Kenny will tell you he's just a regular person. "I'm nobody special," he says with a laugh. But sit with him for a few minutes and a different picture emerges, one of a man who found himself in financial crisis, asked for help, and rebuilt with remarkable determination.

Generations of families have called Georgetown home, their roots running deep into the limestone soil of Williamson County. Among them is Emily, an eighth-generation Georgetownian whose ancestor, Greenleaf Fisk, served as the county’s first judge. Her childhood memories are stitched into the fabric of the town—racing down “jail hill” on her bike, crossing Williams Drive when traffic was sparse, and watching prisoners from the minimum-security jail leave for work during the day and return at night. As a child, Emily lived in the house across from the jail, which is now 309 Coffee. Georgetown has changed, but Emily’s connection to it has remained steadfast.

Sandra calls The Caring Place "El Corazón"—the heart. Nearly 30 years after we helped her family through crisis, she's paying it forward as a donor.

The holidays can be an especially challenging time for households having a difficult time making ends meet. In anticipation of a busier than usual holiday season for our food pantry, The Caring Place is appealing to community members to provide food support to children, families and seniors.

Each September, Hunger Action Month unites millions of people across the United States to raise awareness and provide nutritious food to neighbors facing hunger. Led by Feeding America and in partnership with food banks across the country, The Caring Place is one of many organizations working together to feed people in Central Texas.

The Caring Place is deeply moved by the incredible generosity of our community in response to the recent flooding. We have seen an outpouring of support, with individuals arriving with truckloads of donations. While we are truly grateful, we want to clarify that The Caring Place is not currently a designated drop-off site for flood relief donations. Learn how and where you can help with Flood Relief Efforts.

As The Caring Place celebrates 40 years, meet Betty Miller—our spirited volunteer of 35+ years whose dedication and heart have helped shape our mission and community impact.

Lori’s job didn’t provide enough money for her to support her family on her own and eviction was eminent. Like many families who find themselves in a crisis, she began weighing her options and that meant trying to justify which bill to pay. “Do we pay for electricity or food?” were the questions she was asking herself. It was probably the need to ask herself these questions at all that spurned her looking for a resource and she found The Caring Place.

The Caring Place receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, celebrating nearly 40 years of unwavering community support and dedication. Learn how this organization has become a cornerstone of Georgetown and northern Williamson County, providing essential services to thousands of neighbors in need.

In 2024, The Caring Place (TCP), a local nonprofit organization that assists families in financial crisis with basic needs, partnered with Luminosa Research to conduct a survey and focus groups with neighbors who received assistance. The project goal was to engage neighbors in giving TCP feedback about its services to inform decision-making and strategic direction, and drive program improvements.

The Anna+Anton Olson Legacy Foundation (Anna-Anton) recently distributed $150,000 to a variety of local nonprofits serving the Georgetown, Hutto and Taylor communities. This year Anna-Anton shifted from supporting both programming and operational support, to focusing solely on the operational aspect of nonprofits. Both short-term unexpected needs/upgrades as well as long-term operational capacity building projects were funded.
Learn More At: https://anna-anton.org/

AGE of Central Texas and Georgetown-based nonprofit The Caring Place are partnering to provide resource navigation and support services for aging family members to low-income families and caregivers through the end of the year.

The Shops at The Caring Place thrift store, at 2000 Railroad Avenue, has added Bargain Bins. These are red bins filled with clothing and textiles available Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. near the back of the store. For only $5, customers can fill a paper bag from these bins. This new initiative helps the organization make the most of donations made to The Caring Place while also providing even deeper discounts on necessities like clothing.

This article is announcing the return of Fall Y'all which brings back Fall and Autumn seasonal decor, art, items, and more.

The Caring Place announces new construction project to expand services and functionality.

The Caring Place announces that they are transitioning the services of Laundry Love Georgetown to The Caring Place's offering of services.

The Caring Place is running a special sale for the 39th Anniversary of the organization. All items will be on sale for 39% off.

The Caring Place (TCP) is hosting its second Textile Sale on Thursday, April 11th through Saturday, April 13th, inside The Shops at The Caring Place located at 2000 Railroad Avenue in Georgetown, Texas.

