TX - Gregg

Lacy is a single 25-year-old facing an unplanned pregnancy, unsure if she can parent her child. Mackenzie and Taylor have been in foster care for six years and are anxiously awaiting a forever family to adopt them. Doris and Peter are empy-nesters, looking for a life of community and meaning as they live out their retirement years.

Buckner offers a wide variety of services to children, families and single parents in the Longview area with the goal of building the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life and fulfill their God-given potential.

When you volunteer with Buckner in Longview, you will meet people like Lacy, Mackenzie, Taylor, Doris and Peter. You will minister to them and pray with them. Their stories will leave an eternal impact on your soul. The Buckner ministry is unlike any other.

In Longview, we provide:

**Foster care and adoption**

Buckner provides the training and resources needed to become a family to a child for a season through foster care or a forever family through domestic foster care or adoption. Children in these programs are most often referred through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services due to experiencing abuse, neglect or abandonment. We also respond to mothers experiencing an unplanned pregnancy with counseling and support. Learn more by calling 903-757-9383.

**Buckner Family Hope Center® in Longview**

The Family Hope Center programs offer child-centered, family-focused places where families go to find hope, support and empowerment in their community to reach their fullest God-given potential. The key to the succes of the Family Hope Center is found in combining effective programs and passionate people to help families that are experiencing poverty, family issues and lack of services.

Our programs seek to engage through family assistance and community events; equip families through education, financial empowerment, child and youth development and spiritual development; elevate families through family coaching, counseling and spiritual enrichment. 

For more information about the variety of services offered through the Family Hope Center, call 903-757-9383.

**Buckner Family Pathways®**

We provide single-parent families the opportunity to live in a safe, secure environment while completing their educational or vocational goals and learning the skills they need to be self-sufficient. Families are provided support through access to affordable housing, financial assistance, counseling, spiritual growth and case management services. 

Want to know more? Call 903-757-9383 for more information.

**Healthy Outcomes through Prevention and Early Support (HOPES)**

Many of the most formative moments in a child's life happen in their first five years. That's why Buckner provides crucial parent educators for vulnerable families through Buckner HOPES. Through one-on-one sessions, parents learn best practices for raising children, setting the stage for young people to reach their God-given potential. For more information, call 903-757-9383.

**Senior living at Buckner Westminster Place**

A lazy retirement is a thing of the past at Buckner Westminster Place, where residents thrive on active, healthy living amid the towering pine trees and East Texas charm. Independent living residents enjoy spacious patio homes with beautifully landscaped lawns and headache-free apartments in a welcoming community, free of the complications and worries of owning a home. Westminster Place is Longview’s best choice for lakeside retirement living. Learn more by [clicking here.](https://bucknerwestminster.org/)

Buckner Children & Family Services - Longview

Bring your Dad to the park Day!

Eric Hatley was born and raised in Gurdon Arkansas where he excelled in athletics such as football, basketball and track. While attending Gurdon High School he played under a great coach named John Ware. He received honors in football, basketball and track but basketball was his passion.  After graduation he was selected to play for the International Tour team that traveled to Belgium Europe where he was then selected to play in the All-Star game. After returning from Europe he committed to play basketball for Crowley’s Ridge College in Paragould, Arkansas.

After playing one year at CRC he transferred to Wiley College in Marshall Texas and played for three years. After playing for Wiley College he went on to earn his bachelor degree in Business Administration. After graduation I attended several pro camps/combines to live out my dreams. I was inducted into the Gurdon High School Hall Of Fame. I ended up playing for two semi-pro teams in Texas while holding down a full-time job in juvenile probation.     


Eric Hatley Sr. is a father of three, motivational speaker, basketball trainer and a business man.  He is the founder/director of the Tip-Off Basketball and has been fulfilling his dream since 2007 which originated in Gurdon Arkansas. He has been hosting a basketball camp each summer for kids ages five to fifteen.  He teaches young girls and boy’s the fundamentals of the game of basketball.  The Tip-Off Basketball camp focuses on mentoring, fundamentals, drills, games, life skills and sharing the word of God.  


