In 1999, a brand-new girl group from Houston helped pay for a youth center at their home church. Twenty-seven years later, that same spot just became something even bigger, and Beyoncé came home to see it.

Beyoncé made a surprise appearance at the Oct. 13 ribbon-cutting for the Knowles-Rowland House at St. John's Downtown in Houston, the Houston Chronicle reports. She was joined onstage by her mom, Tina Knowles, and her Destiny's Child sister Kelly Rowland.

The twist: a home built on a first single

Here's the detail that gives us chills. The original Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth was built in 1999 as a gymnasium and youth center, and it was funded using earnings from Destiny's Child's first single, FOX 26 Houston reports. It was named after Beyoncé and Kelly, who were longtime members of the church.

Over the years, it served as a youth summer camp, a senior community center and an overnight shelter for people experiencing homelessness, according to project investor Allivate Impact Capital. The building was damaged by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and again by a fire in 2021, FOX 26 reports.

Now it is back, as a permanent home for 31 people.

What's inside

The new three-story, 18,900-square-foot building has 31 single-room apartments for people leaving chronic homelessness, and 16 are designed for residents with mobility or sensory needs, FOX 26 and KHOU report. The Houston Chronicle puts the cost at $13.96 million.

It isn't just a roof. Residents will have access to mental health counseling, substance use treatment, life skills training and fresh and shelf-stable food, the Chronicle reports. The services come through Temenos Community Development Corporation, sister organization to the project's developer, Bread of Life, according to FOX 26. Allivate says all rents are fully subsidized through HUD's Project-Based Voucher program.

Residents start moving in on Nov. 1.

"I was baptized right here"

Beyoncé spoke from the heart in the church sanctuary. "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," she said, according to the Houston Chronicle. "I made the choice on my own to be baptized because I felt the spirit here, and I feel the spirit right now."

Standing beside the building's namesakes, Tina Knowles grew emotional. "I have these beautiful young women who have hearts and empathy, and they give and they work and do things to give back to the community," she said, the Chronicle reports. "I'm so full because this is full circle."

Houston Mayor John Whitmire, U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis were also there, FOX 26 reports.

What's next

Bread of Life, founded in 1992 by pastors Rudy and Juanita Rasmus, also announced the Rudy and Juanita Rasmus Food Distribution Center during the ceremony, FOX 26 reports. Giving back in Houston is nothing new for Beyoncé either: she launched BeyGOOD in 2013 and started BeyGOOD Houston in 2017 to support people affected by Hurricane Harvey, the Chronicle notes.

From a debut single to 31 front doors, Destiny's Child's story just added one of its sweetest chapters.