KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas â For over 60 years, the Genesis Center of North Texas has provided refuge for women and children escaping crises, offering them safety, stability, and a chance at a new beginning.
However, the heart of the shelter â its kitchen â has remained stagnant since the facility first opened. Each day, staff and residents prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner for more than 20 individuals, using equipment and a layout that were never intended to accommodate such demand.
After years of maximizing every inch of space, the Center is on the brink of completing a long-anticipated renovation that will revamp the kitchen and adjacent dining area into a modern and welcoming environment.
âWe prepare three meals a day plus snacks for every woman and child who lives here,â said Amanda Lewis, Director of Genesis Center North Texas. âWhat weâve needed is a kitchen that truly supports the incredible work our residents and staff do every single day.â
A Project Fueled by Community Support
The renovation is divided into four phases, including rewiring outdated electrical systems, installing new air conditioning units, and adding energy-efficient LED lighting, commercial dishwashers, and durable new cabinets and countertops.
Each phase aims not only to enhance functionality but also to create a kitchen that is safer, cleaner, and more inviting.
The total cost of the project is $90,000, and thanks to the generosity of donors throughout Kaufman County, Genesis Center has already raised $74,000 toward its goal.
âThis project isnât just about a kitchen remodel,â Lewis explained. âItâs about creating a space where healing happens, where mothers can cook with their children, and where shared meals remind everyone that theyâre not alone.â
A Place of Healing and Hope
Each year, the Genesis Center serves over 26,000 nutritious meals to women and children in crisis. Residents benefit from counseling, childcare, faith-based life skills classes, and support services that help them rebuild their lives, all at no cost.
The Center operates as part of a broader mission to provide refuge and renewal. It responds to approximately 1,800 crisis calls annually, accommodates up to 22 residents at a time, and partners with statewide domestic violence programs to ensure every woman and child has a safe place to turn.
How to Help
The kitchen remodel represents the final major improvement needed in the 60-year-old facility. The Center aims to raise the remaining $16,000 by the end of the year.
Donations can be made directly through Genesis Centerâs online giving platform at genesiscenterntx.org/give.
Every dollar contributed will help create a functional, uplifting space â one meal, one child, and one mother at a time.