We also teach players how to work hard, how to believe in themselves, teach self-motivation, how to achieve goals and be winners.  In 2014 he established EDH Basketball Club Foundation located in Longview Texas.  He hosts a year-round six week training series for boys and girls the ages five to fifteen.  In addition to hosting basketball camps during the year, I focus on teaching fundamentals, team work, individual skills and making sure that they know that they are a student first! He has currently retired from the Juvenile Probation in Texas after many years of service. 

EDH Basketball Club Foundation

EDH Summer Basketball Camp Session 2

EDH Special Needs Basketball Camp for kids ages 5-18

**HOW WE GOT HERE**
Thrive Longview’s arrival is a storied journey. The idea of a teen development ministry was birthed out of the generosity and philanthropy of the R.S. Martin family and Paula Martin Jones Charities. Paula Martin Jones was dedicated to not only her family but also to families in her community and the welfare of all children. After her untimely death in March 1990, her love of life and dedication to the community as well as her humanitarian efforts are remembered under the foundation bearing her name.

In September 2015, Paula Martin Jones Charities began the planning process for the creation of an out-of-school time educational campus for young people and their families called Thrive360. Recognizing the strategic potential of a common vision and collaborative partnerships with neighboring non-profits, churches, and organizations, Thrive360 sought to maximize the campus and its facilities to attract teens and provide opportunities to mentor teens. Thrive360 would operate a variety of programming initiatives over the next four years which included after-school programming, intramural sports leagues, functional fitness community classes, summer camps, teen conferences, etc.

**WHERE WE ARE NOW**
On February 1, 2020, One Hope Presbyterian Church (https://www.onehopelongview.com/) acquired the campus where Thrive360 previously operated and entered into partnership with the relaunched and rebranded Thrive Longview. Under new ownership and leadership, Thrive Longview’s has reoriented programming and the mission. 

Thrive Longview’s conviction and passion are in the development of teen character. Our mission is simply to transform the lives of teens. As stewards and mentors, Christ is the foundation by which we establish our identity and culture as a ministry. The transformation of teens' lives takes place as we walk alongside them, aid in developing their character, and prepare them for the adversities life has to offer. Thrive Longview’s hope is that our students and their families will prosper, grow, and develop vigorously through intentional programming because we believe in the African proverb, “it takes a village”. 

We walk alongside our students through group mentoring. We always consider in the number of students being served, the methods by which students are engaged, and the involvement of the local community in our programming. Thrive seeks the expertise of community members and builds positive, mutually beneficial relationships. We believe middle school aged students have as much to teach adults about real life as adults do. We strive to be an extension of and therefore supplemental to the school, the church, and the home. 

We recognize that a big part of success is learning how to fail forward. With this in mind we want to prepare our teens for the adversities life has to offer by creating safe environments for teens to fail and learn from those failures. We introduce a variety of tools like, sport specific skill training, high intensity functional fitness, drug prevention and awareness, and abstinence courses, just to name a few. 

By walking alongside our students and preparing them for adversity, we are modeling and developing the character of our students. Our students becoming whole, healthy, and valuable members of the community and transforming their lives so that they can be the best version of themselves is our mission. 

Thrive Longview is an independent, non-profit 501(c)3 organization whose programming is led from a faith-based, Christian context.

Thrive Longview

Camp Transform - Thrive Summer Mini Camp

TX - Smith

EmpowerNet was created to help thrust entrepreneurs and small business owners forward through connection, collaboration and community engagement. It's purpose is to provide resources to small business owners while also giving them a platform to shine. EmpowerNet also aims to host more events for the community including women-led expos, small business workshops, networking mixers and more. 

Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing them with the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive. We are committed to fostering connections, facilitating collaboration, and promoting community engagement to drive economic growth and social impact. Through our programs, services, and initiatives, we aim to create a vibrant ecosystem where entrepreneurs and small business owners can connect with each other, collaborate on innovative ideas and projects, and engage with their communities to create positive change.

Local Events

Bring your Dad to the park Day!

EDH Summer Basketball Camp Session 2

EDH Special Needs Basketball Camp for kids ages 5-18

Camp Transform - Thrive Summer Mini Camp

Back 2 School KIDPRENEUR Festival

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