New Life Children's Center

New Life Center receives $25,000 grant
May 2, 2005

Canyon Lake, Texas - New Life Children’s Center for abused and neglected children has received a $25,000 grant from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health to help offset reductions in state reimbursements for psychiatric-based care in residential treatment facilities and improve the quality of life for the emotionally disturbed children at the center.

“It is such a blessing to have the support of the Hogg Foundation,” said Bob Slocum, interim executive director of New Life. “Recent state funding cuts have made it difficult for us to stay within budget. Outside support such as grants and individual donations are essential to providing the quality of care that our residents deserve.”

New Life, an affiliated ministry of Lutheran Social Services, was a safe-haven for more than 130 girls, ages 11 to 17, in 2004. Since it opened in 1993, the center has provided help, healing and hope to about 1,000 abused and neglected children.

Many organizations are, “struggling to keep pace with increasing needs for services in the face of dwindling resources,” said Dr. King E. Davis, executive director of the foundation. In addition to helping bridge the service gap, the grant will help New Life Center continue to provide quality direct mental health services to residents.

The grant is part of a $100,000 grant to LSS under the foundation’s Special Mental Health Services Initiative announced last fall. The money was divided equally between each of the four Texas children’s centers operated by LSS. Together, New Life Center at Canyon Lake, Nelson Center in Denton, Bokenkamp Center in Corpus Christi and Krause Center in Katy cared for more than 600 hurting children in 2004.

With four residential treatment centers serving more than 240 children and an award-winning foster care program that serves nearly 1,100 children every day, LSS is the largest provider of residential services to abused and neglected children in Texas.

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health has managed grant-making activities in support of mental health services, research, public policy and education programs in Texas for more than 60 years.

Lutheran Social Services is the social service arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. LSS annually serves more than 25,000 children, elderly and poor in Texas and Louisiana regardless of religious beliefs, ethnicity, gender or age. Its nationally accredited affiliated ministries include therapeutic foster care, adoption, children’s residential treatment, health care and retirement centers, emergency assistance, adult day care and disaster response.