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PLANOMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026

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IN THE STATS WHAT'S GOING ON 183 IN PLANO? by Alyssa High

WOMEN EXECS IN PLANO Plano is known as a home for corporations. Women account for 29% of all executives in the top leadership teams of the S&P 100, according to a recent study. Here are some of the top execs that live in Plano or are essential to running one of Plano’s corporations.

businesses in the Plano Chamber of Commerce are listed as woman-owned out of 344. That’s

53.19%

WINNING WOMAN

Rachel Ferdinando - CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S. Melissa Thomas - CFO of Cinemark Mabrie Jackson - managing director of public affairs for H-E-B Marissa Henderson Jarratt - chief marketing officer of 7-Eleven

NEW FEMALE-OWNED PLACES Everything Madeleine opened its Plano location in May at Preston and Park. The restaurant is owned by pastry chef Seunghee Park. Yang’s Smokehouse is owned by Candice Cao, whose recipes were passed down from her grandmother. Anomalia Beauty Society is a Latinaowned salon that opened in Downtown Plano in March.

Courtesy of Jessica-Mills-Photography.

Thear Suzuki received the Maura Women Helping Women Award, given to women who have “catalyzed change for Texas women and their families.” Suzuki is a Plano resident, retired business executive and community leader whose career has focused on technology, consulting, leadership and philanthropy. Born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Suzuki survived the Khmer Rouge regime as a child before her family eventually resettled in Dallas in 1981. She earned an electrical engineering degree from Southern Methodist University and went on to spend 29 years in professional services, including 16 years at Accenture and leadership roles at EY. Since retiring, Suzuki has remained active in North Texas through organizations focused on education, philanthropy, women’s leadership and the Asian American community. Her honors include SMU’s Distinguished Alumni Award and recognition from D CEO, and her immigrant story was featured in former President George W. Bush’s Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants.

Photo courtesy of Anomalia.

Dear readers, There’s something a little intimidating about putting together a “women’s issue.” After all, women are not a niche topic. And trying to sum up our subjects into quippy little headlines like “Fierce Females” or “Boss Babes” never seems to capture the entrepreneurial spirit, the strength, the talent and the impact that these women have made on our community and beyond. So we didn’t try. Instead, we filled the issue with stories about women doing interesting things. And “interesting” is an understatement with this particular group. First, we checked in on some professional athletes who sprung their careers from our suburban practice grounds. But you don’t need to fill international stadiums to have an impact. Plano ISD teacher Ashlee Happy makes hers in the history classroom. Janie Oliver turned a love of music into The Children’s Chorus of Collin County. Quỳnh Châu “QC” Stone co-founded The Source of Hope to serve people in need throughout North Texas. And then there are the stories that don’t seem to fit into any specific category. The Neighbor’s Loaf is a bakery business born on Joanie McLaughlin’s doorstep. The North American Cryptid Museum brings a husband-wife duo’s love for the fringe — and the public’s love of Bigfoot — to a social media sensation. That range is probably my favorite thing about this issue. There isn’t one type of woman we wanted to feature, because there isn’t one way to build an interesting life or make an impact on a community. Sometimes it happens in front of thousands of people. Sometimes it happens in a classroom, a rehearsal room, a nonprofit or a kitchen. And sometimes, apparently, it involves cryptids. I hope you enjoy meeting the women behind the stories in this issue as much as we enjoyed getting to know them. Alyssa High-Coronado Editor

4 WHAT’S GOING ON IN PLANO? 6 PLANO’S ATHLETES 8 THE NORTH AMERICAN CRYPTID MUSEUM 10 LEADING LADIES 20 THE NEIGHBOR’S LOAF 22 CALENDAR

PLANOMAGAZINE.COM editor@planomagazine.com sales@planomagazine.com 214.560.4205 PRESIDENT Jehadu Abshiro COO Alessandra Quintero EDITOR Alyssa High-Coronado DESIGNERS Jynnette Neal | Lauren Allen DIGITAL EDITOR Cloi Bryan SALES Frank McClendon Prio Berger Catherine Pate John Lynch Caroline Dolan

