TEAMability is in the business of hope. They work with children, and now a few adults, with complex multiple disabilities to help them get the most out of their lives.

A 2021 High Impact Grant from Impact San Antonio purchased ceiling-mounted tracking equipment that helps patients stand upright — and in the case of one little girl with a spinal injury, helps her roller skate. Her big smile tells you exactly how much she’s enjoying it.

This summer, the nonprofit agency moved to their new headquarters at the Multi-Assistance Center at Morgan’s Wonderland. The difference between the two facilities is like night and day. They moved from a dark, cramped office building of 3,500 square feet that had to be adapted to their needs to a new, 10,000-square-foot facility that was designed for their specific requirements at the MAC. It has large rooms with high ceilings, lots of big windows and plenty of room — and equipment — to grow.

They’re already growing their clientele, said agency CEO Barbara Goldman.

“When we moved to the MAC on July 26, we were serving 40 children,” she said. “In August, we served 60 non-duplicated children and adults with disabilities and delivered 738 hours of therapy services. We anticipate serving 170 non-duplicated clients by June 2023.”

TEAMability helps patients through an innovative approach that combines occupational, physical and speech therapy with the expertise of special educators who are learning specialists. Care plans are tailored to each patient.

“The therapists assess functional abilities — sensory, motor and communication — and the learning specialists assess how the client learns and what motivates the client,” Ms. Goldman said. Staff members “work together to create realistic, attainable goals that are based on current functional abilities.”

Parents participate in that assessment to ensure that family needs are considered in each plan of care, she said.

“TEAMability’s approach results in more active participation in meaningful life activities, increased functional abilities and an improved quality of life,” Ms. Goldman said.

The clinic is laid out so that patients in electric wheelchairs and on adapted bicycles can ride a circular course around the facility. There also is a feeding room to help in the development of oral motor skills and an assessment room for evaluating vision. Dedicated swing and soft-play rooms with cushions allow children to safely participate in creative activities.

TEAMability also is helping train the next generation of health professionals. The University of the Incarnate Word’s Pediatric Certified Specialist Residency Program for physical therapists launched at the agency on July 1.

“We are thrilled to be the outpatient clinical site for this program, the only one in Texas,” Ms. Goldman noted.

The agency transported usable equipment from their old site to the new one and added more equipment with grants from organizations, including Impact SA. The increased space in their new facility means that they are now licensed by Medicaid and Medicare to serve adults with disabilities as well as children.

Clients and their families are excited about the new space, Ms. Goldman said.

“Our families and children are in awe of the new clinic,” she said. “They are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for both TEAMability and the MAC.”

The staff is delighted, too, she said.

“After years of constraints due to limited physical and human resources, it’s TEAMability’s turn to reach our potential,” she said.

https://teamability.org

210-733-9050

If you’ve been to any recent Impact San Antonio events, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Anna Gangai Liesman helping at the welcome table. A member since 2018, Anna has a cheerful personality that makes her a joy to work with. And she’s had a long and interesting career as an actress in San Antonio. Here’s what she has to say about our organization and her work on the stage.

How did you first hear about Impact San Antonio?

I heard about Impact from my good friend, Harriet C. Smith. She started talking about it and asked if I would like to join. It was something I had never heard of, and I was very interested. As soon as I joined, I jumped right in with volunteering whenever I could.

Why did you decide to join? You are part of a shared membership. Who is the other woman in that membership?

I joined because Impact SA is a woman’s group that gives grants to the nonprofit community, helping adults and children in the San Antonio area. After I did some research, it seemed like the thing I had been searching for — to get involved and help out. I have a shared membership with my very good friend, Terri Pena Ross.

What impresses and/or inspires you about the work of Impact SA?

Impact SA impressed me with its ability to serve a huge section of the community with its collective giving process and the five Focus Areas. The amount of money is large enough that it is a game changer for the nonprofits that receive a High Impact Grant. Also, I have met so many wonderful women who are members with whom I otherwise might never have crossed paths. Not only is it an organization I am proud to be a part of and try to share with others, but I have also gained insight into service providers that are vital to neighborhoods, families and the people of the San Antonio area.

What volunteer work have you done in the organization?

I have served on two Grant Review committees and the Membership Committee. Yes, I love to help at events. I usually greet people at the door or help with name tags, act as a guide, or generally help where needed.  I was at the membership table for Celebration, helping with check-in.

Are there any volunteer positions you would like to take on in the future?

