Buckner purchased a 6.88-acre property in north Houston in December 2023 which will become the Buckner Children and Family Services of Houston campus. The campus includes 37,000 square feet of classroom space and a gymnasium. It's located 6.5 miles southwest of the Buckner Family Hope Center® at Aldine.
The Family Hope Center at Aldine will relocate to the new campus later this year, having outgrown the property where it resided for nearly 30 years. The Family Hope Center at Aldine was founded by Sylvia Bolling in 1990 as the Aldine Youth Community Center and acquired by Buckner in 2012.
Families are able to receive critical services, aid and coaching through Family Hope Center programs. Having this destination of support in their community decreases the likelihood of abuse, neglect and removal of children. Included Family Hope Center programs are opportunities like community events, educational and financial empowerment classes, child and youth development, as well as spiritual development and counseling.
For Vanessa Jackson, the Family Hope Center offered her a fresh start from domestic violence while entering remission from breast cancer. With the encouragement and support of her family coach, she completed her first children's book.
The new campus provides spacious, updated facilities for programming and classes, allowing Buckner to better serve local children and families. Undeveloped land on the property also provides ample space for additional facilities and programs.
“While our first priority will be moving the Family Hope Center at Aldine to the campus this year, we are already exploring the opportunities the campus offers us for future growth and expansion of programs in Houston,” said Henry Jackson, president of Buckner Children and Family Services.
“There’s the potential to have all our core programs operating on the campus, including building beautiful, new residences for single-parent families participating in Buckner Family Pathways®," he continued.
Through the Family Pathways program, single parents can experience support and encouragement as they pursue career and educational goals. Often, first-generation college students lack resources available through Family Pathways. They are able to break the cycle for future generations and transform into strong, succesful and sustainable families.
A capital campaign will launch this year to implement the long-term vision of Buckner ministries in Houston, and it will take the generous support of Houstonians to bring this vision to reality for children and families.
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