Change one family, and you change a generation.
Cristian Garcia carries that message into his work in child welfare and in his heart.
On July 15, 2019, Garcia joined Saint Francis Ministries as a Regional Vice President, serving in the West Texas area where the organization recently received a new contract to implement Community-Based Care in 41 counties.
Although Garcia began his career in finance, he quickly followed his calling to work with children from “hard places,” he said. For the past 11 years, he’s worked in a variety of positions in the foster care system.
“When you meet people from the field, you realize there’s a part of them they see in every child they work with,” Garcia said. “They are trying to help and heal. My passion comes really in just trying to change a generation. If you can change one family, they change a generation moving forward. How exciting is that?”
Garcia said it took a couple of people influencing his own life to change a path he was on as a young person. Today, it’s important to him that he help children – and their families – reach their potential.
It’s about, he added, “letting them know they’re valued and loved.”
Garcia is excited about partnering with the Department of Family and Protective Services in Region 01 to ensure quality care is provided to children and families.
“We are committed to caring for the over 1,900 children in Region 01 and bringing over 500 children back to their communities,” he said. “Community-based care is significant to the Saint Francis mission as it allows us an opportunity to work within our communities to ensure they can best care for our children.”
A native of West Texas, Garcia spent seven years at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in various roles. More recently, he worked at Buckner International for the past four years as Regional Director for Foster Care and Adoption for West Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.
Garcia attended Texas Tech University and received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Lubbock Christian University where he received his Master of Science in Human Services, focusing on leadership and organizational development.
Garcia is married to his junior high sweetheart, Casey, also a native of West Texas who works with children at the Child Development Research Center at Texas Tech University. They have two children, Elly, 8, and Emery, 4.