Have you ever thought life wasn’t going quite right? Did you think your relationships weren’t what you thought they were? Have you ever felt unsafe to ask for help? Did you need a reset? Rosemary felt all those things in another state. After visiting friends in Texas, just after the great “ice-pocalypse,” she and her daughter decided to make a change in 2021. Rosemary said moving to Texas reset their family experience.

Jeremy and Francesca told us all help is not the same. Two years ago they were in Florida because Francesca’s mom was sick. She was their support system and their rock. When she passed away, their next home was a shelter. Jeremy was working and saving money while Francesca was pregnant with their second child. They were really trying to create change in their lives and always felt like they took one step forward and two steps back...

The Caring Place (TCP) Hunger Free Holidays Food Drives are finishing the year at The Caring Place with a new item request and a financial gift request. The Hunger Free Holiday campaign, intending to fill the Food Pantry with the things it needs most, is asking the community to donate specific items each month through December. The December request for the Food Pantry is for hygiene items. This includes items like toilet paper, deodorant, body wash, shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, feminine products and more. The Caring Place Food Pantry has seen double the Pantry visits since last year and is working hard to address that need.  Financial gifts allow the organization to purchase the items it needs when it needs them and can be made at caringplacetx.org/donate. Due to space restrictions, this is highly recommended as an impactful way to help our neighbors.

Have you experienced the overwhelming sensation of a heavy heart? It’s really difficult to get away from this oppressive feeling lately.

You are who you surround yourself with. I know that's such a cliche quote, but it's true.

-Selena Gomez

The November request for the Food Pantry is for Cereal. This also includes other breakfast items like oatmeal, grits and mixes like pancake or muffin mix.

The October request for the Food Pantry is for hygiene items. This includes things like toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toilet paper, feminine products and other hygiene items.

The Caring Place brings back Hunger Free Holidays Food Drives with a twist in 2023.

Since I am the person behind the Social Media at The Caring Place, I regularly run into some of our devoted followers in the stores and they know me by name or say, “You are that lady on Facebook!” or “Where is that big mirror you posted?” Or, sometimes, “I love the way you share info on Facebook.” This is all music to my ears, but also makes me laugh and think to myself, “Hey, I am an influencer!”

Simon Sinek said, “If there are people who care, there is always hope.”

The Caring Place (TCP) is temporarily expanding its voucher program this fall in order to increase the clothing and shoes budget for children in TCP’s northern Williamson County service area.  In addition to already-in-place voucher programs at TCP, qualifying children 18 and under can obtain a $15 voucher per child for clothing and shoes only. Enrollment begins at The Caring Place’s Programs & Services offices at 2001 Railroad Avenue, August 7th-18th, Mon-Fri, 9 a.m - 4 p.m. These special vouchers must be used at The Shops at The Caring Place on or before September 16th, 2023. Shop hours are Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

A lifelong Texan, Jennifer McLaughlin has lived in Fort Worth, Austin, and now Georgetown. But,  of the places she’s studied or worked, she says, “I’m pretty sure The Caring Place is my favorite.” Read on to find out why!

From a career Firefighter to longtime TCP employee and, more recently, a Food Pantry volunteer, John Burton has lots of life experiences under his belt. Over the 12+ years John’s been walking the TCP halls, he’s seen The Caring Place grow in size and impact. Read on to learn more about John and his time at The Caring Place!

Robin is recently retired and a new resident of Sun City. She tells me she first became aware of The Caring Place through her membership of the Women Helping Others (WHO) organization, which connects members to various non-profits in the Williamson County area.

The Caring Place announces its first evening “Chat & Chew.” This educational presentation and tour is free to the public on Tuesday, July 18th at 6 p.m. at The Caring Place’s 2001 Railroad location in Georgetown.  RSVP is required.

Getting the opportunity to hear about their time at The Caring Place was a fascinating experience.

Quality Texas Foundation Regional Program (QTFRP) recognizes The Caring Place at the Pioneer Level on its journey toward organizational excellence during the 30th Annual Quality Texas Foundation Awards Recognition Conference in June.

