The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee signals the start of another day at Tracy Gee Community Center. For manager Melissa Venegas, this simple morning ritual means the doors are open and her extended family is about to arrive.
For 18 years, Melissa has worked in Precinct 4’s community centers. First at Bayland as an assistant manager and now as the manager at Tracy Gee, where she is in charge of caring for the residents who have made this space their second home.
Melissa’s caring nature starts at home with her own family — her four daughters, her parents, and her pets. A Fort Worth native who was raised in Alief, just south of Tracy Gee, her dedication and love flow naturally from her personal life into the community and her team’s efforts.
Just like in any family, people of all ages gather under the same roof at Tracy Gee Community Center, each with different interests and goals. Melissa takes pride in fulfilling those diverse needs — whether someone arrives for morning tai chi, a quiet afternoon with library books, bridge games with friends, or monthly celebrations highlighting the center's multicultural community.
That personal touch extends to how Melissa greets most of the constituents by name. She has gotten to know their families; whether they started visiting as children or teenagers, she has been there throughout the many different stages of their lives.
“I still have kids who come, but it’s very different now because they’ve either graduated from high school or college or even gotten married,” said Melissa. “So, we really take pride in seeing them come back with their nieces and nephews or seeing seniors bringing their great-grandchildren.”
Like a warm home, residents go back to Tracy Gee not only for a hot cup of coffee and to connect with loved ones, but because they know it’s a space to assistance when needed.
Whether residents want to connect with services like SNAP, Medicare, mental health resources, housing and shelter resources, legal aid and refugee and victims resources, among others, the community center in the heart of Westchase is one of three centers across the Precinctthat has social workers on site every Monday, Thursday, and Friday. The center also offers a biweekly food distribution through Common Market, dental health services, tax aide provided by AARP, help with afterschool homework, ESL classes, and Spanish classes. All services are always free.
eam is prepared to answer any questions you might have about the services offered, including connecting constituents with social workers or the community engagement team.
"We've had plenty of opportunities and a pretty good amount of engagement with the seniors and with unhoused youth who just walk in and need a place to go,” said Melissa. “And they feel comfortable talking to us. We make sure that we go over there and we give them their space, but we also ask them what their needs are and do our best to help them."
Whether someone needs help with a difficult situation, a safe place to spend the day, or just a familiar face who knows their name, Melissa and her team are there — because that's what family does.