Allen Community Outreach (ACO) began in 1985, and today is the sole local provider of free human services for the cities of Allen, Fairview, and Lucas in Collin County, Texas. Initially the agency was called Allen Information and Referral, but very quickly the scope of services grew so the name was changed to Allen Community Outreach (ACO) to reflect the community support. Over the past 26 years, the ACO has grown from strictly information and referral services to a wide array of human service provisions. ACO’s facility – the first of its kind in Collin County – provides a seamless system of services and programs. The ACO is a 501c3 non-profit organization. The majority of funding for the agency comes from local, individual donations and fundraising activities.