Hogg Foundation Awards Grants to Address Well-being

We are excited to share that CHRISTUS Foundation for HealthCare is one of 10 Texas organizations recently awarded a grant of $800,000 from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health. The grant will support collaborative and inclusive approaches to improving the well-being of communities in the Houston Metropolitan Area.

The initiative focuses on increasing resilience and well-being for children and youth of color and their families.

We are thrilled to be one of the organizations chosen to further the Hogg Foundation mission through our efforts in the East End!

We are eager to help the residents identify the issues that they feel will most impact daily life for children growing up in the East End. The proposal will fund efforts to engage and empower the residents of Houston’s East End, in partnership with the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word – Houston, SER Jobs for Progress, El Centro de Corazon, and Community Family Centers as well as other community members.

“This is a first step in seeking a meaningful and transformational effort to help address needs in Houston’s East End bringing together partners who have a significant financial and human capital investment in the East End,” Richard R. Torres, president of the CHRISTUS Foundation for HealthCare. “Through this collaboration, we hope to take a systematic approach towards addressing the social determinants of health in the community that will have a significant impact on the wellbeing of the residents, especially the children, who may be impacted by factors related to poor mental health.”

Currently, the East End area is underrepresented and underserved due to a lack of financial resources as well as fear related to immigration rules. Our aim is to help this community identify and exercise their voice to local government entities and service organizations in order to impact the services available to the children and adults of this often forgotten area of our city.

“Taken collectively, these grantees bring to the table a combination of know-how, ambition and commitment to community that is truly inspiring,” said Dr. Octavio N. Martinez Jr., Executive Director of the Hogg Foundation. “It was a challenge to select only 10 organizations for this opportunity, but the end result was a lineup of amazing grantees who are well rooted in the places they hope to impact.”