The streets, medians, and sidewalks of Gulfton have looked noticeably brighter over the past year—but the real glow comes from the lives being rebuilt. In 2024 the Gulfton Management District has awarded ongoing beautification work to UPRISE, the transitional-employment arm of the long-standing nonprofit Career and Recovery Resources (CRR). The agreement does more than keep public spaces trimmed and litter-free; it channels weekly wages and professional training to neighbors who are unhoused, recently incarcerated, or struggling to find a foothold in the labor market.
“We serve the hardest to serve because these are people who are literally homeless or literally coming out of prison,” explains CRR Chief Executive Officer Nikki Agwuenu. “To put them straight into work and put money in their pockets—that’s fulfilling work.”
How UPRISE Works
UPRISE secures maintenance contracts across Houston and hires program participants as general-maintenance landscapers. Crews spend four days a week mowing grass, removing weeds, hauling debris, abating litter, and erasing graffiti. The fifth day—known internally as Resource Day—shifts to résumé updates, soft-skills coaching, GED study, basic computer instruction, and hands-on tool-safety classes delivered in partnership with Houston ToolBank. Every Friday, workers receive a paycheck for the hours they logged that week, a simple but powerful step toward financial stability and confidence.
Agwuenu notes that each Gulfton cleanup employs at least fifteen workers, many of whom live in or near the district. “When we have worked in the Gulfton area, we’ve had a minimum of at least fifteen people working each of those cleanups—that’s great for them, and that’s great for Gulfton,” she says.
Pride in Collaboration
The Gulfton Management District views the arrangement as a model for inclusive revitalization. “Keeping our corridors attractive is important, but doing so in a way that lifts up our most vulnerable neighbors is even better,” the District said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with UPRISE, whose crews are proving every day that community beautification and human empowerment can grow side by side.”
Learn More
Residents and business owners can expect to see familiar UPRISE vests along Chimney Rock, Bellaire, and elsewhere—evidence that the path to a cleaner neighborhood can double as a path to renewed opportunity.
To discover how you can support UPRISE, refer someone for transitional employment, or contract a crew for private projects, visit Career and Recovery Resources at www.careerandrecovery.org. Together, Gulfton and UPRISE are sweeping in a brighter, more inclusive future for everyone who calls the district home.
