One of our core capabilities at BCFS Health and Human Services is supporting youth and young adults, especially those from foster care.
In April 2021, we honored National Child Abuse Prevention Month by gathering a group of people to bless our in-progress Our House for Young Woman, a center operated by BCFS Health and Human Services in Abilene, Texas.
Two of our community partners led prayers for the event, which included calls for favor on those currently living at Our House for Young Women and for those that may need our help in the future. The partners work with a group supporting the interests of abused and neglected children in the court system via trained community volunteers.
Many of the event opening participants signed a beam in the center to signify the center’s importance and long-lasting purpose. Alana Jeter, Regional Director with BCFS Health and Human Services and an Abilene resident, noted the beam signing was an important way for people involved in the center to leave their mark. Sheetrock and paint will cover the writing, but the words on the beams will resonate throughout the house for as long as it stands. Event attendees inscribed a variety of messages on the beams, from personal thoughts to pertinent Bible verses that referenced strength, wisdom, and building a home.
The development of Our House expands upon BCFS Health and Human Services’ many programs that offer help for young people experiencing homelessness and other related challenges. Our House initially opened in late 2012 and was exclusively for male residents. We provide these young men with the tools they need to move from youth to independent and successful adults. The Our House for Young Women expansion will expand the organization’s capabilities to provide housing and care to local women in need.
