Episcopal Health Foundation Assists St. Paul’s, Navasota, in Focus on Community Needs Through CPS Rainbow Room

Never underestimate the power of space. The St. Paul’s, Navasota, Rainbow Room is making a difference in needy children’s lives in rural Grimes County by offering up a small room in the back of its church.

Through the Episcopal Health Foundation’s (EHF) Poverty Transformation cohort, St. Paul’s took on a challenge in 2022 to reach out and build two new relationships with community partners as they focused on community need.

A casual conversation between congregants Bonny Burger and Susan Boudreaux brought up a problem. Child welfare board member Boudreaux explained that Child Protective Service caseworkers desperately needed a rainbow room in Grimes County. The resource center is a space which provides material items for children removed from their homes—diapers, formula, and clothing.

“The minute I heard the word space, I said stop,” Burger said. “We’ve got it.”

St. Paul’s provided the space and wanted to serve the community. With assistance from EHF and the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, church members swiftly got the space ready. The St. Paul’s Rainbow Room in Navasota is the first rainbow room to be located in a Texas church.

Helping congregations explore ways to address and improve poverty within their specific communities is one of several key focus areas of EHF’s Congregational Engagement Team.

“We weren’t starting something new on our own,” area missioner for Episcopal Diocese of Texas Rev. Andrew Terry said. “We were listening to partner agencies and responding to what they express as a need.”

EHF continues to connect church ministries with their communities. Details are available at epsicopalehatl.org or episcopalhealth.org (congregations).