April is National Volunteer Month, a time dedicated to promoting and celebrating volunteerism.  It is a great time to thank all those who give so generously to help others. Impact San Antonio members are no strangers to generosity. They donate funds to provide impactful grants to local nonprofits. They donate their time, volunteering to support Impact SA and many other agencies that make a difference in people’s lives.

Members also donate their voice by sharing their own story of philanthropy, as well as the stories of the many agencies they have learned about through their Impact San Antonio membership in hopes of encouraging others to find their own philanthropic story.

If you are already a member but have not taken the next step to become more involved, I encourage you to consider it. Sign up to be on a grant review team. Volunteer to help with membership or event planning. Say yes to serving on one of our many committees. Take this opportunity to deepen your membership and be a part of the amazing work Impact SA volunteers are doing to cultivate vibrant communities together.

We are rapidly approaching the May 15 membership deadline and are a little more than halfway to our goal of 500+ memberships. Now is the time to join or renew your membership and encourage others to do the same.

We have two Happy Hours and several hosted parties planned over the next month, and we would love to see you and your guests so we can continue sharing our story and mission.  We can’t do it without you!

If you attend an Impact San Antonio event, you’ll likely see BJ Mamuzic’s smiling face. This longtime member adds a cheerful and hard-working presence to whatever she does for our organization. Here’s what BJ has to say about Impact SA and her part in it over the years.

How long have you been a member of Impact SA? 

I first became a member way back in 2006, again in 2010, and then consistently from 2013 to present. So I figure that’s 12 years in total.

How did you first hear about us? 

My dear friend and neighbor, Bonnie Reed, invited me to an Impact SA gathering at (founding member) Rose Mary Fry’s house back in the early days.

What inspired you to join?

I was impressed by the multiplier effect of women pooling their individual contributions to make significant, transformative grants.  Many nonprofit grants still average around $10,000 to $15,000, so grants in the $100,000 range are quite amazing.

What do you find most inspiring about the work Impact SA does? 

I was inspired by the shared vision and commitment by each member and seeing the measurable impact we’re having throughout the Greater San Antonio community.  It’s amazing to go to the Our Legacy page on the Impact San Antonio website and read about the organizations and projects (that have received grants) and see the overall “Bright Spots” map of our reach throughout the community.

What roles have you taken on in the organization over the years?

Multiple roles, and I have loved them all.  In the very beginning, I was a member in financial support only. Since then, I’ve both co-chaired and been a member of Grant Review teams and also served on the board of directors as co-chair of Agencies & Applications. I have to say that I’ve had the best co-chairs to work with, along with an inspiring and amazing team of fellow board members.

Is there any role that you would like to take on in the future? 

Right now, I’m happy with my current role as volunteer. Most recently, I helped out at the registration table at our Spring Fling event. Despite more than two years when many of us did not see one another, it was truly remarkable how easy and effortless it was to reconnect with fellow members as if no time had passed. It was likewise inspiring to meet some fantastic new members.

What do you do for a living? 

I’m happily retired now, but I have worked in both the corporate and nonprofit worlds, which is why I found Impact SA to be such a perfect fit. I started with Citicorp in Chicago in the late 1980s. Then I was recruited by SBC Communications (now AT&T) in St. Louis and San Antonio, where I predominantly worked in consumer products and international wireless, ultimately holding the title of vice president.  More than a few corporate mergers and relocations later, I decided the local nonprofit world might benefit from my skills and talents. So I took on the role of executive director at St. PJ’s Children’s Home, a local United Way agency, where I led a major operations and financial turnaround before finally saying “I do” to a truly wonderful man.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

In case you’re curious, the wonderful man’s name is Bob, and he’s a major fan of Impact SA as well! Finally, I’d like to say that if the goals of Impact SA resonate with you, I encourage you to become a member or to renew your membership.  There’s such a tremendous need in our community that you’ll be glad you did!

