Houston Area Nonprofits Receive Grants from Texas Veterans Commission to Strengthen Services for Veterans
Several nonprofits serving residents in Harris County across Houston, Cypress, Spring, Tomball and beyond are among 38 organizations awarded grants through the Texas Veterans Commission’s Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) program. The announcement, made September 12 at Easter Seals of Greater Houston, marked the distribution of $7.965 million in funding aimed at providing direct services to more than 5,200 veterans and their families across the Gulf Coast region.
The funding supports a wide spectrum of needs, from housing repair and construction to financial assistance and trauma counseling. Presenting the awards, TVC Vice Chair and Army veteran Kevin Barber emphasized the importance of local partners in making a difference. “The Gulf Coast is home to one of the highest concentrations of veterans not only in Texas, but the country,” he said. “Your organizations are recognized for making a difference in the lives of those who served.”
Governor Greg Abbott echoed that commitment in a statement: “Texas will never forget our veterans, their families, and their service to our state and our country.”
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Houston-Area Nonprofits Expanding Services
Among the many recipients, six Houston-area organizations received grants that will directly impact veterans and families throughout Harris County.
Family Houston (formerly Family Service Center of Houston and Harris County) was awarded $350,000 for financial assistance. Founded in 1904, Family Houston provides counseling, parenting programs, financial coaching, and case management. The grant will expand emergency aid for veterans facing sudden hardships such as rent, utilities, or medical bills.
The Harris County Veterans Services Office received two awards—$400,000 for financial assistance and $295,000 for peer support services. This office helps veterans and their dependents access benefits, while also providing emergency aid and peer-led support groups designed to ease reintegration challenges and address mental health needs.
Houston Habitat for Humanity secured $350,000 under the Housing for Texas Heroes initiative, which funds affordable home construction and repairs. Habitat’s programs provide veterans and their families with safe, stable homes, while offering financial education and long-term stability.
Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM), a major nonprofit serving Spring, Klein, and northwest Houston, was granted $350,000 for financial assistance. NAM offers rent and utility assistance, food distribution, and case management services. The grant ensures that struggling veterans and their families can remain housed and connected to vital resources.
Rebuilding Together Houston also received $350,000 under Housing for Texas Heroes, supporting its work repairing and modifying veteran homes. Many of its projects focus on low-income, elderly, or disabled veterans, restoring both safety and dignity to their living conditions.
The PTSD Foundation of America, headquartered in Houston with its flagship residential facility Camp Hope in Spring, was awarded $350,000 for clinical counseling. The foundation specializes in intensive peer-to-peer support and faith-based counseling for combat veterans living with post-traumatic stress, offering residential programs and long-term recovery pathways.
Other organizations in Harris County also received significant support to continue serving local veterans. Santa Maria Hostel was awarded $175,000 to expand its homeless veteran support programs, while Easter Seals of Greater Houston, Inc. secured a combined $375,000 across two grants—$75,000 for financial assistance and $300,000 for clinical counseling. Houston Volunteer Lawyers, an initiative of the Houston Bar Association, received $200,000 to deliver pro bono legal services, and the Houston Area Urban League was granted $200,000 to provide financial assistance.
Additional Houston-area recipients included Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston with $300,000 for support services, Goodwill Industries of Houston with $50,000 for skill-based training, and Volunteers of America Texas, Inc., which was awarded $150,000 for financial assistance. Grace After Fire received two grants totaling $250,000—$100,000 for financial assistance and $150,000 for peer support services—while United States Veterans Initiative (U.S. VETS – Houston) secured $650,000 across two awards, with $350,000 for financial assistance and $300,000 for clinical counseling. Finally, Castle Cares Community Ministries was awarded $100,000 to expand its clinical counseling services for veterans and their families.
Why This Support is Needed
The need for nonprofit support is highlighted by recent federal and state data. According to HUD’s 2024 Point-in-Time Count, more than 32,000 veterans nationwide were experiencing homelessness, with nearly 14,000 of them unsheltered. Texas alone reported more than 4,000 veterans experiencing homelessness in 2023, a 3.7 percent increase over the prior year.
Beyond housing, the Texas Veterans Needs Assessment (2024) found that many veterans struggle with financial instability, limited access to mental health care, and difficulty navigating benefits systems. These barriers are especially pronounced for women veterans, younger post-9/11 veterans, and those living in urban counties like Harris.
Organizations like Family Houston, NAM, and the PTSD Foundation fill the gaps by offering immediate, local access to support that many veterans cannot find elsewhere.
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A Broader Movement Across Texas
The Gulf Coast organizations recognized this month are part of a much larger statewide initiative. Since 2009, the TVC’s Fund for Veterans’ Assistance has awarded more than $359 million through over 1,600 grants to nonprofits, county offices, and faith-based partners across Texas. Funding comes primarily from designated Texas Lottery games and voluntary donations made during vehicle registration or hunting and fishing license purchases.
Together, these resources reflect Texas’s ongoing commitment to its more than 1.5 million veterans, the second-largest veteran population in the nation.
How Veterans Can Find Support
Veterans and their families can locate local providers and services funded by the TVC by visiting tvc.texas.gov. Community members can also support these programs by volunteering, donating, or choosing veteran-support options when purchasing licenses or registering vehicles.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