As soon as my life settles down a bit in the future, I would like to volunteer more. Working on Grant Review Committees is something I look forward to.

You have done quite a bit of acting work in the San Antonio area. Please tell us about your acting career.

I have always loved the spotlight and performing. My degree is from the University of Texas at Austin Department of Drama. I’ve been an actress in San Antonio for more than 40 years and stay active in the theater community by singing, acting and promoting live theater. Some of my favorite roles that I’ve done in San Antonio are “Victor/Victoria,” “Mame,” Dolly in “Hello, Dolly,” and Maria Callas in “Master Class.” I’ll be performing Broadway songs at the Cave with No Name in the Hill Country on September 30 with five of my good friends. I’m also doing a Real Life Productions show in the Cellar at the Public Theatre called “The Sunset Club” in mid-November.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I am proud to be a part of and work with the fantastic women of Impact San Antonio!

Rose Mary Fry is both a member and a sponsor for Impact San Antonio. In fact, she was one of our founding members in 2004. The company she founded, Degrees of Work, holds seminars to help nonprofit agencies operate more efficiently through the training of board members, staff and volunteers.

Here is what Rose Mary has to say about her sponsorship, which began in 2019.

Why and when did you decide to become a sponsor of Impact San Antonio? How did being a member since the beginning of the organization influence that decision?

I’m one of the founding members of Impact San Antonio. In my consulting firm Degrees of Work, I work with small to large nonprofits. I chose to become a sponsor to provide administrative funds for Impact San Antonio. This nonprofit needs funds for ongoing costs. My sponsorship is an additional gift to support the work of our giving circle.

What impresses and inspires you about Impact SA?

The women of Impact San Antonio back up caring about the community with a significant gift on an annual basis. Through my many years of membership, I’ve always been energized to see women learn about community issues at a deeper level. By working together, we make meaningful grants that change the agencies and the community.

How does your work with nonprofits influence your dedication to Impact SA and the decision to become a sponsor?

Nonprofits all have fixed costs to manage the organizations. Through my board work and consulting contracts, I clearly understand the financial funding needs of nonprofits. Being a sponsor gives me the opportunity to help Impact San Antonio in an additional way.  I consider it a multiplier gift.

San Antonio’s West Side has a rich cultural tradition, but it hasn’t always been understood by its residents and people in other areas of the city. Esperanza Peace & Justice Center aims to change that through the construction of the Museo del Westside, which will include exhibits and presentations about the area’s history.

The Museo — part of a larger project, the Rinconcito de Esperanza, with a total of 11 buildings — will take over the old Ruben’s Ice House and add an adobe building in the back for a total of 2,300 square feet. The renovation of Ruben’s is being partially funded by a 2020 High Impact Grant from Impact San Antonio.

“The essence of the Museo is the honoring of the West Side and its people,” said Graciela Sanchez, director of the Esperanza Center. “Unfortunately, for generations now, many people in our community have grown up hating themselves and hating the West Side because it has been stereotyped as ‘the bad side of town.’ Through exhibits, walking tours, community presentations and other programs, the Museo will show a real and accurate representation of this community and its people.”

Ruben’s Ice House was a small home built in the 1920s that was expanded in the 1950s to be a popular store and outdoor restaurant that operated until the 1980s. It’s a fitting location for the Museo, which is planned as another gathering place for the community.

“We are committed to restoring as much of the building as possible to its original state,” Sanchez said. “In removing the stucco, we uncovered the original wood siding underneath. Rather than following our original plan of restoring the stucco exterior, we are now planning to restore the wood siding.

“On the interior, we are working with our contractor to showcase the original skeleton of our building, using metal lattice work to create a window into the structure. In this way, we will illuminate the original footprint of the building, highlighting the piece-by-piece construction style that is common in West Side buildings and reflects the resourcefulness of the West Side as a low-income, working-class community.”

When the Museo opens, which is expected next May, it will be “the first museum dedicated to the history and culture of the historic West Side and the only museum in the city focused on stories of the working class and poor,” Sanchez said. “The building itself will be a teaching tool, demonstrating historic preservation and green construction techniques.

“Programs will include walking tours, traveling exhibitions, research resources, workshops on cultural and historic themes, film screenings and interactive programs. The Museo will make these resources available to youth from nearby schools, community members and researchers. The Museo will be free to all community members in the 78207 ZIP code area.”

Despite some Covid-related delays related to workforce, construction supplies and permits, staff are expecting the Museo’s structure to be completed by the end of this year. Then the work will begin on arranging for the exhibits and programs to tell the important story of the West Side.

