Grand Central Park - Volunteer Program Logs 310 Hours During 2025December 03, 2025
Our tradition of supporting local charities continued into 2025 as we teamed up with our sister communities and area Realtors to lend a helping hand throughout the year. Through the 2025 volunteer program, the north Houston communities of Johnson Development and affiliate Johnson Land Ventures brought 130 eager volunteers to four area non-profits: SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship, Boys and Girls Country, The Ballard House, and Cy-Hope. Collectively, they worked an impressive 310 hours. Each charity also received $2,000. Monica Conchola, Realtor Relations Liaison for Johnson’s north Houston communities, calls the program inspirational. “It’s inspiring to see the impact these charities have on the lives of people living in the north Houston region,” she said. “We are happy to not only donate our time and money to support their efforts, but also to introduce them to others in the area who might continue volunteering.” In February, a team of 40 Realtors and Johnson Development employees volunteered at SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship, which uses equine-assisted activities and therapies to help people with disabilities. The group worked for three hours to clean horse stalls, hang blinds in the barn, remove old obstacles, and paint new obstacles and gates. Thirty real estate agents and Johnson Development staff worked at Boys and Girls Country in June, preparing emergency kits and organizing boxes from their summer event. Boys and Girls Country is a residential community for children ages 5 to 18 where each cottage operates as an independent family unit. They also provide a home to young adults trying to obtain a degree or a technical certification, enter the military or begin their careers. The Ballard House was next, with a group of 30 volunteering in September. They cleaned apartments and cooked dinner for overnight guests as they or their loved ones awaited medical treatment at a nearby hospital. The volunteers also trimmed bushes, watered plants, and added some cheer by putting up holiday décor. “We absolutely loved having the team from Johnson Development for Adopt-a-Day at The Ballard House,” said David Brown, Executive Director. “We are so grateful for both the financial support and the willingness of so many to assist with all the things needed in a day to take care of our guests and caregivers. It was very inspiring for our guests to see so many from Johnson assisting and serving with us.” We ended the 2025 program in November, with 25 volunteers helping Cy-Hope prepare for upcoming holiday events by packaging silverware, sorting gifts and wrapping presents for decorations. Cy-Hope partners with families, schools, and the community to help students in the Cy-Fair Independent School District. Joining Grand Central Park in the volunteer program were the Johnson Development communities of Grange in Katy, Woodforest in Montgomery, Kresston in Magnolia, and Jubilee in Hockley. Also participating were the Johnson Land Ventures communities of Everly in Hockley, Briarley in Montgomery, and Amira in Tomball. We look forward to extending the program, now in its second year, into 2026!
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