Last spring, the Buckner Family Hope Center® at Wynnewood in Dallas was awarded a grant to fund three paid internships for the 2024 summer. The Rees-Jones Foundation launched its Youth Internship Program in 2018 to help create internship opportunities for several Dallas nonprofits who lacked resources to pay interns.

In addition to supporting organizations like Buckner, the program was designed to be purposeful for interns too. Through leadership opportunities and workplace competency soft skills, these young adults gain real-life work experience to support their future careers.

Participants in children's program gain experience as interns today

Buckner was eager to welcome back two young women for their second summer internship. Sanaia Stevens and DeAsia Jackson were ready to take on the summer at Wynnewood. Sanaia is currently taking classes through Dallas Community College. She shared that her desire to intern with the Family Hope Center at Wynnewood came from growing up in the children’s program.

She and DeAsia both have fond memories of their time in Buckner’s summer program.

DeAsia, a junior and social work major at Texas Southern University, laughed as she said that her favorite thing about the program as a child was probably just not being at school. Now, she likes getting the chance to give other kids the same opportunities she grew up with.

“We enjoyed [hosting] the movie night so much because it was mainly our event,” DeAsia shared. “We weren’t really in charge of it, but we did all the decorations. We did the backdrop and turned the room into a theater. And we advertised the event. It was just really successful.”

“It was the energy,” Sanaia agreed. “Everyone here, you could tell they were having a good time. Even people who didn’t have a seat! Everyone was fed, they were talking afterward. More kids came to the program after that event.”

The Rees-Jones Foundation also provides additional opportunities for team building and networking with other interns from similar organizations.

DeAsia and Sanaia affectionately call these their “Rees-Jones Days.” From team building on a ropes course to “etiquette day” where they learned about attending business dinners, these young women gave their best effort and came away inspired by the other interns they met.

The value of confidence and hope for interns to take into their future careers

DeAsia appreciates that her summer internship helped her think about her future career in social work.

“I have more clarity about what I want to do in the field,” she said. “I had never considered being a [Buckner] family coach, like Ms. Sandra. She has people who she’s seen grow up, graduate, go off to college. She has a real connection. She brings them guidance and resources.”

Sanaia shared that her experience has helped her understand the importance of empathy.

“You see a lot of negativity and meanness now more than ever,” Sanaia said. “I always feel like it’s so much easier to be mean. But it’s hard to be nice. I think it’s important to spread kindness. You never know if a small act of kindness will make somebody’s day. [Buckner staff] fill in the gaps in people’s lives, and I want to do that.”

Through programs at the Family Hope Center, families and children are provided community events, resources and education to work toward their goals. Because of interns like Sanaia and DeAsia, the impact on those families and children can be even greater and hit even closer to home.

Are you interested in impacting vulnerable children and families in your community? Find a volunteer opportunity today.