Learning to play an instrument in school is a rite of passage for many students, but historically marginalized communities of color often have struggled to provide the best opportunities to their students. The Rising Star Fellows program of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio is working to expand opportunities for young musicians of color around our area. The program, which began in 2018, received a 2021 Support Grant from Impact San Antonio.

The launch of Rising Star Fellows followed a decade of other work focused on diversifying YOSA’s pool of young musicians, said YOSA Music Director Troy Peters. The YOSA Music Center, which received a 2009 High Impact Grant from Impact SA, and the YOSA MAS program were earlier efforts.

“YOSA has built strong relationships with colleagues at other organizations around the country who were also committed to bringing more musicians of color into classical music,” Peters said. “As we shared ideas and best practices with these colleagues, the template for Rising Star Fellows emerged.”

YOSA works with six area school districts to identify young musicians for the Rising Star Fellows program. Most of the Fellows attend San Antonio, Northside and Southwest ISDs, but students from North East, Southside and Boerne ISDs also participate, said Sara Vicinaiz, YOSA programs manager for diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Our application process asks for nominations from school (music) directors and private lessons students, so we actively work with educators to identify young, passionate musicians for this program,” she said.

At present, 16 students are involved in the program, but YOSA plans to add four more students in 2023, she said. All are Black, Hispanic/Latino or Native American.

The students typically choose their stringed, wind or percussion instruments in the fifth or sixth grade through a music education program at their school. They enter the Rising Star Fellows program in the ninth or 10^thgrade. YOSA is working on increasing its supply of instruments that students can borrow if they don’t get one from their school, Vicinaiz noted.

Rising Star’s benefits go well beyond loaned instruments, however. YOSA provides financial support for private lessons, orchestra tuition assistance, summer music camps, tickets to local classical music concerts, opportunities for workshops with professional musicians, general mentoring, and advice on college programs. Impact SA’s 2021 Support Grant is helping fund the private lessons provided by symphony musicians and music educators, Vicinaiz said.

YOSA holds an annual Summer Symphony Camp that Rising Star Fellows can attend, but many choose national summer programs such as the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan or the National Youth Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The students’ families are very involved, beginning with the application period when YOSA staff meet with the students and their families. There are regular check-ins with the families once the students enter the program, and family members also can volunteer at some of the activities, Vicinaiz said.

The first class of Rising Star Fellows will graduate from high school in June. Two Fellows will be pursuing music professionally, while two plan to study computer science and pre-med biology, respectively, she said.

“The results of their musical training have been fantastic,” Vicinaiz said. “They are committed and passionate musicians involved in YOSA, but they also venture out into other music disciplines like mariachi, marching band and contemporary music. They excel in regional music competitions and are on the honor roll at school.”

www.yosa.org

210-737-0097

A sellout crowd of 180 enthusiastic members, guests and agency representatives filled the ballroom of the Estancia del Norte on March 28 for our Spring Fling event. Everyone enjoyed visiting old and new friends, meeting agency representatives and hearing inspiring words from speakers.

Each table featured a representative from one of our grantee agencies to talk about the work they do and how it benefits our community. Attendees also heard a moving talk by Lisa Lopez, director of the Parent Infant Program at Sunshine Cottage for Deaf Children. Our 2020 High Impact Grant to the agency funded equipment for their Hearing Aid Loaner Program.

You can see Lisa Lopez describing the Parent Infant Program on our 2022 video here.  And check out a selection of photos from this outstanding event here.

It was a great evening!

Spring is in the air, and it’s a time for reflection and renewal.  March is also National Women’s History Month (NWHM), the annual celebration of the accomplishments of women in our society.  Fittingly, the theme for this year’s NWHM celebration is, “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.”

Impact San Antonio is in its 18^th year of grant-making, and to date it has awarded more than $4.8 million in grants to amazing nonprofits in Bexar and the surrounding counties.  The seeds were initially planted in 2004 by 25 women who were able to award one $25,000 grant.  Fast forward to 2021, and we have blossomed into 677 members, making up 529 voting memberships and giving a total of $535,000 in grants.