Cover & Table of Contents Art by Kim Griffith

The Plano pipeline W H AT D O E S A P R O S O C C E R P L AY E R , A N OLYMPIC GYMNAST AND A CHAMPION F I G U R E S K AT E R H AV E I N C O M M O N ? T H E Y A L L G O T T H E I R S TA R T I N P L A N O . Story by Alyssa High MAYA MCCUTCHEON is a 2019 graduate of Plano East Senior High School. In high school, she played club soccer with FC Dallas, serving as team captain and winning the under-16 national championship in 2017. Shortly after, while in her sophomore year in our school district, she committed to the University of Oklahoma. From there, she transferred to West Virginia, then trained with Bay FC and North Carolina Courage. In 2024, she moved to New Zealand to play for A-League’s Wellington Phoenix. The following year, she returned to the Dallas area to play for Dallas Trinity in their second season and retired from the sport in June. HEZLY RIVERA moved to Plano in 2020 to train under Valeri Liukin at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) at 12 years old. After a successful junior gymnastics career, she made her debut at the 2024 Winter Cup, where she placed third all-around and tied for first on balance beam. After placing fifth all-around, first on balance beam, fourth in uneven bars and eighth in floor exercise at the Olympic Trials, she was selected to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Simone Biles. The team placed first, granting Rivera her first Olympic Gold. AMBER GLENN was born and raised in Plano, practicing at the Plano StarCenter with coaches affiliated with Dallas Figure Skating Club. She made her international debut at age 13 and skated in championships across the world as a junior competitor while struggling with her mental health and sexuality. In 2020, at the U.S. Championships, Glenn placed fourth shortly after coming out publicly as pansexual. In 2026, she was named to the Winter Olympic team, competing as the oldest U.S. women’s singles skater since 1928 and the first openly queer woman to represent the United States in Olympic figure skating. Glenn returned to Plano this year with an Olympic gold medal and a mayoral proclamation of May 28, 2026, as “Amber Glenn Day.”

P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Clockwise from the top: Hezly Rivera. Courtesy of Rotary Clubs of Plano Holiday Parades; Amber Glenn. Courtesy of City of Plano; Maya McCutcheon. Courtesy of Maya McCutcheon.

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P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Monsters among us

PLANO’S NEWEST MUSEUM CONTAINS A HAND-CRAFTED BIGFOOT, MOTHMAN AND OTHER CREATURES Story by Alyssa High | Photography by Lauren Allen

othman might be the most popular new Planoite. At the new North American Cryptid Museum, the red-eyed creature of West Virginia folklore has become such a favorite that the museum can barely keep Mothman merchandise on the shelves. “I had no idea this was a thing,” says Shannon Hopps, co-owner of Dark Hour Haunted House, where the museum is located. “I can’t keep Mothman in stock.” The Fresno Nightcrawler, a pair of ghostly white legs said to wander through California, comes in close second in popularity, followed by Bigfoot. The enthusiasm was somewhat unexpected for owners Allen and Shannon Hopps, who opened the museum on June 6 as a way to bring in revenue outside of the haunted house season. Just a few months later, the museum is already expanding.

“We wanted to have a full-time attraction,” Shannon says. Dark Hour operates primarily around Ha ll owe en and f or se lec t sea sona l events, while the museum gives visitors a reason to enter the Plano building throughout the year. The result combines a museum, immersive attraction and creature workshop. Visitors encounter life-size cryptids that are handmade in the haunted house’s workshop and paired with carefully researched folklore and reported sightings across North America. Mothman’s lore hails from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where the large, winged humanoid with glowing red eyes has expanded far past the state. The Fresno Nightcrawler is half-personsized and looks less like a monster and more like a pair of long white pants. The Melon Heads are decidedly less cute.