Walking up to the pricing desk in the warehouse of The Caring Place, a man is sitting quietly, hard at work. His name is Al, and his workspace is accented by sticker books and various items. On the surface, it may seem hard to believe, but this reserved volunteer has been part of The Caring Place team for 12 years!

Sophisticated and well-spoken with a soft hint of North Carolina in her voice. These are all ways to describe Brenda even at first glance. Her poised demeanor and gentle handshake didn’t tell her story though. They were just the beginning. As I sat with Brenda, she described her high life; living in Africa for 20 years, traveling with her husband who was the first black person to be President of a foreign company, and raising her children.

The Caring Place is overjoyed to announce that June marks its 38th year serving in the northern Williamson County community. A celebration is on the horizon to thank the community for its continued support. The Caring Place retail stores are offering a 38% discount from June 24th, and June 26th through June 30th in both of its thrift stores as well as creating educational opportunities in the main store each day.

The mission of The Caring Place is to provide for the basic human needs of all people in a welcoming, respectful and caring way. These three ways of doing things listed in our mission statement are probably why Carolyn fits in so well at The Caring Place.

Have your parents ever lived with you so you can help them financially or even physically? For many families, this is a solution to help care for aging parents with a low or limited income. It makes sense, but what if the unexpected happens and the parents outlive the child? That’s the scenario that played out for Samuel and Patricia.

Find quilts, antique crochet, lace, fabric, upholstery, quilting fabric, notions and more at this one-of-a-kind textile event. All of this in our 2001 Railroad Avenue Community Room, across from The Caring Place thrift store. April 13-15, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Caring Place now accepts food and other pantry donations from the public. Non-perishable food, diapers and hygiene products are accepted during item donation hours in the 2000 Railroad Avenue drive-through Monday through Saturday, 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The Food Pantry can also receive these items during their operating hours in a reserved parking space specifically marked for taking Pantry donations. 

Pride. That’s what kept Brad from seeking help for his family when they were struggling. And it was after a night of sleeping in the car that he knew there had to be something else out there to get them through this rough patch. “It was pride. I’ve never been in a situation where I needed help like this. Never.”

According to Marie Kondo, an organizational guru, “Putting your house in order is the magic that creates a vibrant and happy life.” 

There are lots of reasons why people volunteer. My favorite thing is when our volunteers say, “Volunteering fills my heart.” This means different things to different people. Here are some of the heart-filling reasons we hear around here...

At The Caring Place, sharing our values is part of our everyday job. The new year feels like a great time to share those values with you, as well as offer inspiration as you seek to find joy and meaning in 2023. Perhaps, learning how The Caring Place brought new meaning to its mission will help you learn new ways to remember the power of your own values.

Fresh Food for Families, a program of the Central Texas Food Bank, offers free produce in The Caring Place drive through at 2000 Railroad Avenue on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Monday of the month between 9 and 10 a.m. Due to enrollment updates at the Central Texas Food Bank, all participants will need to present The Caring Place’s Food Pantry card to receive food through this program.

In Year 2 of Operation, The Anna+Anton Olson Legacy Fund Increases Both Total Dollars Distributed as well as the Number of Recipient Organizations...

Each year through the months of October, November and December, The Caring Place holds a fundraiser for the Food Pantry called Hunger Free Holidays. The Caring Place is asking the community to start their holiday giving with a gift to the Food Pantry. Gifts can be made with a credit card at caringplacetx.org/donate and checks may be mailed to “The Caring Place, PO Box 1215, Georgetown, TX 78627” with a note on the memo line designating the Food Pantry.

The Caring Place now offers an online portal for neighbors in crisis to begin the enrollment process for financial assistance.

Candid, formerly known as Guidestar, has awarded The Caring Place with the Platinum Seal of Transparency for 2022.

While Halloween is normally reserved for scary-good fun, that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved to benefit a scary-good cause!

As she volunteered as a pricer in the pricing warehouse, she realized The Caring Place could help her make her house a home again.  Trena was on a tight budget as her previous relationship had also destroyed her credit, but through the years has replaced items to her taste. Dishes, housewares, decor, and clothing were all purchased at The Caring Place at affordable prices.

In an effort to be more energy efficient throughout our buildings, The Caring Place hoped for automatic doors that provided a better barrier between our indoor and outdoor space. Our old, floppy and cumbersome doors were not cutting it. Therese and Carlos made that dream a reality.

