Emily Ahrens
Fatherhood EFFECT Summit challenges dads and families
Last month, 70 parents attended the second annual Fatherhood EFFECT Summit in Beaumont. More than 20 dads attended to learn more about communication...
"It's a calling"
Nathan and Kylee Spraggins heard a word from their pastor in 2020 that they were supposed to have children in their lives – whether biological or...
Cyclone Yaku impacts northern Peru
In March, Peru experienced its first cyclone in 40 years. Cyclone Yaku caused extreme heat mixed with extreme rain. Cyclone season is typically from...
Saying aloha in West Texas
To usher in the spring and summer, 200 families and children attended the Spring Luau at the Buckner Family Hope Center® at Midland. Attendees had...
How can you pray today?
Since 1952, the National Day of Prayer has been an annual event for Americans to pray for our country, for those in leadership and to turn to God in...
Friday photos: Aramark beautifies Dallas campus for annual global day of service
Aramark Building Community Day, celebrating its 10th year, brought nearly 100 employees to the Buckner Children and Family Services campus in Dallas...
New seasons bring hope
The weather is starting to warm up, flowers are blooming and it feels like summer is just around the corner. If you’re anything like me, consistent...
Easter fun across Texas
Easter is a special time to celebrate the hope and joy of the resurrection of Christ. Many Buckner programs offered events and fun activities for the...
Reflecting on Good Friday
Good Friday comes with a heaviness. But we have to remember why Good Friday is so good despite the suffering Jesus faced on the cross that day. Good...
Four ways to discuss Easter with your family
Every Easter, we have the opportunity to celebrate how Christ died and was resurrected from the grave to save us from death as sinners. As adults, we...
Prioritizing nutrition for seniors
Leslie Fabish, regional dietitian for Thomas Cuisines, offers insight for seniors for National Nutrition Month. Thomas Cuisine partners with BRS...
On the brink of aging out of foster care
As children in the foster care system get older, it’s common for their hope of adoption to fade. In Texas, more than 1,000 youth age out of foster...
Keeping kids together through kinship care
Foster care can create deep wounds in a child due to loss of family, separation from what they’ve known and facing a new normal including new...
Single mom overcomes relentless challenges, now children's author
Vanessa Jackson has faced adversity, challenges and obstacles many of us would never dream of. But today, she can look back at where she’s come...
Teamwork across Dallas provides Thanksgiving meals to vulnerable families
Vulnerable families across Dallas were able to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal thanks to efforts by both the Dallas Mavericks and the Texas Rangers. Both...
Comerica Bank hosts floral arrangement class at Buckner Family Hope Center™
On Nov. 15, nearly 50 women gathered together to celebrate the upcoming holidays together, learn a new skill, network and learn more about the...
Impact a life this Christmas
The holiday season can bring joy, excitement and special time with loved ones. But for some vulnerable families, the Christmas season can remind them...
Three Buckner Family Pathways™ graduates embark on new adventures
On Nov. 11, Buckner staff, volunteers, community members and former Buckner Family Pathways™ alumni gathered to celebrate three new graduates from...
Honoring those who have served
Veterans Day is a special day to honor and celebrate military veterans who have served across the United States Armed Forces and protected our...
MLB and the Astros celebrate World Series through special contribution to Buckner Houston programs
The Buckner Family Hope Center™ programs in Houston love to cheer on the Houston Astros in the MLB World Series and have had the opportunity to do...
Finding rest in busy seasons
If you’re anything like me, November and December can easily become a season of frenzy. Between the holidays, cramming everything in at work before...
Buckner Family Hope Center™ at Wynnewood celebrates recent renovations
The Buckner Family Hope Center™ at Wynnewood has been serving vulnerable children and families in the surrounding Dallas community since 1996. The...
The impact of Hurricane Fiona
Hurricane Fiona recently impacted Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, where Buckner has significant in-country work.
A call to serve local families
Originally from Chile, the concept of foster care was new to the Faundez family. But they felt the Lord placing it on their hearts more and more.
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22 years, more than 200,000 shoes, one trip to Russia
The foyer area of South Main Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, buzzed with excitement Aug. 21. Church members and attendees have grown accustomed to...
Students find the fun at Aldine summer camp
In July, the Buckner Family Hope Center™ at Aldine in Houston hosted a summer camp where children attended different programs featuring science,...
Back to school with confidence
On July 22, Buckner programs in Houston collaborated with the Halliburton Charitable Foundation and the Astros Foundation to distribute school...
Lufkin community comes together to furnish three apartments for single parents
Last week, Ashley Furniture, Walmart and Coca-Cola worked together in the East Texas summer heat to furnish and decorate three Buckner Family...