P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

According to the version of the Connecticut legend told at the museum, the creatures trace back to children with enlarged heads who lived in a secluded home along Sawmill Road. After a fire forced them into the surrounding woods, the story goes, sightings began of figures lurking beside the road and rummaging through nearby garbage. Whether the legend imagines their descendants or their ghosts depends on who’s telling it. Even Shannon has trouble with this one: “The Melon Heads creep me out,” she says. Why cryptids? “I think people need monsters. Wouldn’t it be depressing if there was nothing out there worse than people?” Allen said recently on the Horrorble podcast. Dark Hour operates its own production company and fabrication shop, where its artists create all of the creatures, sets and

Left: Allen, along with the rest of the fabrication team, work behind the scenes to hand craft every cryptid, monster and costume used in Dark Hour and The North American Cryptid Museum. Right: The Fresno Nightcrawler and the Squonk are two popular cryptids originating from California and Pennsylvania, respectively.

props used in the haunted house and museum. The team also operates a monster-making school, which began offering classes in 2017. “All the exhibits and everything that you see, we make in-house,” Shannon says. “When we make it in-house, it’s a very unique look.” Allen is the operation’s primary designer and monster maker, the “genius” behind the haunted house, she says. Visitors can explore on their own ($16) or take a guided tour ($23) with museum employees dressed as rangers, who explain the legends and lore behind each of the museum’s creatures. Some guests even suggest creatures from their own hometowns and regions. “People who aren’t from Texas are like, ‘I grew up in Santa Cruz. I’m from Maryland,’ and they get super excited, like seeing a friend,” Shannon says. “‘That’s a Jersey Devil. I’ve seen it. I used to live up north.’” One of the biggest surprises, they say, has been hearing from people who believe they have encountered the creatures themselves, with one going so far as to email recordings of strange noises heard outside their homes. “People who have seen things want to be heard,” she says. “They have a desperate need to be heard. And we didn’t expect that either.” And with each visitor suggestion,

the Hoppses are taking notes. Part of an upcoming expansion includes an alien section and the viral raccoon named Jimothy. The alien exhibit will even include a cow rising into the air. “It’s putting a little humor in there because people are going, ‘Oh my God, this is intense,’ and then there goes the cow,” she says. The humor of it all distinguishes the museum from the next-door haunted house. Dark Hour is designed to scare people. The museum is more family-friendly and “fright-free.” “We have a lot of kids who end up coming to us, which surprised me,” she says. “It’s very important, while this is dark and it’s intense, that it is accessible to kids and families.” In the future, a “dark zone” will eventually give the museum somewhere to place its more intense creatures and displays that families or more sensitive viewers can skip. The museum isn’t designed to be stuffy and stagnant. In addition to the incoming additions, the museum also hosts events like Cryptids and Cocktails, a lecture series with a fully catered dinner, a cash bar and a presentation by cryptozoologists. And Dark Hour Haunted House isn’t going anywhere. The haunted house will be open on select nights from Sept. 19 to Nov. 13. The North American Cryptid Museum is open Thursday through Sunday at 701 Taylor Drive.

LEADING LADIES WHETHER IN MUSIC, EDUCATION OR NONPROFITS, THESE PLANOITES EXEMPLIFY SERVICE LEADERSHIP

Story by Alyssa High Photography by Kathy Tran

JANIE OLIVER

anie Oliver, 83, has been involved in music as long as she can remember. She had an extensive career at Park Cities Baptist Church coordinating 14 children’s choirs, three

It makes no distinction between those that make the

handbell choirs, producing and directing the Christmas

and joy remain the same.

and Easter Pageants, serving as director for the older children’s carol choir, ladies ensemble, senior adult singers, and assistant director for the adult sanctuary choir. Then, she started The Children’s Chorus of Collin County, which just celebrated 20 years. The chorus practices at Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano. LET’S START WITH WHAT GOT YOU INTO MUSIC AS A WHOLE. WAS IT A CHILDHOOD INSPIRATION? HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE COURSES? My mother liked telling people that I sang before I talked. I’m guessing it was just “cooing,” but I love that she thought it was a song. I came from a musical family. My grandfather was a teacher of Southern

music. It is all-inclusive. A challenged child can sing just as beautifully as the child that excels at everything. The children and the music may change, but singing

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT OR MOMENT WITH THE CHOIR/STUDENTS? Every weekly rehearsal is full of joy and gratitude. All those beautiful young voices singing together in unison or in harmony is a wonderful thing. The Chorus has been invited to perform in several outstanding venues, such as England’s Canterbury Cathedral and New York’s Carnegie Hall. My proudest moment was when The Chorus was invited to present a stand-alone concert in Carnegie Hall with The Children’s Chorus of Collin County. We performed there four times through the years, partici-

