The Hogg Foundation is committed to a vision of “trust-based philanthropy.” In other words, because we trust that our grantee partners have the greatest understanding of their community’s needs, we also trust in their ability to administer grant funds in ways that best address those needs. Our support for Greater Longview Optimal Wellness (GLOW) demonstrates how this supportive approach to philanthropy can be used to help sustain and grow historically under-resourced community-based mental health organizations.

GLOW was one of 29 organizations to receive a 2024 Reliable Flexible Funding initiative (RFF) grant from the Hogg Foundation. Rather than providing funds restricted to specific programs or projects determined by the foundation, RFF grants provide unrestricted, or “flexible” funding. In this way, the initiative aims to recognize, respect, and reinforce the expertise of the organizational leaders who are closest to the work being done.

Improved Access

Established in 2021, GLOW is a collaborative of community service organizations with the mission to improve access to health and wellness services for Longview residents. GLOW pays particular attention to addressing the complex health, behavioral, and social needs, or non-medical drivers of health, of people who are frequent users of the 911 system for non-emergency assistance. Developing a strategy for streamlining the navigation of community services is a top priority.

With the City of Longview serving as the collaborative’s backbone, partners include Gregg County, Christus Good Shepherd Health System, Longview Regional Medical Center, Community Healthcore (the local mental and behavioral health authority), Wellness Pointe and Special Health Resources (local federally qualified health centers), the Greater Longview United Way, and the Episcopal Health Foundation in partnership with the St. David’s Foundation. GLOW has also begun partnering with the University of Texas at Tyler to collect critical de-identified data to better evaluate the program’s impact.

The success of GLOW’s work has led to the creation of a Community Health Section within the City of Longview’s Fire Department. In June of this year, Amy Hooten, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Section Chief with the fire department and original lead for the collaborative, was appointed to the newly created position of City of Longview Community Health Section Chief. In addition, Chief Hooten was recently recognized for her outstanding leadership by the Texas EMS Alliance and named 2024 EMS Leader of the Year.

“Chief Hooten is now able to work more closely not only with all GLOW partners but also with other city departments such as police, housing, and parks and recreation to continue to coordinate resources to help citizens lead better lives,” says Laura Hill, director of grants and human services at the City of Longview. “She continues to work in collaboration with the new EMS Section Chief to meet patient needs, but has also expanded outreach with community visioning, education, and mobilization.”

This spring, the collaborative hosted a Mental Health Summit for local mental and behavioral health professionals across multiple sectors. Turnout was impressive, with 44 organizations represented and 279 individuals participating enthusiastically. The event addressed concerns related to the mental health workforce, crisis response, identifying local needs, improving access, and filling existing gaps in treatment.

“Our intent was for representatives from clinical practice, law enforcement, the judiciary, the school system, medical facilities, and non-profits to share their insights into these ever-growing challenges,” says Laura. “Not, as is so often the case, an opportunity for us to lecture.”

Continued Growth

GLOW continues to expand its reach through education and public communication, recently producing an informational video for the collaborative’s members to share with their employees. They created a similar video for screening at civic meetings, places of worship, and other local events to introduce GLOW’s work to the wider community.

“The Longview community has been very supportive of the GLOW initiative and very interested in what it can mean for our city,” says Laura.

Responsible Stewardship

Based on GLOW’s growth and maturation over the last few years, it’s not surprising that the Hogg Foundation feels confident in its ability to responsibly steward RFF grant funds.

“These unrestricted funds will fill a critical gap with dedicated personnel costs, transportation costs, and even urgent medical costs to solve immediate needs for patients,” says Laura.

With a deep understanding of the community’s needs and a proven ability to leverage community resources through collaboration, GLOW is poised to make a lasting impact. We look forward to providing support as it sustains, grows, and innovates its mission-driven work to improve access to health and wellness services for Longview residents.

• Peer 2 Peer Whole Wellness (Duncanville)
• PHOENIX ICCD Clubhouse (Abilene)
• Real Queens Fix Each Other’s Crowns (Manor)
• Round Rock Black Parents Association (Round Rock)
• San Antonio Clubhouse (San Antonio)
• Smith County Clubhouse (Tyler)
• Teens Grounded (Victoria)
• Texas A&M University-Kingsville (Kingsville)
• Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation (Elgin)

Related Links

• Hogg Foundation Awards Reliable, Flexible Funding to Strengthen Capacity of Historically Under-Resourced Mental Health Organizations