Buckner Leader Honored with Award for Strengthening Southeast Texas Children and Families

Though she’s done social work faithfully for thirty-six years, Laura May was still surprised to receive the Southeast Texas Visionary Awards (SETVA) 2026 Visionary Pillar Award, which recognizes outstanding commitment to serving and strengthening the Southeast Texas community. “You don’t expect to get accolades for things you are passionate about. It’s really a wonderful thing.” 

May is the executive director for all Buckner Children and Family Services in Southeast Texas, which includes foster care services, Texas Home Visiting, FAYS (Family and Youth Success), Fatherhood, STAR (Services to At-Risk Youth), TRAIL (Transition to Responsible Adult Independent Living), and the FYI (Foster Youth to Independence) Center. 

May, who was adopted herself, has always cared deeply about giving back to her community, especially children. She began her career as a teen case manager and counselor at Buckner, eventually becoming director of residential services, which was the prevailing foster care model at the time.

This care for the children and teens she works with doesn’t end when they age out. She stays in touch with as many as possible, facilitating annual reunions and a Facebook group where the now-adults can stay connected. She’s stood in for parents at weddings and had the joy of seeing “her” teens go on to have families of their own. “For someone to put you in that role, that’s a special place to be. I don’t take that lightly at all. I really honor that and honor them in a way that they hopefully know how special and important they still are.”

Transforming generations is a fundamental part of Buckner’s vision. Children who grow up without a stable family grow up to be struggling parents themselves because no one ever really taught them what a healthy family looks like. 

That’s why, as critical as foster care and adoption work is, May sees early intervention as her most important calling. “Our goal is to get in there really early with the families and walk alongside them. And instead of coming in and saying, ‘You’re doing it wrong,’ to be the ones saying, ‘How can we help you? How can we assist you in making things better and making you a stronger parent so you feel confident and good about what you’re doing—so that you can keep your family together?’” 

Many of the children and teenagers May helps are following in her footsteps. One 21-year-old single mother of two found stable housing with Buckner’s support and enrolled in college. She earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work and now works for Child Protective Services protecting and advocating for children, a full-circle moment that makes May proud. “That’s why I do what I do. You get to see them heal enough to be successful and have their own families and have a whole different life later than what they had to start with. That’s why I’ve been doing it for 36 years.”