“We do this work because we’ve seen how people change their attitudes toward themselves and their community once they’ve learned a little bit of this truth, and we’re excited for the Museo to allow us to do this work in a bigger way moving forward,” Sanchez said.

Check out a video on the Museo project here.

http://esperanzacenter.org

(210) 228-0201

As a magazine aimed at women in our community, San Antonio Woman is a good match as a sponsor for Impact San Antonio. The owners, Dale and Cathleen Lane, are enthusiastic about what we do. Here’s what Cathleen Lane has to say about Impact SA and their sponsorship.

Tell us about your magazine and its focus on women and the community.

San Antonio Woman magazine will celebrate 20 years of publication with our November/December issue this year! Our mission is to inspire women by sharing stories of compassion, knowledge and strength. Our goal is to educate, motivate and support women in our community through diverse content covering business, health, fashion, design, entertainment and dining. We are passionate about supporting nonprofit organizations and highlight a different group in every issue.

What is involved in your sponsorship of Impact San Antonio?  

With our sponsorship, we offer space for Impact San Antonio to advertise in six San Antonio Woman issues per year. We also offer a one-year subscription at no cost to Impact SA members who opt in.

The previous owner of SA Woman started the Impact SA sponsorship years ago. Why did you decide to continue it when you bought the magazine in 2020?

 The previous owner had wonderful things to say about Impact San Antonio and encouraged us to continue the relationship they had built. We loved the mission, and it fits beautifully with our passion for supporting nonprofit organizations. 

What do you think about Impact San Antonio and the work it does in our community?

Not only does Impact San Antonio provide valuable funds for a wide range of nonprofit organizations serving our community, but it also provides an opportunity for women to collectively use their resources and make an even bigger impact than they could on their own. 

REDEEM COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION HERE

Kelly Skovbjerg has had a long and varied career as a librarian in both Germany and several places in the United States. She now works for the public library in Boerne. She was featured recently in Kendall County Woman magazine, where she had good things to say about Impact San Antonio, which she joined last year. Read on to learn more about her interesting life!

How and when did you first hear about Impact San Antonio?

I first heard about Impact SA years ago from a friend but wasn’t in a place to join due to work commitments and having small children.

You joined last year as a shared member. What prompted you to join?

Yes, my mom and I joined together. I was invited to a Zoom recruitment event during Covid. It was perfect timing for me! Hearing from current members and about the lives and interests of potential members was fascinating, and I knew I had to be a part of Impact SA.

What do you think of Impact SA? What impresses you about the organization and its work?

Hands down, it is the most organized volunteer group I’ve ever encountered. I am also so impressed by the caliber of women I have met. They have diverse backgrounds and interests, and all of them believe wholeheartedly in Impact SA and what can be achieved. Everyone seems to be united in the mission and working to accomplish even more community good. That is extremely inspiring to me! And I have learned so much about nonprofit organizations in the greater San Antonio area and their needs.

Have you attended any of our events or otherwise participated in the work of Impact SA?

I attended Grant Award Night last year at the Witte Museum and participated in the making of a recruitment video while there. I served on the Grant Review Committee for Arts & Culture last year and really loved it. I am currently serving as a liaison with Family Violence Prevention Services, a 2021 High Impact Grant awardee.

What activities or roles would you like to take on in the future?

I definitely want to continue to participate in grant review as a member of a committee or as a co-chair of a committee. I was asked to do the latter this summer, but I just couldn’t make it work. Hopefully next summer!

Can you tell me a bit about your interesting career?

I have been a librarian since 1997, starting my career in Stuttgart, Germany, as a reference librarian at the United States European Command. Although there are differences, this was essentially working in a public library on an Army base. It was extremely challenging, but I traveled anytime I could. I met my Danish husband in Germany, and we moved to Washington, D.C., after a few years so that I could take a job at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. I did that for a year and then moved back to Texas, where I am from, to work at Our Lady of the Lake University and then the Patrick Heath Public Library in Boerne, where I’ve been for 20 years now. I have been fortunate enough in my career to work in special, academic, and public libraries. Without a doubt, small public libraries were the fit for me. I have truly loved getting to know my community and helping to plan, design, fundraise, and build a new library that opened in 2011. We are also lucky to be such a trusted institution. Most of the public appreciates what we try to do and realizes that public libraries are so much more than depositories of books. They are about people and helping them acquire the resources and information they need to be the best people they can be, which can only build up the communities in which they live.

