Cities for Better Health-Houston Selects 13 Local Congregations for Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Faith Community Leadership Cohort 2
NEWS RELEASE
HOUSTON, Texas (Oct. 9, 2026) -- Cities for Better Health-Houston (CBH-Houston), an initiative of the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center, has selected 13 greater Houston faith communities to participate in its Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Faith Community Leadership Cohort 2. This leadership program is funded by Novo Nordisk, a global pharmaceutical company based in Denmark, and is delivered by CBH-Houston at no cost to participants.
The faith communities that were chosen for Cohort 2 out of 22 applicants are listed as follows:
See Page 3 for comments from three congregations submitted during the Cohort 2 application process.
“The Institute and Cities for Better Health-Houston are catalysts for positive change among faith congregations throughout the Houston metropolitan area. The five-year FaithHealth Improvement Plans that Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 congregations are developing will impact thousands of children and adults for decades. We are especially grateful to Novo Nordisk for its generous support that makes this FaithHealth Leadership training possible,” commented Stuart Nelson, president and chief executive officer of the Institute.
CBH-Houston hosted the Cohort 2 kickoff meeting and first training session on Sept. 22, 2026. Cohort 2 participating faith communities will complete their cohort term on June 30, 2028.
Dr. Maricela Caceres serves as the program manager for Cities for Better Health-Houston. Klaus Krøyer Madsen, MPH, Stakeholder Engagement Lead for Cities for Better Health-Houston, collaborates with Dr. Caceres and the Institute to deliver the Cohort 2 program.
Dr. Caceres explained that Cohort 2 participants will undertake a complete assessment-to-action journey, culminating in a tailored FaithHealth Improvement Plan. They will have access to multilingual surveys, direct partner integration, and a $5,000 annual stipend for two years.
“With the overarching goal of turning houses of faith into supersettings for prevention, Cities for Better Health-Houston measurably strengthens the internal capacity of participating congregations through the FaithHealth leadership cohort,” Dr. Caceres said. “This program equips faith communities to address health disparities both internally and in their surrounding neighborhoods. The program is designed to enable 13 congregations plus the coalition group to leverage their own data into outward-facing initiatives – for example, healthcare enrollment, food access, and open wellness while being in close partnership with public health departments, clinics, and community organizations.”
During this two-year capacity-building journey, each faith community goes through a Pre-Implementation (Phase I) and Implementation (Phase II). Each team develops a customized FaithHealth Improvement Plan by month six in the cohort. The FaithHealth Improvement Plan positions participating congregations to move into the Implementation Phase for the remaining 18 months of the cohort.
“Cohort participants gain access to an extensive network of health partners who provide ongoing support for capacity-building training. We are fortunate to have amazing partners such as the Houston Health Department, Harris County Public Health, Harris Health, Sustainable Food Center, the Harris Center for Mental Health, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention,” Madsen said.
Thirty-two congregations applied for Cohort 1 in 2025, and nine congregations across six faith traditions and three languages were selected. Each congregation identified similar priorities for its community: mental health, chronic disease, food insecurity, and access to care. Cohort 1 will conclude its term on June 30, 2027.
Applications for Cohort 3 will be accepted starting Aug. 1, 2027.
About the Institute
The Institute is an independent, interfaith organization established in 1955. A founding member of the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, it continues to make a meaningful difference by cultivating well-being for all community members.
The Institute’s mission is to enhance well-being by exploring the relationship between spirituality and health. It advances this mission through education, research, and direct service programs, guided by its four Centers of Excellence: the Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Center for Healthcare Professionals, the Center for Body, Spirit, and Mind, the Center for End of Life and Aging, and the Center for Faith and Public Health. For more information about the Institute or to sign up for the Institute’s free newsletter, please visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org.
About Cities for Better Health-Houston (CBH-Houston)
Cities for Better Health is a global program funded by pharmaceutical leader Novo Nordisk that works to promote health equity, expand prevention, and remove the barriers that keep many people, including children, from good health. Houston joined Cities for Better Health in 2014 as the third city, after Mexico City and Copenhagen. More than 50 cities now participate in Cities for Better Health worldwide. Learn more at citiesforbetterhealth.com
CBH-Houston is unique among global cities as these programs are engaged throughout the Greater Houston Area in at-risk and low-income areas, connected through an interfaith network. CBH-Houston is committed to educating children and adults about chronic illness prevention and fostering health equity through faith communities.
For more information, please visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org/cbh.
Comments from Congregations
Submitted During the Cohort 2 Application Process
"We want to join the Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Faith Community cohort because we are passionate about equipping our church and surrounding community to live whole, healthy lives—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Our mission has always been to meet people where they are and respond to their real needs with both compassion and action. Through conversations with our neighbors and community members, we've consistently heard a desire for healthier lifestyles. Many have expressed interest in learning how to eat more nutritiously, manage stress, and care for their mental health. These concerns align with our belief that the church should be a holistic resource—not only for spiritual growth, but also for practical education and support in daily living."
— FaithHealth Leadership Team, Wayman Chapel AME Church
"Joining the cohort would provide us with a well-planned program that's evidence-based and enables our church to offer programs by trained individuals who understand the health needs of our community and the abundance of resources available to help make a positive and consistent impact in improving the health of our congregation and community."
— Cassandra Harris, Public Relations Minister Leader, Missouri City Baptist Church
"Our congregation wants to join this cohort because we see a growing and urgent need for support in the mental, spiritual, and physical well-being of our members and the neighbors who surround our church. We believe that the ministry of the Church is not only to care for people’s spiritual lives, but to embrace the whole person—with compassion, dignity, and love.”
— Rev. Victoria Umana, Christ the King Episcopal Church