Sacred Harp music. My whole family went to “singings”

pating in mass choir productions, but it was very special

all my life, so I learned early to sing the songs. When I was 6 years old, my father stood me up on a table

to be invited to perform a solo concert on their own

and I directed my first “choir” as they sang my favorite

in-a-lifetime experience for me, the singers and the

song, The Golden Harp. I sang all my life in my church, Brooks Chapel, and when I was around 10, I got a group of kids from the church together, taught them a song, and directed them in a church service. I really liked it, so I just kept doing it. There was someone special in my life that

families. The performance was wonderful in every way.

secured a piano for me, paid for my piano lessons and later on, my voice lessons. “Miss Sarah” was a special person and set me on my path. Music has always been an important part of my life.

in this prestigious performance center. It was a once-

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT THOSE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR TO KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF OR THE CHORUS? I love children. I love teaching, mentoring, directing and making music with them. I love the concerts and love seeing them shine. I love keeping up with them after they graduate and move away. I love that so many of them still have music in their lives as a part of who they are. Some of my former students have been

WHAT WAS YOUR CAREER LIKE BEFORE THE CHILDREN’S CHORUS OF COLLIN COUNTY? I taught public school music in Dallas for five years and loved it. My family were members of the choir at Park Cities Baptist Church and one summer, I helped out in the

on Broadway and other prestigious theater groups. Some are songwriters and performers, music teachers and choir directors. One of my early Chorus members sings with the Singing Men of Texas. Many of them are all grown up with children of their own. My plan is to stay at least until one of those children joins my Chorus!

office. I liked it so much that I decided to stay. I served

Music has been a big part of my life, and I am very

as associate minister of worship and music at Park Cities

grateful for the experiences it has brought. I have had

Baptist Church in Dallas for 30 years. After I retired, I missed having a choir to direct, so my friend Russ Porter and I started another one and called it The Children’s Chorus of Collin County. One of the best decisions of my life.

the privilege of conducting seminars and workshops for

YOU’VE BEEN RUNNING THE CHILDREN’S CHORUS FOR TWO DECADES NOW. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED OVER TIME? HOW HAS THE CHOIR CHANGED? I’ve learned that music is something that every person needs in their life. It expresses all kinds of feelings. It can offer such joy – the words, that special beauty of that last chord. It can soothe you on a sad day, and

choirs and choir leaders throughout the United States and have also directed choirs in England, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Hawaii, Nassau and Canada. I have also enjoyed a career in singing, speaking, writing and teaching. I am a published author and composer and continue to speak and entertain for women’s groups, retreats and conventions. Outside of conducting, I am best known for my “Hat Shows,” which consist of a musical presentation on the history of hats. This includes hats from my acquired collection of over 100 hats, with songs that represent

make you laugh on a happy day. It can challenge you

each period of their popularity.

to do something difficult, and surprise you with how much you love it. Music is truly a universal language.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

ASHLEE HAPPY

n one Haggard Middle School classroom, history comes to life. Eighth-grade teacher Ash-

lee Happy can be found throughout the year adorned in the costumes of the subjects she’s teaching about — and she isn’t afraid of a George Washington-style wig. This year, Happy was a recipient of the Teaching America250 Award, one of only 51 educators to do so and the only recipient from Texas. The award came with a $5,000 grant to develop a new classroom experience. Since then, she’s continued to collect new accolades and experiences to bring back to her classroom this school year. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME AN EDUCATOR? I’m a military brat, so moving was just part of life. My dad was a Marine before he became a history professor, so we lived all over. By the time I graduated high school, I had gone to 13 different schools. Because we moved so much, I honestly don’t remember any of my teachers. None of them left that lasting impact that made me think, “I want to be a teacher.” I also struggled with really bad test anxiety, and no one ever noticed or tried to help me. I had to figure out how to overcome that on my own. I used to be terrified of speaking in front of people. During my first year of college, I had to give a presentation, and I was so scared that I dropped out. My parents gave me a choice: go out on my own and get a job or join the military. I was scared to do it by myself, so I signed up for the Air Force. I wasn’t in long, and I got pregnant. My ex worked in the oil field, so he was never home. While I was raising my son by myself, I went back to school and finally decided teaching is what I wanted to do. I had always loved kids, especially the littles, so I was going to be a kindergarten teacher. WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO PLANO ISD? I ended up in Abilene because that’s where I was stationed while I was in the Air Force. I got pregnant with my son and ended up staying for 17 years even though I didn’t have family or many friends there. Years