Effective September 6, Donation hours at The Caring Place are Mon-Sat, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. This marks the return of afternoon hours after a temporary adjustment due to extreme heat this summer. All locations of The Caring Place are closed on Monday, September 5th for Labor Day.

Like many of us, I have a work history in retail that no longer fits on my professional resume. Although those jobs no longer fit on my list of experiences, I will never overlook the valuable skills I learned in those jobs.

Now a longtime active volunteer, Isaac was initially made familiar with The Caring Place over 17 years ago through his neighbor, Doris Kromer, who was one of The Caring Place’s founders.

“Spare Change for Change.” That’s what the little boxes that rest on our cash register wrap at the front of the store read. That means if you pay in cash and receive change back, you are welcome to place it in the red box.

Carol’s favorite thing about being a part of The Caring Place is simple: “Of course, I love the people. I like working with books. That pretty much sums it up.”

Community volunteering means a lot to Kim.  It is one of the ways she addresses Social Justice in her community. If you glance at Kim’s arm you’ll see a stack of books tattooed there.  The books are titled Science, Art, Literature, History, and Poetry. These are areas of knowledge that Kim is most interested in which fuel her mind and soul, but the book on the bottom of the stack acting as the foundation is titled, Social Justice. She shared that the idea of community and being connected to the community through volunteering was powerful for her.

“I want to tell anyone having a rough time, that there is help out there.  All you have to do is ask. Keep your head up. I was a victim, but I never felt that should determine who I am.  I am more than that. I am a strong mom and have come a long way.” 

On her sales, Teri noted, “Back in 2020, I had given everything I could to people I knew already, so I had to get creative. I knew I could sell them for cheap and donate the money. And, especially at the time, I knew there was a need for food, clothing—for basic stuff—because so many were out of work.” To respond to this great need in our community and her own need to pare down her overflowing yard, Teri had her first plant sale in the Spring of 2020, not knowing if it would do well. In true pandemic fashion, Teri put the plants out with a can and a sign that read “Plant Sale. Benefits The Caring Place.” It was an honor system; put your money in the can and take your plant. The Setup proved effective, as she made a couple of hundred dollars. People, receptive to the cause, often added more to the can. Happy with the first turnout, Teri said, “Well, okay, that’s good. It’s something I enjoy doing, and people enjoy buying.”

A few weeks ago, I did not know much about The Caring Place beyond some faint recall of kind faces and overflowing boxes from sporadic trips through the donations drive-through when I was a kid. As a Georgetown native, current resident, and Southwestern student, I generally knew The Caring Place had a significant, lasting presence in our community. I generally knew it was a place that lived up to its name and cared in various and necessary ways. Because of this, when Southwestern posted an opportunity for a summer internship here, I excitedly pursued it. Interested in nonprofit work, education, and finding stories, I knew there was much to tell and much to learn. Before beginning, I merely knew the facts: The Caring Place takes donations, has a thrift store, offers food services, etc. Without meeting the people, without further experiencing the place, I did not understand all that meant. Before feeling it myself, I did not fully understand The Caring Place’s extent of care. 

Despite being a busy Social Work student and now living in Austin, Patricia prioritizes volunteering in The Caring Place’s Food Pantry. Every Friday, she makes the trip to The Caring Place to stock shelves and assist shoppers. She says, “Even though it’s a little more of a drive, it’s worth it.” Volunteering has always been worth it to Patricia and an essential part of her life since she was 12 or 13. “I’ve always volunteered at places: food pantries, animal shelters, senior homes, etc. I grew up in a tough situation, but no matter how bad our situation was, there were always people to help us. We always tried to help back.” When Patricia moved to Texas a couple of years ago and was looking for a place to “help back,” she saw that The Caring Place not only had a Food Pantry but also had Programs and Services and thrift stores. Impressed with the breadth of the operation, Patricia said, “It had so many options and seemed like a great place to get involved. I don’t even think I went anywhere else.  I immediately learned about The Caring Place and said, ‘yeah, that’s it’ and started.”