Our members are women who contribute selflessly, enabling Impact SA to make significant grants to nonprofit organizations through our collective giving model. Each one of you is an embodiment of NWHM’s theme of women providing healing and promoting hope.

Because the needs in the area we serve are so great, we continue to cultivate the seeds we have planted and build on our growth and successes. That will allow us to provide even more support to the communities we love.

In the spirit of cultivation and growth, we encourage you to attend our Spring Fling recruitment event on March 28 by registering here. And bring your friends!!  This event will give you an opportunity to not only learn about the vital work Impact San Antonio does, but also hear from representatives from some of the wonderful agencies that are doing the hard work of changing lives.

We call all of you to “spring” into action by joining or renewing today!

IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions: If you are 71 years or older, you can make your Impact San Antonio membership contribution with a distribution from your IRA.  Just ask your IRA administrator to send a check directly to Impact San Antonio from your account – and be sure to let us know, so we can be on the lookout for it!  While you will not receive a charitable deduction, the amount donated will not be added to your taxable income – and it will count toward any Required Minimum Distribution you must take.

Direct Stock Donation: Regardless of your age, if you own publicly traded stock, you can donate it directly to Impact SA. This can be especially attractive if you have stock that has increased in value significantly since you acquired it.  A stock donation to Impact SA will be valued as a charitable contribution for the full market value as of the date of donation.  You will not be taxed on the increase in the value of the stock since you acquired it.

Charitable Brokerage Accounts: Many brokerage firms allow you to create a charitable account that you can donate stock to, and once you fund the account, you can request a grant distribution to Impact SA (or other tax-deductible charity).  Because your broker manages the transfer of the stock from your regular account into your charitable account, this can be a convenient way to convert appreciated stock into funds you can make available to non-profits, while receiving the same tax benefit as direct stock donation.  It can also allow you to make one stock donation and direct the proceeds be provided to multiple recipients, or to one or more recipients at a later time.

Information You May Need: Impact San Antonio’s full name is: Impact San Antonio Foundation Incorporated.  Our Federal Tax ID is: 20-1154171, and our physical address is: 24165 IH-10 West, Suite 217-462, San Antonio, TX 78257.  Your broker or IRA administrator will likely want this information to process your request.  If you are interested in donating stock directly to Impact SA – email treasurer@impactsanantonio.org for additional instructions to provide to your broker.

Dona Kotzur’s work for local nonprofit agencies provides a great background for her membership in Impact San Antonio, and she’s enthusiastic about the way our collective giving model benefits our community. Coincidentally, the agency where she’s now President/CEO — The Arc of San Antonio — received the first grant that Impact SA ever made, in 2005!

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

While I have known about Impact San Antonio for a long time, I think Rose Mary Fry and her never-ending passion for the organization really made the difference for my joining as a member in 2019. She spoke so highly of the members, their work and the due diligence of the grant-making process.  As I did my own research, I knew I wanted to be a part of an organization of women who are committed to improving the lives of adults, children and families across the Bexar County area.

Why did you decide to join?

I loved the idea of coming together with other women to make meaningful change in our community. I also very much appreciate the fact that the organization meets you where you are. For example, during my first year as a member I was in grad school, so I joined and let my membership do all the work. Last year, I found the time to serve on the Marketing and Communications Committee and a Grant Review Committee. I really got to see all the magic that takes place behind the scenes, and I loved it! Plus, I loved getting to know the members. There is so much passion, energy and talent in our membership!

What impresses you and inspires you the most about Impact SA?

The volunteers who make everything happen behind the scenes! The work that gets done through this all-volunteer organization is amazing. Everyone cares so deeply about each other, our community and the nonprofits. I also love getting to know more about the many nonprofits in the San Antonio area. There are so many doing such great work!

How did/does your work at The Arc of San Antonio influence how you feel about Impact SA?

As someone who works at a nonprofit and has applied for an Impact SA grant, I appreciate the due diligence that Impact San Antonio uses to grant funds. I have witnessed first-hand the solid research and active engagement from all involved throughout the grant review process, Grant Award Night and beyond. I also believe the work done through Impact San Antonio stimulates additional funding sources for nonprofit organizations.

