HOUSTON – Aldine Family Hope Center, a ministry of Buckner International, will celebrate 25 years of service to the Aldine community Saturday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the center, located at 4700 Aldine Mail Route.
The community is invited to attend the milestone celebration for an afternoon of face painting, games, live music, refreshments and an open house. A recognition program will begin at noon honoring influential individuals who have made a significant impact in the program since it began.
Founded by Sylvia Bolling from the trunk of her car in 1990 as the Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. Community Center, the program joined Buckner International in 2012 where it has continued to improve the lives of at-risk youth and their families, serving about 5,000 households in a community encompassing a two-mile radius of U.S. Highway 59 North of Aldine Mail Route. The service area includes 12 schools, five subdivisions, seven apartment complexes and several businesses and churches.
“Approximately 85 percent of the students living in our community are considered economically disadvantaged,” said ministry founder Sylvia Bolling. “From our beginning, we’ve been committed to improving the lives of local families through serving our neighbors in the most need. As our community has grown, so has our opportunity to serve.”
The center offers a variety of educational, vocational, social, and recreational services to the community as it strives to address the needs of individuals challenged by social, language, cultural, transportation, and location barriers.
“By seeking to help all in need, we’ve become a place where volunteers of all races and ages can empower the youth within our community,” said Shawna Roy, the Family Hope Center’s director. “We are thankful for the support our community has provided us over the years and look forward many more years of service to come.”
Additional Buckner programs in the Houston area include Buckner Family Place, a transitional program for single parents and their children; Parkway Place, a Buckner senior living community; and Buckner Hospice Houston.