Kristi Hassett | How to Get Involved in the Community
On this week’s episode of Around Flower Mound, we speak with Kristi Hassett. Kristi has been a Lewisville ISD Trustee since 2014 and has lived within the district for 41 years. She also organized 100 Women Who Care, an organization that supports nonprofits, and is an active part of Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment, in addition to being a self-employed grant writer.
She and her husband, a local business attorney, have three boys, the youngest of whom is now a senior at Flower Mound High School.
We chat about what Kristi loves about Flower Mound, as well as:
Fighting for the students of Flower Mound
What TAMSA advocates for
How COVID has impacted the education budget
Getting involved in the 100 Women Who Care organization
Ways for anyone to serve within the community
And more…
Mentioned in this episode:
Kristi’s email address: hassettfive@verizon.net
Kristi’s cell phone: 214-707-6391
Transcript
Voiceover: You're listening to the Around Flower Mound podcast with your host Nicole Smith Woodard.
Nicole Smith Woodard: Today I am so excited to introduce you to an absolutely fantastic Flower Mound resident. As you know Around Flower Mound is all about bringing light to community leaders, business owners, parents and charities within our fantastic community. We in Flower Mound are so blessed to have a neighbor and fellow resident who gives us her time and expertise to the benefit of all of us through our children and so many others here in Flower Mound. Welcome my friend, Kristi Hassett.
Kristi Hassett: Thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity to be on your podcast.
Nicole: Well, I'm excited too I know that as busy as you are. This has taken us a little bit of time so I value it tremendously and I look forward to jumping into the content so I am so grateful to have been introduced to Kristi by her husband Mike Hassett who is a successful business attorney I met through the Flower Mound Chamber. So when he and I sat down for coffee he said you have got to meet my wife and I already knew of Kristi through her involvement as a Lewisville ISD trustee since 2014. But here's something that makes Kristi super special. She has lived within LISD for 41 years. She went to Timber Creek Elementary, Milliken Middle, Marcus and earned a BBA from UNT. She met her husband at Marcus, they have three boys. Two are in college and the youngest is a senior at Flower Mound High School. So that makes you really special. There aren't too many people that have been around the area that long.
Kristi: Yeah, yes, I love this area. When I started raising our kids in this area. We did start looking around at housing around different parts of the Metroplex because my husband works in Arlington, but we love this area so much. I love the school district and we decided to stay and continue to raise our kids in the area.
Nicole: I love that. Well, here are some of Kristi's other involvements. She organized 100 Women Who Care, an organization that supports nonprofit we're going to talk about that. The Young Mens Service League, she's on the board of directors of that, as well as the Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment. And in her spare time, haha, Kristi is a self employed grant writer, you are busy. Oh, my goodness. I love it. We were talking before we started the recording just from a time management perspective, I'm really curious to know how you prioritize that the things the events that the projects that you're that you are most passionate about.
Kristi: It's really based upon the urgent need in that week. It depends upon whether I've got a 100 women meeting coming up or with TAMSA if we have an upcoming bill during legislative sessions that we're tracking and we're trying to get parents involved with. So usually it just depends upon what's happening that week and just trying to make sure I stay focused. Because sometimes I can get a little squirrely and start going to a different organization and lose track of what I was supposed to be doing that week. They're really just trying to refocus and and focus on whatever the need is.
Nicole: I love when you say squirrely. I am queen of squirrel chasing so I totally get that. So what so what is your favorite thing about Flower Mound?
Kristi: I love the community that the Flower Mound brings I love the neighbors that are here. And I love the schools. Of course I love the schools that are here. I love the servant's heart that I see in so many different people within the community, trying to make sure that we are raising our own children to be servant heart minded, as well as just pouring back into the community that has given us so much.
Nicole: I love that. So there is so much to talk about even right in that sentence Kristi so obviously, I mean, I believe we see another's within our own heart and certainly a servant heart describes you well. So let's start with your being a trustee at Lewisville ISD since 2014. What made you want to run for this position initially and what types of things are you and your fellow trustees able to accomplish within our school district?
