“Everybody is put on this earth for a reason and my reason is to help others and help kids.”

That’s the outlook of 35-year-old Jennifer McCoy, the chief of Community Connections of Central Texas.

“I started out in mental health and I’ve been with Center for Life Resources, the local mental health authority, for just over 11 years,” she said. “In 2018 Family Services closed and our amazing CEO Dion White met with the people with Family Services Center and we absorbed all their services and staff. In 2019, I took that over so I’m over the community outreach side.”

Among the programs McCoy oversees at Community Connections of Central Texas are:

• Adult Anger Management
• Turtle Magic Class, an anger management class for kids ages 3-6
• Manage Your Anger For Children, anger management for kids 6-12
• Teen Anger Management Education, for kids ages 12-17
• Parents Forever, for anyone going through divorce or a custody battle
• Nurturing Parenting Class, for any parents who need additional parenting skills
• Children of Divorce, in depth for anyone who has parents going through a divorce or custody battle
• Supervised Visitation, supervised visits for the community
• Inspiring Hope Child Care, a daycare for Center for Life Resources and Brownwood ISD staff
• Child Care Program, for those taking part in the services that need daycare

Regarding the decision behind her career path, McCoy said, “Growing up my parents were foster parents and because of that I have 12 lovely brothers and sisters that range from the age of 2 to 37. Just seeing the battles one of my brothers went through made me want to help kids. I went to school and got a degree from Tarleton State University, a Bachelor’s in Psychology. Then I went back to Tarleton and got my Master’s of Education in Counseling.”

Jennifer and her husband Jerad, who have been married for 13 years, have six foster children ages 4 through 10.

“They’re all in softball and baseball, two play travel ball, five are in gymnastics, two are in All-Star Cheer, and six are in soccer,” she said. “I also coach them with my husband. We coach them in anything and everything they want to do.”

McCoy also finds time to serve with a number of local organizations.

“I’m the co-chair of our local CRCG – Community Resource Coordination Group,” she said. “Anybody that’s having a hard time in the community, we can staff that. I’m also our leader for our CIA meetings, which is Community Inter Agencies, which is how other agencies come together and see how we can best help our community and help each organization. I’ve also been on the Brown County Child Welfare Board for six years and I’m the secretary on that board.”

Regarding the most rewarding part of her work, both in terms of her career and as a volunteer, McCoy said, “Being able to make a difference in one person’s life. If I have done that then I have achieved everything to me. That’s the most rewarding, especially the little kids, being able to work with them and help them work through things that they’ve been struggling with.”