The grand opening of Buckner Lubbock’s new office space was commemorated yesterday with a ribbon cutting and reception. Located at 5307 West Loop 289, Ste. 202, the new office space will house foster care and adoption services and the Buckner FYi Center.

The event drew around 50 people including Texas Senator Charles Perry and leaders from local churches, schools, organizations and businesses. In addition, representatives of Saint Francis Ministries, Cynthia Quintanilla, CEO of Catholic Charities of Lubbock, and Chief William Carter, Lubbock County chief of juvenile probation, attended.

Two additional special guests included former Buckner trustee Watson Moore and current Buckner trustee Tim Lancaster.

Speakers at the ribbon cutting included Buckner Children and Family Services President Henry Jackson, Buckner West Texas Regional Director of Foster Care and Adoption Nicky Locker, Buckner Director of Transition Services Bekah Coggins and One Heart Foster Alliance Coordinator Aaron Dawson. Senator Perry also delivered remarks praising the work of Buckner and other Lubbock nonprofits in protecting children.

“We believe strong families is one of the ways we protect children, but strong families also make strong communities,” said Henry Jackson, president of Buckner Children and Family Services. “The future of the Lubbock community looks bright and full of hope.”

Attendees took tours of the new office space and learned more about foster care and adoption services offered to Lubbock families by Buckner, and about the Buckner FYi Center, dedicated to serving Lubbock youth aging out of foster care. There was also a small reception following the ceremony.

The move to new office space helps optimize resources, streamline operations and enhance efficiency of services to vulnerable families. It follows the sale of the Buckner campus on Brentwood Ave, a strategic decision that highlights Buckner’s commitment to better serving the Lubbock community.

Additional Buckner programs in Lubbock include the Buckner Family Hope Center® and Buckner Family Pathways®, which operate out of Buckner’s campus located on South Loop 289. The opening of the new offices will not impact these programs.

Family Hope Center programs provide critical services, aid and coaching to support families through poverty, lack of services and other trauma. The Family Pathways program supports single parents in overcoming barriers that prevent whole-family self-sufficency, such as education, career opportunities and life skills.

These Buckner programs, among the others in Lubbock, provide support to break the cycle for future generations and transform children and parents into strong, successful and sustainable families.

“The powerful collaborative spirit is one of the things I love about Lubbock," said Bekah Coggins, director of transition services for Buckner Children and Family Services. "We can do more good in the community when we do it together. As we walk along the children and families we serve, we depend on everyone here to walk alongside us.”

Coggins recapped the impact Buckner programs made in Lubbock last year, which included serving more than 3,200 children and parents locally, including 34 foster care placements, nine local adoptions and 58 youth aging out of foster care.

Buckner has served vulnerable children in Lubbock since 1957 after taking over operations of the Milam Home for Girls. 

Learn more about Buckner Lubbock today.