CHRISTUS Health awards more than $300,000 to Longview-area nonprofits

Six nonprofit organizations in East Texas received grants totaling more than $300,000 on Tuesday for programs aimed at improving the health and well-being of their communities. The recipient organizations from the CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System region are:

• Asbury House Child Enrichment Center
• Buckner CFS Longview
• East Texas Food Bank
• Longview Arboretum and Resource Center
• Newgate Mission
• Women’s Center of East Texas

Each of the recipients who were awarded funds through the CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund was recognized during a ceremony at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center. The fund will distribute a total of $3.7 million this year to organizations in Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico communities served by CHRISTUS Health.

“The CHRISTUS Fund is a reflection of our mission in action, and we are truly blessed to support organizations in the community who serve with heart, purpose, and impact,” said Jessica Guerra, program manager for community development at CHRISTUS Health. “We are honored to partner with organizations that embody the spirit of service and bring light, healing, and hope to those who need it most.”

Selected organizations were chosen for their programs that address community health issues, including chronic disease management, health education, mental health and well-being, safe housing, and food insecurity. Shelly Smith, executive director of Buckner CFS Longview, said the grant will fund programs
that help single parents who are facing domestic abuse, financial uncertainty, homelessness, and
hopelessness by providing housing, access to childcare assistance, and a variety of other services.

“This grant will empower us to continue creating generational change through transforming the lives of single moms through education, counseling, and family coaching while in the Family Pathways program,” Smith said. “We are incredibly grateful to CHRISTUS for their generous support and continued collaboration.”

Natasha Howard, the executive director of Newgate Mission said “Funding is amazing because we have been able to really, truly, truly have an impact across not just the south side of Longview, but also the north side of Longview,” said Howard. “We’re grateful for that because we want to grow. We want to meet everyone’s needs.”

Launched in 2011, the CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund has invested over $25 million in the communities served by CHRISTUS Health. When combined with charity care and other community services, CHRISTUS Health invested over $544 million in local communities in 2024.

Courtesy photos by CHRISTUS Health