Buckner sends 1,200 Houston children back to school with new supplies, backpacks
Last week, Buckner Houston helped send children in Southeast Houston and Aldine back to school with new backpacks, school supplies, uniforms and shoes to over 500 low-income families – part of the 1,200 total Houston-area children receiving back-to-school support from Buckner and its corporate sponsors like Noble Energy and Halliburton.
The weekend backpack distributions were held at Buckner Family Hope Center of Houston locations at Aldine and Reed Road. Noble Energy sponsored the Aldine drive, providing nearly 100 company volunteers to distribute 400 fully-stocked backpacks. The day included games, crafts, face painting and food vendors such as Chick-fil-A. The Harris County Public Library Curiosity Cruiser, Houston Food Bank Mobile Unit, dental screenings from Summit Dental Center and Crown Dental and vision screenings from Vision Source were also featured parts of the event.
An additional 100 backpacks and supplies were distributed through the Reed Road drive in South Houston. Those backpacks were part of the 740 backpacks and supplies purchased by Halliburton, which will be provided to participants of Buckner Houston’s programs throughout the coming weeks.
The elementary, middle school and high school students receiving backpacks attend schools within Aldine Independent School District, Houston Independent School District and KIPP and public charter schools.
New shoes were gifted to students by Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls®, the largest humanitarian aid project of Buckner International, which provides new shoes and socks to orphans and vulnerable children in the United States and throughout the world.
“We are extremely blessed and thankful for the support of companies like Noble Energy and Halliburton, which believe in corporate social responsibility and giving back to the community,” said Shawna Roy, director at Buckner Family Hope Center of Houston at Reed Road.
“Each year, the cost of sending children back to school grows. Promoting education is an integral part of Buckner Family Hope Centers’ mission in the community, as education protects children and strengthens families – so it’s imperative we help send Houston kids back with clean clothes and the necessary tools to learn and grow.”
A recent 2018 study by Deloitte reports the average U.S. household will spend $510 on school supplies, clothes/uniforms, shoes and technology to send their children back to school. Additional costs include health check-ups, immunization and haircuts.
The goal of Buckner Family Hope Centers is to strengthen families, so their children can stay where they belong – in a strong, loving home. The ministry provides programs designed to engage, equip and elevate families through programs such as family coaching, GED, ESL, computer literacy, job training, an after-school program, and summer programs for children. A multi-national model, Buckner operates Family Hope Centers across Texas and in six countries.
The 1,200 children supported in Houston are part of the more than 18,000 children worldwide that Buckner International is sending back to school with new supplies, uniforms and shoes.
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