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? …
Category Archives: Blog
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 …
Continue reading “Honoring Veterans: Shaping Our Future by Remembering Our Heroes”
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 …
Continue reading “A Closer Look at Financial Hardship in the Houston Region”
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 …
Continue reading “Key Insights from The Big Picture | Montgomery County”
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 …
Key Insights from The Big Picture | Fort Bend County
On October 6, 2022, Fort Bend County residents convened at Long Acres Ranch in Richmond, TX, to learn, engage, and explore ways to solve some of the county’s most significant challenges. At this event, Understanding Houston shared key data highlighting Fort Bend County’s strengths and challenges. Guests also heard from representatives from Fort Bend County …
Continue reading “Key Insights from The Big Picture | Fort Bend County”
Key Insights from our Ending Homelessness in Houston Event
On September 21, 2022, Greater Houston Community Foundation hosted a program to celebrate the progress made in reducing homelessness in the Houston three-county area and explore how we can continue to work together to end homelessness in Houston. Results from the 2022 Homeless Count Survey done by the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston, indicate …
Continue reading “Key Insights from our Ending Homelessness in Houston Event”
Houston is Big
Houston is big. The region’s size and all it encompasses has become an in-joke among residents — “Houston is an hour away from Houston,” the old saying goes. The city is sprawling, populous, industrial and growing. The reasons for the sprawl, rapid population growth and the breadth of successful industries are many and complex. We …