Houston Astros baseball camp gives students new experiences
Last month, 20 children from both the Buckner Family Hope Center™ locations in Houston had the opportunity to attend baseball camp with the Houston...
Oreos with officers
Have you ever wished you could ask your local police officer all the odd questions that pop in your mind? Kids at the Buckner Family Hope Center™...
Worth the journey
Takiyah Outerbridge’s early morning alarm goes off, her feet hit the ground, and her first thought is, “Thank you, God, for my job.”
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Finding community where faith and finances intersect
Some people like to talk about their faith, while some like to talk about finances. But for some, talking about either of these things can be...
A hand up during life's lows
Jasmin Herrera grew up with big ambitions. Seeing the generations before her pave the way instilled a determination in her. When she became pregnant...
High school best friends volunteer together to make a difference
Best friends since sixth grade, Thanh Phan and Derria Money were determined to find a way to continue to have fun together when they began attending...
Celebrating a legacy of giving with a pair of shoes
At Buckner Parkway Place, a Buckner senior living community in Houston, residents can expect to find delicious dining, community with others, holiday...
Waiting expectantly
Most of us can agree waiting is not usually where we want to be. Whether that’s waiting in line for dinner, for your number to be called at the DMV...
'God is doing a new thing'
Julia Cook’s smile is infectious. As a mother of four walking through homelessness, she could have let that smile fade. But her smile encourages...
Creating fruitful relationships
Buckner Family Pathways™ in Houston recently launched a mentorship program for single parents in Family Pathways. Family Pathways has always...
New home provides hope and safety
The Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas (WMU) traveled to the Rio Grande Valley for their 11th annual home build, an exciting adventure after...
Abraham Mathew re-appointed by Governor Abbott to Advisory Committee
The Nursing Facility Administrators Advisory Committee provides helpful recommendations to the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services....
Working together to serve
Throughout the year, foster care families, church groups, and more find rest and relaxation at Camp Buckner. Nestled in the Texas hill country, Camp...
50 years of ministry in Rio Grande Valley celebrated by Congressman Cuellar
Accomplishing 50 years of ministry is no easy feat. In December, the Buckner ministries in the Rio Grande Valley were honored by Congressman Henry...
Removing the language barrier to business
Becoming an entrepreneur is a difficult path but often provides the step up you need. For the participants of the business workshop at the Buckner...
Two paths, one loving home
When Rob and Emily Holloway began the foster care and adoption ministry with Buckner, they had the opportunity to journey two parallel paths – but...
Making a difference … one child at a time
The Johnson family farm is no stranger to going with the flow. From goats and chickens to alpacas, life on this Amarillo farm is hard work but never...
A dream family
The Copeland family home feels like a movie. Six children are laughing together with joy. Some of them are playing in the backyard on the trampoline...
100 volunteers from Aramark complete service projects at Buckner Children's Campus
When you imagine ideal weather for outdoor activities, Oct. 21 was picture-perfect. Aramark and City Year’s Care Force enjoyed the 70-degree day at...
One home, three dedicated teams and 600 miles
Maria Pena bakes dozens of empanadas and other delicious pastries in her commercial oven in her new kitchen every day. Before, it would take more...
Chevron Phillips Annual Golf Tournament raises funds for children and families in Beaumont
Celebrating its 23rd year, the annual Chevron Phillips Charity Golf Tournament was a success again. This year, nearly $200,000 was raised to support...
Family coaching: More than meets the eye
Being healthy is much more than diet and exercise. Being healthy should be looked at holistically. Buckner family coaching seeks to serve families by...
Serving new families
Dreaming of a fun family Saturday? Picture bean bag toss, Chick-fil-A and new school supplies. Select families in the Bachman Lake area experienced...
Back-to-school blessings across Texas
Starting off a new school year can be scary - especially during a pandemic. Buckner programs banded together across Texas with local businesses and...
Kids' creativity highlighted at Houston Astros game
Buckner Family Hope Center kids show off their creativity at Houston Astros game Sunday night.
A disastrous road trip turns into a blessing
On a typical day, it could take nine hours to drive from Houston to Amarillo, Texas. But for Rose Hurst and her 3-year-old daughter, Callie, the...
Homeless, pregnant and aging out of foster care
Imagine being 14 and facing homelessness. Briana Wright knows what it’s like all too well.
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Following the call
Mindy and Shawn Moore had a calling: Foster children in need. In following that calling, the Moores have been open to every twist in the road ......
Empowered and inspired
Last week, the Buckner Family Hope Center partnered with Comerica to host a virtual women’s conference. Just in time to celebrate Mother’s Day,...
An answered prayer at just 3 weeks old
Amanda and Jarrett Sappington had two sons, but they “just had this feeling that [their] family needed to be bigger.”
