ActionS, Inc., a private non-profit since 1978, provides senior citizens of Brazoria County with opportunities for meals and gatherings free of charge at seven centers in the county. Also, for the homebound seniors, there is a plan to provide a meal each day for them. These services are free to the seniors as ActionS, Inc. is funded by the Older Americans Act Title III, United Way of Brazoria County, Commissioners Court, fund raisers, and private/industry donations. During the past fiscal year, ActionS, Inc. totaled: 

19,501 transportation runs

1,089 information/referral phone calls

16,640 telephone reassurance calls

33,895 home delivered meals

42,231 hot meals at the centers

Brazoria County Youth Homes (BCYH) provides residential care and services for up to 29 youth ages 13 to 18 who are experiencing behavioral and emotional challenges due to abandonment, abuse or neglect. BCYH, a program of The Children's Center, Inc., works with United Way and other community resources to meet the needs of youth.

The facility, located in Oyster Creek, is meant to be a safe haven where teenagers can develop in such a manner as to become positive, healthy and productive adults. Youth Development workers helped 68 teenagers who lived at BCYH while attending Brazosport Independent schools this year. Ms. Tina Williams, a licensed child care administrator, is the program director for BCYH.  Telephone: 979-233-7281, Mailing address: P. O. Box 2006, Freeport, TX 77542, campus located at 3315 FM 523, Oyster Creek, TX 77541.

The Pregnancy Help Center opened its doors in 1990 in a store front on Dixie Drive, the vision of one church and a few people who wanted to help girls and women that found themselves in a crisis pregnancy.  In 1998, we began a program called H.O.P.E. (Help Offered in a Pregnancy Experience), an opportunity for expectant mothers and dads to attend classes.  Today, classes include Nutrition, Cooking, Finances, Interviewing Skills, Childbirth, Parenting, Infant CPR, Breastfeeding, Car Seat Safety, SID’s, Post Partum Depression, Shaken Baby and Newborn Care.  We also help with maternity clothes, diapers, formula and baby food. 

In 2007, we purchased a 9 bedroom, 5 bath house on 9 acres for a maternity home - a place where women 18 years or older with no place to live can stay during a pregnancy.  Our first resident arrived at Safe Haven in February of 2009. We have seen 2 babies born, both of which were placed for adoption and one that is due on Christmas Day.  Many lives have been changed through these two ‘free of charge’ ministries. These centers are solely supported by churches, individuals, and the community as we receive no government assistance.  Since August of 1990, we have had the privilege of ministering to 31,945 clients.  Of those, 23% were 15-19 years old, 39% were 20-24 years of age and 61% were single.   Safe Haven was the home for seven girls in 2009.  

Live Oak Clinic of Brazosport, located at 796 S. Brazosport Blvd. in Clute (inside the Dream Center), opened in October 2007. It is an all-volunteer, non-urgent, primary healthcare facility for local residents who cannot afford private health insurance and who do not qualify for Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP. The clients’ annual family income must not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level, approximately $20,000 for a family of four (Note: in Clute, the per capita income is $14,008). Texas leads the nation with nearly 24% or 5.4 million uninsured. Here in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area, the uninsured rate varies from 30 to 33%, the highest rate among the nation’s top 10 metropolitan areas.  This has been exacerbated with the recent downturn in our local economy.

In 2009, the clinic treated 178 patients and documented 332 office visits. The decision by UTMB in Galveston to not accept uninsured patients after Hurricane Ike has increased the demand for clinic services and specialty care is almost non-existent. Live Oak Clinic is open every Thursday evening from 6 - 8 p.m. and staffed entirely by local volunteers, including 6 physicians, 2 physician assistants, numerous nurses, office personnel & eligibility screeners. All gifts are tax deductible.   For more information contact 979-388-0809.

The Women's Center, a United Way Agency, works with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.  Founded in 1982 by a grassroots group that was tired of seeing domestic violence victims spending the night in police department foyers, the group established a shelter for these victims, as well as an office and a resale shop.  Since inception, the agency has expanded to include a second shelter, 4 more offices, 3 transitional living homes, a Batterers' Program (for both men and women who are abusive in intimate relationships), a Supervised Visitation Program for court-ordered participants, parenting classes and workshops, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program, a Speakers' Bureau, two 24-hr. HOTLINES, and volunteer training. 

The agency works with approximately 1,200 people every year, providing education and training, shelter, help with protective orders, transportation, jobs, group and individual counseling, advocacy, and assistance to help victims heal, be productive, and get on with their lives. For more information, call the main office at 979-849-9553 or 800-243-5788 for 24 hour assistance.

Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), a program of Brazoria County Alliance for Children (BCAC) and one of 64 CAC’s in the state of Texas, strives to lessen the emotional trauma during the investigative phase of child abuse and neglect cases. The CAC partners with 23 Law Enforcement agencies within Brazoria County, Children’s Protective Services and the District Attorneys office. They provide crisis intervention for victims and their families, conduct electronically recorded forensic interviews of child victims, and provide on-site therapy and medical components staffed by licensed professionals that specialize in forensic pediatric sexual assault exams.

The CAC opened its doors in 2003 in Angleton and has since endeavored to improve the lives of children affected by abuse and neglect. In August 2009, the CAC added a satellite office in Pearland. In the last year alone, the CAC of Brazoria County completed over 300 forensic interviews and 70 on-site medical exams. To find out more about the CAC, call 979-849-2500. 

Brazosport Home Delivered Meals Program (HDM) was formed in 1979 by Dr. Alan Stewart.  This year HDM celebrates 30 years of service in our community.  One of the main tasks is to provide meals for people who are just out of the hospital and have no way to get meals.  The volunteer drivers are caring, dedicated people who often do many things other than deliver meals when they see a need. The HDM volunteers delivered 14,000+ hot noontime meals (including Thanksgiving and Christmas) to your homebound neighbors throughout the community. 

The program is funded through private donations only, with just one financial appeal each year.  Donations support service to the homebound.  The charge per meal, from FREE to $2.75, is based on a client's ability to pay. Your generous support is vital in maintaining this service. Your gifts feed the hungry in our community. You have our sincere and heartfelt thanks for your contributions. Feel free to contact Lib Cox at 979-297-4233 or Pat Reynolds at 979-297-4285.