What Media Say

Program Director, Dr. Sujeeta E. Menon spoke with 104.1 KRBE’s “Around H-Town” Podcast to inform the public about Civic Heart’s Mentoring Program.

Carter will soon to take on the role of CEO at the local nonprofit Civic Heart Communities — previously known as Change Happens — and organization dedicated to supporting those in vulnerable or disadvantaged communities. She officially begins Jan. 3, 2024.

Local nonprofit Civic Heart Community Services — which was previously known as Change Happens — will soon say goodbye to its current CEO. After 23 years with the organization and four as CEO, Helen Stagg will officially retire onDec. 31. She will be succeeded by Kionta Carter, who will assume the role on Jan. 3, 2024.

Non-profit workers were also key; when Jacobs told me in November that the cost of one of her medications had soared to $400 a bottle, I reached out to folks I’d met at Civic Heart, while writing about the Medicaid unwinding for help. One phone tree later, Jacobs’ pills are once again fully covered.

The Legends of Third Ward Mural located on Sampson @ Anita streets, features local community leaders such as William A. Lawson, Pastor Emeritus of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and his wife, First Lady Audrey Lawson, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and our very own CEO, Helen Stagg. See what these leaders have done and how they have positively impacted the Third Ward Community.

CEO Helen Stagg gives a brief history on the organization and how COVID-19 affected operations to expand services to meet a critical health need. With funding from the CDC, Civic Heart, worked to promote sharing of accurate, culturally appropriate vaccine information to address concerns and/or strategic partnerships to support effective community outreach and vaccinations.

At a downtown courtroom, tenants, property managers and lawyers were quietly awaiting their eviction cases when a constable stood up and addressed the room. Before Judge Steve Duble would hear their cases, he explained, there was something they needed to do. See how Civic Heart’s innovative practices are connecting tenants to a wide range of services.

It is with great respect and appreciation we share with you, a trusted member of the Civic Heart community, the news of CEO Helen Stagg’s intent to retire from her leadership role, effective December 31, 2023. Since she accepted the role in 2019, Stagg— as she’s trained us all to refer to her— has so ably served and led the mission of Civic Heart and those who are in action with her.

The Civic Heart Community Services nonprofit is holding two back to school events this month to provide families with supplies and health services, the organization said in a news release.

HOUSTON — Civic Heart Community Services relocated its headquarters to One Emancipation Center at 3131 Emancipation Ave. in Houston’s Third Ward in June 2023. The 34-year-old organization, the largest Black-founded non-profit organization in the Gulf Coast region, formerly known as Change Happens!, recently announced its name change to Civic Heart Community Services.