September 24, 2025

EHF launches new 2025–2026 cohort for Collaborating for Healthy Communities Initiative

This year’s cohort highlights local solutions in maternal health, nutrition, and diabetes prevention.

29
counties impacted

3 EDOT
congregations involved

EHF Geographic Reach

Hover to view county name:

Episcopal Health Foundation has chosen 12 community collaboratives representing 29 counties to take part in the 2025–2026 Collaborating for Healthy Communities Initiative (CHCI). For the first time, every collaborative in the program will focus on one or more of EHF’s Priorities for Change: maternal health, food and nutrition security, or diabetes prevention.

CHCI is a year-long program that builds the strength of local coalitions working to improve health where people live, learn, work, and play. Coalitions in the program receive coaching, technical assistance, and funding to increase their capacity. They also join a statewide peer learning network that helps them share ideas, test new strategies, and learn from others facing similar challenges.

“The power of CHCI comes from communities learning with and from one another. By connecting collaboratives across Texas, we're building a network that can change the systems shaping people’s lives. This year’s focus on maternal health, food and nutrition security, and diabetes prevention reflects the areas where local partnerships can remove barriers and create lasting improvements in health.”

The new CHCI cohort brings together partners from across EHF’s service area. Each collaborative has a backbone organization that coordinates the work, a clear area of focus, and a network of local partners committed to tackling the root causes of health challenges.

Coalitions in the new CHCI cohort are taking on challenges that directly shape the health of Texans. They are working to improve access to maternal health services, strengthen food and nutrition security, and prevent diabetes in the communities they serve. By investing in these collaboratives, EHF is helping communities build the relationships and capacity they need to change systems and remove barriers to good health across Texas.

Meet the 2025-2026 CHCI cohort

Alliance for Community Assistance Ministries

Mission: To create an innovative, multifaceted approach to address food and nutrition insecurity.

Priority for Change: Food & Nutrition Security
Backbone Organization: Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries (ACAM)

Collaborative Partners:
Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries (ACAM)
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Emergency Aid Coalition (EAC)
Epiphany Community Outreach Services (ECHOS)
East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministries (EFBHNM)
Humble Area Assistance Ministries (HAAM)
Memorial Assistance Ministries (MAM)
My Brother’s Keeper (MBK)
Main Street Ministries MSM)
Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM)

Austin/Travis County Active Living Collaborative

Mission: To provide a collaborative space for connection, learning, and action to advance active living for all in Austin/Travis County.

Priority for Change: Diabetes Prevention
Backbone Organization: UTHealth School of Public Health

Collaborative Partners:
African American Health in Central Texas
Aging Is Cool
Area Agency on Aging & ADRC of the Capital Area
Ascension Seton -Texas Community Benefit
Austin Independent School District
Austin Parks and Recreation
Austin Public Health
Austin Youth Fitness
Austin YMCA
Central Texas Food Bank
Cities Connecting Children to Nature
City of Austin Community Health Assessment/Community Health Improvement Plan
City of Austin Human Resources Department
City of Austin Transportation and Public Works Department
Dell Medical School – Austin
Dell Center for Healthy Living
Blacks Mamas Village
Healthier Texas
Marathon Kids Austin
People’s Community Clinic
Prairie View A&M
Travis County Parks Foundation
United Way for Greater Austin
UTHealth School of Public Health
YMCA Greater Austin

BOND – Babies and Mothers: Outreach for Nutrition and Development

Mission: To break down barriers and ensure access to nutritious food and wraparound care for mothers and their infants, ensuring all families across Texas, regardless of their circumstances and background, are positioned to thrive from the very beginning.

Priorities for Change: Maternal Health, Food & Nutrition Security
Backbone Organization: Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University

Collaborative Partners:
Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University
Houston Food Bank
Local Infant Formula for Emergencies (LIFE) Houston

Central Texas Farm to School Collaborative

Mission: To strengthen collaborative, community-based strategies that improve student health and nutrition, expand food access, and create fair, transparent access to institutional markets for local and historically underserved farmers and food producers.

Priorities for Change: Food & Nutrition Security
Backbone Organization: Lake Travis ISD (interim)

Collaborative Partners:
Lake Travis ISD
Manor ISD
Austin ISD
Florence ISD
KIPP Public Schools
The Common Market Texas
Central Texas Food Bank
Greener Pastures Chicken
Farmshare Austin
Urban Roots
Tito’s Vodka – The Fourteen Acres Farm
True Harvest Lettuce
Broadfork Consulting
The City of Austin
Texas Department of Agriculture
Center for Good Food Purchasing

Central Texas Regional Food System Council

Mission: To address broad challenges across the Central Texas food system by fostering the coordination of data, resources, education, policy, and advocacy, to advance innovative solutions in our communities.

