Houston

The Houston Division honors Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston for bringing together people of all faiths to collaborate in service to disadvantaged families in the Houston area. Accepting the award on behalf of the organization is Elliot Gershenson.

Established in 1992, Interfaith Ministries works with 10 communities of faith, including the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist, and Zoroastrian communities. Together, they provide services such as interfaith relations, refugee assistance, and Meals on Wheels.

Through the iFaith program, more than 150 teens exchange ideas about incorporating faith into their daily lives. The Refugee Services program has worked with government agencies to resettle more than 400 people representing 15 countries, ensuring that each refugee becomes self-sufficient within six months of arrival. Interfaith Ministries’ highly successful Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston program serves more than 1.4 million meals per year to senior citizens in the Houston area. More than 4,500 seniors are enrolled in the daily meal program.

The Houston Division regularly partners with Interfaith Ministries to support interfaith events, to educate teens about hostility and faith relations, and to advance cooperation between different groups of faith by emphasizing shared beliefs.