later, when life got difficult and I needed more support raising my son, I decided to move to Plano to be closer to my best friend and her family. They became the support system we needed. She lived in Plano, so I applied there and got the job. YOU RECENTLY WERE A RECIPIENT OF THE TEACHING AMERICA250 AWARD. WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE? I was completely shocked. I remember reading the email over and over because I thought there had to be a mistake. To find out I had been chosen as the Texas recipient for the Jack Miller Center America250 Award was such an incredible honor. There are so many amazing history teachers in this state, so to be recognized like that was something I’ll never forget. THE AWARD COMES WITH A $5,000 GRANT TO CREATE A PROJECT TO ENGAGE STUDENTS WITH THE HISTORY OF AMERICA’S FOUNDING. DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR WHAT YOU’LL DO WITH THAT? My plan is to create a “Night at the Revolution Museum.” My students will research people, documents and artifacts from the American Revolution using primary sources and then transform the classroom into a living museum for families and the community. I also want to celebrate America’s 250th birthday by helping students connect with the Declaration of Independence and our founding principles in a way that feels real. I don’t want history to just be something they read in a textbook. I want them to experience it. Each student will find an unsung hero that they will do a biography and portrait on. This will be the living museum part where they will dress up and talk about their hero. We will have birthday cake to celebrate America’s birthday. And then the community piece will be each family creating their own declaration. They will choose the words that fit for their family. They will sign their name with quill and ink, and all of these declarations will be put together in kind of a mosaic that will be displayed in the building. YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU’VE WON ANOTHER AWARD RECENTLY. CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT THAT? This year has been unbelievable. I received the Tom and Betty Lawrence American History Teacher Award from the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). I was first selected as the Texas winner and then found out I had also been chosen as the National Middle School Teacher of the Year. Those awards gave me the opportunity to attend the SAR Annual Conference and participate in the call to papers, where historians presented research papers that will eventually become a book. We were asking questions, discussing ideas and giving feedback. It was exciting to be part of those conversations and then bring everything I learned back to my students. YOU ALSO RECENTLY WENT ON A MONTHLONG TEACHER INSTITUTE TOUR. WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE? I still can’t believe everything I got to do this summer. I started with Founding Forward, traveling through the

South and visiting Revolutionary War battlefields. Then I went to Washington, D.C., for the Sphere Summit, where we focused on civil discourse. One of the most unforgettable moments of my life was eating dinner in the Rotunda of the National Archives while looking at the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That’s something I’ll never forget. After that, I started my master’s degree in American History and Government at Ashland University after receiving a Buchwald Fellowship through Teaching American History. Then I spent a week in Philadelphia with the National Constitution Center studying landmark Supreme Court cases. I also took students to Puerto Rico through EF Explore America Tours this summer. Every spring break, I take students on educational history trips because I believe some of the best learning happens when students get to experience history for themselves. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? This year has been filled with opportunities that I never imagined would happen. I received the Good Citizenship Medal from the Plano Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, along with a resolution from the State of Texas and State Rep. Mihaela Plesa recognizing my work as an educator. I mentioned at the beginning that I was going to be a kindergarten teacher. Well, my first year they put me in a history class, which is crazy because I hated history. My dad was the history teacher. However, in October that first year I was teaching about the Boston Massacre, and I had just turned my classroom into a crime scene and at some point during that day, it hit me that I had in a short amount of time grown to love history and not the names and the dates or the facts, but the stories that they told and the way that I could tell those stories to engage with my students. It would’ve been amazing if I could’ve called my dad up and said, “Can you believe this?” But he had passed away the year before while I was student teaching. He never got to see me become a teacher. He never got to see me fall in love with history. Looking back, I sometimes wonder if my dad would just be up there laughing, thinking, “History, really?” Every award I’ve received, and every opportunity I’ve had, makes me think of him because I truly believe he should have been the one standing on those stages. He was an incredible teacher, and if I’m honest, I think every one of these awards belongs to him as much as they do to me. I just get to carry on what he started. More than anything, I wanted to become the teacher I never had. I wanted to be someone my students would remember, someone who saw them, believed in them and maybe changed the direction of their life a little. If I can inspire my students the way he inspired his, then I’ve done what I set out to do. That’s the legacy I want to continue, and that’s what keeps me excited to come back into the classroom every single day. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

