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Applicants are welcome to partner with ANY agency of their choosing when designing a project for the ASF application. If you’re short on ideas of where to start, the following Houston-area agencies have expressed high interest in working with a fellow next year. If you are interested in any of the opportunities in this list, please reach out using the information below for more information. If no contact information is listed, then contact Carol Jacob at the Contact Us section and she can get you connected with the most appropriate person. To see current projects that can be carried on by new Fellows, please look at the Current Projects
We encourage applicants to begin contacting agencies or Carol this Fall (carol.jacob@asfhg.org) so that you can have a strong project plan for your application that will be due early February 2025.
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If you are a site that is interested in having Fellows, please email Carol Jacob at carol.jacob@asfhg.org.
Last updated: 09/20/24
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SPOTLIGHT PROJECT SITE IDEAS - THESE AGENCIES ARE LOOKING FOR FELLOWS TO COMPLETE PROJECTS
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Houston Outreach, Medicine, Education, and Social Services (HOMES) Clinic is the only student-managed free clinic in Houston and operates under the umbrella of Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston, a federally qualified health center. Our mission is to serve Houstonians who are experiencing homelessness with a broad and holistic approach to healthcare, integrating community outreach, medical and social services, and education for the next generation of empathetic providers and impactful advocates. Our primary operation is a student-managed, physician-staffed clinic open every Sunday in downtown Houston, jointly led by students from the Baylor College of Medicine, UT McGovern Medical School, and University of Houston Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine. We encourage prospective fellows to approach us with project ideas that would utilize their unique skillset or perspective to advance the mission of HOMES Clinic.
Examples:
Previous project: A former fellow led focus groups to identify unique needs among people who are female and experiencing homelessness. After identifying high rates of assault and feelings of insecurity, the fellow brought in martial arts instructors to teach methods of self-defense.
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Previous project: Current Fellow are distributing naloxone pens, generating educational materials, and hosting sessions to explain the risks of opioid overdose, and fentanyl usage.
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Please visit our website (homesclinic.org) for more information, learn about our ongoing initiatives and where your interests and skills may fit to provide new and innovative support within an existing effort.
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If you are interested in doing a project at HOMES, prior to applying with ASF, please fill out this survey and a HOMES representative will reach out to you with next steps. Please fill this out by October 20th, 2024.
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Fellowship projects are conducted at Angela House each year. If you are interested in designing an educational project with the female residents of Angela House, please discuss your ideas with the Executive Director, Valencia Lewis. Angela House is a sixteen-bed residential facility helping women re-enter society after incarceration. Angela House is a sober living facility - that guides the women on how to live sober lives after incarceration. Angela House offers approximately 30 hours a week of programming to help address the many areas of need for our women. Here are some ideas for Fellow Projects:
1. Talk to the women about their overall health (their body, nutrition, exercise, sexual health etc).
2. The importance of eating healthily and it directly affects them and their quality of life
3. Vaping and smoking
4. A step or an aerobics class
Please email vlewis@angelahouse.org if interested.
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The Beacon is a non-profit organization that serves individuals experiencing homelessness by providing daily services to meet basic needs, civil legal aid, and case management including housing services. Our mission is to provide essential and next-step services to restore hope and help end homelessness in Houston. Here are some project ideas:
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Lead and coordinate our Transition in Place (TIP) project. The TIP project is an educational component designed and recently implemented by a Occupational Therapy doctoral candidate. The eight to ten sessions provide guidance and practical information in person in a classroom setting for men and women living on the streets and how to prepare for a transition to housing. Beacon staff, social work, and associate level occupational therapy students are assisting with this project. We hope to continue this each semester and expand group offerings based on the individual’s needs. This project takes place primarily onsite at The Beacon's facility in downtown Houston. Assist The Beacon's Chief Program Officer and Program Directors/Managers to design and implement a programs and services dashboard. We currently use the regional Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and a legal case management system called CLIO. A fellow could lead our efforts to consolidate the data and best represent our program outcomes and outputs. This could be a hybrid project, working onsite at The Beacon's downtown location and remotely part of the time.
