MIDLAND Elizabeth Espinoza has been appointed the director of the Buckner Family Hope Center in Midland. In her role as director, Espinoza will lead the Family Hope Center’s team in managing day-to-day operations, providing strategic oversight to the Midland Family Hope Center as it continues to expand its community impact, serving vulnerable children and families in the community where she has resided since 2001, a press release said.
“Buckner Midland is excited for Elizabeth to bring her eagerness, commitment to excellence, and servant heart to the Family Hope Center,” said Candace Gray, senior director of Buckner Family Hope Centers, in the release. “As we look at new and creative ways to offer services in our changing environment, Elizabeth’s education and experience will bring fresh insight.”
Espinoza began working for nonprofit Buckner Children and Family Services in 2021 as foster care case manager and then transitioned to the Family Hope Center as the Community Coordinator. Her new role as Family Hope Center Director is effective immediately, the release said.
“As the Buckner Family Hope Center Director, my goal is ensuring families that come here feel a sense of peace, empowerment, and support,” said Espinoza in the release. “I want people of the community to come in and utilize all the resources and programs at their disposal.”
Espinoza brings over five years of nonprofit leadership experience serving vulnerable populations. Before coming to Buckner, she was an adolescent case worker with the El Paso Department of Health and Human Services. She received a Bachelor of Social Work from Colorado State University – Pueblo.
According to the most recent study conducted by the United States Census Bureau, 10.5% of Midlanders live in poverty. The programs and services offered by the Buckner Family Hope Center will be a resource to help these struggling families. Services typically range from a variety of community events that engage families, to parent education classes, job skills training, financial empowerment, family coaching, counseling, and spiritual enrichment.
Though the Family Hope Center in Midland opened in February 2023, Buckner has served the Midland area since July of 1996. Since then, local programs have grown and evolved. In 2022, the Buckner Midland team facilitated 52 foster care placements, placed 8 children in their forever homes through local adoptions, provided safe and affordable homes for 20 single-mother families, while the mothers worked on earning a college degree to break generational cycles of poverty, and served more than 650 children and adults in the community.
“Midland is an incredible city. The community here is diverse and full of people who are eager and passionate about taking care of their own,” said Espinoza. “I want to make sure they know Buckner is here to bring them hope.”
Additional Buckner programs include foster care and adoption and Buckner Family Pathways, which provides single-parent families safe housing and resources to reach their higher education goals. Upon its opening, The Buckner Family Hope Center became the first new Buckner program in Midland since 2003.
The Buckner Family Hope Center in Midland is located at 2301 N. Big Spring Street, Midland TX 79705. Its phone number is (432) 310-0104. For more information on The Buckner Family Hope Center and other programs offered by Buckner Midland, visit Buckner.org/Midland
