Location: Houston, TX (Gulfton / Sharpstown area)

Mission snapshot: Amaanah serves immigrant communities with wrap-around services including language acquisition, cultural integration, women’s empowerment, and youth education.

Who We Serve:

• Newly arrived immigrant women and families adjusting to life in the U.S.
• Families needing support in English acquisition, social‐emotional adjustment, and community integration.
• Immigrant children and youth in school needing extra support
• Women in Amaanah’s Big Sister Circle (BSC) empowerment program — building leadership, confidence, and self-sufficiency.

Project Ideas: Below are several project ideas for fellows/volunteers/partners who wish to collaborate with Amaanah. These ideas emphasize women’s empowerment, language & cultural support, and immigrant integration.

1. Women’s Empowerment Curriculum Launch: Design and implement a monthly workshop series (February through December) for the BSC program: topics might include self-compassion, parenting in the U.S., leadership skills, home-management, healthy communication, cultural navigation, financial literacy.
• Create week-by-week activity plans that include hands-on tasks and reflection.
• Provide multilingual speaker notes or live translation accompaniment.
• Develop metrics or surveys to track participants’ sense of empowerment, confidence, and community connection over time.
2. Teach360 Language & Cultural Liaison Project.: Expand Amaanah’s Teach360 program into charter/private schools with high immigrant populations.
• Co-author a grant proposal to fund additional language-acquisition coaches.
• Design a model for integrating native-language support coaches who collaborate with teachers and families — produce a “playbook” for participating schools.
• Conduct interviews/focus-groups with families about their native-language needs, assimilation comfort, and school-home communication gaps.
3. Resource & Outreach Mapping: Create a comprehensive resource directory (print + digital) for immigrant families in the Houston area.
1. Cover inputs like food assistance, rent assistance, metro card programs, laptops/technology grants, language-interpretation services, legal aid, health clinics, women’s empowerment circles.
2. Map outreach strategies (social-media posts, community liaison visits, translation in native languages) to connect more women with these resources.

Why partner with Amaanah?

• Amaanah has strong existing programs (Teach360, BSC, relief events) providing a ready framework for collaborative expansion.
• Deep community trust: many immigrant families already connected to Amaanah’s services.
• Emphasis on multi-lingual, culturally-sensitive work (well aligned with newcomers and language acquisition).
• Opportunity for tangible impact in the lives of women and families who often face multiple barriers (language, culture, resources) yet bring enormous resilience and potential.

Next steps

• If you’re interested in collaborating on a project at Amaanah, reach out to Christina at christina@amaanahservices.org.
• Propose your project idea (one of the above or your own), timeline, deliverables, and how you envision tracking impact.

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. Their mission is to provide essential and next-step services to restore hope and help end homelessness in Houston. Here are some project ideas:

1. Weekly Wellness Group: Lead and coordinate a weekly wellness group designed to support individuals experiencing homelessness through engaging, interactive health education and wellness activities. Each session focuses on practical topics such as nutrition, stress management, hygiene, mental health, substance use awareness, and self-care — all delivered in a non-judgmental, stigma-free environment. The group fosters open dialogue, peer support, and hands-on learning to build confidence, promote personal well-being, and prepare participants for the transition into stable housing. All are welcome, and no prior experience or commitment is needed — just a willingness to connect and grow.

2. Day Center Community-Building Activities: Design and implement socialization and community building activities for the individuals who come to The Beacon’s Day Center for services. Individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness come to our facility for meals, laundry, access to showers and other services. Services are provided five days a week. While guests 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 guests, 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.

3. Diversion-Stakeholder Mapping & Resource Directory Project: Conduct a comprehensive mapping of local service providers, treatment programs, and justice partners to improve coordination within the diversion network. Fellows will compile data, create a visual resource directory, and design referral workflows that enhance collaboration and reduce service duplication. The project results in a sustainable tool for staff and partners to strengthen client outcomes and system efficiency

4. Brigid’s Hope-Family Reconnection & Relationship Healing Series: Lead a structured support group once a week that helps women rebuild and strengthen family and social relationships disrupted by addiction and trauma. Fellows will facilitate sessions on communication, boundary-setting, forgiveness, and reconnection, using role-play and guided reflection. The series aims to improve emotional well-being, enhance family stability, and promote healthy relationship patterns as participants transition into independent living.

5. Beacon Law Benefits Coordination: Develop and implement a standardized, trauma-informed screening tool to identify need for Social Security benefits and assist Beacon Law team in strengthening partnerships with healthcare providers to ensure improved benefits navigation, data-driven outreach, and systems coordination. This project aims to increase public benefits enrollment, improve health stability, and reduce systemic inefficiencies. Ultimately, this initiative will create a replicable framework for equitable, integrated care that bridges medical, legal, and social support systems.​

For more information, please contact Stephanie Truong at struong@beaconhomeless.org.