At The Caring Place, it is a constant moving puzzle to figure out not only what donated items are, but also what they should be priced at and where they should go. Michelle, describing her job, said, “I do mostly intake of donations. I do pricing. I also take care of the greeting cards, and we do a lot of greeting cards and paper things. It’s a lot of packaging and putting things together—stuff like that. Basically, I’ll do anything and everything that needs to be done that day.” In other words, Michelle is one of the dedicated solvers of the continuous The Caring Place puzzle. 

Rosemary is a prime example of why being at The Caring Place is so fun. For the last ten years, she has contributed to the lively atmosphere as a volunteer pricing purses, hats, and clothes. I assume much of this time involved laughing and joking because just about our whole conversation did! Rosemary said she initially got involved at The Caring Place because she had retired and was getting bored. The Caring Place ensures she is not bored, and she is one of the individuals that ensures The Caring Place is not boring!

As I sat down at the linen station in the warehouse to visit with Linda Cole, a volunteer at The Caring Place since 2010, I immediately realized how terrible I’d be at her job. I am convinced the world is divided into people who can fold a fitted sheet and those who cannot. I am the latter. Or perhaps there is a third category: those who become proficient at folding fitted sheets after over ten years of doing so. In this category, there is Linda. “I’m not that good at it either. Or wasn’t. But it’s been a while, a long time. And I’ve always done this same job. Initially, I didn’t want to. But then you make friends and you keep going.” Linda explained how she initially planned to volunteer in the Food Pantry, but, at the time, volunteers were needed in the linen department. Linda started with linens and stuck with linens because she said, “You gotta have linens, let’s face it! Everybody needs linens, so there you go.” Laughing, Linda added, “Plus, nothing terrible ever happens with the linens.” I guess this is true, so long as you don’t find bins of fitted sheets terrifying.

Anyone familiar with The Caring Place has likely seen and been impressed by the dedication and kindness of the staff and volunteers. That’s why, as I sat down with Betty Miller at her station filled with purses and hats to discuss her experience as a longtime volunteer but as possibly one of the longest active volunteers, I felt kind of silly to begin by asking the obvious, “So, how long have you been volunteering here?” I did, however, ask a version of this to hear the impressive number of 33 from the woman herself. Betty began our discussion laughing and showed me her 30-year pin that she received “oh, a few years ago.” This means that since the early days of The Caring Place, Betty has been working to sort, inspect, price, and put out shoes, purses, and hats in the stores. While I’m sure she has worn many hats throughout her life, with such commitment to The Caring Place, one “hat” has undoubtedly become and still is hats.

As 2022 progresses, The Caring Place is seeing that times are tough for new members of our community.  As this year doles out fresh challenges, we hope our community knows we will meet you where you are in your circumstances and continue working to meet basic needs in our community.

“James and I, we worked hard all of our lives. But we got in a position in our life where we didn’t know which way to go. The Caring Place here in Georgetown got us through it, plain and simple.”

Effective immediately, Donation hours at The Caring Place are Mon - Sat, 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. This temporary change at our 2000 Railroad Avenue drive-through is due to this summer's extreme temperatures. 

Sometimes a crisis happens.  We’ve all been there.  We can often prepare for that single crisis and move past it.  What if you are experiencing multiple unexpected events almost all at once?  How do you pull through?  Would you need help or support?  Would you ask a friend or neighbor?  What if your resources are simply exhausted?  Maybe The Caring Place is that neighbor to help you lift a burden or two as you prioritize each crisis?

Thinking back to the past again, Sharon shared, “We had four deaths in a 9-month period, then the next month a breast cancer diagnosis, so we used quite a bit of money up that we had saved for this point in my life.  Since I am disabled and can’t work, I’ll never get it back.  Places like this make a big difference, and I am sure it does for a lot of people.”

Enjoy 40% off Wednesday, June 29th and Thursday, June 30th at both of our thrift store locations from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 pm. The Shops at The Caring Place is at 2000 Railroad Avenue in Georgetown. Second Helping is open at 3700 Williams Drive.

Please note that our stores will be closed Friday, July 1st and Saturday, July 2nd for inventory.  The Donations drive-through will remain open on those days from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. All locations are closed Monday, July 4th for the holiday.  See you at the sale!