Kristi: When I first started with my kids being young I started in PTA because I wanted to make sure I was active involved with their school. And then I started as I continued to grow older started understanding the impact that our school district as well as our state and our feds have on the education of our children. So I originally started off being a mama who would want marched down to Austin to give them my two cents on what was happening with particularly testing with our children. Back in 2013. I realized I really really liked policy and I enjoy it very much. And so I decided to run for the Board of Trustees because it's very policy driven.
And I really think what we can do as a trustee, as a group of Trustees, because as a single trustee, I don't have any power. But the group of Trustees, first of all, is very strong with the culture of the district. So we try to lead by example of what we would like the district to accomplish, what we think our kids can accomplish in the district. And we make policies that the district will follow to make sure that we can have each one of our children succeed far beyond the levels that they were originally thinking they could.
Nicole: That's awesome. I definitely see evidence of that in our school district, so proud to be part of that. The other thing that I see you, as far as you know, your posts on social media, as far as just being very informative and educational, is as a board member of the Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessments, which is TAMSA, what does this organization advocate for? And what does it really mean to our children and to our schools?
Kristi: Well, this definitely where I started advocating was about testing. Way back in the day when it started, the one of the papers, coined the phrase, Mom's Against Drunk Testing for this group. And back in 2013, actually, our senior our high school students were required to take 15, 1-5 EOC's, and so the mamas around the state got together and got involved and change that. And now we have only five EOC's around the state.
But really, and truly what I think TAMSA brings to the table, especially as I've been at the Capitol, and I've met a lot of advocates and lobbying groups, the groups that are out there, really, and truly, they will look at overarching policy in the system, how do they How do they change the system better for education? What TAMSA does in particular, and not a whole lot of other groups do strongly is advocate for our students? How do we make education better for our students, as well as the system itself, but primarily for our students? And one of those main reasons is, how do we reduce the impact of state testing on our students, so that they can enjoy education that's not test driven.
Nicole: That's a big job. Right?
Kristi: Very. It's a big job, because there's not a whole lot of other health and participation at student level?
Nicole: Well, and I know we're recording this in the time of COVID. My hope is that it's, you know, in the not too distant future that that this will just be a little blip, you know, on the screen of our memories. But y'all have been faced with some say, y'all not only with the LISD board, but also with TAMSA. On, y'all have made some big impacts and big inroads here in light of the COVID dynamic
Kristi: For LISD is very much trying to make sure funding stays full and balanced right now during COVID. Because there's so many different factors. And we have to make sure that we have the funding 80% of the budget in LISD is staffing. And so we have to have the budget to make sure that we have a robust educational offering during COVID for in person and virtual and virtual plus at the secondary level, to make sure we have lots of opportunities and options for our parents and our students to choose what's right for them during this crazy shenanigans.
TAMSA hasn't given, hasn't been able to do much for students right now. The legislators are going to meet in January, and they're still trying to figure out how to have session. And the legislators have a giant task ahead of them. They have to do the budget in a crazy COVID year when they're lacking in resources. And they have to redistrict so they're so busy doing those two, that we've have actually heard from several that basically they don't have time for education and focus on students. And that just disturbs us greatly.
Nicole: Thank you for for putting a voice to all of us here who absolutely see that that's just not that's not okay. Right. Like, I mean, I get that that's front and center. But that's never, that's not okay. That's one of the things that Texas and certainly Flower Mound specifically is so renowned for and that is that quality public education for all of our citizens. So thank you as a fellow mom, to and community I mean, at the end of the day, our community is only as a is only as strong as the education level that we can provide our citizens. So I appreciate all that all that you do that you bring to that. And just to kind of segue into one of the other organizations that you're involved with, with the Young Men's Service League. So as a mom of three boys, and instilling servant's hearts in them, is is amazing to me talk about why this mindset is so important to all children, and especially to our community's future.
