TOGETHER BUILDING BACK BETTER 

One-Month Update

Time really flies when your community is filling you with support, and your love is truly the heartbeat of SHAPE.

We continue to work through the paperwork and processes for insurance and fire remediation. Soon, our beloved Nia Becnel Family Center on Live Oak will be “gutted to the studs”. Everything will be removed, including the walls, ceilings, and floors. It was hard to hear, but we are lifted in knowing that this restoration will bring renewal and rejuvenation.

The recently renovated Marcos Mazula Technology Center, In-SHAPE Café, and Youth Dept. offices were damaged beyond preserving any computers, laptops, copiers, 3-D printers, and electronics. Additionally, we cannot recover the thousands of cultural books we shared through our lending library program. The big things are easy to miss, but there were also so many little things that we didn’t give much thought to. Sometimes when we’re getting ready for a meeting, a staff member will get up to find their favorite clipboard, or someone will start looking for a file or book, and then we remember that it’s all gone.

We are still working from the Harambee Admin Building, and bringing back the After-School Enrichment Program is our top priority. With the help of numerous community supporters, the goal is much closer. The community has been coming in to answer the phone, clear out spaces, haul trash, landscape, provide storage space, and so much more.

We had to pause event space rentals because we just don’t have the capacity. In addition to SHAPE’s programs and services, the Live Oak building was home to about a dozen community organizations that were also displaced. Some of the programs we have resumed include: the Houston Association of Port Arthurans; Tadasana in the Tre; EMS Classes; Free Legal Consultations; Homebuying Workshops; and Mother’s Hope Support Group. The Elders Institute of Wisdom continues to meet on Thursdays to enjoy fellowship and activities with Deloyd Parker. Despite losing the use of our café, the restaurant community has sponsored meals for each meeting with support from Rachel Austin, Gatlins, ChopnBlok, Bagel Shop Bakery, Houston Catering Concepts, and Dandelion Cafe. For more programs and details, please check our Upcoming Events and social media.

On February 15th, the SHAPE Community joined together to hear directly from Bro. Deloyd Parker on SHAPE’s Restoration Campaign plans and goals. Other recent events included a fundraising brunch hosted by Be Impactful and Grooves of Houston; an outing for youth program families to the Cactus Jack Foundation HBCU Celebrity Softball Classic; and a cultural evening for the SHAPE team enjoying the Ensemble Theatre’s production of Camp Logan.

We are grateful for all the ways you are showing up for SHAPE, through volunteers donating their time, financial contributions, and technical experts sharing their knowledge. BANF (the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund) recognizes SHAPE as a Houston Cultural Treasure. Their support has always been intended to support SHAPE in audacious dreaming and transformational change, and so SHAPE is leveraging the BANF's support to launch SHAPE’s $2.5M Restoration Campaign.

BANF has had visionary support from philanthropic partners led by the Houston Endowment and the Ford Foundation, and we are stepping into this moment to utilize $100,000 of BANF opportunity funds, as a challenge and invitation for Houston's philanthropic community - individuals and foundations alike - to make matching contributions in investing in SHAPE’s legacy of community support and cultural richness. As we grow from this tragedy, we are “Together Building Back Better.”

Some Background on the Fire

On January 19, 2025, a historic fire took place at SHAPE Community Center’s Nia Becnel Family Center, located at 3815 Live Oak. We are eternally grateful that no one was physically harmed.

The Nia Becnel Family Center has been a cherished community hub for over five decades, but the building and contents suffered significant damage due to the electrical fire. To our community, SHAPE has never been “just” a building. Walking through the charred remains of our story brings an overwhelming sense of loss.

We are grieving with the community for the generations of history that have been lost, for the shared experiences that we lived in that space, and for the hindered progress that will impact some of our programs and activities. Please continue to give us and yourselves the grace to have a human response to this experience.

While there is never a good time for a tragedy, the significant winter storm caused some delays in our fire recovery process. Our foremost concern has been the safety of our community, volunteers, and staff, ensuring that everyone was out of harm’s way and prepared for the forecasted weather disaster.

As we thoroughly assess our situation, we are also working to fully restore all of our programs. The Elders Institute of Wisdom and the volunteer program have resumed at the Harambee Admin Building at 3903 Almeda Rd., 77004. Our After-School Enrichment Program is on hold until we can update our occupancy certification and change the location for our child care license to the Harambee Admin Building. It is our fervent hope that our children will be able to come back by March 2025.

Despite this unfortunate event, the spirit of SHAPE's mission will persist. This temporary challenge opens the door to fresh possibilities, paving the way for a brighter, more innovative future. We invite you to join our official restoration campaign, “Together Building Back Better”.

There are many ways you can help through financial contributions, time, skills, and technical knowledge. We will continue to update our website and social media with needs, ways to donate, contact information, and progress.

SHAPE’s dedicated staff, board, and volunteers appreciate your patience and support. Together, we can rise from this tragedy and build a better future for all.

Other Ways to Donate

By mail:

Mail a check or money order made out to SHAPE Community Center

Memo: Restoration Campaign

P. O. Box 8428
Houston, TX 77288 - 8428

In-person:

SHAPE Harambee Admin Bldg 3903 Almeda Rd., 77004

M-F 10:00 am - 4:00 pm; Sat 9:00 am - 3pm

Zelle:

832-274-2124

Other Ways to support

Volunteer:

M-F 10 am - 4:00 pm; Sa 9:00 am - 3:00 pm (hours are subject to change). Please click this link to submit our information form if you would like to volunteer generally or have specialized skills.

Donate:

Our needs will continue to change, but below, some items are listed that can help with maintaining programs at the Harambee Bldg and preparing for the next stage at the Nia Becnel Family Center.

Amazon Wish List - Immediate needs for restoring Youth Program