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Philanthropy SA Episode 38 - David Rogers with the H E Butt Foundation

·34 min·2 clips

The Congregational Collective is meant to change church culture around mental health, not just offer a program.

Philanthropy SA opens with Dan Redman setting out the show's mission in straightforward terms. He welcomes David Rogers, CEO of the H.E. Butt Foundation. Rogers walks through how he ended up in South Texas. The reason is personal, and a bit amusing: he married Howard Butt's daughter, Deborah. From there, the conversation shifts into the foundation itself. Dan notes that the organization does work people may take for granted. Rogers adds context for why that work matters. The discussion stays rooted in San Antonio and South Texas. It comes across as a community conversation about the foundation's role. The foundation's history is part of the picture, along with its ongoing presence in the community. The talk then turns to the Congregational Collective. Rogers makes clear that this is not just a program. He describes it as a cultural change effort for churches. Participating churches commit time and people. The foundation helps pay for training and other support. The aim is to help churches navigate mental health and wellness more effectively. Rogers is careful about what the model is and is not. The foundation is not trying to turn church staff into counselors. Instead, it is helping them spot issues, respond well, and connect families with the right help. The churches work in cohorts of eight or nine. They meet over the course of a year. That shared time gives them room to exchange resources and practical ideas. Rogers notes that the group includes many denominations. It also spans different parts of the city. The conversation keeps coming back to relationship, training, and local trust. Dan closes by reflecting on how much good work is happening that many listeners may not know about. The episode ends with a simple invitation to pay closer attention to that work.

As heard by us

A practical conversation about churches, mental health, and how community change gets built.

Philanthropy SA Episode 38 stays close to the practical work of nonprofits and churches: how the H.E. Butt Foundation operates, how churches respond to mental health needs, and how local relationships shape that effort.

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Why you'd press play

If you want a grounded look at churches changing how they respond to mental health, start here.

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