If you would like to read the article about Kelly in Kendall County Woman magazine, go to www.kendallcountywoman.com.

An experience I had on my recent trip to Colorado reminded me of how Impact San Antonio members accomplish so much each year. On the trip, I attended my first event at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. I was excited to experience music I love in such a majestic setting. We arrived early and were able to find good parking. We headed toward the venue, which had a steep climb, which led to a very large set of stairs, which led to another large set of stairs, followed by yet another large set of stairs just to get into the gates.

We finally found our seats in time for the first act — and then the skies opened and the lightning began. We got soaked and were a bit unnerved by the lightning. After more than an hour had passed, rainbows appeared, the skies finally cleared and the main acts took the stage. The concert was absolutely amazing — the beauty of the sky, the red rocks, the wonderful music and the best friends to enjoy it with!

As members of Impact San Antonio, we start each year joining with excitement and anticipation of what the year will hold. We take part in events that give us opportunities to spread the story of Impact San Antonio and the organizations we support. We make the steep climbs of membership drives, agency training, grant reviews and grant oversight. And sometimes, we may feel like we’ve been “soaked” by adversity. But in the end, the skies always clear and we are able to enjoy and celebrate the impressive grant finalists with the best membership out there!

As the grant review teams get close to the end of their 2022 climb, I am so thankful for all of the amazing things we have accomplished throughout the year. I’m filled with anticipation and excitement to find out about the agency projects that we as members will be able to learn about and vote for.

So while we’re on this last large set of stairs, take an extra breath and know how close you are to your front row seats at Celebration and Grant Award Night!

This month, we start a periodic series of features on the sponsors that help Impact San Antonio fund our operating expenses. H-E-B was a title sponsor for Grant Award Night in 2019 and has been an annual sponsor since 2020, currently at the Platinum level.

We spoke with Julie Bedingfield, public affairs manager for H-E-B, about the company’s role as an Impact SA sponsor and its years of philanthropy in the San Antonio community.

Tell us about H-E-B’s sponsorship of Impact San Antonio.

While we’ve only officially supported Impact San Antonio for a few years, countless H-E-B partners (employees) have been involved in your organization, and we support many of the same nonprofits that benefit from the work of Impact SA.

Why did H-E-B become a sponsor of Impact SA?

H-E-B believes firmly in Texans helping Texans, and one doesn’t need to look any further than Impact SA to see the collective power of women in San Antonio supporting one another and the communities we serve.

Tell us about H-E-B’s history of philanthropy in our community.

Over 115 years ago, we opened our doors to help make the lives of hard-working Texans better. We were a family business back then. We remain a family business today with a passion and commitment to help every community we serve. Today, we support more than 300 nonprofit organizations across Texas. From fighting hunger and providing disaster relief to honoring Texas educators and our nation’s military, we’re firm believers in Texans helping Texans. Because like us, our partners and customers are from here. And that’s why we’re helping here.

While we are all still basking in the excitement of reaching a total of $555,000 for 2022 grants, I’m reminded that doing the work of Impact San Antonio takes a village.

It starts with the wonderful women of Impact SA and nonvoting contributors who provide the funds to enable us as an organization to make impactful grants each year.  It also takes lots of volunteers — to spread the message of Impact to future members, to train agencies on our grant application process, to review these extraordinary grant applications and narrow down to the finalists, and to put on wonderful events to celebrate the astounding work being done in our community.  It also takes amazing sponsors to help make everything happen.

In countless ways, our sponsors help make us a stronger organization.  They enable us to ensure that every dollar of your $1,000 membership donation goes directly to grants.  Their funds enable us to use systems to share our story through our website, improve our grant application and review processes, and better communicate with our members and other contacts.  These funds also allow us to hold various events — happy hours, grant recipient events, Spring Fling, Celebration, Grant Award Night — where we share the story of Impact San Antonio, highlight our grant recipients, and celebrate our members and friends.

We could not do what we do without our sponsors’ generous and caring support.  This also includes our Impact Champion and Impact Plus members, who combine to provide two of our largest sponsorships.  I encourage you look over the list of amazing sponsors that are found on our website, newsletters, and other communications, and thank them for their generosity if you have the opportunity.  These wonderful companies, families, and individuals are vital members of the Impact San Antonio family, and we are very grateful for them all!

This month, in place of our usual member profile, we are featuring a story about the husband of one of our members, Suzanna Gonzales Rojas, who passed away in July 2021. Miguel Rojas has chosen to honor his wife by becoming a non-voting contributor to our grant pool this year.

