Last night, community members from Bachman Lake in Dallas gathered on the construction site of the new Buckner Family Hope Center at Bachman Lake to pledge their unity and commitment to making their community better by caring for their neighbors, friends, family and selves.

The candlelight vigil comes at a time when hope and support are needed in Bachman Lake more than ever. Already one of the most underserved areas of Dallas, many of Bachman Lake’s residents are struggling to recover from the EF3 tornado that touched down on Oct. 20.

“Shining hope in a community can start with a single flame – a single point of light,” said Ricardo Brambila, director of the Family Hope Center at Bachman Lake. “That light can be any of you through any act of kindness and caring. And that kindness will spread to illuminate the whole community, like our candles tonight.”

More than 200 community members attended the event that included a candlelight prayer, food stations, games and coloring stations and a large sign of the pledge signed by the community members present.

Ground broke on the Family Hope Center in September 2018 and will officially open in early 2020, though the Family Hope Center has already began transforming the community through job skill and financial planning classes and family coaching.

"As a member of the Bachman Lake community, I commit to use my talents, skills and passion to care for and strengthen my family. I commit to making positive decisions each day that will help my neighbors and improve my community. I commit to shine hope where there is none and inspire the hopeless. I will join Buckner International to build a better and brighter future for all people living in Bachman Lake."