HISD celebrated the grand opening of its final Sunrise Center, marking a significant milestone in a groundbreaking initiative aimed at offering comprehensive support to students and their families. The Sunrise Centers, seven in total, have been thoughtfully established across the district to serve as hubs of wellness, nutrition and social resources.
The most recent addition, located at the former Brock Re-Engagement Center on Houston Ave, brings the vision of Superintendent Mike Miles to fruition.
The HISD Sunrise Centers, a $12 million project, are designed to provide students and their families with access to vital resources. These resources encompass food, clothing, health care, mental health support, job training and more. These services are made possible through partnerships with local community organizations that share HISD’s commitment to nurturing student well-being.
The new Brock Sunrise Center, situated in Houston’s historic First Ward, operates in collaboration with several community partners, including the Houston Food Bank, Books Between Kids and Empowerment Services. The mission of the center is clear: to create a one-stop-shop for families seeking assistance, providing resources ranging from food and clothing to valuable social and emotional support. Students can come to the center to access clothing, food, school supplies and essential mental health services.
For parents, the center offers guidance on dressing appropriately for job interviews, participating in workforce development, and understanding the intricacies of medical insurance—all while preserving their dignity and choice.
One of the center’s standout features is its association with the Houston Food Bank. Visitors to the center can access the food pantry, where they can select dry and canned goods according to their needs. The Sunrise Centers have also partnered with Second Serving, a local organization that rescues surplus food items from grocery and big box stores. This initiative prevents food waste and empowers recipients to choose from a variety of fresh and nutritious foods that might otherwise be out of reach.
Sunrise Center Specialist, Carl Green, highlighted the program’s accessibility, saying, “The goal is for there to be a Sunrise Center within 10 minutes of every school.”
This accessibility ensures that families do not need to undertake long journeys to access the support they require.
The Sunrise Centers play a pivotal role in centralizing resources in key communities. They engage community partners to support students and families in need, and they break down barriers to essential services and resources, ultimately creating a stronger safety net for all members of the HISD community.
The Brock Sunrise Center is well-equipped with resources to meet various needs. It houses rooms filled with racks of clothing suitable for job interviews, children’s books, mental health clinicians catering to youth, and a space stocked with brand-new shoeboxes, school uniforms, and hygiene kits for special populations, thanks to grant funding.
While Miles has primarily focused on academics and overhauling schools through his New Education System, he recognized the importance of holistic student support. His vision for seven Sunrise Centers by November has now been fully realized. Each center received an allocation of $2 million from the budget. Miles explained that these centers complement existing services provided by HISD and nonprofit organizations throughout the city.
Here are all the Sunrise Center locations:
Baker Ripley Gulfton-Sharpstown Campus, 6500 Rookin St.
West Orem YMCA, 5801 W. Orem Drive
Cornerstone Community Transformational Campus, 2575 Reed Road
Morefield Boys & Girls Club, 5950 Selinsky Road
Mission Milby, 2220 Broadway St.
Youth Development Center, 6050 Bretshire Drive
Brock Re-Engagement Center, 1417 Houston Ave.