Kristi: Oh, this is a great organization. And actually, I have just a little plug they're about to be doing in February. Another membership drive for anybody who has high schoolers that would like to join in upcoming is eighth graders coming into the ninth grade in 10th graders. So YMSL is great, because it puts structure around the ability to serve, everybody gets so busy, like you've already mentioned. And so it's hard sometimes to fit in, oh, I'm going to go take my kids down to serve at CCA, we often as a group will remember those kind of things during the holidays, but not too long.
So this provides a structure for all the members to serve with their son. And it's all of the community, nonprofits around our area. And we get to show our sons the needs that we have around our area and how they can be helpful. Even if they're just a teenager or college kid or a young adult, if they don't have the money to provide to these nonprofits. They also desperately need volunteers and a variety of areas. So just trying to make sure that they understand that there's ways you can serve, even if you don't have funding.
Nicole: I love that. So and I'm going to ask you at the end of how to reach out to you. But if somebody if somebody listening to this is the mom, or or the dad, for that matter, a boy that's in high school or going in eighth grade or going up? How would they get information about this organization? Is there a website or a Facebook page that they could find out information?
Kristi: There is a website, I think the Facebook page is closed, I think, email me or actually I don't remember the email address. But we have a membership chair, that who also will be sending out information, but they can definitely email me can get in contact with our membership chair, as we go forward in recruiting more new members.
Nicole: Perfect. Well, I'll get that from you at the end. And we'll also have that in the transcript on this particular recording so people can get in touch with you. And then I love being part of a new organization that you started, 100 Women Who Care and the impact we can bring collectively to our area charitable organizations, such as Winning the Fight and Children's Advocacy Center of Denton County. So how you use spearheaded this, you made this happen in our area. So how did this come about? And tell our audience how it works?
Kristi: Okay, I love this new group. It is just an amazing group of women. And I stole the idea of my friend in the San Antonio area told me about this group that they're doing in the San Antonio area. And she said you need to start it up here. And I'm like, oh my gosh, you are totally right. It is such an easy, easy group to be part of. Because there isn't a lot of commitment on our members part. You don't have to join a committee or fundraise in an outside way. So at this point, we have three meetings a year, and you show up to the meeting with $100 check with the payee not filled out.
And we hear about three different previously chosen out of a hat charities we hear what they do and who they served, and maybe sometimes what their upcoming funding needs are. And we get to vote as a group who we want to select that month. And so the highest vote getter wins that month and each one of us take our checks and we write the payees name on it, collect all the checks, and then hand the checks to that nonprofit. So it takes less than an hour three times a year and $100 check each time. It's very, very simple. A few of our members had to bow out for several months because of COVID complications and we completely and utterly understand that.
But we are looking for members. There is because of COVID always we have need, but COVID has made it even more necessary that we need new members for our 100 Women. We have been able to give local nonprofit $37,000 since the October of last year when we started our chapter. So great organization. We're having our next meeting February I think it's 16th. I can't remember a website.
Nicole: I love it. Love it. Well, and I and I like you. I mean, I, you know, again, we I know how busy you are, and I know how busy the other women in that room are. But it is so awesome to see, you know, our 100 checks for $100 equaling $10,000. And what a difference. And I think that was what drew me to it in the first place was, you know, my check for 100 bucks to winning the fight certainly is needed and wanted and appreciated. But when you write a check as a group for $10,000, then for note, like you said, No more effort, and I'm not selling anything, I used to love those non event fundraisers, you know, people just say, give me a check. Because we all have time, talent, treasures, and some more than others in each category. And so I love this particular organization, for those who are busy with time, maybe you don't want to serve on a board or serve in a committee, but certainly have the ability to contribute $100, three times a year and really see that money go far, far, far beyond what it could be on its own. So absolutely, I just think it's great. I love it. Yes, absolutely. I love it.
