Hope in the Alamo City

On Monday, October 13, 2025, Buckner International celebrated a ribbon cutting ceremony for our first Family Hope Center in San Antonio, Texas! The Family Hope Center is located on the Southwest part of San Antonio, near Marbach and Loop 410.

Rev. Manny Alaniz, Director, has successfully launched this new ministry in the Alamo City and recruited an excellent team to serve families in that part of town.

We believe this is a critical ministry because families are at the center of all we do. Children thrive in strong families, and strong families form strong communities. We protect children through foster care and adoption, we strengthen families through Family Hope Centers, and we transform generations by breaking the cycle of poverty.

The ribbon cutting featured a local Mariachi and, refreshments, and guests that included volunteers,

Buckner staff, local school administrators, pastors, donors, representatives from foundations, representatives from the San Antonio Baptist Association, and Baptist University of the Americas, as well as government officials such as Senator Jose Menendez of District 21, and House Representative John Lujan, District 118, representatives from the San Antonio City Council, and the local HHS office.

Dr. Debbie Potter, pastor to children at Trinity Baptist Church of San Antonio, trustee for Buckner International, and first vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, was on hand to offer the dedication prayer. David Hennessee, former Buckner International trustee, also joined the celebration and the culmination of several years of planning.

Samela Macon, vice president and chief operating officer of Buckner Children and Family Services, Inc., moderated our ribbon cutting ceremony and spoke about the power of the Family Hope Center that helps us “Follow the example of Jesus by serving vulnerable children and families.

The Buckner Family Hope Center in San Antonio joins other Texas cities that also provide this service such as the Rio Grande Valley, Dallas, Houston, Longview, Lubbock, Midland, and several countries in Latin America and Africa. We are thrilled to serve San Antonio through this new ministry. Learn more about San Antonio and the different ways to get involved.