(MIDLAND, Texas) – Officials with Buckner Family Place in Midland announced Oct. 6 a $600,000 expansion of the facility located at 421 W. Pecan.

The expansion increases the number of apartment units available to single-parent families from the current eight to 12 with construction of four new apartments.

Buckner Family Place in Midland opened in 2003 and is a self-sufficiency program providing low-cost rent for single-parent families, where the head of the household is working toward a college degree. Buckner Family Place officials say there is a growing waiting list of people wanting to live there.

“We’ve seen a need to expand Family Place ever since we first opened it,” said Ken Hall, president of Dallas-based Buckner International, which operates the Midland program. “We’re confident the Permian Basin community will join us to help fund this growth.”

Already, an anonymous Midland donor has issued a $25,000 challenge gift to Buckner Family Place to help with the construction of the new apartments. The $25,000 is a challenge pledge to Buckner contingent on Buckner matching the amount with an additional $25,000 from the Midland community by Dec. 31.

“The generosity of this family is simply overwhelming for us,” said Hall, who is former pastor of Crestview Baptist Church in Midland. “Their passion to help families have a chance at life is going to make a tremendous difference in the Midland community for years to come. We are so grateful for their kindness.”

Along with Family Place, other Midland programs operated by Buckner include Hearthstone, a foster group home, and foster homes in the community. Buckner also works with Rock the Desert to provide support for orphans in Honduras through Buckner-operated ministries.