News Releases

Helen Stagg will retire as CEO of Civic Heart Community Services (Civic Heart) on December 31, 2023, after more than 4 years at the helm of one of the largest and oldest Black-founded non-profit organizations in Houston. Following an extensive executive search, Kionta Carter will assume the role January 3, 2024.

Civic Heart Community Services (Civic Heart), one of the largest black-founded non-profit organizations in the Greater Houston area (formerly known as Change Happens!) presented John Guess III and State Representative Ron Reynolds with the Heart of Service Award during its 19th Annual Fall Luncheon held at the Junior League of Houston on November 3, 2023. The event gathered supporters, including volunteers and donors, program recipients, and staff to hear about the organization’s latest accomplishments and what is next for the 34-year-old organization.

Last week, Civic Heart Community Services (Civic Heart) received $575,000 in two grants from the US Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to reduce risk for girls in the juvenile justice system and support high-quality arts programs for justice-involved youth.

Tamara*, a high school senior, was just months away from graduation and her 18th birthday when her family, led by a single mom, was evicted from their apartment. With no means of financial support and her mother soon having left the picture, Tamara was facing homelessness, alone.

The Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention explored innovative approaches to youth justice—including ways federal agencies can support local collaborations to increase the availability of community-based support services for vulnerable youth—during its September 19, 2023, meeting in Houston, TX. The meeting marked the first time the council convened outside the greater Washington, D.C., area.

Office of Justice Programs Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon and Liz Ryan, Administrator of OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, last week traveled to Houston where they joined juvenile justice leaders and other federal agencies for a discussion of strategies to provide a greater range of multi-disciplinary services for justice-involved youth and to increase the accessibility of those services.

To continue CH’s 34+ year history of growth and success, CH seeks to engage an extraordinary individual to succeed our current, retiring CEO. This individual will lead a dedicated 70+ member staff, and work with a committed board of directors drawn from the greater Houston community.

Heart-Centered Leadership is a collaborative book that traverses a myriad of leadership experiences with the intention to pave the way for more value-driven leadership models to take stage. This book was written by 22 professionals, visionaries, business owners and entrepreneurs who felt compelled to give words to their past experiences and lay a foundation for the future of leadership.” Civic Heart’s CEO, Helen Stagg contributed a chapter on, “Leading with Love.” Ms. Stagg shares why leading with love can create magnificent opportunities for people and communities.

Today at its annual Spring Breakfast event, one of the largest black-founded non-profit organization in the Gulf coast region formerly known as Change Happens! announced its name change to Civic Heart Community Services (Civic Heart).