Jenna Bush Hager reflected on her upbringing and the importance of strong families for the success of children during the Buckner Midland Shining Hope Luncheon on Nov. 6.
 
The daughter of President George W. Bush, author and contributing correspondent on NBC’s Today Show shared anecdotes and emotional moments from her childhood during a conversation with former Midland CBS 7 News Anchor Tatum Hubbard, now the chief/executive director of communications for University of Texas Permain Basin. Her parents sought to impart strong values in her through teaching and modeling those characteristics.
 
“It is such an honor to have Jenna Bush Hager with us in Midland,” said Buckner International President/CEO Albert Reyes. “The principles she shared are so true. We see it every day in the families we serve. It doesn’t matter if you’re raised in the White House or the house down the street, the influence of strong families cannot be overstated. They lay the foundation and create the launching pad for future success in the lives of all children.”
 
More than 370 people attended the sold-out event sponsored by KC Pipe, which raised nearly $150,000 benefiting Buckner Midland and its Permian Basin programs, Buckner Family Pathways and Buckner Foster Care and Adoption.
 
Buckner Children and Family Services in Midland is a ministry of Buckner International, a faith-based ministry founded in 1879 and dedicated to transforming the lives of orphans, vulnerable children, families and elders in the United States and around the world. 
 
Buckner has been protecting children and strengthening families in Midland since 1986. Already in 2018, Buckner Midland has placed 130 children in families through foster care, while 18 children have been adopted by their forever families. Additionally, Buckner Family Pathways in Midland has served 18 single-parent families consisting of 64 individuals. This entails providing the families with safe and affordable housing, educational classes and activities, and higher education for the parents.
 
This is the second Buckner event featuring Hager. Earlier this year, she and her father were the featured speakers during the ministry’s Hope for Children event in Dallas.