Kristi: I'm thankful that you're in our group.
Nicole: Well, I'm happy to be there. And I'm also open to helping other people find their way to it. So I know I talked about it in my bunco group, which we of course, haven't met since COVID. But, you know, just as far as I just talking about the really awesome work that can be done in a group. So I love that. Well, let's talk, let's switch gears a little bit. I jokingly said in your spare time, you're a self employed grant writer. And that being said, who is I mean, obviously, with all your different levels of service and connection points, who is a good client for you?
Kristi: Really any of the small to medium nonprofits in our area, and we have I think about 400, Denton County nonprofits, those that don't have an on staff grant writer, it would be a great client. For me, my heart is definitely for this area in particular. And unfortunately, because of COVID, the fundraising event, the starting nonprofit, in our areas, don't have a whole lot of funding for outside services. But the need is even greater right now, for those nonprofits. So it's a it's a catch 22. For those, I did happen to accidentally start my part time business in February right before COVID. I've only had one client right now, but I was able to help journey the dream. And so at this point, I've 100% success rate with grants. And of course, you know, with one, only one client, it's not a wide range.
Nicole: That's irrelevant information. I'm with you. 100% success rate. Awesome. Well, and and for someone who's not a grant writer, I mean, I think people underestimate they have no idea a the number of grants that are available if somebody like you had the ability to craft in that format the ask, right, and number two, what it takes to get those right in like, it's not like your essay contest for your you know, your scholarship when you're a senior in high school. I mean, these are very intensive, very detailed, take a lot of time and energy. And that's a huge gift that you bring to organizations that would hire you, especially with the 100% success rate that you have. So there you go, you need to give you that. I love that. I love that. Well, we talked before we get started, I know you're a reader, you have you know, lots of books on your bedside table. But is there anything in particular books that you're reading that you would recommend to others or podcasts or listening to that you think that you are passionate about sharing right now?
Kristi: Well, most of the podcasts and books right now that I'm listening to our education related and OnEducation is a really good podcast that I'm listening to, in particularly it revolves around Texas Education. I, most of my other books are either on data strategies or education. So I'm not sure a whole lot of people will be reading.
Nicole: True, I would agree with that.
Kristi: I definitely need to read for fun pretty soon, and maybe I'll pick one up this weekend. But I really I can't think of any besides, of course, your podcast, of course.
Nicole: Well, I'm just very grateful that you do what you do so that so many others benefit from that, you know, service is something that those that we take for granted, you know that that somebody else is going to do that. going to do the heavy lifting that's going to spend the energy, the hours and the time for the benefit of so many. So just, you know, thank you, thank you for digging into data strategies, you know, because that's something that that is your gift, and certainly, and it's for the benefit of our community. So I'm so grateful. And I'm grateful for our time together today, I just appreciate you being available and sharing with us just different organizations throughout this community that you're involved with that others could be as well. So how is the best way for somebody to connect with you?
Kristi: I've got an email address and a phone number. That's probably the best way my email address is hassettfive, all spelled out. HASSETTFIVE@verison.net. Make sure you spell it out. If you don't, and you use the number five, you'll get a Kelly Hassett in Kansas, because I emailed her one time, just for you all and then my cell phone is 214-707-6391. And those are the best ways to get a hold of.
Nicole: Well, you thank you. Thank you again, for myself personally, and certainly from our entire community for all the good work that you do. And thank you for your time today on the episode of The Around Flower Mound podcast.
Kristi: Thank you so much.
Voiceover: Thanks for listening. And when you're ready, here are three ways Nicole can help. One. subscribe to the podcast for more inspiring stories and interesting people right here on the Around Flower Mound podcast. Two, thinking of selling your home email Nicole@nicolesmith.net for a copy of this month's up to date report on Flower Mound home prices. Three, looking to buy a home in Flower Mound? Join us for this week's Flower Mound home tour. Email Nicole@nicolesmith.net for the details.
