Over the years, as our team continues our efforts to transform Houston’s foster care system, we’re often asked a simple but important question:
What are your plans to expand?
This is a question that was at the front of our minds as we drafted our 2026-2030 strategic plan. And as we considered the future of our organization, one thing became clear—we do want to expand. But instead of growing upward and outward, we want to grow inward and downward.
What does this mean?
To us, it’s all about proximity. Our mission has always been for Houston, and as we grow, we’re committed to becoming more local, not less.
The closer we are to the real challenges impacting real people, the better equipped we will be to respond with support that makes a meaningful difference.
Our goals for the next five years and beyond are rooted in this belief, and we’ve planned a detailed roadmap to help us make them a reality, but we need your help. We’re excited to share our strategic plan for 2026–2030 and invite you to step into this next chapter with us:
Our Strategic Plan for 2026-2030
The Riverside Project serves as a unifying force in Houston’s child welfare system, bringing together organizations and passionate people to strengthen families and transform outcomes for children. Grounded in our Christian faith and shaped by our belief in the dignity of every child and family, we are joining the redemptive work God is already doing in our city. As a catalyst for collaboration, we convene churches, nonprofits, and community partners to address the root causes of family instability and ensure families have access to timely resources and lasting, supportive relationships.
Our 2026–2030 Strategic Plan marks a pivotal shift—from a centralized model to five regionally embedded teams serving distinct areas of Houston. This neighborhood-focused approach allows us to move closer to families, mobilize churches more effectively, and unite fragmented systems into a coordinated, relationship-driven network of care.
All of our work is guided by three strategic priorities:
- Mobilize the Church — because the Church is uniquely positioned to bring hope and restoration within its community.
- Strengthen the Family — because strong families are the foundation of a thriving city.
- Unite the Community — because healing requires alignment across systems, sectors, and neighborhoods.
By leveraging our role as a connector and facilitator, The Riverside Project is helping shift Houston’s foster care system from crisis management to system transformation—aligning people, resources, and institutions around prevention, healing, and long-term stability.
Our growth reflects both the scale of need in Houston and the effectiveness of a coordinated, relational approach. What began as a two-person team in 2018 has grown into a ten-person organization by 2025, supported by intentional investments in staff, systems, and infrastructure. As the child welfare landscape continues to evolve, so does the need for locally embedded teams who can build trust, respond quickly, and sustain long-term relationships within the communities they serve.
To realize this vision, The Riverside Project will launch five regional teams between 2026 and 2030. Each region requires a one-time first-year investment of approximately $442,103, followed by an ongoing annual cost of approximately $397,628. Together, this represents a five-year investment of approximately $6.19 million to move Houston from reactive, crisis-driven care toward community-centered systems that strengthen families and help children thrive.
This plan outlines multiple ways partners can participate in that transformation—by funding a regional launch, sustaining a team, or sponsoring key roles that walk alongside families, churches, and community partners every day.
View our 2026-2030 Strategic Plan here.
A Letter from Our Founder and Executive Director
Picture a city where every child and every family has someone who shows up when life gets difficult.
A city where families don’t have to navigate crisis alone, and where people who understand trauma bring steady, informed support. Imagine neighborhoods where churches, nonprofits, and neighbors join God in the work of restoration and renewal, building communities where families heal and children have hope for a better future.
We believe Houston can become that kind of city. We believe it because we’ve already seen glimpses of it. We’ve seen families find stability at just the right moment, caregivers growing more confident with the right tools, and churches discovering meaningful ways to serve. These moments have shown us that lasting change is truly possible when a community comes together.
This plan represents the next step. By placing teams directly in neighborhoods, we are choosing proximity and presence. When we walk with families where they live, support becomes more timely, more personal, and more effective. Over time, communities become stronger places for children to grow.
But this vision depends on all of us. Houston needs people who believe in the strength of families, who believe churches can play a vital role, and who believe our community is capable of something better than crisis-driven care. It takes people willing to invest, to encourage, and to step toward children and caregivers with compassion and courage.
As you read this plan, I hope you see where you fit. Your presence matters. Your gifts matter. And together, we can build a city where families are supported long before crisis arrives.
Everyone can do something. Together, we can do so much more.
