HTX-TOM: Impact 10/22/2025

Colton, the 5,700-acre master-planned community now open, has broken ground on its first major amenity, Arroyos Park, an 8-acre destination celebrating the architecture, landscapes and traditions of Texas, according to an Oct. 20 news release.

A closer look: Developed by AIRIA Development Co., the park will straddle two seasonal creeks and feature a mix of recreation spaces and buildings inspired by notable Texas landmarks. The design reflects the community’s theme of “Quintessential Texas Living,” blending old-fashioned charm with modern comfort, as the release states.

Arroyos Park will feature four main buildings, each rooted in regional history and design, the release states:

• W. Blakley Hall, an event space with reclaimed hardwood floors reminiscent of classic Texas dance halls
• The Welcome Inn, inspired by Bronte’s Texas Theatre, which will house Colton’s lifestyle director
• The Iron Yard fitness center, echoing Fort Worth’s historic railway terminal
• The Homeowners Association building, modeled after East Austin’s Central Machine Works factory and connected by a breezeway

Manna Bread From Heaven has extended its hours and will soon offer a new dinner and mocktail menu, front of house manager Amanda Mitchell said.

The setup: The eatery and cafe is now open from 6 a.m.- 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 6 a.m.- 8 p.m. on Saturdays.

Mitchell said live performances of Christian worship music will happen on Friday nights from 5-7 p.m.

On the menu: Coming soon to the menu are Utah-inspired Hawaiian haystacks—a base of rice and chicken gravy, topped with an assortment of fresh and crunchy ingredients—and Navajo tacos consisting of fry bread topped with seasoned ground beef, beans and taco toppings such as lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. Mitchell also said mocktails will include a twist on an espresso martini and a lavender margarita.

Isaiah 117 House, a nonprofit that offers children a home while awaiting placement with a foster family, opened up a house serving Montgomery and Walker counties earlier this year.

Two-minute impact: Usually, when children are removed from their homes by Child Protective Services, they are brought to the department’s office, Emily Miller, who leads the location serving Montgomery and Walker counties, said. The Isaiah 117 House provides the children a home stocked with clean clothes, beds, food, bath items and toys they can stay at instead.

The nonprofit also works to lighten the load for the caseworker who will stay at the house with the child and help ease the transition for the future foster family by making sure kids walk out the door with clothes and other necessities like school supplies.

By the numbers: Miller said 34 children have come through the Isaiah 117 House serving Montgomery and Walker counties since the location opened at the end of January. Miller also said there are currently 97 volunteers at the location.

Texas Ramp Project, which builds free wheelchair ramps for those in need across the state, is celebrating its 40th anniversary, according to a Sept. 15 news release. Over its 40 years, the nonprofit has built ramps for over 30,000 recipients with the help of over 3,500 volunteers.

Some context: The organization began in 1985 as the Dallas Ramp Project before being incorporated as the Texas Ramp Project in 2006, according to the news release. Texas Ramp Project provides the ramps to recipients at no cost, according to the news release. Most ramps cost between $800-$900 to build.

What else: In 2024, Texas Ramp Project built 2,727 ramps in 145 counties, according to its Sept. 1 fact sheet. To get a ramp, recipients must be referred by a health care provider or qualified organization via the nonprofit’s website.