Tell us about what you do for The Arc, and what positions you have held there. How long have you worked there, and did you work for any nonprofits before that? Why did you decide to go into nonprofit work?

I was just promoted to President/CEO on March 1. I previously served as The Arc’s Chief Development Officer, starting on February 17, 2020, one month before the Covid pandemic shuttered our onsite adult day habilitation program. In my two years with The Arc, I have developed and implemented the annual fundraising strategy, including grant requests to corporate and family foundations and government and quasi-governmental entities, major gifts and campaign solicitations. I also have been responsible for several special projects, mission-driven strategic planning, and media and public relations. Before that, I was the Development Director for Mission Heritage Partners, the friends’ group to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

After many years of volunteering in nonprofit organizations, I decided to follow my heart, roll up my sleeves, and really do the work! I wanted to use the skills I acquired during my 25 ½ years at H-E-B, including marketing, advertising and product development. I love getting to wear many hats at once. In my new job, I may be handling operations, working on the budget, discussing plans for program improvement, meeting with a donor, planning the gala and speaking to an organization about The Arc, all on the same day. There is never a dull moment and always something to do!

Have you been to Grant Award Night? What did you think about it?

That is my favorite night of the year! I have attended one in-person event and two virtual events. The agencies’ stories give me goosebumps and bring tears to my eyes every time. The hardest part is selecting the one organization from each focus area for the transformative grant. While voting, I always think, “I wish we had $1 million to give away this year.” The most fulfilling part of the evening is the announcement of the recipients. The looks on their faces confirm that this is a game-changing moment for the organizations.

You have served on the Marketing and Communications Committee. Is there any other volunteer position you’d like to hold with Impact SA?

Well, once again, I am glad the organization meets its members where they are! As I take on this new role at The Arc, I am going to have to let my membership do the work this year. But I do want to stay connected and involved. I am hoping that I will find the time to reconnect with the Marketing and Communications Committee next year, and I would love to serve on the Impact SA board someday!

San Antonio Mennonite Church sits at the confluence of four neighborhoods south of downtown, ranging from the upscale King William area to the gentrifying Lavaca neighborhood and the less affluent Lone Star and Roosevelt Park neighborhoods to the south. Because of that location, those who work at the church see many people in need, including asylum seekers, domestic violence victims and others who live nearby or move through the area. But they have struggled to adapt their aging facilities to meet those needs.

About 40 Impact SA members got a look at the renovations at a luncheon and building tour March 11. While some work is still in progress, the large kitchen is nearing completion, and other projects are moving along well after initial delays caused by Covid.

The need is great, said pastor John Garland.

“We are on a corridor of suffering,” he said. “Just a mile from here is one of the most traveled routes for human trafficking. And we have been blown away by the amount of domestic violence we see.”

The church also helps asylum seekers from Central America and elsewhere who have been released from the family detention centers operated by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. They have nowhere to go and are “looking for a safe place,” Garland said.

The renovation work “couldn’t have been done without your grant,” church elder Mitzi Moore told the members at the luncheon. She noted that a $10,000 Support Grant the church received from Impact SA in 2018 allowed the church to do some preliminary renovations before receiving the $100,000 High Impact Grant the next year.

Garland said the condition of the old building has held the church back from doing some things it wants to do, such as increasing its partnerships with social service agencies who have offices there. Those partners include the PEACE Initiative, which addresses the needs of domestic violence victims; Conjunto Heritage Taller, a music group that teaches traditional Mexican music and instruments to people of all ages; Teach for America, which works with teachers, students and parents to foster educational equity; the Migrant Center for Human Rights, which provides pro bono legal advice to migrants; Interfaith Welcome Coalition, which provides services to asylum seekers; and Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee Service, which offers a variety of services, including refugee resettlement and family reunification.

Rev. Dianne Garcia heads the church’s healing ministry, helping people with no place to go find a place to stay in their La Casa de Maria y Marta house where they can cook meals, do laundry and visit with others in a similar situation. Garcia said she is excited to see the Peace Building renovations that will be used for a variety of services, including an enlarged childcare center.