“Suzie told me that your organization has a magnificent goal: to help people with your grants,” he said. “You have a great social conscience. I decided to give the membership because I wanted Suzie’s contribution to continue through me, in honor of her.”

Mr. Rojas said he saw the results of one High Impact Grant when he went to an Impact San Antonio event at the Government Canyon State Natural Area last year. The grant helped fund the construction of an amphitheater where educational programs are being held.

“We talked with the park rangers about what they were trying to do there. You can help people a lot with $100,000,” he said.

Mr. Rojas said he plans to continue his contribution in future years because of his admiration for Impact SA and the work it does in our community, and to honor his wife’s memory.

“You have a great social conscience. I’m very proud of all of you,” he said. “You care about the city and about the people living here. Life is not fair for everybody, and the work you do is a way of helping with that.”

If you’ve seen the Fiesta Flambeau Parade or been to Luminaria or other local arts events, you’ve likely seen performers from URBAN-15 dancing in colorful costumes, sometimes sparkling with lights. They even marched in the 2009 presidential inaugural parade in Washington, D.C.

Those performances required in-person rehearsals and training. But all that came to a halt in March 2020, when the nonprofit shut down its live classes and activities due to the pandemic. It was a tough time, but Impact San Antonio’s 2018 High Impact Grant helped the agency get through it.

The grant application was for a new HVAC system for the nonprofit’s headquarters at 2500 S. Presa. And the $100,000 grant did pay for that, but it also funded something more.

“When the original application was submitted and became a successful entry, none of us anticipated how the grant execution … would be so affected with the interruption of the Covid-19 shutdown,” said Artistic Director Catherine Cisneros.

The HVAC replacement created a more comfortable working environment and saved on repair costs, she said. And after Covid hit and staff members spent long hours conducting classes and rehearsals online, having a comfortable workspace was especially important.

“The HVAC systems played a critical role when the organization was compelled to realign our programs for virtual distribution via our streaming video studio,” Cisneros said. “Staff was able to work extended hours under quality working conditions We were able to maintain an active presence in all of our program areas via Zoom.”

Still, the repercussions from the shutdown were severe.

“The most pressing concern was that URBAN-15’s earned income activities were brought to a halt with the cessation of live classes, paid performances, studio film events and rental of facilities,” Cisneros said. “Income generated by such activities has been the source of our mortgage payments.”

Luckily, the HVAC replacement had not used all the $100,000 Impact SA grant. Some $22,099 of the funds remained, and the agency asked Impact SA to allow them to redirect that money toward paying URBAN-15’s mortgage. Impact SA leaders agreed, and those funds paid the nonprofit’s mortgage for the next year.

And that meant URBAN-15’s programs survived online during the worst of the pandemic.

“During the time when the nation was living in a state of ambiguity and fear, URBAN-15 continued to provide programs via Zoom and streaming services,” Cisneros said. “Our maintained presence provided our students, audiences and friends a beacon of optimism and continuity.”

Rehearsals continued online, and original works were created for Global Water Dances, the Pollinator Fest, Dia de los Muertos and Luminaria. The nonprofit increased its streaming capacity to 24 hours, seven days a week for the youth services of the poetry events Mega Corazon and the Josiah Youth Media Festival.

“This increased our viewing to a global audience of more than 10,000 internet addresses,” said George Cisneros, director of music and media.

Today, activities are a hybrid of live and online events. Those are made easier by the better working conditions provided by new HVAC systems that no longer are operated from loud units suspended from the ceiling, Catherine Cisneros said.

“The most important thing is that we survived an existential crisis in 2020 because Impact SA understood our importance to the cultural community,” she said. “Because of the Impact SA grant, URBAN-15 has survived.”

www.urban15.org

(210) 736-1500

We’re seeking Impact San Antonio members to be grant liaisons for our 2022 High Impact Grant and Support Grant recipients! It’s an amazing job where you work closely with one recipient agency as they move through the grant process and see their project to fruition.

Grant recipient liaisons are the primary contacts for Impact SA grant recipients. Liaisons are good listeners, organized, thorough and relationship oriented. The role includes grant management (use of computer, financial skills, knowledge of purchase orders, invoices, quotes, payments), agency communication (in person and by phone, email, and Zoom), advocacy, and assistance with agency’s participation in Impact SA events and marketing.

