Some people can walk into a room and immediately know their purpose is to lend a helping hand. They have the innate ability to see past a stranger’s carefully crafted façade and reach the soul within that is calling for aid. It’s a gift Jasmine Imo possesses, one that was recently demonstrated when a mother of four walked into Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) Irvington building to enroll her children in school.  

“I saw her and could tell this lady was distressed and needed some help,” Assistant Superintendent of Education and Enrichment Dr. CJ Rodgers recalled. “The first name I thought of was Jasmine. I heard people speak highly of her and knew she helped families, so I called her up and thank God she answered.” 

Imo, a Head Start family services manager, currently develops processes and procedures to help more than 20 family service providers (FSPs) better support families. When she arrived downstairs to find Rodgers sitting with his laptop open, surrounded by a mom, three toddlers and a third grader, she recalled taking a moment to observe.  

“When I finally sat down, he turned to me and said, ‘What are you thinking?’ I looked at the mom, and she just looked heavy, like the weight of the world was on her shoulders, and something clicked,” Imo said. “I knew she needed more than a number to call, so we brought them upstairs and ended up turning the third-floor conference room into ‘Operation Do Something.”  

Imo put aside her daily tasks and enrollment deadlines to help the family in front of her. Upon getting to know them, her mission shifted from not only helping get the kids enrolled in school but also helping the family find shelter from a challenging home life.  

“Jasmine had that drive in her, and she wasn’t going to stop until they got exactly what they needed,” Rodgers said. “You can tell that she was doing it because she knows what it means to provide exceptional services to people who are in dire need. She helped change the trajectory of that family and those kids’ lives, and yes, it was that serious.” 

But that’s just who Imo is at her core. She has a willingness and ability to step in whenever she’s needed, and it’s why she was named HCDE’s October Employee of the Month.  

The California native grew up believing she wanted to be a teacher, but during a student-teaching internship, Imo’s heart called her in a different direction. 

“I noticed one of our students looked a bit disheveled,” she recalled. “Her clothes weren’t clean often, she didn’t talk much, and I knew there was something more to the story. I realized, as a teacher, my responsibility was to call the family and refer them to a case worker, but I knew that I wanted to do more.”  

That single moment changed the course of her life and career. Imo decided to enroll at Howard University, where she earned a master’s degree in social work with an emphasis on children and families.  

Today, her passion for helping others is ever-present in her work, as she supports FSPs and strives daily to improve division recruitment and enrollment across 12 campuses. She works behind the scenes to strengthen systems that connect families with the people, resources and opportunities they need. 

“She is a true social worker all around, and it’s refreshing to see how she interacts with staff and families,” said Family Service Coordinator Cesilia Pereira. “This is not a career for her, it’s a passion, and you can tell that she loves working with people and advocating for them.”  

As a member of Head Start’s leadership team, Imo has made it her mission to ensure everyone knows that FSPs are the “heart” of each campus. Beyond enrollment, they check in with families when a child is absent, conduct home visits when needed and build relationships with parents and guardians to learn about their individual needs. The support staff also connects families with community resources and services, including housing, food, health care and employment opportunities.  

“If Head Start did not have family services staff, I don’t know what Head Start would be,” said an emotional Imo. “Families would not gain half as much access to the services they need and deserve, but that’s why I love coming to work. They do so much for the littles and their families, and it brings me joy to pour into our staff, because I want them to be well enough to pour into the families that they work with.”  

Although Imo does not work on campus or regularly interact directly with families, when the opportunity arose in July, she took initiative to find a solution. She helped the mother enroll the oldest child in school and called a friend at Baker Ripley Head Start in north Houston to secure an immediate placement for the two-year-old. Head Start staff rallied to help throughout the day, with nutrition service providers bringing snacks, FSPs supervising the kids as Imo and the mother made calls, and Rodgers and Assistant Superintendent of Academic Support Services Jonathan Parker even brought lunch for the team.  

“There was no laughter in the room. Everyone was concerned and doing whatever they could to help,” Imo recalled. “I’m shocked and humbled at this recognition, but it wasn’t just about me. That day showed the power of HCDE and the people who work here. We can always give you the information, but the caliber of people who work here will always go the extra mile to ensure families get exactly what they need.” 

In the months that followed, Imo has kept in touch with the family, receiving updates on their circumstances, offering assistance or resources as needed and working to get a Head Start placement for the one-year-old twins.  

“I was in Jasmine’s office when the family notified her that they were able to find housing, and she just lost it,” Pereira laughed. “She was so excited for the family, it was amazing to see.”  

Imo’s story is a reminder that helping others is rarely about having all the answers. Sometimes, it’s about recognizing when someone needs help, answering the call and refusing to walk away until you have done everything you can. That instinct has shaped Imo’s career from the very beginning and is evident in the systems she builds to protect Head Start families.  

“If you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself in a situation where you can serve, but you don’t always get the chance to pick and choose,” Rodgers explained. “Most times those situations find you, and I’m just so lucky and blessed that on that day, Jasmine answered the call without hesitation and with no questions asked. She’s very deserving of the title, Employee of the Month.”