Photos courtesy of Abigail Erickson-Torres
Neighbor Abigail Erickson-Torres runs the nonprofit Bryan’s House. A program that helps underserved children in North Texas with specialized medical, educational and therapeutic care and holistic support services for families to thrive.
“It’s about authenticity, listening, patience and passion. I’ve spent the past 4 years with my Board and team—shaping this agency into one of excellence. We are doing incredible work to serve very at-risk children with complex special needs and their families. We are a beacon for inclusion and diversity,” Torres says.
The nonprofit started off helping children with HIV and AIDS, as the number of children with these illnesses fell, Bryan’s House started to focus on underserved children with special needs.
They host a lab-school for practicums, providing enrichment opportunities for University of Texas at Dallas therapy students. They provide a program for in-class observations for students from the Dallas Nursing Institute, Chamberlain Nursing School and Concorde Nursing School.
Bryan’s House teams negate homelessness for families and provide basic needs, workforce solutions, further education access, job skills training, financial and budgeting expertise and so much more. They do this all with a staff of 25 in 8 counties, serving 1 month to 21 years of age.
As the CEO, Torres says she loves dedicating time to mentor those who work with her – ensuring her teams have the tools and access they need to find a healthy balance. Diversity and Inclusion at Bryan’s House isn’t a new marketing campaign for them – it saves lives.
