Girl Boss 2017: Yvonne Booker

Yvonne Booker works every day to prove communities grow best when they grow together. As executive director of the Assistance Center of Collin County, she helps Plano do just that by providing home and utility stabilization to families during tough times.

As our city continues to burst with incoming businesses, entertainment hotspots and cultural vibrancy, some families find they cannot grow alongside their city. “Because you don’t see it, don’t make the terrible mistake of thinking the problem doesn’t exist,” Yvonne advised. “These families suffer in silence.”

After joining the organization in 2014, Yvonne set a goal to provide support to families experiencing financial hardships, focusing on Plano’s youth. “I saw this as an opportunity to help families rise above their current situation, so that their children could remain on track for their own dream,” she said. “When the children are successful, the community is successful because they are our next generation of leadership.”

The Assistance Center was able to work with 603 families last year and has already surpassed the 600 family mark this year. Yvonne is the leading power behind ensuring the center is delivering the highest quality of service to those families.

Even as Yvonne is bouncing ideas off of her board, managing daily volunteers and full-time staff members, or creating innovative ways to work with other local organizations like the North Texas Food Bank and GreenPath Financial Wellness, she still takes time to listen to the families she assists. “If you get too far removed from the community you serve, you cannot be a good leader,” Yvonne pointed out.

And while the center is able to provide a great deal for Plano families, Yvonne understands that every day can’t end with a win. “We are a smart community, so I remain encouraged,” Yvonne added. “I still remain excited about not only the potential that this organization has, but also its ability to grow into the city of excellence for everyone in this community.”

Kelly Martin, chairman of the board for the Assistance Center, says she can consistently see Yvonne’s passion for Plano through her leadership and her ability to give her families hope. “Yvonne takes people who have found difficulty and has given them and their children a home,” Kelly said. “She’s very well respected in the center as well as the community, and she can accomplish what she needs to.”

Yvonne hopes to keep providing assistance for the community as well as inspire others to get involved. If you want to volunteer or learn about work that needs to be done, Yvonne is ready to listen.

See all of the 2017 Girl Bosses >
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