LCRA, City of Giddings award $23,295 grant for upgrades to new teen center

Renovations will help Buffalo Nation open a safe, accessible community center for mentoring, counseling and life-skills training

June 4, 2026

Key Takeaways

  • LCRA and the City of Giddings award a $23,295 grant to Buffalo Nation to complete its first space dedicated to teen and young adult mentoring.
  • The upgrades will help Buffalo Nation expand its free programming and services to students, teens and young adults. The center also will be available for rental by community groups.
  • The grant is one of 41 being awarded through LCRA’s Community Grants program through June. LCRA will accept applications in July for the next round of grants.
LCRA and City of Giddings representatives present a $23,295 grant to Buffalo Nation for upgrades to its new teen center. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Grants program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Jorge Romero and Edith Mireles, H&R Foam Insulation owners; Beth Jacobs, Classic Bank loan officer; Melissa K. Blanding, LCRA Board member; Laura Cruise, Buffalo Nation founder and president; Mark Mayo and Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board members; Cindy Booth, Buffalo Nation board member; Heather Garner, interim city manager; Bryan Zoch, Buffalo Nation advisory team member; Linda Pruitt, mayor; Tim Cruise, Buffalo Nation advisory team member; Andrea Ray, city secretary; Lisa Linder, Buffalo Nation board secretary; Jackie Handrick, Giddings Chamber of Commerce president/CEO; and Kate Ramzinski, LCRA Regional Affairs representative.

GIDDINGS, Texas – The nonprofit Buffalo Nation soon will open Building 979, a new center dedicated to helping at-risk teens and young adults, thanks to a $23,295 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Giddings.

The LCRA Community Grant, along with $7,000 in matching funds from the organization, will equip the new center with ADA-compliant restrooms and upgraded electrical capacity to make Building 979 in downtown Giddings fully accessible, safe and ready to serve the community. The program currently operates in borrowed space, and the new building will be Buffalo Nation’s permanent, purpose-built center.

“Our mission is to help teens and young adults in tough situations realize that they have options,” said Laura Cruise, Buffalo Nation founder and president. “We then help them make a plan, offering them one-on-one mentoring, life-skills training and exposure to post-secondary education options such as workforce training, military service, trade school and college, all completely free to them.”

Cruise said intervention and education efforts can reduce the likelihood of high school dropouts, crisis situations, long-term unemployment and incarceration.

“This grant is helping move Building 979 one step closer to becoming a fully accessible community resource and connection hub for local youth, families and the greater community,” Cruise said. “These foundational improvements will help create a safer, more welcoming environment while allowing us to expand programs, services and community involvement. In a rural community like ours, support like this creates a lasting impact far beyond the building itself.”

The building will be available as rental venue for community gatherings, workshops and celebrations outside of youth programming hours. In addition, Buffalo Nation plans to host expanded community classes, including technology education for seniors.

This is one of 41 grants awarded recently through LCRA Community Grants. These grants are awarded twice a year as part of LCRA’s effort to give back to communities in its wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The City of Giddings is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the Community Grants program.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July. More information is available at www.lcra.org/grants.

Contact Info

Clara Tuma
512-578-3292
After hours: 512-944-6719
[email protected]

About LCRA

The Lower Colorado River Authority serves communities across Texas by managing the lower Colorado River, generating and transmitting wholesale electric power, providing clean water supplies, operating telecommunications infrastructure, and owning parks for outdoor recreation. LCRA delivers power, water and infrastructure that support the region’s growth and quality of life. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. Created by the Texas Legislature in 1934, LCRA receives no state appropriations.