Today we’d like to introduce you to Julissa Estrada.
Hi Julissa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 2007, I became a stay-at-home of 3 and began the journey of leaving my busy accounting job behind and learning to embrace my new role as a homemaker. I loved being home with my kids but felt a big void. I was really missing working on projects and having a focus that was just for me. I started volunteering with community projects through my church (Chase Oaks Church) and found a passion for volunteerism. I lead several major initiatives and was invited to serve on bigger roles. I loved having the flexibility of being with my kids yet still contributing to making local impact. In 2014, Chase Oaks Church opening a community center, and I was offered the role of part-time director. I loved helping create new initiatives that gave others the opportunity to engage. This role was very fulling for me and allowed me the opportunity to learn more about community engagement, partnerships, people, and gaps in social services. In 2019, we had outgrown our space, and Chase Oaks Church had the desire to have a bigger footprint in the our community. We decided to relocate, expand our square footage, add additional services, and change our name. We did not allow Covid to stop us. We continued with our plans to renovate in the midst of supply shortages and building delays. In November 2021, we opened the doors of our new Local Good Center. I took on the full-time role of being the Executive Director. This was a huge job, but with the support of my husband, kids, extended family, friends, and mentors, I knew I had to go for it. The Local Good Center exist to create lasting good through access and empowerment. We focus on Education, Job Readiness, Wellness, and Advocacy. Our wrap-around services were created to move people to sustainability. I have an amazing all-women team that help make all these things happen. We have over 1000 volunteers, and we love serving the community. I love building community strategies and can relate to many of the struggles our clients face. I’m so honored to have the role I have, and I do not take it for granted.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, the road has not been smooth.
Separating work life from home life is a big struggle when you are passionate about what you do.
Setting boundaries helps, but often, it’s hard to mentally disconnect from some of the hardships we are helping clients through.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m the executive director of Local Good Center, a nonprofit in the heart of East Plano. The Local Good Center exist to create lasting good through access and empowerment. We focus on Education, Job Readiness, Wellness, and Advocacy. Our wrap-around services were created to move people to sustainability. We have over 1000 AMAZING volunteers who make all of our programs happen.
I’m most proud of the reputation we’ve built of being here for good. We are part of Chase Oaks Church, but most of our clients don’t even realize this because our primary goal is to love others. We are always prepared to share our faith, but we lead with love. In a time when Christians are not looked at in a very positive way, I’m proud that our actions are telling a different narrative.
One of the things that sets us apart is our focus on building community and being relational and not transactional. We know the importance of having a supportive community, and we try to provide environments where connections are made while at the same time our services are being offered.
What were you like growing up?
I’m the youngest of 4 and the only girl. Needless to say, I’ve been pretty spoiled with love all of my life. When I was little, I wanted to be an actress. I loved theater and performing. I later learned that my family members were my biggest fans, but my talent in acting was lacking. Fortunately, I did not pursue an acting career. 🙂
Dancing, roller skating, acting, reading, and music filled my days during my youth. I spent most of my summers visiting my grandparents in Mexico. My summers in Mexico were full of horseback riding, motorcycling, camping, swimming, hiking, and spending time with family. I think that’s where my love of traveling was born.
I grew up in Dallas surrounded by many cousins and loved my childhood. We had many struggles, including food insecurity, financial struggles, healthcare access, transportation struggles, language barriers, and other equity limitations that affect most underserved communities, but I was never aware of any of this. It wasn’t until I was a teen that I realized my family’s circumstances. This never affected my family’s happiness. I had a fantastic childhood.
I grew up advocating for my parents, who were immigrants and did not speak much English. I remember translating for them since I was 5 years old. I translated for them at the bank, school, grocery store, doctor’s office, and even with home purchases. I helped many of our adult neighbors with document translation, completion, English language skills, and phone calls. I loved helping others but was always more interested in helping with difficult situations over happy ones.
Contact Info:
- Website: localgoodcenter.org
- Instagram: localgoodcenter
- Facebook: localgoodcenter
- Linkedin: localgoodcenter