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Students safely volunteer to pack humanitarian aid for vulnerable families
There is simple peace in the quiet hum of labeling boxes, stacking tuna cans and organizing incoming donations at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian...
Support foster children in Buckner campus safe homes across Texas
Buckner campus homes across Texas have been approved to be used by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as safe homes for foster...
Blue Sunday: A day of prayer
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. To remember those who are victims of abuse and neglect, Blue Sunday Child Abuse Prevention has marked Sunday,...
Once tutored, now a tutor
While there is no age requirement for having a servant’s heart, it is less common to hear about college students taking time out of their demanding...
Fresh fruit and water from H-E-B Grocery Company will serve 100 local families
H-E-B Grocery Company, which operates H-E-B and Central Market, had excess fresh fruit and water after a canceled event and sent up to 1,200 pounds...
COVID-19 vaccine registration hosted with City of Dallas at Bachman Lake
The Buckner Family Hope Center at Bachman Lake hosted a free COVID-19 vaccine registration event in partnership with leaders of the City of Dallas.
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What is family?
When you think of family, what do you picture? Perhaps it’s mornings on the porch with your grandma or playing in the backyard with your sister or...
Buckner Family Hope Center at Reed Road transforms an entire family
Escaping from an unstable and inconsistent life, Krystal and her family found support and community at the Buckner Family Hope Center at Reed Road....
One family who chose to chase freedom from debt
The Garcia family felt suffocated by their debt. Living in a cramped RV and a fourth child on the way, Melissa found resources and hope at the Buckner...
Virtual home build celebrates 10 years of ministry in Rio Grande Valley
For the past nine years, teams from the Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas (WMU) have traveled to the Rio Grande Valley to build a home for a family...
Hope after Winter Storm Uri
During the week of Feb. 15, temperatures in Texas dropped significantly due to Winter Storm Uri, causing millions to face life with no electricity,...
Single mom finds strength and confidence to chase her dreams
Yesenia Nieto is a hard-working single mom of two teenage boys. She craved a way to create a better life for her sons. Buckner Family Pathways in...
COVID-19 vaccination clinics held at all six Buckner senior living communities
In December 2020, Parkway Place and Buckner Villas were the first Buckner senior living communities to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Since then, all...
Creating the full home they always dreamed
When Veronica Esquivel left home at 15, it shaped her in many ways. One of the biggest desires it placed in her heart was to help other children in...
Single dad finds support in new career
Kenneth Horn and his four children moved into New Hope Housing in Houston in January 2019.
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God's perfect timing and purpose during a pandemic
In 20 years of service at Buckner International, Anna Rodriquez knows God's timing is perfect ... even during a pandemic.
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Volunteering is 'simply a part of life'
Nelda Turner proves there is a place for everyone to volunteer and use their unique skills to meet the needs of vulnerable children and families.
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Serving doesn't come with an age requirement
Grace Community Church, in Beaumont, Texas, believes serving begins at any age, and they put those words to action each month.
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Amarillo couple answers the call to help foster youth in any way they can
David and Sydney Rieff simply wanted to help. They felt a tug on their heart to support the foster care system in Amarillo, but they didn’t know...
Accomplishing milestones: Seven Family Pathways graduates celebrated virtually
For seven women of Buckner Family Pathways at Dallas, graduation marked a major milestone for their family. Program directors, graduates, supporters...
Back-to-school backpacks provide comfort at Bachman Lake
Heading back to school doesn’t look quite like we are used to, but that doesn’t mean the need for school supplies has gone away. The Buckner...
Seven EKG graduates celebrate virtually with Buckner Family Hope Center at Wynnewood staff
The Buckner Family Hope Center at Wynnewood celebrated their first virtual graduation for seven EKG students. All students are participants in the...
Buckner Counseling Services and The Center for Integrative Counseling and Psychology provides support in the comfort of families' homes
As the orders to stay sheltered at home and to social distance have continued for weeks, the services Buckner offers continue adapting to meet the...
From serving as a volunteer to becoming a foster family
For the Everett family, it is clear that foster care was always a thread woven throughout their lives. But without God’s voice and his timing, they...
'A light to keep going'
Running away from home felt like Mary Romero’s only option. When she found the Buckner Transitional Home for Women in Lima, Peru, she had the...
Single mom found the running start she needed to change her family's life
Juggling a chaotic home life, struggling in school and raising her then 4-year-old son, Chanique Steele prayers were answered when she found Buckner...
Family of four in six months: Single mom adopts three siblings in virtual adoption ceremony
Bethany, Jeffrey and Avery were home from the minute they came into Jessica Sosa’s home.
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White House calls for reform of child welfare system with new executive order
For more than 400,000 children in America’s foster care system, the executive order calling for reform of the child welfare system issued by the...