A liaison’s time commitment varies depending on the complexity and duration of the grantee’s project. For high impact grants, it is usually less than eight hours per month for two to three years.  For support grants, it is about two to four hours per month for six months.

Liaisons participate in orientation in early October to review responsibilities. At Grant Award Night — October 24 this year — liaisons will congratulate their agencies. Then in November, liaisons begin learning the project plans, reporting and reimbursement procedures. Agencies have two years to complete their projects and submit an outcomes report about a year later.

Interested? Contact oversight@impactsanantonio.org for more information by Friday, Aug. 19.

The House of Neighborly Service is focused on alleviating hunger on the West Side. In their service area, 40 percent of households are living below the poverty line. The HNS kitchen and food pantry are a vital service for those residents. But their aging building, completed in 1929, long has needed a larger, updated kitchen. That’s where Impact San Antonio came in.

House of Neighborly Service received a 2019 High Impact Grant from Impact SA to help update the kitchen. Our grant has funded the purchase of a walk-in cooler, storage racks for the pantry and kitchen, a reach-in refrigerator and freezer, a dishwasher, an ice machine, a food prep table, a stove and oven with hood, a triple compartment sink and a handwashing sink. Some of the equipment has been installed, with the rest due for installation later this month.

“As of right now, I am expecting the project to be completed by June 30, if all goes as planned,” said HNS Executive Director Sandra Morales. “Some of the work is hinging on CPS Energy coming in mid-June to do their work — installing underground cables, moving to a three-phase transformer and transferring power from our old panels to our new one.”

Like many construction projects, the one at HNS was impacted by the pandemic, Morales said.

“Covid had a hand in increasing our project budget significantly,” she said. “Initially, it was $1.4 million and has now risen to almost $2 million. Material costs skyrocketed and construction fees increased. We have had to raise additional money for this project to cover the higher costs, and we continue to do so.”

The building’s aging structure also caused delays because a new roof and kitchen beams had to be installed, Morales said. The agency kicked off a capital campaign in 2018 to fund the project, which also will include bigger classrooms, a new room for early intervention services, and new flooring and energy-efficient windows. The kitchen will double in size, she said.

When the kitchen upgrade is complete, HNS will be able to give better service to more people, she said. The new kitchen equipment will accommodate a growing number of senior citizens coming to the agency’s lunches and activities. Staff plan to serve 10 percent more home-style lunches for seniors, for a total of 20,000.

They will be able to provide two nutritious meals and a snack for an increasing number of students in their Kid’s Place program, plus snacks and light lunches over the summer for children in their Peace Pal Program. In total, that means almost 10,000 meals for children, Morales said.

One person who has been helped by the program is Pascual, an 89-year-old man who lives alone and has no family, she said. “He attends on-site events, we deliver meals to him Tuesday through Friday, and he receives case management services from our community health worker.”

After many years of making do with an old kitchen, HNS staff members are excited that a new one is coming soon, Morales said.

“We are grateful to Impact SA for the funding and for advice as we have undertaken this renovation,” she said.

Thank you, thank you, thank you – WE DID IT!!

Impact San Antonio has reached a total of $555,000 for 2022, enabling us to provide a $100,000 High Impact Grant and an $11,000 Support Grant in each of our five focus areas – Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family; and Health & Wellness.  This is only possible because of you – the amazing women who donate and join our membership each year.

For 2022, a total of 706 women made the decision to join as individual or shared members.  Of those, a whopping 80% are renewing members, which speaks volumes about their ongoing commitment to our mission.  We can’t thank each of you enough for your continued support and willingness to serve as ambassadors to share the work that we all do!  This also means that 20% of our membership is new, and we are thrilled that you have joined us and can’t wait to get to know each of you better!

Now that we’ve reached this milestone, we move on to the next step of identifying the projects deserving of a High Impact Grant.  Impact’s Agencies & Applications team have led the agencies through the application process, and everyone on our Grant Review teams has completed training.  Over the next few months, the Grant Review teams will diligently review the many applications to identify the most deserving projects to be presented as this year’s finalists.

I’m sure you are all as excited as I am to see which projects will be brought forward for our membership to vote on.  While we are waiting, I encourage you to be on the lookout for emails of upcoming events that will help to share the stories of Impact San Antonio and the amazing projects we support.

Finally, I just want to say THANK YOU one more time. We could not have done this without every one of you!!

Jennifer Rushton decided quickly to join Impact San Antonio after reading about our organization in a news story. Here is what she has to say about being a member.

