Outreach Center Connects West Houston to Hope
On any given day, the Outreach Center of West Houston is buzzing with activity.
Children fill the halls with laughter during summer camps and after-school programs. Recovery groups gather for encouragement and support. Churches worship together on evenings and weekends. Community organizations meet, teach and serve under one roof.
Located at 725 Bateswood Drive, the 12,000-square-foot nonprofit has spent more than 30 years connecting West Houston residents with services that strengthen families and build community. Originally established as a ministry of the adjacent St. Thomas Presbyterian Church, the Outreach Center became an independent nonprofit in 1996 and today operates with a staff of just two employees.
Executive Director Jorge Quiñones believes the center’s location is one of its greatest strengths.
“People of means aren’t always connected to people in need,” Quiñones said, gesturing from the Memorial Drive neighborhoods toward the nearby apartment communities. “We are a hub that connects the two worlds.”
Nonprofit Parnters
Twelve organizations operate from the facility, each maintaining its own leadership while sharing affordable space and resources. “Our fundraising helps us keep the space affordable for our community partners,” said Natalie Lerner, director of communications and events.
Among those partners is Family Point Resources, which serves more than 125 students representing more than a dozen nationalities through after-school and summer programs. The organization operates from a library filled with thousands of books that doubles as classroom, office and gathering space.
Recovery programs also play a significant role. More than 10 Alcoholics Anonymous groups meet at the center each week, drawing more than 100 participants. The Palmer Drug Abuse Program provides counseling and support for teens and young adults recovering from substance abuse, creating a welcoming environment where participants can build healthy relationships with guidance from licensed chemical dependency counselors.
Other resident organizations include Young Life, C.E.N.T.E.R. Ministries, Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, Two Lives Changed, and Nation’s Best CPR.
The center’s largest gathering space is a 90-seat auditorium equipped with upgraded audio, video and lighting systems. It regularly hosts churches, recovery meetings and community organizations.
Beyond the Walls
A community garden maintained by Family Point Resources, Urban Harvest and the National Charity League produces seasonal vegetables for local families. Boy Scout projects have added outdoor seating and artwork throughout the campus. Rainwater harvesting and composting systems support the garden, while a commercial backup generator currently being installed will allow the center to serve as a community respite site during emergencies. The facility is registered with the American Red Cross.
The Outreach Center has limited space for onsite partners. So they have partnered with a number of off-site organizations to help meet the community’s need through an online resource directory that helps users locate food assistance, temporary shelter, transportation, medical supplies, job training and thousands of other services by ZIP code.
“We connect people to the resources they need to improve their lives,” said Lerner. She likens the Outreach Center to “a nonprofit concierge.”
For Quiñones, success isn’t measured by how many organizations share the building, but by the lives they touch together. “Our goal is to elevate families and connect them to resources through our partners,” he said.
To learn more, visit www.oc-wh.org.