Buckner to Celebrate the Grand Opening of the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid

(DALLAS) — Buckner International, a global ministry to orphans and at-risk children and families, will celebrate the grand opening of the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid, located at 7910 Samuell, this Saturday, April 14 at 10 a.m.

The 45,000 square foot facility will serve as a volunteer headquarters and allow for the collection and distribution of humanitarian aid supplies, including shoes for the Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls shoe drive, to needy children around the world.

The Center is named after Ruth and Don Buchholz, lifetime residents of Dallas, who made a generous donation to aid in the Center’s construction. The Buchholzes, who will be recognized as the R.C. Buckner Founder’s Day ‘Philanthropists of the Year’ this Friday, will be honored at Saturday’s event.

“Programmatically for Buckner, the Center means a lot,” said Kenneth L. Hall, president and CEO of Buckner International. “It will be a place where Buckner can collect and consequently distribute more humanitarian aid for needy people throughout the world. And it will allow more volunteers to join with us and become a part of the ministry.”

In 2006, Buckner shipped more than 400,000 pounds of humanitarian aid to more than 50 countries. About 300,000 pounds were shoes. In addition, the facility expects about 5,000 volunteers to gather and prepare items at the Center for shipment each year.

Buckner International has hosted the Shoes for Orphan Souls shoe drive since 1999, and since then has distributed more than 1.5 million pairs of shoes and socks to more than 50 countries. Groups, churches, individuals and Christian radio stations host shoe drives throughout the United States and ship donations to the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid.