Coppell Chronicle Vol. 5, No. 16
Metrocrest Services Needs More Money • Delayed Hotels Miss Out on Tax Deals • Coppell Draws Droves of Commuters • Lots of Dollars But Few Voters in Irving
Father’s Day is one week away. If there’s a dad in your life who’s hard to shop for, I have a suggestion:
Metrocrest Services Needs More Money
An organization that helps Coppell residents in their time of need has found itself in a time of need.
Metrocrest Services assists people in northwest Dallas County who struggle to put food on the table or pay rent. The nonprofit also provides workforce training and financial education to help its clients get back on their feet.
“Our mission is focused on self-sufficiency,” Metrocrest CEO Tracy Eubanks told the Coppell City Council recently. “While we often start our relationship with a client providing emergency support, such as healthy food [or] rent support to make sure they stay housed, our goal is to provide everyone a path to ultimately thrive.”
Metrocrest is one of several nonprofits that receive funds allocated by the City Council, and Eubanks was at the council’s May 27 meeting to explain why his organization is increasing its request. For the past few years, Coppell has given Metrocrest $135,000, but the nonprofit is asking for $196,625 this year. That’s a jump of more than 45 percent.
“We think that will allow us to continue services, regardless of [how] the numbers look for Coppell, while we work through initiatives to weather this crisis,” Eubanks said.
Although federal dollars account for only 5 percent of Metrocrest’s budget, Eubanks said, recent developments in Washington, D.C., are trickling down to northwest Dallas County:
The North Texas Food Bank provides 90 percent of the items in Metrocrest’s food pantry, and the food bank is projected to lose $9 million worth of federal funding. Eubanks said his staff’s research believes this could lead to Metrocrest’s haul being reduced by 1 million pounds of food.
Due to economic uncertainty, donations to Metrocrest from foundations, corporations, and individuals have declined by 28 percent since January. That has created a $350,000 shortfall in the organization’s budget.
The “Big Beautiful Bill” that Congress has been debating would reduce funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which would likely lead to more people turning to Metrocrest for food.
“We’re all in the same news cycle,” Eubanks said, “but I am amazed how there are so many people that don’t really understand the connection between federal funding cuts and the impact on people that are struggling and nonprofits who provide them services.”
Although the City Council has not made any decisions regarding funding for Metrocrest or any other nonprofits, many of Coppell’s elected officials seemed amenable to Eubanks’ request.
“You do a lot for the residents of Coppell that the City of Coppell could not do if it was not for you,” Mayor Pro Tem Don Carroll said. “You are much better at it than we are, and we love partnering with you.”
Metrocrest is on pace to serve 862 Coppell residents in this fiscal year, which would be a 16 percent increase. Another 16 percent increase in the upcoming fiscal year would equate to 1,000 Coppell residents served. If those numbers bear out, Council Member Ramesh Premkumar said Metrocrest’s request for $196,625 would equate to about $200 per resident.
“That’s a low price for the dignity of our neighbors and friends,” Premkumar said.
Delayed Hotels Miss Out on Tax Deals
Did you know Coppell occasionally inks tax-abatement agreements with hotel developers? I became aware of this when the City Council recently amended two such deals.