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 hypertension, 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.

If you are interested and would like more information, please contact our Director of Development, Pattie Schmidt, at pschmidt@communityfamilycenters.org

East Harris County Empowerment Council (EHCEC) is a community-centered nonprofit dedicated to serving residents in the unincorporated areas of eastern Harris County. EHCEC advances equitable opportunity and holistic well-being through programs that strengthen economic development, health access, and community resilience. Current initiatives include expanding economic empowerment and workforce development, increasing mental health awareness and access to care through targeted training and community partnerships, and promoting health and wellness education with a focus on reproductive health and navigating state benefit systems to improve access to essential resources.

​For more information, please contact Christina Alley at calley@eastharriscounty.org.

Entryway ends situational homelessness for individuals and their families by connecting them to stable careers in the multifamily housing industry and affordable housing. Through Entryway’s network of multifamily partners, hired participants are placed in housing where rent is typically capped at 30% of income, move-in costs are waived, and units are fully furnished. Wraparound supports—including job tools, utility deposits, interview transportation, and one year of case management—ensure participants have the resources they need to reenter the workforce, rebuild stability, and achieve long-term independence.

In Houston, we work closely with our national team to recruit, train, and support participants while building a sustainable local platform. We collaborate with employers, educators, and community partners to prepare participants for success through upskilling, career fairs, and individualized case management.

We propose an ASFHG fellow to play a critical role in our capacity to build and deliver services that support the low-income individuals and families during the upskills and training phase, and throughout the first year of their employment.

1. Host Support Groups for Placed Participants (virtual): The fellow will design and facilitate monthly peer-support groups for participants who have been successfully placed in employment and housing. These groups will provide a safe, encouraging space for participants to share challenges, celebrate successes, and problem-solve with peers. Support group topics may include adjusting to a new workplace, balancing work and family responsibilities, managing finances, and accessing community resources. This ongoing community connection will help reduce isolation, increase job retention, and reinforce the long-term stability our program is built to achieve.
2. Develop Life Skills Training Modules (in person): The fellow will research, design, and deliver practical life skills workshops tailored to Entryway participants’ needs during quarterly in-person training. Topics will include financial literacy, time management, conflict resolution, communication skills, and healthy living strategies. The training will be interactive, culturally relevant, and adaptable for in-person or virtual delivery. By integrating these life skills into the program, we strengthen participants’ ability to navigate both workplace and home life challenges—helping them sustain employment and housing for the long term.
3. Expand Career Advancement Resources (hybrid): In collaboration with program staff, the fellow will help identify and develop additional professional development resources for participants aiming to grow within the multifamily housing industry. This may include creating an “advanced skills” track for those seeking promotions, curating mentorship opportunities with industry professionals, and connecting participants to continuing education programs. These efforts will ensure that participants not only gain stability but also have clear pathways toward upward mobility.

For more information, please contact Executive Director, Sarah Mangrem at Smangrem@entrywaytalent.org

FAM Houston works for justice by building an empowered community among refugees, immigrants, and local Houstonians through practices of hospitality, mutuality, storytelling & inclusivity. Project ideas include but are not limited to the following:

Pamoja (Together) — a program that pairs newcomers with longtime Houstonians to foster companionship and mutual learning. Current Pamoja partners include Rice University students and members of area congregations. Project is open-ended; possibilities include:

1) Create and maintain a health resource list to aid in case management for newly arrived refugee families as well as educate American companion families

2) Research and develop a robust and creative curriculum for our youth STEM program

Additional ideas are welcome! For more information, please contact Ndjabuka Francine Murhebwa, Pamoja Program Director at francine@famhoustontx.org.

Shamba Ya Amani (The Farm of Peace)— an urban farm fulfilling the mission of feeding our community in both body and soul. Attend Saturday Shamba Days at our farm in Alief to get to know the community and create a project that is responsive to the intersection of needs encountered there. This is perfect for a Fellow who is interested in holistic health for women and families of all physical abilities. The intersection of needs includes mental and emotional health, food access, and nutrition. Project is open-ended; possibilities include:

1) Develop a digital library of cultural recipes sourced from several of the 40+ farm collective members; this resource could also spotlight storytelling around health, well-being, and nutrition

2) Research and write descriptions of different produce grown at the farm to educate the public on health benefits

3) Create a series of short-form videos appealing to younger generations documenting several growing seasons at the farm (ex: “day in the life of…”, highlights of culturally beloved crops, etc.)