QC STONE

ong before Quỳnh Châu “QC” Stone became the cofounder and CEO of The Source of Hope, her career had already taken her through several distinct chapters. Stone has worked across business, beauty and wellness, building a professional life that often centered on entrepreneurship and service. Those experiences eventually converged in The Source of Hope, the Plano-based nonprofit she cofounded to provide food, education, workforce support and other resources to people in need. Now, alongside The Source of Hope, Stone hosts The QC Show on Radio Saigon 1160 AM, where she talks real estate, education, holistic health and wellness, entrepreneurship, outdoor education and community resources. And she runs Stone International Wellness Center, which uses Eastern and Western modalities to treat chronic health conditions. “This work has made me m o r e g r a t e f u l , m o r e h u mble and more aware of how deeply we need one another. Leadership is not about recognition. It is about showing up and continuing to serve, even when the work is difficult or unseen,” she says. TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. I w e a r m a n y t i t l e s : m o t h e r, educator, entrepreneur, welln e s s a dv o c a t e , me dia host and cofounder and president of The Source of Hope. For more than two decades, I h a v e w o r k e d a c ro s s h e a l t h and wellness, education, b u s in e s s de v e lo p me nt, media and community service. I have helped establish thousands of salons, spas and medical spas, and through The QC Show, I have shared re s o u rc e s a n d e n c o u r a g e d entrepreneurship, healthy liv-

ing and civic engagement within the Vietnamese American community. Of all the titles I have been given, the one closest to my heart is servant. My life has taught me that success is not measured only by what we accomplish for ourselves. It is measured by how many people we encourage, teach, mentor and help move forward. Education has always been part of that purpose, because knowledge and opportunity can change not only one life, but an entire family’s future. TELL US ABOUT THE SOURCE OF HOPE. The Source of Hope is a Plano-based nonprofit serving vulnerable individuals and families throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Our work addresses food insecurity, education, wellness, professional develo p m e n t a n d t h e b a r r i e r s t h a t k e e p p e o p l e f ro m moving forward. Through our food programs, we prepare and distribute thousands of meals each month and partner with other organizations to share groceries and essential supplies with families in need. Education for Hope is central to our mission. We provide virtual tutoring for middle and high school students in subjects like English, algebra and geometry, along with preparation for STAAR, SAT and AP exams. Our literacy and mentoring efforts help students build the reading, writing and communication skills they need to succeed. We also offer scholarships, student shadowing opportunities, Federal Work Study positions with The University of Texas at Dallas and hands-on experience through our Emerging Professionals Program. Our goal is never only to meet an immediate need. It is to help each person feel seen, supported and equipped for a stronger future. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO COFOUND THE SOURCE OF HOPE? My husband, Wesley, and I cofounded The Source of Hope because we saw too many people struggling quietly with hunger, homelessness, health concerns and a lack of opportunity. Many of them did not simply need food or financial help. They needed someone to look past their circumstances and see their potential. We wanted to build something that would serve people with dignity while also helping them build a stronger future. That is why education became such a vital part of our mission. A meal can carry someone through today, but education, mentorship and encouragement can change the direction of tomorrow. The Source of Hope was built from faith, compassion and the belief that hope must become action. Sometimes hope looks like a warm meal. Other times, it looks like a scholarship, a tutor, a mentor or someone willing to open a door that once seemed permanently closed. WHAT FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD SHAPES THE WAY YOU APPROACH THIS WORK?

