Human Services

Supporting Individuals, Families & Community Well-Being

It’s the people that make Midland great, and by supporting human services, we’re seeking to address vital needs across the city. Scharbauer Foundation invests in human services initiatives that provide care, support, and essential resources for individuals and families throughout Midland. Through partnerships with nonprofits, community organizations, and service providers, the Foundation supports programs and projects that help address immediate needs while creating pathways toward long-term stability and opportunity.

From childcare and food access to housing support, youth programs, and services for vulnerable populations, the Foundation is committed to strengthening the overall well-being of the Midland community.

Investing in Care, Stability & Opportunity

The human services focus area reflects Scharbauer Foundation’s belief that strong communities are built when individuals and families have access to the support systems and resources they need to thrive. The Foundation supports organizations working to address some of Midland’s most pressing social and community needs through compassionate, community-centered solutions.

Funding priorities include family support, food insecurity, youth development, housing and transitional services, support for individuals with disabilities, behavioral and recovery services, senior services, and programs that improve overall quality of life for underserved and vulnerable populations.

Areas of Human Services Support

Support services for individuals with disabilities or special needs

Food assistance and community nutrition programs

Family assistance and community resource centers

Housing and transitional living services

Recovery and rehabilitation programs

Youth development and mentorship programs

Senior services and adult care support

Programs serving vulnerable and underserved populations

Current & Transformational Human Services Initiatives

Scharbauer Foundation has supported a number of human services initiatives and community-centered programs throughout Midland and the Permian Basin. These initiatives are developed in collaboration with nonprofit organizations, community partners, educators, and service providers working together to strengthen support systems for Midland individuals and families.

  • $44M+
    awarded in human services grants since inception
  • 290+
    human services grants awarded
  • 16%
    of all foundation grant funding directed toward human services initiatives

Human Services PROJECTS & INITIATIVES

West Texas Food Bank facility improvements and support for food distribution and nutrition programs

Safe Place of the Permian Basin capital campaign for a new facility

Spectrum of Solutions’ Anwar Family Inspiration Center and other facility improvements

Senior Life Midland’s capital campaign for a new facility

Purchase and installation of new windows, security cameras, and playground equipment at Hellinghausen Hope’s Village Square property

Infrastructure work for a new housing development for Habitat for Humanity

Security upgrades and campus improvements at High Sky Children’s Ranch

Renovations to expand capacity for adult and youth programs at Casa de Amigos

Impact Stories

Safe Place of the Permian Basin

As Midland grows, so does the need for nonprofit organizations that provide essential services to residents at every stage of life. Safe Place of the Permian Basin works to break the cycle of family violence by providing awareness, counseling, advocacy, and shelter for individuals. The organization broke ground on its new facility in fall 2021, after purchasing 9.8 acres of land on Andrews Highway in summer 2015 and raising nearly $25 million. Serving survivors of family violence in 15 West Texas counties, Safe Place operates a 24-hour hotline and an emergency shelter for victims and their children that includes meals, clothing, hygiene items, baby supplies, and emergency transportation. The nonprofit also provides counseling and legal advocacy for survivors, and education for community members. All services for victims are provided at no cost. The former Safe Place shelter, built in 1987, had 15 bedrooms and eight shared bathrooms. Now located within a secure gated parking lot, the new shelter features 24 bedrooms each with a private bathroom, private counseling spaces, and separation between residential services and outpatient counseling. The new facility will allow Safe Place to provide shelter and non-residential services to more survivors while prioritizing their privacy and safety.

Ready to Apply?

Scharbauer Foundation welcomes grant pre-applications from organizations and institutions working to strengthen families, support vulnerable populations, and improve community well-being throughout Midland.

Organizations interested in applying for funding are encouraged to review grant eligibility requirements and application guidelines prior to submission. If you have additional questions regarding eligibility, funding priorities, or the grant process, please contact the Foundation’s Program Officer, MK Marshall, at mmarshall@sfmidland.org, or the Vice President of Grantmaking and Communications, Megan Lea, at mlea@sfmidland.org.

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