Arlington Charities: Supporting Our Neighbors In Need

This local Arlington non-profit serves those with food insecurity with nutritious food items for themselves and their families.

When a friend approached me and asked me if I knew much about Arlington Charities, I had to be honest: I didn't. Genuinely, I thought maybe it was a name for the collection of nonprofits that serve the Arlington community. I didn't know it was its own organization, located off Cooper Street, that serves up to 700 neighbors per week.

Who is Arlington Charities?

Founded in 1978, Arlington Charities is one of the oldest organizations in the area that addresses food insecurity. It serves all Arlington zip codes as well as Kennedale and several zip codes in Grand Prairie, and neighbors can make an appointment to stop in one time per month to pick up groceries such as meat, fruit, vegetables, dairy and more. Groceries received by neighbors should last about a week for a family of four.

Arlington Charities

How does food distribution work with Arlington Charities?

Food can be picked up daily Monday through Friday from 9 am to 1 pm at the headquarters on Secretary Drive in Arlington. Neighbors can make an appointment for pick up, and they order ahead on Arlington Charities' website to make sure they are receiving items they can actually use. 

Home delivery is available for seniors and those who lack transportation.

Arlington Charities hosts mobile distribution events three times per month that are open to all. Arlington Charities wants these events to have the fewest barriers for neighbors in need as possible. 

In the summertime when school is out, Arlington Charities hosts Books & Bites funded by Atmos Energy. This program supplies kids with meals and books when school isn't in session. I love this! 

Filling up a neighbor's car at a daily distribution pick up. 

Where does Arlington Charities obtain the food they hand out to neighbors?

Most of the food that Arlington Charities distributes is purchased at an extreme discount from Tarrant Area Food Bank. Some comes from local grocery stores, but most comes from TAFB. Food can also be received through generous donations from local residents and organizations who want to support the mission of tackling food insecurity in the Arlington area.

Fresh fruit that Arlington Charities distributes to neighbors in need. 

How can I support Arlington Charities?

This is my favorite part- it is so easy to help Arlington Charities and tackle food insecurity in our community!

- You can make a monetary donation. This money will be placed into the group's general fund and used for operational expenses.

- You can volunteer! If you are 16 and older, you can volunteer to help "shop" and load vehicles with food during one of their daily food pickups.

- You can host a donation drive. This is always popular, especially around the holiday season, however, the help that Arlington Charities needs may not be what we think. While it is great to host a canned food drive, Arlington Charities can purchase most canned goods from TAFB for cheaper than you or I can buy them from our local supermarkets. A better idea would be to host a donation drive for the items they need the most (and receive the least of): canned meats (tuna, chicken, etc.), toilet paper and hygiene products such as sanitary supplies and deodorant. Donating these items will go a long way with Arlington Charities and are the most-requested items they don't have a steady supply of. 

I loved learning about Arlington Charities

As we head toward the holidays, it is important to keep amazing organizations like this in mind when you are looking to get involved in your community. Arlington Charities truly does amazing work to combat food insecurity in our community. Thank you, Arlington Charities, for supporting our neighbors in need! 

Friday Night Fries: McDonald's Gives Back to Arlington High Schools

I got to spend time with the Grissett Family at the recent Arlington-Martin Football Game, learning about how this family supports the community through their McDonald's franchises. 

Pull up to a high school football game in a Texas town in the fall and you're in for an experience. The energy, the lights, the crowds. Whether you're cheering for the home team or the visitors, you can't help but be caught up in the excitement that comes with football in Texas. They've even made movies and tv shows about high school football in Texas. It's a vibe.

It is also an entire production with more behind-the-scenes players than many of us realize. From the security who keeps everyone safe to the groundskeepers who maintain the football field, there are so many moving pieces that work together to give players and fans an over-the-top game day experience. And for that, schools need the community support that is so vital to a team's success.

Grimace & the Martin High School Cheerleaders

Enter amazing community partnerships such as The Grissetts, an Arlington family who own five McDonald's franchises in the Arlington area (plus two in Irving and one in Hillsboro), who give back to the community that patronizes their businesses. This local family with deep Arlington roots (the Grissett kids are Martin High School graduates) is a vital part of the community, giving back to local AISD schools in numerous ways.

On a Thursday in November, I got to join them for one of the final football games of the 2025 high school season- the Arlington-Martin game, played at the new Glaspie Field. They welcomed me into their skybox seats, shared with me their long history in the Arlington community and even introduced me to Reverend Michael Glaspie, the former AISD Board of Trustees Member for whom the new stadium at Martin High School is named. Needless to say, I was honored to be a part of the evening.

The Grissetts on the football field presenting checks to the principals of Arlington High School and Martin High School in Arlington, Texas.

How the Grissetts and McDonald's support the Arlington community

Spending time with the Grissetts on Thursday, I got to learn about all the ways they support Arlington schools through their McDonald's franchises:

• Spirit Nights. Schools and other non-profits can book spirit nights at any of their locations in Arlington and a percentage of funds raised that night go directly back to the school or other non-profit organization.
• Donations. At this particular football game, the Grissetts donated $1,000 each to Arlington High School and Martin High School to support these schools as they educate and prepare local students for the future. I got to be there for the check presentation, and it was awesome!
• Archways to Opportunity. This program isn't available to everyone, but it is available to exemplary employees at their franchise locations. This opportunity allows select employees to enroll in school and have their tuition fully funded by McDonald's. I got to meet several recipients of the Archways to Opportunity grants who graduated with degrees paid in full by this grant. They earned their degrees while working for McDonald's. What an awesome accomplishment.

How you can support the Grissetts and McDonald's

If you, like me, like to support the businesses that support our community, the best way to help out is to patronize these businesses! Enable the Grissetts to keep supporting the schools and helping fully fund educational grants for qualified employees by supporting their business. Grab a soda on the way home from work. Treat yourself to some French Fries or grab the kids a Happy Meal and let them play in the play area at these local McDonald's. Here are the locations owned by the Grissetts:

• Cooper & Pioneer: 800 W. Pioneer Parkway
• Cooper & I-20: 4300 S. Cooper St.
• Sublett & 287: 4841 W. Sublett Rd.
• Cooper & Green Oaks: 5404 S. Cooper St.
• Green Oaks & I-20: 5700 Forest Bend Drive
• Plus two locations in Irving and one in Hillsboro

Members of the Grissett Family with Reverend Michael Glaspie, former AISD Board of Trustees Member.

Thank you, Grissett Family, for supporting local schools and the Arlington community. It is people like you that make Arlington such a wonderful place to live and raise a family!

*Please note: I was compensated for my time working with McDonald's. All thoughts and opinions are my own.