4) Foster connections with neighbours who live near the farm to raise awareness of the farm and invite folks to get involved (ex: shop the farm stand, volunteer at the farm, etc.)

5) Host a series of intergenerational educational and relational workshops at the farm

Additional ideas are welcome! For more information, please email our farm staff at shamba@famhoustontx.org.

At Galveston Urban Ministries we work to provide holistic relationships with those we serve. When developing programs we try to focus on one or more of our 5 areas of growth: spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, and social. We serve all ages and demographics and are willing to work with anyone who desires to see change in their community.

We’re pretty open to any ideas that applicants have, as our goal is to listen to the community. We encourage interested applicants to spend time understanding who we work with and the issues we face when developing a program so their work can be as meaningful and effective as possible.

For more information, please email Program Director, Ms. Yvette Maxwell at yvette@galvestonurbanministries.org.

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-world 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, coach-ability, 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, behavioural 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 counselling, medical, and generational poverty, and are typically in need of counselling, 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 colour. Kindred Kitchen focuses on breaking the cycle of homelessness via self-sustainability.

Currently, Kindred Kitchen is in the process of building out our cafe so our students have somewhere to work while they are training. During this fellowship year, we would not have a class of students. However, we will be reviewing and reshaping our curriculum. An ASF fellow could help us immensely in this process.

Email Kinnon Falk at director@kindredkitchenmontrose.org for more information.

Childhood Nutrition and Wellness

• Design an intervention to help caregivers with low literacy levels understand the nutritional goals of their children based on their age and growth curves to ensure proper nutrition from an early age. This can support pediatricians’ plan of care related to nutrition guidelines at different developmental stages. Parts of this idea can include: Developing a method to educate and create behaviour change in parents with low literacy and language barriers to become effective in understanding nutrition and wellness risks for their children.
• Utilizing a pre-existing and validated tool to measure changes in attitudes and behaviours of caregivers as well as changes in attitudes or behaviours for 5-12 year olds.
• Evaluating success of the intervention at 6 months and 12 months, measure improvement of growth curve for children over a 12-month period along with other qualitative indicators that take a holistic approach.

Adolescent Wellness Initiative (extension of the Wellness Center): Create a dedicated “Adolescent Track” within the Wellness Center focused on youth-specific health needs and engagement. This project should emphasize preventive care, mental health promotion, and youth empowerment. Components include:

• Physical health: annual check-ups, sports physicals, immunizations, nutrition counselling.
• Mental & emotional health: teen-friendly therapy groups, stress management, mindfulness sessions, substance use prevention.
• Life skills workshops: topics like sleep, self-esteem, social media safety, and healthy relationships.
• Peer health ambassadors: train teens as leaders to co-design activities and outreach campaigns.

For more information, please contact Mr. Bruno Gonzalez at bgonzalez@sbchc.net.

Tony’s Place supports and empowers LGBTQ+ youth under the age of 25. Tony’s Place serves as a much-needed refuge and safe space for LGBTQ+ youth in the Greater Houston community. They do this by providing youth with safe access to survival resources including food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and laundry services. When homeless or unstably housed LGBTQ+ youth are able to fulfill their basic needs like food and clothing, only then are they are able to really focus on finding a way out of homelessness and address mental health concerns. LGBTQ+ youth in crisis are at much higher risk of having poor mental and physical health outcomes. Tony’s Place is often the only place they can go to find free, consistent access to the care they need.

​They affirm and empower LGBTQ+ youth through after-school programming, support groups, and activities. As more policies are put in place to limit LGBTQ+ youths’ access to social support groups, Tony’s Place is actively working to fill that gap for high school and college-age queer youth to engage with one another in a safe space. With programs like their art series, they are able to provide access to empowering methods of self-expression, and to a supportive community.

​And finally, Tony’s Place provides education about the queer youth they serve by partnering and collaborating with other LGBTQ+ organizations, charities, and businesses. By participating in local initiatives like Pride celebrations and LGBTQ+ campus events, they are able to generate a greater network of resources for our youth and grow awareness of their needs. Through educational presentations, their organization is able to advocate for our LGBTQ+ youth and effect important change in our society towards greater equity for queer individuals.

​Some project ideas include:

1. Evaluating the success of our day centre program.

2. Develop ways to better track attendance and impact of our afterschool programming.

For more information, please contact alyssa.kelly@tonysplace.org.

If you will be located in Austin for your year with ASF, you can use this list to get started.

If you will be located in the College Station area for your year with ASF, you can use this list to get started.

If you will be located in the DFW area for your year with ASF, you can use this list to get started.