My childhood shaped everything about the way I serve. I experienced tremendous trauma and loss growing up in Vietnam. At only 12 years old, I escaped the country with my four brothers. For 13 harrowing days, we were adrift at sea, not knowing if we would survive, not knowing if we would ever see our family again. My brother and I were finally rescued and taken to a refugee camp in Malaysia. With the help of faith organizations and strangers who owed us nothing, I was eventually reunited with my father in the United States. That experience taught me what it feels like to be afraid, to be uncertain and to depend entirely on the kindness of people you have never met. It also taught me that a single act of compassion can change the entire direction of a life. Because of what I survived, I never overlook the underdog. I do not judge people by their most difficult chapter, because I know what it is to live inside one. The people who helped me could not have known everything I would one day accomplish, but they chose to believe my life was worth saving anyway. Through The Source of Hope, I try to extend that same belief to others. HOW HAS THE ORGANIZATION EVOLVED SINCE ITS FOUNDING? We began by responding to immediate needs, especially hunger. We prepared meals, collected groceries and served people who did not know where their next meal was coming from. As we listened more closely to the families we served, we learned that hunger is rarely an isolated problem. It is tangled up with unemployment, health struggles, interrupted education and a lack of supportive relationships. That understanding pushed us toward a more holistic mission, one that includes wellness, mentoring, scholarships, tutoring and professional development. Our Beauty of Education Scholarship Program, created in 2013, supports students pursuing cosmetology education. In 2018, we established the Hope Scholarship Program to help individuals advance their education, career, health or overall well-being. What began as a small effort to provide meals has grown into a network of programs built to nourish both the body and the future. CAN YOU SHARE A STORY ABOUT SOMEONE IMPACTED BY YOUR WORK? Some of our most meaningful stories come from students who enter our programs unsure of themselves. Many arrive with academic knowledge, but little professional experience. Some have never had a mentor or been trusted with real responsibility. Through our Emerging Professionals Program, they contribute in areas like accounting, communications, outreach and program development. Over time, we watch a transformation take place. A student who once hesitated to speak begins leading a meeting.

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Someone uncertain about their future discovers a strength they did not know they had. We have also watched people who once came to us for help return later to volunteer. Those moments move me deeply, because they remind us that people do not want to be defined by what they lack. They want the chance to contribute, to belong and to know they still have something valuable to offer the world. WHY IS PLANO AN IMPORTANT PLACE FOR THE SOURCE OF HOPE? Plano is our home. It is where our family has grown, where we built our businesses, and where our strongest community relationships began. Plano i s k n o w n f o r e d u c a t i o n , i n n o v a t i o n a n d s t ro n g community leadership, home to talented students, professionals and families with knowledge and resources to share. At the same time, hardship is not always visible, even in a thriving community. Students may n e e d t u t o r in g . F a milie s ma y f a c e f o o d insecurity. Young adults may struggle to find their first real opportunity. Plano allows us to connect the strengths of our community with the needs of people throughout North Texas. A strong city is not measured only by economic growth. It is measured by how willing its people are to invest in the dignity and future of others. WHAT ROLE CAN LOCAL RESIDENTS PLAY IN HELPING YOU SUCCEED? Local residents are essential to everything we do. T h e y c a n v o l u n t e e r, p re p a re a n d s e r v e m e a l s , mentor students, provide tutoring, or share their professional expertise with young people hungry for guidance. Businesses can sponsor scholarships, donate technology, provide speakers or support paid learning opportunities. Attracting corporate partners and donors is one of our most urgent priorities right now. Individual generosity has carried us this far, but it cannot carry us into the future alone. Corporate support is what allows us to expand our reach, sustain our programs year-round, and serve far more families and students than individual giving could ever make possible on its own. We need companies in Plano and across North Texas to see The Source of Hope not as a one-time gesture, but as a longterm investment in the future of this community. Everyone has something valuable to give. A few hours of guidance may help a student pass an exam. A single introduction may lead to a career. A scholarship may allow someone to continue an education they were preparing to abandon. Small acts create lifelong impact. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

