Cities for Better Health-Houston Welcomes Applications for “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Faith Community Leadership Cohort 2”
NEWS RELEASE
HOUSTON, Texas (July 24, 2026) -- Cities for Better Health-Houston, an initiative of the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center, is inviting faith communities in the greater Houston area to apply for the Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Faith Community Leadership Cohort 2. Applications for Cohort 2 close Aug. 28, 2026, at midnight. Apply here.
"Faith communities hold a distinctive and powerful position to drive meaningful, lasting change in the lives of the people they serve. Our goal is to work with faith communities to help them become settings for disease prevention," said Stuart Nelson, president and chief executive officer of the Institute. “The Faith Community Leadership Program is a two-year capacity-strengthening initiative designed exclusively for faith communities across the Greater Houston area. This is an investment in a congregation's future that equips leaders with the tools, training, and partnerships to build health programs that truly serve its people.”
The goal of Cities for Better Health-Houston (CBH-Houston) is to measurably strengthen congregations’ internal capacity to address health. Through hands-on guidance and a five-year Faith Health Improvement Plan, CBH-Houston leaders help congregations to implement effective prevention strategies, foster whole-person well-being, and prevent or delay chronic diseases – all while building something that lasts long after the program ends.
FaithHealth Leadership cohort participants are linked to an extensive network of health partners who provide ongoing support for capacity-building training. These robust networks of partners include, but are not limited to 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.
“This is community-powered sustainability at its core. Congregations who participate in cohort 2 bring the heart, the relationships, and the calling to serve. We bring the training, the tools, and a network of trusted Houston-area health partners ready to walk alongside you,” said Dr. Maricela Caceres, program manager, Cities for Better Health-Houston. Dr. Caceres has almost 25 years of health and wellness experience, having practiced general medicine as a physician and surgeon in Colombia.
Klaus Madsen, stakeholder engagement lead with Cities for Better Health, added: "Houston joined this global program in 2014 as the third city in the world, and more than 50 cities have joined since. What holds true across all of them is that health is built in the settings where people already spend their lives, and, in Houston, that setting is very often a house of faith. Congregations are ready to play a bigger role in the health of their neighborhoods. The cohort exists to open that pathway and connect them with partners who stay.”
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.
“Each congregation in the cohort designates a team of four to seven faith and lay leaders to participate in monthly meetings. We provide support such as hands-on bilingual facilitation, a $5,000 annual stipend, and a partner network that is always ready and standing by. Participating in the cohort is free for the congregations that are chosen. The biggest commitment is designating representatives who will serve as a congregation’s team and their time,” said Dr. Caceres.
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 personalized FaithHealth Improvement Plan by month six in the cohort. The five-year FaithHealth Improvement Plan positions participating congregations to move into the Implementation Phase for the remaining 18 months of the cohort.
Dr. Caceres noted that FaithHealth Improvement Plans are continuously updated with specific health promotion activities, resource allocation, and achievable milestones.
“Being part of this Cities for Better Health program has been a blessing that allows us to care for our community holistically. This partnership provides a sanctuary for mental health, helping us heal the emotional burdens of migration together. With guidance and faith, living with well-being is possible, regardless of economic limitations,” commented The Reverend Misael Pacheco Guevara, curate, St. Paul’s/San Pablo Episcopal Church. He is currently a FaithHealth Leadership Cohort 1 participant.
Congregations that are interested in learning more are invited to join an upcoming informational session. Access this link here to learn more:
● Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. CDT (Spanish)
● Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. CDT (English)
● Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, at 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CDT (English)
● Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CDT (Spanish)
● Wednesday, Aug.12, 2026, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CDT (English)
“If your congregation has never run a health program, but feels called to start one, this cohort was built for you. Don't wait for someone else to lead the change your community needs. Apply today and become part of a growing movement of faith communities transforming health – one congregation at a time,” Dr. Caceres said.
Please contact Dr. Caceres at mcaceres@ish-tmc.org with any questions. She will arrange a customized information session for potential applicants who cannot attend one of these information sessions,
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
Cities for Better Health-Houston is committed to educating children and adults in the greater Houston area about disease and illness prevention and fostering health equity through faith communities. For more information, please visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org/cbh.
Media Contact:
Laura Pennino, Senior PR Consultant for The Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center
mobile: 713-419-1776 | email: lp@penninoandpartners.com