The Tracy Community Connections Center 2025 annual report is now available to read below. We’re very proud of the work we achieved in the last year, including the 219% increase in services delivered which indicates of how vital our role is in supporting the community.
Tracy Community Connections Center is excited to share our appreciation for the generous support of our local Texas Roadhouse restaurant. Their manager recently reached out with an offer to donate leftover food on a weekly basis, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Thanks to their kindness, our clients have already enjoyed hearty, delicious meals including corn, mashed potatoes, chili, and green beans.
These donations make a real difference for the individuals we serve. Debbie, our Director of Shower and Laundry Programs, ensures the food is distributed to clients at our shower program, giving people a warm meal along with the hygiene services and support they receive. It’s a simple act of generosity that brings comfort, nourishment, and dignity to those who need it most.
Community partnerships like this remind us how much good can happen when local businesses step up to help their neighbors. Thank you, Texas Roadhouse in Tracy, for being part of the TCCC family and helping us care for our community!
At Tracy Community Connections Center, our work is powered by people who truly care about making life better for others. One of those people is John Mello, a dedicated Case Manager for our new Transitional Rent Program in Stanislaus County. John brings experience, compassion, and heart to everything he does.
John joined TCCC with extensive hands-on experience working with vulnerable populations. Over the years, he has built a career focused on uplifting underserved communities and improving quality of life in challenging urban environments. That background makes him a natural fit for the mission of TCCC, helping people move from crisis to stability with dignity and support.
When asked what inspired him to join the organization, John gives credit to our Director of Programs, Shiree McCarty-Hopkins. Her encouragement and leadership played a big role in bringing him onto the team.
What keeps John here is simple: the shared passion for helping others.
“What I love most about being part of TCCC is the passion to want to help the community,” he explains. “Everyone here truly cares about the people we serve.”
That commitment shows up every day in the way John works with clients. Whether he’s helping someone navigate housing challenges, connect with resources, or take the next step toward stability, he approaches each situation with patience, understanding, and a genuine desire to make a difference.
John wishes more people understood just how much effort goes on behind the scenes.
“I wish people knew how hard we work to provide services,” he says. The TCCC team spends countless hours coordinating care, solving problems, and walking alongside clients through difficult circumstances. It is work that often goes unnoticed but changes lives every day.
If John had to describe himself in three words, he chooses: Helpful, Fun, and Experienced – a combination that perfectly captures his approach. He brings knowledge and professionalism to his role, but never loses his sense of humor or warmth.
Outside of work, John has plenty of interests that keep life exciting. A fun fact many people don’t know about him? He loves officiating sports. Staying involved in athletics is one of the ways he connects with his community and enjoys his free time.
Asked who he’d want to have dinner with, John doesn’t hesitate: “Derek Jeter – he played for the NY Yankees.” Like many lifelong sports fans, John admires Jeter’s leadership, dedication, and professionalism.
When he’s not at TCCC, John’s favorite way to spend a day off is simple and meaningful – time with his grandbabies. Family is clearly at the center of his life, and those moments recharge him for the important work he does.
And if you ever run into him around town, there’s a good chance you might spot him at one of his favorite local places: Market Square Café right here in Tracy.
John Mello represents the heart of TCCC. We are experienced professionals who show up with compassion, humor, and a deep commitment to serving others. We’re grateful to have him on our team and excited to see the continued impact he’ll make in the lives of our clients and community.
Thank you, John, for all that you do!
Every week, Tracy Community Connections Center receives a generous donation of food from McDonald’s, offering support that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of the people we serve. For the past couple of years, these food donations have helped us offer consistent meals and snacks to our shower and laundry clients. But as the program grew, sorting the food became a bigger job than our staff could manage alone.
That’s where Redemption Road Church stepped in. In recent months, their team has graciously allowed us to use their kitchen as a sorting space, creating a welcoming hub where volunteers and TCCC staff work side-by-side to organize the weekly donations. This partnership has transformed the process into an accessible and impactful volunteer opportunity, giving more community members a hands-on way to help.
The sorted food is then served at our Tuesday/Thursday laundry program, also located at Redemption Road Church, with any extras delivered to our Monday/Wednesday/Friday shower program at New Heart Church. Thanks to McDonald’s, Redemption Road Church, and our dedicated volunteers, our clients can count on having something to eat when they come for these services.
We’re deeply grateful for this ongoing partnership and the community spirit behind it. If you’d like to get involved in food sorting or volunteer with TCCC, we’d love to welcome you. Get in touch!
We’re excited to share that Tracy Community Connections Center is launching a new Transitional Rent Program in Stanislaus County. While TCCC has long served individuals and families in Tracy and San Joaquin County, this specific program will be offered exclusively in Stanislaus County using the partnerships we have fostered in the area. The program will support unhoused individuals in Modesto and everywhere else it’s needed in the county.
The Transitional Rent Program is being launched as a contracted provider through Health Plan of San Joaquin and Health Net, in partnership with the Stanislaus County Behavioral Health Department. This program is part of the CalAIM initiative, which established Community Supports as a required Medi-Cal benefit to address social drivers of health, like homelessness, that directly impact long-term wellbeing. We will also be collaborating closely with Turning Point, a local organization with deep experience serving individuals with complex needs in Stanislaus County.
At its core, the Transitional Rent Program is designed to offer a time-limited bridge out of homelessness. For individuals who qualify, TCCC will provide up to six months of rental assistance, paired with intensive case management. While this program is not intended to serve as a permanent housing subsidy, it creates critical stability and gives participants the time and support they need to secure income, address health or behavioral health needs, and move toward permanent housing solutions.
The program will be led by John Mello, TCCC’s new Case Manager, who will oversee client enrollment, landlord coordination, and individualized support plans. Through this work, we aim to help participants exit homelessness with dignity and a realistic path forward.
We’re proud to bring this new service to Stanislaus County and to partner with organizations that share our commitment to housing stability and community health. As this program gets underway, we look forward to sharing more updates and impact stories from the field.
