Texas Organizations Celebrate Funding Awards Totaling $175,000

CareSource Foundation Grant Challenge supports communities following CareSource Bayou Health announcement.

(HOUSTON, TX – Dec. 6, 2022) – The CareSource Foundation has announced the winning organizations of its Texas CareSource Foundation Grant Challenge at a reception held at The Ion on Nov. 30. Close to150 members of the community attended to learn which organizations received awards totaling $175,000.

CareSource recently announced a joint venture with Legacy Community Health, the state’s largest federally qualified health center, to serve Texas Medicaid managed care recipients. Named CareSource Bayou Health, the joint venture is strategically positioned to provide comprehensive health coverage and access to the best physicians delivering compassion and care.

“Texans know best which organizations are having the most impact in improving the health and well-being of mothers, infants, children and their families across the state, so the CareSource Foundation is proud to follow their lead,” said Jenny Michael, senior vice president of advocacy at CareSource. “We are committed to supporting the sustainability and expansion of their important work and plan to partner with many of these organizations in the future.”

Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeast Texas received the top award of $50,000 to support their efforts to promote the healing and growth of people and the reconciliation of couples, families and organizations.

“We are so grateful to be the winning recipients of the CareSource Foundation Grant Challenge,” said Robin McCutcheon, executive director of Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeast Texas. “Our community voted to ensure teens and adolescents will have spaces to grow and learn while receiving critical mental health services. Thank you to CareSource for providing this impactful funding opportunity.”

The CareSource Foundation also awarded four additional organizations with second and third place awards. These organizations collectively garnered 75% of the public votes that determined the winning organizations. Nearly 14,000 votes were collected during the grant challenge’s two-week voting phase.

• Hope Women’s Resource Clinic of Beaumont – $30,000
• Connect Community – $20,000
• March of Dimes of Greater Houston – $20,000
• Communities in Schools of Houston – $20,000

The CareSource Foundation Grant Challenge is a state-specific competition that invites the community to nominate and vote for nonprofits. Organizations are encouraged to rally their supporters for votes to increase their chances of winning.

In addition to the five winning organizations, seven semi-finalist organizations that participated in the public voting phase also received $5,000 awards from the foundation to honor their impact:

• Epiphany Community Health Outreach Services (ECHOS)
• Shades of Blue Project
• SER Jobs for Progress of the Texas Gulf Coast
• Community Family Centers
• New Hope Housing
• NestQuest Houston
• The Women’s Resource of Greater Houston

At the celebration, the Jazz Houston Youth Orchestra performed and received a $5,000 donation. Former NFL Houston Texans player J.J. Moses emceed the event. Texas is the third state where CareSource Foundation Grant Challenge has taken place.

Since 2006, the CareSource Foundation has awarded more than $25 million to nonprofits that are working to eliminate poverty, provide much-needed services to low- and moderate-income families, and develop innovative approaches to address critical health issues.

For more on CareSource Bayou Health, follow @CSBayouHealth on Twitter, CareSource Bayou Health on LinkedIn or like CareSource Bayou Health on Facebook.

L-R:
Jason Neerman, Vice President, Business Development, CareSource
Amy Gil - Wellness Program Coordinator, Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeast Texas
Robin McCutcheon - Executive Director, Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeast Texas
Brooke Landry - Community Engagement Coordinator, Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeast Texas
Taryn McCoy - Wellness Program Case Manager, Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeast Texas
Ellen Miller, Director, CareSource Foundation
J.J. Moses, The Moses Group