Spanish media outlet hosts shoe drive
DALLAS – Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls® partnered for the first time with a Spanish television station to shine hope into the lives of vulnerable children. Univision in Dallas, including all of its
television and radio affiliates, partnered with Shoes for Orphan Souls to collect about 600 new shoes for children. The effort included on-air personalities and executives volunteering at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid. Business partners for the drive included Whataburger, TriColor Auto, Take 5 Oil, Boost Mobile and Dunkin’ Donuts. The cooperation allowed an expanded
audience to learn more about the needs of children and practical ways to help them through Buckner ministries, including Shoes for Orphan Souls, foster care and adoption.
“Being part of this project
was a great experience – to feel the immediate response, solidarity and compromise of our community to the children in need,” said Univi- sion News Anchor Ana Maria Vargas. “Univision spread the voice and the message, and the results were amazing!” Shawn Spurrier, media
partnerships coordinator with Shoes for Orphan Souls, praised Univision’s energy and commitment to helping children. “From beginning to end, the Univision
team kept the end goal of making a lasting impact at the forefront of the shoe drive,” he said. “Furthermore, we were blessed by Univision’s desire to introduce a new
audience to many of the overall holistic ministries offered by Buckner such as our Family Hope Center programs and foster care and adoption. We are genuinely grateful for the opportunity to partner with such an important institution in the Dallas-Fort Worth community.”
–Staff report Family Hope Center at Wynnewood builds ‘Men of Honor’
DALLAS – The Buckner Family Hope Center at Wynnewood is building ‘Men of Honor’ through a new mentorship program by bringing together a group of men to discuss issues they are facing and providing tools to overcome those issues in effort to empower men to get jobs and live positive lifestyles. “Men in poverty need groups where they
can come together and find out where they are lost. The road goes a certain way, but we fall off the road,” said Lester O’Garro, a volunteer mentor in the program. “In the community, guys are looking
for the right direction. If you don’t have a father who’s on you like this, then you’ve got to find the right guy.” The program was made possible by a grant from Wilshire Baptist Church, which
helps launch a select number of initiatives that provide holistic ministry. Each member of the core group within
the program is working toward those goals. Each got a job – forcing the group to reschedule when it met. They’re making healthier lifestyle choices. Beyond that, a community was created where men can turn to each other to discuss life. “In our neighborhood and this area,
we’re missing positive role models,” said Spencer Watkins, the Buckner community resource coordinator who started the group. “There’s a lot of guys out there, but they’re doing the wrong things. We want them to become positive role models. That will in turn affect families. People will get out of drugs. They’ll get involved in their children’s lives.”
Marcus Freeman, who also mentored the
young men, was excited and encouraged as he saw lives change. “Words cannot really explain it. You’re
excited to see people decide they need to change friends, they need to stop drinking, they need to stop smoking,” Freeman said. Mentors will continue their relation-
ships with the men in the group and the Hope Center is looking to particularly focus on helping fathers in the area. Many of the men are attempting to be fathers without ever having encountered a strong father figure. “You learn from your fathers and
grandfathers,” Watkins said. “But a lot of these guys didn’t have that. That’s why mentors are so important.” –John Hall
10 BUCKNER TODAY • Spring 2016
BUCKNERJOURNAL
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