Grantee Highlights

Consistently producing performances of the highest caliber, the Alley Theatre is a long-standing artistic anchor in Houston. Aside from providing premiere entertainment, the Alley engages children of all ages through unique educational programs and provides area schools with opportunities to integrate curriculum with theatre arts. Extensive renovations will allow the Alley to continue serving the community at an impressive rate, with over 500 performances planned for the current season alone.

Career and Recovery Resources provides a full range of services for those in our community who face barriers to employment, including many returning veterans. Staff members first identify each job seeker's specific barriers to obtaining work and then provide the needed training, counseling, and assistance to overcome those obstacles. This model has helped thousands of Houstonians find employment, allowing them to contribute to society and find a path to self - sufficiency.

The oldest Jewish congregation in our state, Congregation Beth Israel is an integral part of Houston's religious community. Recent upgrades to allow video streaming of worship services certainly fall in line with their mission of sharing Jewish life in a "relevant, modern, and joyful" way. Utilizing this technology allows for greater accessibility to the Congregation by a broader audience.

Crime Stoppers of Houston will soon be housed in a state-of-the-art facility, which will serve as the first Crime Stoppers headquarters in the world. Through programs on school campuses, within the community, and perhaps most notably, the Tip Line program, Crime Stoppers continues to help law enforcement protect the Greater Houston area and increase safety in innovative and effective ways.

ESCAPE Family Resource Center protects our community's most vulnerable children by working everyday to prevent child abuse. Providing a "positive approach to parenting", classes are curriculum-based and led by Masters level educators in an effort to teach all caregivers new and effective strategies to successfully manage familial stress and create healthy environments for children. This innovative model is helping local families chart a new, positive course for the future. Having recently moved into its first permanent home, ESCAPE now has the space and security to serve our community for years to come.

The internationally renowned Houston Symphony was the first orchestra in the country to install an in-hall image magnification and video system, which greatly enhanced the concertgoers' experience. Over a decade later, the audio-visual system needed a complete overhaul in order to maintain its relevancy and usability. The Herzstein Charitable Foundation supported the initial installation as well as most recent and vital update. From the cameras to the control room, the Symphony is now HD-equipped and able to provide an audio-visual experience that is commensurate with the artistic talent on stage.

Space Center Houston represents the limitless possibilities that can be achieved when human ingenuity is driven by our innate pioneer spirit. Known for providing educational, interactive and exciting experiences, one of Space Center's most highly anticipated exhibits, Independence Plaza, is now open to the public. This immersive exhibit allows visitors to enter a full shuttle replica, transporting them to the shuttle era and enabling them to experience astronaut living in ways never before possible. This adventure is sure to be enjoyed by Space City residents and visitors of all ages.

A Catholic college preparatory school for young women with rigorous academic standards, St. Agnes Academy's mission is to instill in students a lifelong intellectual curiosity and a desire to work for social justice while living with integrity and compassion. The scholarship program allows for bright, hardworking young women across the city to attend this prestigious institution who would not otherwise have the financial means to pursue their exceptional academic goals.

Since 1960, this premiere college preparatory school has been dedicated to educating young men in the Jesuit tradition, emphasizing strong academics while also nurturing spiritual growth. The school focuses on each student becoming a "Man for Others", a Jesuit ideal which is instilled through participation in extensive service projects, a competitive athletics program, and a joyful, religious campus. 

This nonpartisan research and policy center is educating and training tomorrow's national security leaders, equipping students with a broad array of knowledge and decision making skills as they embark on careers in the public policy arena. The Clements Center takes a holistic approach to bring the field of statecraft to students, bridging the gap between the lessons learned from history, the current state of affairs, and the application of this information in facing future issues.