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Assist The Beacon's Chief Program Officer and Program Directors/Managers to design and implement a programs and services dashboard. We currently use the regional Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and a legal case management system called CLIO. A fellow could lead our efforts to consolidate the data and best represent our program outcomes and outputs. This could be a hybrid project, working onsite at The Beacon's downtown location and remotely part of the time.
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Design and implement socialization and community building activities for the individuals who come to The Beacon's Day Center for services. Adult men and women who are experiencing homelessness come to our facility for meals, laundry, access to showers and other services. Services are provided five days a week, from Thursday through Monday. While individuals are waiting for lunch or their laundry to be finished, there is often a two to three hour window of free time. It would be helpful to have some fun, community building activities to help these individuals feel connected and enjoy that time together with fellow clients, volunteers, and staff. This project takes place primarily on site and the goal would be to create sustainable programming that could be managed by staff and volunteers on an ongoing basis.
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For more information, please contact Stephanie Truong at struong@beaconhomeless.org.
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Bilingual Education Institute’s (BEI)
Bilingual Education Institute’s (BEI) Refugee Health Promotion Program helps newly arrived refugees access essential health knowledge and services, focusing on navigating the U.S. healthcare system, healthy living, women’s health, stress management, OTC medications, and medical emergencies. The program offers culturally appropriate health education, connects refugees to local resources, and empowers them to manage their healthcare through workshops and classes.
BEI’s Refugee Health Program is seeking an ASF fellow(s) to:
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Develop a mental and physical health resource booklet and PDF for refugees, listing providers and resources in Houston, available in multiple languages.
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Design and facilitate a 4-day class on navigating the U.S. healthcare system, tailored for refugee communities.
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Additional health education classes that align with our needs and are relevant to the community in areas including anger Management, building healthy relationships, and Child health and development.
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For all inquiries please contact: Sarah Zingale at 630-659-6478, Sarahz@bei.edu.
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Community Family Centres (CFC)
Year over year, CFC is seeing 65% growth in demand for basic needs services, emergency food distribution, and within this population 45% of clients are in the age group of 50 years+. We know that New Hope Housing is currently under construction for their next project, Avenue C, just around the corner from CFC, to bring an additional 150 units of affordable housing for Seniors this time next year 2025, which will again increase demand for programs and services we make available to this Seasoned Population. We are in direct contact with New Hope Housing to discuss specific program and services needs which we can provide at CFC to support this treasured group of our community. Ideas such as enhanced/targeted immunization offerings in conjunction with our youth back to school immunization clinics, partnering with Texas Childrens and Harris Health, which could also service Seniors, health and wellness partnerships with American Heart Association to provide more immediate results for positive health outcomes for this high risk population of hyertension, introduction of new programs such as Silver Sneakers and walk healthy initiatives, and any additional expertise the Albert Schweitzer Fellow could suggest to enhance overall Senior client experience to this community will be a tremendous boost to La Tercer Edad.
This opportunity is for Senior Fellows; Fellows who are bilingual in Spanish are preferred.
Please contact our Director of Family Support Services, Miguel DeLuna, at mdeluna@communityfamilycenters.org.
