Carol Brown is a native of the Como community who left briefly to attend college in Arkansas where she majored in nursing. Two years later, she transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and quickly returned to the community she loved.
While attending college, she got a part-time job at the Como Community Center and fell in love with helping the community she had grown up in. She changed her major to sociology and never looked back. Having learned the lessons taught by her mother and her innate need to serve, Brown discovered her calling.
After graduating, Brown became an employee of the city of Fort Worth and for all but six months of her 35 years of employment, was the director of the Como Community Center.
During her tenure with the city, Brown fought on behalf of her beloved community, doing everything possible to get funding for the myriad of programs intended to help the citizens of Lake Como. With funding still lacking, Brown decided her talents would best be utilized by spending her time and effort raising funds for the community.
She retired from the city in 2015 and founded Como Lions Heart, a nonprofit organization that supports families, youth and seniors through community-based programs and educational programs. The organization also offers programs to prepare college students for the future. After 35 years of service Brown could have retired, but when asked why she started Como Lions Heart, she responded, “The city has a lousy budget and there are no other social services available in Como.”
In her role as executive director of Como Lions Heart, Brown is an integral part of the community and oversees fundraising efforts vital to keeping various programs running in the Como community.
“Our focus is on programs that support youth and seniors because those are the groups most often overlooked,” says Brown.
Como Lions Heart does much of its work in conjunction with other nonprofit organizations in the community and has some pet projects to meet the needs of the citizens. One such program is the college dorm room kit program, which partners with families of college-bound students.
Many of the participating students are attending school on grants and scholarships and may not have funding for the extras others take for granted. The program furnishes all dorm room necessities, leveling the playing field with fellow students.
The program helped 32 students in 2022 and has plans to boost that number in 2023.
“Youth and seniors are usually overlooked, so that is where we concentrate our efforts.” Brown says.
The program treats women seniors in the community to spa days and men to breakfast at one of their favorite restaurants. For many of these seniors, this outing is socialization that they need for their mental well-being. The goal for all programs is to keep the community members engaged.
The efforts of Brown and Como Lions Heart have captured the attention of Debbie Cooley, owner of M-Pak. A member of the newly formed executive board of directors for Como Lions Heart, Cooley joined the board because she is a huge supporter of the Como Community.
“This is a vibrant community that doesn’t see their own potential,” says Cooley. She is putting her efforts toward helping the community realize this untapped potential.
“These people are not lazy, they are doing what they know to do,” she says. “Let’s get them thinking about what could be and help them get there.”
Cooley believes that your circle of influence is often in the same boat as you. If the circle of influence is expanded, the opportunity to meet other people who can help is increased.
Brown’s primary role for Como Lions Heart is fundraising. Monies come from donors who believe in and support the Como community.
During the first three years, Como Lions Heart worked on a budget of $50,000 but the desire to do more in the community and for the community center necessitated an increase in budget. In addition to other donations, the organization now receives grant money from United Way Tarrant County and the Sid Richardson Foundation
The budget is now $180,000 – which provides most of what is needed to carry out the programs in the community.
Outside of grants, the group’s major fundraising effort is the Taste of Soul Fundraising Gala. This event provides an opportunity to share the wonderful programs provided by Como Lions Heart with the business community. It is also an opportunity for that same community to meet some of the college attendees who directly benefit from the organization, providing interaction with the diverse group of volunteers who work with Como Lions Heart because they believe in the cause.
The gala was started as a way to highlight the food and music of the community and raise money for the beloved Como Community Center. Chef Keith Hicks provided the catering for the first gala and Drew Thomas of Drew’s Place catered the second year.
The event features a live band that performs covers of great old soul music – music made for dancing. There is also a silent auction with items donated by corporate sponsors and citizens of Como alike.
The gala has grown over the years and now raises $30-$40K.
Despite the negative views some may harbor about Como, its residents have a spirit of hope and a motivation to succeed in building up this proud community. Como Lions Heart is a conduit to bring the community together to achieve its highly attainable goals.
