Plano

Plano sits north of Dallas in affluent Collin County, a city of gleaming corporate campuses, quiet suburban neighborhoods, and a reputation for wealth that can make hardship here feel invisible and isolating. The average household income runs around $115,000, one of the highest in Texas, which means resources exist but poverty often goes unseen by neighbors who assume it doesn't exist. Collin County's point-in-time count identified 260 people experiencing homelessness in 2023, a number advocates say undercounts the reality of people doubled up or sleeping in cars across the area. Still, help is here: Minnie's Food Pantry has fed families in Plano for years and won't turn you away, Plano Community Homeless Kitchen serves hot meals with dignity, and Christian Community Action offers shelter, case management, and a path toward stability for those willing to walk it. The city's police department also runs a homeless outreach team that connects people to services rather than just moving them along. Plano can feel like a place built for people with more, but there are hands here willing to help you find footing. You are not invisible, and you are not alone in this — keep going, one day at a time.