Priorities for Change: Food & Nutrition Security
Backbone Organization: Central Texas Food Bank

Collaborative Partners:
Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty
University of Texas at Austin – Department of Nutrition Sciences
Bastrop County Cares
Cultivate Academy – Bell County Hunger Coalition
Hays County Health Department
Prosper Waco – Waco Hunger Free Community Coalition
Travis County Health and Human Services
United Way for Greater Austin
Amazon
Texas Farmers Market
Texas Association of Regional Councils
Greater Austin Merchants Cooperative Association (GAMA)

Community Engagement for Maternal Health & Diabetes Prevention

Mission: To improve the quality of life of community members by addressing health disparities maternal health and diabetes prevention.

Priorities for Change: Maternal Health, Diabetes Prevention
Backbone Organization: Gulfton Home Community

Collaborative Partners:
Baylor College of Medicine Office of Community Engagement
Baylor College of Medicine: Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Baylor College of Medicine: Department of Family and Community Medicine
Gulfton Home Community

Houston Haitian Health

Mission: To understand the Harris County Haitian community’s current health landscape and partner with the community to implement culturally informed public health interventions to address health disparities.

Priorities for Change: Food & Nutrition Security, Diabetes Prevention
Backbone Organization: Houston Haitian United

Collaborative Partners:
Houston Haitian United
UTHealth School of Public Health

Huntsville Council of Churches

Mission: To create an environment in Huntsville and Walker County where the efforts of individual churches to (1) speak the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ; (2) and to help meet basic human needs in ways that can be best realized working cooperatively, rather than each church doing so on their own.

Priorities for Change: Food & Nutrition Security
Backbone Organization: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Collaborative Partners:
The Good Shepherd Mission
St. Stephen’s Episcopal
First United Methodist Church
First Christian (Disciples of Christ) Church

Northeast Texas CHW Coalition

Mission: To advance health equity and reduce the burden of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in East Texas through community-based prevention, early detection, and care coordination.

Priorities for Change: Diabetes Prevention
Backbone Organization: University of Texas at Tyler

Collaborative Partners:
Alliance for Healthcare from the Eye
Lifestyle Change Coaching
University of Texas at Tyler

Sunnyside UP (United Partnerships): A Community Health Initiative

Mission: To empower the Sunnyside and adjacent communities in Houston to achieve health equity by fostering collaboration among local organizations and residents.

Priorities for Change: Maternal Health, Food & Nutrition Security, Diabetes Prevention
Backbone Organization: African American Health Coalition

Collaborative Partners:
African American Health Coalition
Texas Southern University – Center for Transformative Health
Harris Health System
Lupus Foundation of America Texas Gulf Coast Chapter
World Harvest Outreach Seventh Day Adventist Church
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Equity Bridge LLC
Sunnyside Super Neighborhood 71
Fresh Houwse Grocery Sunnyside
Pinesette Soul Catering/Private Chef Service
Harris County Public Health
Northeast Coalition for Advancement and Transformation (NCAT)
Sisters Thrive
Thrive by Us

Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition

Mission: To improve the health and well-being of women, babies, and families by ensuring access to preventive care – including contraception – for all Texas women.

Priorities for Change: Maternal Health
Backbone Organization: Healthy Futures of Texas

Collaborative Partners:
District XI (Texas) American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Every Body Texas
Every Texan
Healthy Futures of Texas
Methodist Healthcare Ministries
Teaching Hospitals of Texas
Texans Care for Children
Texas Academy of Family Physicians
Texas Association of Community Health Centers
Texas Medical Association

Wharton Community Resource Collaborative

Mission: To connect and deepen relationships between to local organizations and agencies to decrease high social vulnerability in East Wharton County.

Priorities for Change: Maternal Health, Food & Nutrition Security
Backbone Organization: Hesed House of Wharton

Collaborative Partners:
Wharton ISD
Wharton County Junior College
Women’s Crisis Center
Dobson Boys and Girls Club
Wharton Chamber of Commerce
Word Church
Gulf Coast Medical Foundation Wharton Chamber of Commerce
DFPS
Local health centers and hospitals

Articles