When did you first hear about Impact San Antonio?  

I first read about Impact San Antonio in the San Antonio Report, my favorite local news source. I immediately wanted to be part of this organization. I looked up the website and joined at the next enrollment period.

Who or what inspired you to join in 2021?

I’ve supported several organizations as an individual but being able to join with so many others to provide large grants is unique. I also love learning about all the great local nonprofit organizations that I didn’t know about before. 

What have you enjoyed most about being a member of Impact SA?  

My favorite event so far was Grant Award Night. It was so exciting to see the awards announced!

What has inspired you the most about our organization?  

The other women members! It’s inspiring to see so many women from different backgrounds and with different talents come together with a similar goal.

Have you participated in any events or committees? Are there any activities you would like to participate in sometime in the future?  

I’m signed up for a Grant Review training session in June and am looking forward to participating in the grant review process. I also enjoyed attending the event at Government Canyon, where we were able to see the completed amphitheater project from a previous grant award. I can’t wait to see the results of other awards at follow-up events!

What do you do for a living? 

I’m a physician, specializing in pathology. I work mostly in the Baptist Health System, where I’m the Medical Director of Laboratory Medicine. I’m a partner at Clinical Pathology Associates, a physician-owned practice, along with three other smart and talented women.

Thanks to the women and friends of Impact San Antonio, we will once again award five $100,000 High Impact Grants this year — one per focus area. Meanwhile, the process of determining which applicants will present their projects to the full Impact SA membership in October has already begun.

This spring, agencies wishing to apply for a grant submitted an organizational questionnaire which, together with agency financial information, was used to determine each applicant’s readiness to implement an Impact SA grant. Agencies deemed ready were then eligible to submit a project application. More than 100 project applications were submitted.

Narrowing those applications down to just 10 finalists is no simple task! That’s where our Grant Review Process comes in. Member volunteers first attend Grant Reviewer training. They are then assigned to one of five teams tasked with selecting which projects most deserve to move forward as finalists for their focus area. During the summer, grant reviewers use a consistent process, including multiple rounds of reviews and site visits, to evaluate all the project proposals for their focus area. By late August, each team will select two finalists per focus area.

The 10 finalists will be announced in September and receive training on preparing recorded presentations about their projects. Members will view these presentations online during the week leading up to Grant Award Night and vote to decide which finalists will receive High Impact Grants. Grant recipients will be revealed at Grant Award Night on October 24. We hope you’ll join us!

Congratulations and a heartfelt thank you to the new and returning members of Impact San Antonio who answered the call to be #500Strong for our community. This is the fourth year that we have been able to reach our goal of 500+ memberships.

Through our collective giving, plus generous Non-Voting Grant Contributions, we have a total grant pool of $555,000. That’s $20,000 more than last year’s total!

You may ask, what does this mean for our membership and our nonprofit community? The week before Grant Award Night:

• 10 nonprofit finalists (two in each focus area) will present their proposed projects via video
• Each membership will have the opportunity to vote online for one project in each focus area

At Grant Award Night, which will be held the evening of Oct. 24, 2022:

• Five $100,000 High Impact Grants will be awarded, one in each focus area
• Five $11,000 Support Grants will be awarded to the remaining finalists

After Grant Award Night, the impact begins! Through our collective philanthropy, the grant recipients will increase the impact they make on our community in the five critical areas needed for any community to thrive — Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family; and Health & Wellness.

We appreciate our members who joined, rejoined, or referred their friends and family to Impact San Antonio. Each year our membership drive is primarily a grassroots effort built on women renewing their membership and telling other women about this compelling form of philanthropy. We could not have reached our goal without you!

With gratitude for your generosity, The Board of Impact San Antonio

Much like the horses that just ran the Kentucky Derby, Impact San Antonio is rounding the last turn and building toward the dash to the finish line — not for a garland of roses, but instead to meet our goal of 500 memberships!

What’s the importance of reaching 500 memberships? Impact San Antonio has five focus areas: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family; and Health & Wellness. Reaching 500 memberships for 2022 will enable us once again to provide a $100,000 High Impact Grant in each of these focus areas.

Why should you join or renew your membership? As a member of Impact San Antonio, you will learn more about the needs of our community and the amazing agencies that are tirelessly working to address these needs. You will also have the opportunity to meet other women who want to make a positive difference in our community.

As an agency representative recently told me, one of the greatest things that Impact San Antonio does is show women that no matter what your situation is, you are able to be a philanthropist. You can donate your money, you can donate your time and you can donate your voice — or you can do all three!