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Kindred Kitchen’s mission is to provide pathways out of poverty for Houston’s young people using the power of the kitchen and the table to achieve their vision of success. We operate as a partnership with Grace Place to provide employment training for youth experiencing homelessness. Kindred Kitchen provides stipends, support services, job placement, and training within the social enterprise component of our program. (Our catering, food trailer, and cafe operation provides stable, real-work experience for our training program while generating a moderate revenue that contributes to our overall sustainability.) Our program utilizes in-house training to teach the hard skills of the hospitality industry while working to cultivate the soft skills of dependability, coachability, financial literacy, executive functioning, and effective interpersonal communication, all of which will be transferable to any future career. (ASF fellows would be particularly helpful in augmenting our soft-skills curricula). By utilizing case management and referrals to wrap-around services (medical, behavioral health, substance abuse treatment, housing, transportation, childcare, legal services, etc.) Kindred Kitchen helps trainees work towards stability and gives them the best chance for success. Upon graduation, students are placed in permanent positions with our employment partners (either in hospitality services or other fields in which students show interest/competency). In general, the students we serve are economically disadvantaged, suffer from chronic homelessness and generational poverty, and are typically in need of counseling, medical care, legal assistance, education, and, perhaps most importantly, stability through employment. Over 50% of Grace Place youth identify as LGBTQ and over 80% are youth of color. Kindred Kitchen focuses on breaking the cycle of homelessness via self-sustainability.
Email Kinnon Falk at director@kindredkitchenmontrose.org for more information.
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​Our mission is to provide a safe, welcoming environment for vulnerable homeless youth of all sexualities and genders, providing nourishment, healthy relationships, and hope for the future. We do this by opening our doors to homeless youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities who are between the ages of 13 and 24 years old every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 6:00pm. Youth night is an evening of food, mentorship, and skills building. The youth and volunteers share a seated, family-style meal followed by an interactive activity, shopping in our closet, and engaging in peer led group discussions. We are looking for Fellows who are interested in leading some of these activity sessions or group discussions focusing on mental health and/or parenting and supporting the youth. Please contact Courtney Sellers at courtney@montrosegraceplace.org.
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East Harris County Empowerment Council (EHCEC)
The East Harris County Empowerment Council (EHCEC) is a community-centered organization dedicated to serving unincorporated areas in eastern Harris County. EHCEC aims to uplift communities through a diverse array of initiatives, including economic development, educational enrichment, disaster recovery, basic needs assistance, partner capacity building, and health and wellness programs. Currently, EHCEC is seeking assistance with two key projects within its Education and Training area. The first project focuses on enhancing reproductive health education and providing resources to improve health access and outcomes. The second project aims to expand mental health awareness training, increasing access to mental health services through workshops, outreach efforts, and collaborations with local healthcare providers. Support for these projects will help advance community empowerment and improve overall health and well-being.
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For more information, please contact Christina Alley at calley@eastharriscounty.org.
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Alexander Jewish Family Service
Alexander Jewish Family Service is a non-profit, human service agency who aids and provides professional resources to the greater Houston area. JFS serves people of all faiths and backgrounds. Our professionals provide Behavioral & Mental Health Services, Coaching & Case Management Services, Disability Services, Employment Services and Chaplaincy Services. All these projects are the traditional needs assessments followed by the creation of a service project unless otherwise noted.
Project sites ideas fall under these Health Tracks:
Mental Health:
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Providing short videos to promote mental well-being and self-care.
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Providing presentations to educate staff and clients
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Writing Be Well column to increase mental health awareness (local newspaper)
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Finding resources to support mental health services
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Providing consultation to clients of all ages around health topics and resources, when appropriate
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Providing educational presentations and compiling resources related to Intimate Partner Violence.
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Providing education on mental health topics, as: suicidality, stigma reduction, help-seeking behaviors, and substance use.
Community Intervention:
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Providing behavioral and mental health related topics/workshops to community, and schools
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Making regular posts on social media to promote mental wellbeing
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Facilitating discussions on health and mental health topics at ReelAbilities events
Community Engagement:
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Marketing existing services/programs
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Identification of strategies in connecting potential clients to existing services
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Create mailing list of community partners to increase collaboration and support
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Expanding collaboration network to high stressed professions (i.e. veterinarians, first responders, medical professionals, teachers, lawyers)
LGBTQ:
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Facilitating presentation and workshop to staff and clients about providing a safe space for LGBTQ population
Elder Health:
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Providing presentations to elders about overcoming aging, loneliness, health and mental health challenges.