Buckner Children's Home in Rio Grande Valley awarded Maximus Foundation Grant
The Buckner Children’s Home in the Rio Grande Valley was recognized for their dedication to family and community development and serving vulnerable...
7-year-old shining hope with handcrafted jewelry
Lillian Healey was determined to find a way to help those struggling due to the coronavirus. Just 7 years old, she went to her mother with a plan.
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Buckner Family Hope Center recognized as ‘Community of Faith and Opportunity’ by USDA
The Buckner Family Hope Center at Peñitas in the Rio Grande Valley has been designated a Community of Faith and Opportunity by the U.S. Department...
'The hardest joy you'll ever experience'
Jimmy and Celeste Dickinson have been parents for a long time and embracing the new season of life called empty nesting. But their definition of...
Virtual adoption ends ‘prayerful journey’ for North Texas couple
The Patterson family's recent virtual court adoption was a joyful ending to a long season of uncertainty and struggle. On April 28, William (8) and...
FC Dallas, Toyota gives free Chick-fil-A lunch to Buckner essential employees
On May 7, Buckner’s frontline essential employees, who help care for vulnerable children, received free Chick-fil-A lunches from FC Dallas and...
Single mothers in Family Pathways continue working in health care during the coronavirus crisis
For many residents in our Buckner Family Pathways program, the coronavirus pandemic is a new season of life as many of them work in health care. Each...
Foster and adoptive families embracing creativity and quality time while socially distancing
Buckner Foster Care and Adoption continues to provide safe and loving homes for vulnerable children, even throughout the crisis of the coronavirus....
Buckner programs serving families all over the world during COVID-19
The coronavirus has impacted nearly every continent across the globe and to minimize the effect of COVID-19, millions are sheltering in place. Social...
Longview church volunteers shine hope from a safe distance
During this unprecedented event of social distancing and sheltering in place, many families are facing unemployment and wondering where their next...
Courts, Buckner use technology to make one girl's adoption possible
In the wake of current social distancing measures, connecting digitally has become a priority for many. Today, technology helped complete a forever...
Family Pathways: Community in a time of crisis
With the growing threat of the coronavirus, many in the health care industry are facing extreme hours, exhaustion and coming face-to-face with the...
Social distancing during COVID-19: Buckner expands counseling services to offer digital help
During a time of uncertainty and isolation, Buckner counseling leaders are providing resources available to support mental health.
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Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid distributes aid to families in need during the coronavirus crisis
Supporting families impacted by the coronavirus isn’t slowing down at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid. This week, volunteers began...
Buckner Family Pathways gave single mom safety and security to succeed
College was never considered an option for Rhonda Lee. She aged out of foster care and had to fend for herself. College, she thought, was only for...
Buckner Family Hope Center brings new independence and hope to widow
Maria Peña offers her cookies timidly but proudly. The cookies are more than just cookies - represent new beginnings, hope and healing. The road she...
When a single mom chooses faith over fear
Taking a leap of faith – twice – changed Allencia Washington’s life. Originally from Houston and struggling to juggle school, work and raising...
Single mom finds hope and transformation at Buckner Family Pathways
Jumping from hotel rooms to friends’ couches, Amber Flores and her two children were living without hope or purpose. Amber was at her wit’s end...
Brinks helps vulnerable children and families through Buckner
More and more, businesses are seeing the value in incorporating giving and volunteer opportunities into their employee programs. There are so many...
Wells Fargo builds homes and families in the Rio Grande Valley
More and more, businesses are seeing the value in incorporating giving and volunteer opportunities into their employee programs. There are so many...
City Credit Union invests in their own community
More and more, businesses are seeing the value in incorporating giving and volunteer opportunities into their employee programs. There are so many...
Noble Energy helps children succeed in education
More and more, businesses are seeing the value in incorporating giving and volunteer opportunities into their employee programs. There are so many...
Aramark helps build strong families
More and more, businesses are seeing the value in incorporating giving and volunteer opportunities into their employee programs. There are so many...
Buckner celebrates Thanksgiving with the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers
In celebration of the season of giving, Buckner has enjoyed serving our many local communities. This week, volunteers from around the area spent time...
A new home provides peace of mind
For the ninth time, Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas has traveled each fall to build a home for a family in Peñitas, Texas. Over the course of...
Tornado devastates Primera Iglesia Bautista of Dallas
The historical church, Primera Iglesia Bautista de Dallas, was impacted tremendously by the severe weather that swept through Dallas late October 20....
The foster families of Rio Grande Children’s Home experienced joy, fun and hope at camp this summer
Going to camp can be a special experience and families of the Rio Grande Children’s Home had the opportunity this summer to experience camp in...
Faith Focus: The God who remains
When it comes to my day to day, I can be somewhat of a control freak. I’m not a fan of change and deviating from plans, or being late, has the...