CIS of Houston: COVID-19 Impact Report

As Houston faces the fallout of COVID-19, Communities In Schools of Houston remains committed to be In Schools and Beyond for students and families.

Across four decades, CIS has time and again led emergency response efforts in times of uncertainty and disaster: from Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey to the COVID-19 health crisis, our caring staff, partners and volunteers have done whatever it takes to make sure students and their families receive the support they need to succeed in school and beyond. When school districts across Greater Houston were forced to close their campus doors in March in response to COVID-19, CIS remained committed to serving our students and families as they face the economic, nutritional, academic and social-emotional challenges brought upon our community by the global pandemic.

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS:

To meet our students’ needs as they began remote learning, CIS continued to serve students across our 167 school campuses by pivoting from our nationally recognized on-campus service model to a virtual service model. Our staff immediately began engaging with students through check-in phone calls to assess their needs and determine how best serve their families, and within weeks began providing the full range of CIS services remotely, contacting students through the use of email, mail, text messaging, and video conferencing.  

FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR FAMILIES:

CIS has raised over $1 million for our CIS COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to distribute to over 940 families helping with food, utilities, rent assistance…whatever our students need during this time of crisis. We are grateful to Harris County and the individuals, foundations, and corporations who put their trust in CIS because of our ability to connect with, identify, and assist vulnerable students and families.

Food & Basic Needs

A student from one of our HISD campuses in the East End received a family-sized BBQ meal from their CIS Student Support Manager donated by The Pit Room.

In addition to providing financial assistance for groceries and coordinating grocery deliveries for our families in need, we were grateful to team up with The Pit Room BBQ to provide fresh family-sized meals to over 1,800 individuals across Alief, Spring Branch, and Houston Independent School Districts.

Technology Support

Caleb and Caden posed with their new computer and hand-made thank-you notes for their CIS Student Support Manager from Alief ISD's Olle Middle School. They are among the 5,000 students across Houston who received a computer thanks to CIS and our valuable partnership with Comp-U-Dopt Houston. Thousands of students across Houston are facing the harsh reality of the digital divide in a time of virtual learning, and we are grateful to be able to help our students stay connected to their studies.

rent assistance

Without warning or expectation, families such a mine were thrown deeper into financial hardship. The CIS Team allocated emergency funds for my family on the brink of homelessness. The funds made rent possible. The funds made transportation accessible for medical needs. The funds made life possible and breathable again, for myself and my two small children, and for that I cannot be more grateful."

- CIS of Houston, Lone Star College-North Harris Student

Utility Bills Assistance

One of our families from Spring Branch ISD was overcome with relief to receive financial assistance to help with their monthly bills and food security. The assistance allowed them to experience their summer in a secure home with air conditioning, and without having to worry about rent not being paid, or other household needs going unmet. In addition, the assistance alleviated some of the parent’s stress, which allowed them to be fully present for their children and each other.

LOOKING FORWARD

As we enter the 2020-2021 school year we are eager and prepared to virtually reconnect with our students and families, assess their needs, and continue to provide direct services working through the stressors and challenges that our families are facing. We stand committed to do whatever it takes, in schools and beyond, to provide a community of support for students throughout Greater Houston.

Sincerely,

Lisa Descant, LPC-S, LMFT-S
CEO