5 Houstonians Making a Difference in the Foster Care Community
We know that the Houston area is sprawling and diverse, and the needs of children and families vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. As we work to make Houston a place where families can heal and children thrive, we know we cannot do this alone.
That is why The Riverside Project partners and collaborates with a network of agencies, congregations, nonprofits, school districts, and passionate Houstonians who are all working together to achieve this goal. There are so many people who are making a difference (our list today could truly be miles long!), but we wanted to highlight a few difference-makers and share how they are working to impact the foster care community in Houston.
Here are 5 Houstonians making a difference in the foster care community:
#1: Jesse Booher
“We need both prevention and intervention.” – Jesse Booher
Jesse Booher is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of DePelchin Children’s Center, which provides foster care and adoption services in Texas communities. As COO, Jesse oversees a diverse array of programs ranging from child abuse prevention to foster care to residential services to adoption.
Jesse has spent over 15 years working in the area of child welfare in a wide range of roles. Today, he serves and facilitates strategic planning efforts, coordinates administrative projects, and helps to support DePelchin’s community-building efforts.
Listen to Episode 17 of our podcast to hear more about the work Jesse is doing >>
#2: Luevenia Chapman
“A lot of providers feel like they are not being heard.” – Luevenia Chapman
Luevenia Chapman is the co-founder and Program Director for Hearts with Hope Foundation, a local general residential operation (GRO) that provides treatment services for girls ages 7-23.
Luevenia not only has a passion for providing high-quality, trauma-informed care for the girls in their care, but she is also passionate about raising up and supporting other residential care providers and leaders across our city.
Listen to Episode 12 of our podcast to hear more about the work Luevenia is doing >>
#3: Kimberly Glaudy, LMFT
“Every day I have the privilege of sharing TBRI® and helping in the implementation of that framework.” – Kimberly Glaudy
Kimberly Glaudy has served as a Regional Training Consultant with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development (KPICD). In this role, she trained change agents in TBRI® and supports model implementation in various programs. Kimberly holds a Master of Organizational Management and Leadership degree and another in Marriage and Family Therapy. Kimberly no longer works directly for KPICD, but continues to promote and utilize the TBRI framework in her private practice as a licensed therapist.
Kimberly has worked with The Riverside Project to provide TBRI® Training for professionals across our city. She is passionate about facilitating the healing process by providing a framework to help children and families thrive.
Listen to Episode 5 of our podcast to hear more about the work Kimberly is doing >>
#4: Jason Johnson
“How are we, as a church, going to engage in the space of caring for vulnerable families in our community well?” – Jason Johnson
Jason Johnson is a speaker, writer, former pastor and church planter who has planted a church here in Houston. He is also the Director of Church Mobilization and Engagement with Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO).
In 2012, Jason and his wife, Emily, became foster parents while they were planting a church. Today, he speaks and teaches at churches, conferences, forums, and workshops on church-based ministry strategies and best practices as well as encouraging families that are in the trenches and those that are considering getting involved in the foster care community.
Listen to Episode 1 of our podcast to hear more about the work Jason is doing >>
#5: Tara Grigg Green
“This is an area of the law where the fair administering of justice is really dependent on everyone having excellent attornies.” – Tara Grigg Green
Tara Grigg Green is the founder and Executive Director of the Foster Care Advocacy Center. The mission of the Foster Care Advocacy Center is to provide holistic advocacy inside and outside the courtroom for children and parents involved in the child welfare system.
Prior to founding the Foster Care Advocacy Center, Tara was a Staff Attorney and Skadden Fellow in the Houston office of Disability Rights Texas, helping to develop the Foster Care Team by providing direct representation to foster children with disabilities in state child welfare proceedings and ancillary proceedings, such as special education litigation and Medicaid appeals.
She has extensive experience consulting on child welfare policy issues for organizations such as Casey Family Programs, the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, the Texas Children’s Commission, and the United States Children’s Bureau. Tara has also published several law review articles and research papers on the constitutional rights of children and families and quality legal representation in child welfare proceedings. Tara’s passion for this field comes from her family’s experience as a foster family caring for over one hundred foster children.
Listen to Episode 7 of our podcast to hear more about the work Tara is doing >>
The truth is that transforming the foster care system in Houston requires much collaboration, time, and effort. But we are so thankful for the incredible people across Houston who are working to make a real difference in so many different ways.
You too can find your place along The River to help create real, lasting change and address the issues facing our city from all sides.
When we work together—each with our own unique focus, skills, and expertise—we can begin to build a better future for every family in our community.
Want to hear more stories like these? Make sure you’re subscribed to The Riverside Project Podcast!
Where is your place along the River? Whether it’s pursuing education through our resources, finding a place to serve, or giving to make this work possible, it’s when we work together that we can make the biggest impact here in Houston.
