Nonprofit gets $50K to help support Houston students, families

(HOUSTON) - As a record number of students are impacted by the coronavirus this school year, a Houston nonprofit’s efforts to support them are getting a much-needed boost.

Communities In Schools of Houston (CIS) received a $50,000 COVID-19 recovery grant from Humana Healthy Horizons to to help provide emergency aid and guidance as well as counseling support to students and families struggling with hardships.

From mental health counseling to assistance with bills, families’ needs have never been greater as cases of COVID-19 continue to surge, and they are turning to CIS student support specialists in this time of great need.

“The financial strain and health challenges are really hard on families right now, and it’s directly impacting children’s ability to focus on school,” CIS of Houston CEO Lisa Descant said. “We’re committed to doing whatever it takes to help meet the need spurred by the pandemic and are grateful to Humana for the incredibly generous support—a clear example of their outstanding care for the wellbeing of students and their families.”

The grant is part of a series of Humana COVID-19 relief grants going to Communities In Schools chapters across Texas.

“We’re honored to support Communities in Schools of Houston as they invest in students and families who need assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said John Barger, President of Humana Healthy Horizons, Humana’s Medicaid business. “Humana has a long history of supporting Texas community partners and a strong commitment to providing quality care while improving the health of the local people we serve.”

This school year, CIS of Houston student support specialists have been called to help more than 125,000 students at campuses in Aldine ISD, Alief ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Houston ISD, Spring ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Southwest Schools and Lone Star Colleges.