Houston has long been celebrated for its affordability, attracting individuals and families seeking economic opportunities and a reasonable cost of living. Indeed, according to the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston Metropolitan Area has the third-lowest living costs among the 20 most populous U.S. metropolitan areas. However, data reveals a growing housing affordability crisis that challenges …
Category Archives: Blog
Doing what matters by measuring what matters
Greater Houston Community Foundation (Foundation) launched Understanding Houston in November 2019, marking nearly five years of insights into our region. The last five years have been quite a journey, and many of you have been along for the ride, and we are grateful for our partners and supporters who have supported us throughout this endeavor. …
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Fifth Ward Builds a New Library to Fight Illiteracy
I’ve been the Pastor of Olivet Baptist Church, located in the Fifth Ward since 2004. Approximately 10 years ago, our church formed a nonprofit, Olevia Community Development Corporation, to take an active role in our community by developing people, property and resources within the Fifth Ward, a consistently under-resourced minority community since its beginning in …
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5 Improvements to Understanding Houston
Since its launch in 2019, we have been asking how we can improve Understanding Houston — not only the site, but also the overall initiative: How can the site be easier to navigate? How can the site help you quickly find what you are looking for? How can our events be more engaging or useful? …
Honoring Veterans: Shaping Our Future by Remembering Our Heroes
Every November 11th, cities, towns, and communities across our country come together to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served in the armed forces. Veterans Day is a solemn occasion, a day when we pause to reflect on the sacrifices made by our military personnel and express our gratitude for their …
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A Closer Look at Financial Hardship in the Houston Region
There is more to economic security than living above the poverty line. Across Greater Houston, more than a million households struggle to make financial ends meet. Among those households across Fort Bend, Harris and Montgomery counties, about 306,000 live below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). However, this common economic measure only describes part of the …
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Fort Bend County Health and Human Services’ Journey toward a Community Health Assessment
Banner photo: Carrie Rai, FBCHHS Performance and Innovation Specialist This article is the first of a two-part series that describes the community engagement plan and process to create Fort Bend County’s first Community Health Assessment and Health Improvement Plan since 2007. In the summer of 2022, Fort Bend County Health & Human Services (FBCHHS) completed …
Key Insights from The Big Picture | Montgomery County
On January 25, 2023, in partnership with Montgomery County Community Foundation, we hosted our first event of the year: The Big Picture | Montgomery County. The room was full with over 75 leaders across various sectors, including Judge Wayne Mack, Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Montgomery County, who assembled the Behavioral Health and Suicide …
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Houston is Generous
Greater Houston has gained a reputation for being generous. Historically, our region has often topped lists in national studies measuring total philanthropic assets, percentage of income given to charity, and overall financial health of nonprofit charity organizations. Our expansive, rich nonprofit sector enriches our communities and our local economy and is one of the largest …
Houston is Engaged
We live in eventful times. The past few years have been replete with once-in-a-lifetime events, including the many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, historic natural disasters and a variety of galvanizing political issues in between. While reactions to these events run the gamut, their impacts have been widespread in our digitally connected world, contributing to …