We are currently at 475 memberships and need your help to reach 500 by the May 15 deadline so we can make an even bigger impact in the community! If you haven’t joined for 2022, we ask you to consider doing so today and also sharing our story with others. Together, we can make a significant IMPACT!

Emilia Westney volunteers for a variety of organizations around San Antonio, so she knew she wanted to get involved in Impact San Antonio after she joined last spring. Here is what she has to say about our organization and her part in it.

When and how did you first hear about Impact San Antonio?

A friend of mine asked if I wanted to go with her to the Spring Fling event in May 2021. She was planning to join (she’d been a member of the Austin chapter), and thought I’d be interested in becoming a member. I didn’t know about Impact SA before then, and I am so glad I went with her!

Who or what inspired you to join?

It was a no-brainer! I was so impressed that night by the stories of past and present grantees and what they were able to accomplish with the grants. I decided right then that I wanted to be a part of what Impact SA does.

What do you enjoy most about being an Impact SA member?

Knowing that my charitable dollars can really make a difference in this community.

What inspires you the most about the work that Impact SA does in our community?

I find it inspiring that Impact SA awards grants across different focus areas. That was one of the aspects of this organization that impressed me the most. We make an impact in so many different ways!

What volunteer roles have you filled in Impact SA?

I was the Support Grant liaison for Blessed Sacrament Academy. That gave me the opportunity to get to know that agency and its representatives, and the very important work they do for the community. I also helped to greet guests at the 2021 Grant Award Night.

Are there any volunteer roles you would like to take on in the future?

I would love to serve on a Grant Review committee.

What do you do for a living?

Before retiring in 2017, I served for many years at Texas Tech University as both an instructor of management in the College of Business, and also as an administrator. Before doing that, however, I was a professional singer, and taught voice at the university and privately.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I love to travel with my husband, Bill. I also enjoy spending time in the great outdoors by exploring the many state parks, hiking and birding. When I can, I volunteer my time to help various entities (the San Antonio Food Bank, Mobile Loaves and Fishes, the local Audubon chapter, etc.). And perhaps the greatest satisfaction comes from just hanging out with my three high-energy grandsons!

The stresses on students and their families can be significant at any time, but the pandemic of the past two years has made such situations more difficult. Communities in Schools San Antonio, a 2021 Impact San Antonio Support Grant recipient, is offering help through counseling and other services.

The $7,000 Impact SA Support Grant enabled CIS-SA to purchase online counseling-related tools. Zipwhip ensures that texts between staff and counseling participants are sent and stored safely with data encryption. MyOutcomes is an online platform that allows staff to receive reports from clients before and after counseling sessions to measure the impact of the sessions.

“CIS-SA was excited to learn that we would be able to provide 21^st century tools and technology to our counseling team,” said Lauren Geraghty, chief strategy officer for the nonprofit. “The tools ensured CIS-SA licensed mental health counselors had a secure communication platform to stay connected with clients and a modern reporting tool to better understand what the clients need to achieve their mental wellness goals.”

CIS-SA is part of a national organization that was started in New York City in the 1970s. The San Antonio affiliate was formed in 1985 with the help of city leaders including Henry and Mary Alice Cisneros. The purpose of CIS-SA, according to its website, is to “surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.”

CIS-SA has site coordinators on campuses in 12 regional school districts who work with school administrators to assess needs and coordinate resources for students and their families. Those resources can include food, school supplies, health care, counseling, academic assistance and positive role models.

Counselors travel between campuses throughout the day to provide services, and students typically have one counseling session per week, Geraghty said. CIS-SA has 36 staff and eight partners/contractors, she said, adding that, due to the need in the community, the agency has been increasing the number of counselors each year for more than six years.

Those counselors have been especially busy this school year. As of March 31, the agency’s licensed mental health clinicians had provided 900-plus students with more than 5,400 individual counseling sessions.

Most of the counseling sessions are in person now that students have returned to campus, Geraghty said. “We do have a few programs that provide counseling to parents or guardians, so staff working with this clientele may provide virtual sessions,” she noted.    

The counselors are pleased with the new online programs.

One of them, Serenity, said, “I have been able to connect more consistently with students with the help of Zipwhip. This tool has helped reduce communication barriers in many ways — for example, by allowing the parent to communicate with me while they are working. Zipwhip has also been helpful with verifying whether a student is available for a session. It saves time and mileage in traveling to other campuses.”