BRYAN, Texas — Brazos Valley Community Connection went underway Friday at First Baptist Bryan.
There are plenty of resources in the community that many aren't aware of, and this one-time event was full of non-profits and local agencies showcasing the programs they offer.
Marcy Bartula with Different Day Foundation provides shelter, life skills, and love to survivors of human trafficking.
“We provide gainful employment for the girls, life skills, equine assisted therapy, expressive arts,” Bartula said.
“They can stay with us two years rent free, and just get on the healing path.”
Bartula worked in social work for 15 years, and in the human trafficking sector eight — and said one thing was always missing.
“I just kept continuing to see a gap from services and this was one of them, is the residential piece,” Bartula said.
“We could recover, but there were no places for these girls to go, and so I was just frankly tired of seeing it — so I built Different Day.”
Organizations such as the Brazos Valley Food Bank, Catholic Charities, the Brazos County Health District, and Voices for Children were also at the event.
Yadi Bosquez came to the event with her coworker.
They assist with local affordable housing for residents 62-years-old and over, and 18-year-olds with certain disabilities.
“We came out here so we could gather some information for them so we could take it back to the community — so they can live as independent as possible,” Bosquez said.
Bosquez says coming to Brazos Valley Community Connection gave her the opportunity to share community knowledge with her residents.
“They’re very active, and some of them just want a little more to do, for the services that they need,” Bosquez said. “I think we found that here."
Melissa Velasquez with MCNA Dental shares about high quality and cost-effective dental care.
“We’re one of the dental management organizations that assists children under the age of 21 with oral hygiene information,” said Velasquez, Outreach Specialist, MCNA Dental. “We help disability children, we help pregnant teens, and we help all children that are qualified for CHIP and Medicaid.”
Family support specialists with Twin City Mission Youth and Family services share how they are helping families in Brazos County and in ten other surrounding counties.
“We work with children zero to 17 years old and their families; just providing support, really meeting the families and children where they are at, and depending on the needs and support that they are looking for — we try to fill that need for them wherever they are at,” said Haley Thrasher, Family Support Specialist, Burleson County.
Kayla Duncan with SARC, and chair of Brazos Valley Community Connection says seeing just one person attend would make her happy, and with Friday’s turnout, she hopes this becomes an annual event in our area.
Here is a link to the website and hours. https://www.loc8nearme.com/texas/bryan/brazos-valley-food-bank/2747723/