their completed states, new assets in the communities we serve."

In the spirit of celebrating community, come celebrate with us at our Christmas Party today! Stop by for yummy treats and festive cheer!

Read our latest blog post here: https://grassrootswaco.org/blog/tis-the-season

#wacononprofit #grassrootswaco #celebratingcommunity #tistheseason #communityevents
Grassroots Community Development
Grassroots Community Development5 days ago
We are so excited to see you this Tuesday for our annual Grassroots Community Christmas Party! Stop by our office anytime between 4 and 6 pm for some yummy treats and festive cheer!
Grassroots Community Development
Grassroots Community Development1 week ago
We can’t wait to see you next Tuesday for our annual Grassroots Community Christmas Party! Stop by our office between 4 and 6pm for some yummy treats and festive cheer!
Grassroots Community Development
Grassroots Community Development2 weeks ago
This Thanksgiving, we are grateful for you and your support that has helped us stay rooted in the community over the past 20 years. Happy Thanksgiving from the entire Grassroots team!
Grassroots Community Development
Grassroots Community Development
Grassroots Community Development2 weeks ago
Here is a look at our holiday hours this week. We will be fully open again on Monday, November 27th. Happy Thanksgiving!