The Caring Place is recruiting new volunteers in almost every department to help continue scaling up programs and services. Community members will find volunteer positions on our crisis and case management team, as cashiers, pricers, merchandisers, Food Pantry workers, and Food Warehouse workers.  All positions at The Caring Place support the mission to provide for the basic human needs of all people in our community in a welcoming, respectful and caring way. If you are ready to join The Caring Place’s efforts, fill out an application or learn more at caringplacetx.org/volunteer. You may also email Jim Tillman at jtillman@caringplacetx.org with questions.

The handwritten note on the back of the old clock radio read in red marker, “door prize Caring Place ‘92 Vol’trs’ dinner.”  If you have any connection to The Caring Place, those written words might bring a smile to your face or maybe an astonished, “Wow!”

Beginning in May, the Food Pantry will be open at 2000 Railroad Avenue on Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, 9 AM - 4 PM.

Free choice Food Pantry begins on Monday, April 4th.  This change in process will require some rearranging, therefore the Food Pantry will be closed on Friday, April 1 to prepare.

This is a reminder release of new hours at The Caring Place.

As we enter some colder weather, we would like to remind you of The Caring Place's Inclement Weather Policy.

In the last several years, The Caring Place has implemented a modified mission statement which we think better clarifies who we are and what we do. 

What was your resolution for 2022?  Are you focussing on family, friends or maybe some much needed self care?  What about nonprofits?  Are you supporting one this year?  I named several in this post so it’s not lost on me that we have a lot of places that need our time, talents and gifts in Georgetown.  With MLK day this month I’d like to challenge you to do something meaningful.

Won't you join us in helping others? Since 1985, The Caring Place has provided for the basic human needs of all people in our community in a welcoming, respectful and caring way.

Let's go get those questions answered as we expand our hours!

The Caring Place will launch new, expanded hours January 10th.

A few reminders as we begin the new year...

As a former Executive Director here, John certainly has some inside knowledge of this organization and it led me to ask him a few questions about why The Caring Place is special.  John has experience in a number of nonprofits, so why does he still support this one and encourage you to as well?  Please enjoy this interview.

Kerri and her husband, Roland, started a Holiday Food Drive tradition 13 years ago.

In December we have regular holiday closures as well as a mid-month store closure to handle scheduled maintenance.

At The Caring Place neighbors in need often want to know how they can help us, especially when they have received some type of support from the organization themselves. Dave Lyons is one of those people. Dave's story began at The Caring Place in April.

It's time to take part in the biggest giving day of the year! Celebrate GivingTuesday whether that be through giving your time, your gifts, talents or monetary contributions. Every gift, both big and small, helps make a difference. 

After the death of her grandfather, Victoria knew she needed a new path for her life, one that would give her life meaning after his passing. She packed up and moved to Texas with a job lead.

What is “Shopping for Good?”  This is the act of shopping in support of a cause.  In our case, when you shop in these ways, you are supporting The Caring Place mission to provide for the basic human needs of all people in our community in a welcoming, respectful and caring way.  Revenue generated from these various forms of shopping help The Caring Place support its neighbors in need with food, rent, utilities and other critical bills.  When our neighbors are in crisis, The Caring Place is a lifeline.

The Caring Place Food Pantry will launch its Hunger Free Holidays Food Drive on October 1; it ends December 31.  Unlike previous years, this year, The Caring Place’s Food Drives across the community will only accept monetary donations.  The organization is introducing the Little Blue Barrel campaign in order for businesses, churches, neighborhoods and other organizations to collect critical funds for the local Food Pantry.

Through its annual grants process, Georgetown Health Foundation (GHF) awarded $910,000 in grants to 20 organizations serving Georgetown residents. Awards were given based on alignment with GHF’s priorities which are focused on basic needs (food, shelter, housing) and social determinants of health (SDOH).

“Ready to get engaged?  Not that kind of engaged!” jokes the Community Engagement Manager, Rita Turner.   “We want to engage you in the happenings at The Caring Place!  We have developed our first online Chat & Chew with our community in mind!”  This virtual event will be held Wednesday, September 15th from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. 

The Caring Place’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.  This is the seventh consecutive year that The Caring Place has earned this top distinction.