“The Howard Home is soon to be a reality. Just what this means now to our home and what it will mean for the future cannot be measured in words. On average these [children] will find their home for approximately three years and then as others are added and they go out it will mean that 24 children will have received the special blessings of this shelter each year and as the years come and go it will be but a short time until in the Big World hundreds of men and women will be looking back to the Howard Home. ISN’T THIS A WONDERFUL INVESTMENT?”
–An excerpt from the September 1925 issue of Sunshine Monthly
This prediction from the 1925 Sunshine Monthly was correct – the Howard Home has made a difference in the lives of countless children, youth and families.
The Howard Home first opened its doors on October 10, 1925, and served as a haven of shelter and an environment to foster growth and renewal for hundreds of young people. As MCH strives to better meet the needs of children, youth and families today and in the future through the construction of the new state-of-the-art homes and outreach centers, staff and alumni fondly remember the legacy of care the Howard Home provided for 94 years.
The Howard Home was a gift from longtime friend of MCH, Mrs. Florence C. Howard of Moody, Texas. The home was given in memory of her husband, Charles Howard. It was the first cottage established by an individual patron.
It was said that each of Mrs. Howard’s children collaborated in the creation of the home for boys and that it was one of the most homelike places on campus. The home held a reception hall, living room, sun parlor, dining room, kitchen, and accommodations for 24 boys. Mrs. Howard was a frequent visitor and was said to have shared her life story with the children of the home during her visits.
The Howard Home has been an integral part of the organization’s legacy of giving. Beyond serving as a home for boys, it has also acted as the Howard Emergency Shelter, Howard Family Care Center and most recently as the Waco MCH Family Outreach office.
Leave a Reply