'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMH/8QAHxAAAQQCAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBBEAEgUTMVGR/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/EABgRAAMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAhEx/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDJZHIw3d3TCSILDjaOxLilFlK/CRYBKbSTVZZyA12K0mua2av18xjGUnrGqfD/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Tina Knowles attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Knowles-Rowland House on Tuesday, October 13. Established in 1999, the house was redeveloped after suffering damage in 2021 due to a fire.
The Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth was built in Houston as a youth center and gymnasium for homeless people. Destiny's Child, which comprised Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett, funded it.
The house suffered damage due to Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and then from a fire in 2021. The project was then approved for redevelopment in 2023, with Harris County committing around $7.2 million. Bread of Life, a non-profit organization associated with St. John's Downtown Church, sponsored the project.
On Tuesday, October 13, the redeveloped Knowles-Rowland House was inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Houston. The house is named after Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, who attended the opening with Tina Knowles.
At the ceremony, Tina Knowles spoke about how Beyoncé and Kelly used to visit the center as kids and take part in different tasks, saying (h/t ELLE):
“We used to serve meals here after church. It was the best thing I could’ve done for them. And because of that, I have these beautiful young women [Beyoncé and Rowland] that have hearts and empathy, and they give, and they work, and they do things to give back to the community. And I have this place to thank for that because God always gives you what you need at the time that you need it. And I needed a place to teach them.”
The Knowles-Rowland House has 31 housing units and caters to people suffering from chronic homelessness.
Beyoncé shares her thoughts at Knowles-Rowland House's inauguration
The Knowles-Rowland House provides not only housing but also mental health support, life skills training, substance abuse services, and more. During the opening after its redevelopment on Tuesday, Beyoncé said (via the Houston Chronicle):
"I have so many memories here, and I want to thank Juanita and Rudy (Rasmus, church pastors) because your prayers have held us up. This church was our foundation. I was baptized right here. I made the choice on my own to be baptized because I felt the spirit here, and I feel the spirit right now. And I'm so grateful for that foundation. And I love you, I love you, and there ain’t nothing you can do about it.”
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, chronic homelessness is when a person has been homeless for a year. This could be a continuous stretch or broken into multiple stretches of several months over the last three years.
Camille Chappel, Bread of Life’s vice president of programs and partnerships, said that the organization's goal is to "provide as much wrap-around services as possible." She explained that the Knowles-Rowland House would have "mental health access resources, benefits enrollment, housing and hygiene resources, life skills training and so much more." It also has 16 units for people with sensory or mobility disabilities.
Trending
Love movies? Try our Box Office Game and Movie Grid Game to test your film knowledge and have some fun!
Reply
