Emily Ahrens
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...