In rural areas like Palacios in Matagorda County, health challenges don’t just stem from illness—they often come from isolation, lack of resources, and nowhere to turn. That’s why Palacios Community Hub has become much more than a service provider. It’s a trusted anchor in the community, connecting people to everything they need to improve their health and well-being.
Palacios Community Hub is community resource center that connects individuals and families with essential services—including health navigation, adult education, workforce support, early child development, wellness programs, and much more — to improve their overall well-being and quality of life.
“All of what we do ties back to health,” says Emily Fagan-Baker, the organization’s executive director. “Whether it’s helping them get a medical procedure or filling out a document, we want people to feel safe.”
Where trust meets impact
At the core of The Hub’s success is a simple but powerful truth: people come because they trust it. And that trust changes everything.
Whether someone is facing a health crisis, financial instability, or just doesn’t know where to go, Palacios Community Hub is the place they turn when they have nowhere else to go. And no matter who walks through the door, they’re met with compassion, connection, and real solutions.
“Everyone on our staff is really a resource navigator,” says Fagan-Baker. “Whether we’ve heard the same story 1,000 times or it’s something we’re seeing for the first time, our job is to get it done.”
The Hub staff help community members access health care, apply for benefits like Medicaid or SNAP, understand health insurance options, find transportation to doctor appointments, get affordable housing assistance, or just figure out the next step forward. This wraparound approach means that a single visit to The Hub can lead to food on the table, access to mental health services, help with prescriptions, or even emotional support through group wellness programs.
Healing through activity and connection
From Zumba classes to water aerobics to quilting classes, many of The Hub’s most celebrated programs may look like simple exercise or craft time, but for many, it’s a lifeline. Participants report lower blood pressure, reduced stress, and emotional healing from grief or depression.
In a community where isolation can take a real toll on health, programs like this build both resilience and connection.
“Many people are just starting to get out of the house and invest in their health,” Fagan-Baker says. “One of the biggest issues is breaking the cycle of not doing anything. Then, they really start enjoying themselves with Zumba or quilting. Their physical and mental health improves, and then they realize all of the many other things we can help them with.”
Support from EHF
EHF’s investment in Palacios Community Hub began in 2017 with grants to support a community health center in Palacios. It was part of our effort to strengthen rural clinics and address non-medical factors beyond the doctor’s office.
Then, EHF invested in a $36,000 grant to The Hub when leaders developed an independent organization and were starting a program to strengthen early childhood brain development.
As that work continued, EHF and The Hub truly began to see the overall health impact that a community resource center can make in rural communities. Since 2020, EHF has invested $300,000 in grants to support The Hub’s launch, its work to expand the health-related services it provides, and extend work to additional communities.
Since then, The Hub has more than tripled the number of people it serves. What began as a small three-person team, has grown into a regional resource that now employs 19 staff members. The Hub currently reaches deeper into additional counties through expanded locations and “on the road” Hub services that bring help directly to smaller, often overlooked rural communities.
Health, Not Just Health Care happens here
Palacios Community Hub isn’t a clinic, but it’s a critical part of the health system along the rural Texas coast. It’s the bridge between real life and real care. By helping residents navigate complex systems and providing a one-stop shop for essential services, The Hub ensures that more people stay healthy, stable, and supported.
EHF’s investment in the The Hub shows the impact of our work to improve health, not just health care. Programs have expanded and health has improved.
Palacios Community Hub is proving that when communities are trusted, empowered, and supported, health happens far beyond the walls of a health clinic.
