When Elizabeth Sanchez decided to move back to Houston from California in November 2014, she couldn’t quite explain what was drawing her back.

“I felt like there was a purpose for my kids and me in Houston,” Elizabeth says. “I was anxious. I knew that we belonged in Houston and I wasn’t quite sure why.”

Her decision turned out to be an unforeseen blessing for her family. Just a few months later, Elizabeth’s son, Caleb, was...