E D U C AT I O N G U I D E

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Won’t you be my neighbor? JOANIE MCLAUGHLIN BUILT AN IN-HOME SOURDOUGH BUSINESS THAT DRAWS CROWDS Story by Alyssa High | Photography by Justin Schwartz

Each weekend, Joanie McLaughlin puts out sourdough loaves, cinnamon rolls and other cookies and treats on her pinkified shelves and cooler for neighbors and porch bakery fans to pick up.

hat began as a hobby shared with friends and neighbors has grown into a neighborhood business for Joanie McLaughlin, the baker behind The Neighbor’s Loaf. The preorder-based microbakery specializes in handmade sourdough, focaccia and other baked goods, with weekly menus that change based on new ideas, seasonal ingredients and customer favorites. But before The Neighbor’s Loaf, McLaughlin spent a decade in a field far removed from baking. “I spent about 10 years working at a brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation facility,” she says. “It was incredibly meaningful work and taught me so much about patience, compassion, resilience and caring for people during some of the most difficult times in their lives.” She later moved into catering, where food became a new way to care for people. “I loved creating food for people and seeing how food could make an occasion feel special,” she says. Eventually, that interest narrowed to baking, especially sourdough. Unlike breads made with commercial yeast, sourdough relies on a fermented starter that must be regularly fed and

maintained. The process requires bakers to pay attention to fermentation, temperature, timing and the behavior of the dough, all things that initially drew her to it. “There is so much more to it than simply following a recipe,” she says. “There is a whole process of feeding a starter, understanding fermentation, working with the dough and learning how small changes can completely affect the final loaf.” She began baking for her family before sharing her creations with friends and neighbors. As more people tried the bread, word spread. “I didn’t start The Neighbor’s Loaf with a big business plan or a storefront,” she says. “It started very small, right in my own neighborhood.” Turning that hobby into a business meant learning how to produce bigger batches of bread, navigating regulations and registration, packaging and pricing. “I think that’s one of the most important lessons I’ve learned: you have to be willing to change your plan when circumstances change,” she says. Much of The Neighbor’s Loaf’s growth has happened the same way it started: one neighbor telling another. Social media serves as the bakery’s menu board, where customers can see what is available each week and find ordering information. But personal recommendations have been particularly important. “Someone will try something, love it and then tell someone else,” she says. “Suddenly that person becomes a customer, and then they bring someone else along.” The bakery’s classic sourdough boule (a round loaf) and batard (a football-shaped loaf) remain staples, along with sandwich loaves. Jalapeño cheddar sourdough ($10) and sourdough brownies ($10 and up for an 8x8 pan) are also among its best sellers. Focaccia ($12), meanwhile, has given the baker room to experiment. Its adaptable base can be paired with different

flavors, toppings and seasonal ingredients, allowing the weekly offerings to change. Some experiments have earned permanent or recurring spots on the menu. Others have taught her that a successful recipe doesn’t necessarily make a successful bakery product. “I’ve tried products that I was convinced would be huge sellers that ultimately didn’t become permanent menu items,” she says. “I’ve also learned that just because something is delicious doesn’t necessarily mean it makes sense for a small-batch bakery from a production or business standpoint.” The Neighbor’s Loaf remains a preorder operation rather than a traditional walk-in bakery. Customers find the weekly menu on social media and place orders primarily through Facebook or text during designated preorder times. Orders are then prepared for scheduled pickup. The model allows her to control how much she produces and keep batches small. “Keeping it small and intentional is important to me,” she says. “I want everything that leaves my kitchen to be something I’m proud to put my name on.” Even the business’s name reflects the scale she hopes to maintain. “The name ‘The Neighbor’s Loaf’ was intentional,” she says. “I love the idea of being the neighborhood baker and the person you can come to when you need a beautiful loaf of bread for dinner, something special to bring to a gathering, or just want to treat yourself.” For a business built largely through recommendations, those neighborhood connections have become as central to The Neighbor’s Loaf as the bread itself. “I’m not just selling bread,” she says. “I’m creating food that becomes part of someone’s table, someone’s gathering or someone’s memory.”

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