Children and Adolescents’ Health:
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Provide presentations to child clients and parents about specific topics including typical behaviors and developmental milestones.
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Provide consultations to parents, when appropriate
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Identity appropriate community resources to support children services
Women’s Health:
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Provide education on infertility, pregnancy, maternal mental health, menopause, postpartum depression, self care
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Write social media posts or articles to enhance awareness
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For more information on these projects, please contact Dr. Ada Cheung Chief Clinical Officer at acheung@alexanderjfs.org.
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Through the Grace of God, The Brookwood Community provides an educational environment that creates meaningful work, builds a sense of belonging, and awakens genuine purpose in the lives of adults with disabilities. Currently we are making Integrative Nutrition a priority and have a vision of not only discovering and implementing ways that we can take our own Communities wellness to the next level, but also paving the way for others to do the same thing. Please view our introductory video to learn more about what we do: A Joyful Place - The Brookwood Community (youtube.com)
Some ideas so for that are very exciting to us are as follows, however we would love to collaborate and are grateful and open to any thoughts that you have:
1. Updating the Community Garden
2. Creating a Wellness Program for the Community
3. Seeking Support in Communal Activities and Programming
Please contact Sarah Pederson at sarahp@brookwoodcommunity.org for more information!
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Star of Hope is a Christ centered community dedicated to meeting the needs of homeless men, women, and their children. Positive life changes are encouraged through structured programs which focus on spiritual growth, education, employment, life management, and recovery from substance abuse. We are funded through public and private donations, churches, civic/community groups, corporations, grants, and foundations. In addition, we are assisted by more than 7,300 volunteers.
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Star of Hope Programs is seeking an ASF fellow(s) to:
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Identify the top 3 health concerns for residents residing at our Men's Development Center (MDC) and the Women and Family Development Center (WFDC) facilities through quantitative and qualitative methods.
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Develop a minimum of (5)one-hour workshops that would bring awareness to those affected by the top 3 health conditions identified at MDC and the WFDC .
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Evaluate the effectiveness of workshops through both quantitative and qualitative methods.
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Plan, coordinate, and implement quarterly health fairs at each of Star of Hope facilities which include individuals from the following locations:
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Star of Hope Mission (Administration)
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Men Development Center (MDC)
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Women & Family Development Center (WFDC)
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Work with program staff to prepare a paper for publication on the health disparities and common health conditions of those served by Star of Hope
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Dr. Michelle Alexander, VP of Programs, Site Mentor – malexander@sohmission.org. For all inquiries please contact: John Cooks, at (713) 440-5346; jcooks@sohmission.org
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The Bridge Over Troubled Waters
The Bridge Over Troubled Waters is a comprehensive crisis intervention center serving all survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families. We offer safety and support through numerous programs and engage in social norms change through community organizing
efforts to enhance safety and equity within our communities. We have emergency and permanent housing, a comprehensive children's program with peer mentors, advocates, and a childcare center, a counseling program, and an advocacy program for community members
who need safety planning, legal advocacy, community referrals, and crisis intervention assistance and support. The majority of our survivors identify as BIPOC individuals and our organization is in a largely Latine/Latinx and Spanish speaking community. A couple ideas for projects are listed below:
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Provide educational workshops and/or organize opportunities regarding culturally specific mental health and health practices to adult survivors of gender-based violence in our emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing programs.
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Provide art-based healing activities to our adult survivors of gender-based violence in all of our programs including emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and non-residential program. These healing activities could also be offered to our community through our prevention of violence program.
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A program focused on nutrition education and cooking classes for permanent supportive and non-residential survivors who need healthy meals on a budget.
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A mentorship program for teens within our shelter and permanent supportive housing programs centered around life skills and mental and sexual health education.
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For more information, please contact Jessica Bellant at jbellant@tbotw.org.