“This is a welcoming space,” Garland said. “We want to help the woman with all her belongings in a plastic bag and a baby on her hip. We say, ‘This place isn’t ours, it’s yours.’ ”

For a Louisiana native like me, the Mardi Gras season is always a special time.  While many people may focus on parades, king cakes and revelry when they think of Mardi Gras, in reality, it represents so much more.

It’s a celebration of family, friends, traditions and community. It’s also an opportunity to embrace a melting pot of cultures and shared experiences that help to cultivate a stronger appreciation and love for the communities it celebrates.

In a similar vein, Impact San Antonio is a melting pot of women with different experiences and perspectives coming together to cultivate a more vibrant community.  We see the power in coming together to celebrate and support the many remarkable agencies that are helping those in need.

Just like Mardi Gras, the more of us who join in the “parade,” the greater joy we are able to spread into the community through our grants.  So during this time of celebration, I encourage each of you to join us in this parade of giving.   And as with any good parade, the more the merrier!!

With your help, we will once again be 500+ strong and able to award at least $500,000 in transformational grants in 2022.

Mary Massey, our new Volunteer Coordinator, has an amazing list of accomplishments, including everything from developing patents to road racing in her red Mazda Miata. She joined Impact San Antonio in 2020 and the board of directors in late 2021. Here’s what she has to say about her busy life and her involvement in Impact San Antonio.

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

(Member) Jody Nash was introduced to me a few years ago when I began planning my career transition. I was looking for a corporate board position in the field of nutrigenetics, which is understanding genetic variations that affect the body’s response to different foods and nutrients. Jody and I had lunch together, and she told me about Impact SA, the most wonderful group of accomplished women.

Who or what inspired you to join?

Jody hosted me at Kickoff, and I was overwhelmed at the accomplishments of previous grant award winners.  I vowed to become a member that evening.  I love talking with others — friends, colleagues, family members — about the variety and importance of our grants.

What work have you done in Impact SA before becoming Volunteer Coordinator?

After I joined, I volunteered for what I thought was being a greeter, only to get a phone call from (Member Engagement Chair) Roxi McCloskey Morris. She is a powerhouse! Our phone call lasted more than an hour, and we talked about everything under the sun, including the marvelous work of Impact SA. I joined the Member Engagement Committee. On the Zoom committee calls, I offered ideas and business experience.  I marveled at the cohesiveness, mutual respect and enthusiasm of the leadership: Sandy Marquez, Susan Sheehan and Roxi.

Why did you decide to become Volunteer Coordinator?

 Roxi asked me if I would join the board as chair of the volunteer program. I thought it would be an opportunity to learn from these women. I want to make it easy for women to help Impact SA fulfill its mission. Members want to know how their skills, passions and talents can be put to best use.  Committee chairs and board members need more volunteers to perform tasks.  My job is to establish an easier process to make these connections.  Developing the process is real-time: locating and matching current volunteers as needs arise, learning the existing requirements, and finding shortcuts as well as knowledge gaps.

Tell us a bit about your career at Southwest Research, including your interest in education and the patents you have received. 

I’m a chemical engineer with 40 years in research and development.  Much of my work has been designing and implementing physical systems to make new materials.  I’ve been awarded 16 U.S. patents for some of my contributions.  For example, I invented an alternative method for cleaning equipment used in oxygen-rich environments so fewer ozone-depleting chemicals would be needed. Many people and opportunities have enabled my education and career.  I try to give back by talking with students about career fields, encouraging people to pursue engineering careers, and being an industry advisor to university groups.

And finally, when did you become interested in road racing? Where have you raced? 

As a technology company with hundreds of engineers, Southwest Research has a plethora of car enthusiasts.  And of course, many have taken professional driving and racing courses.  Listening to their stories and hearing about the fun got me to ask if I could take part. The answer was yes! So, 15 years ago, I “raced” in the local autocross group and became a much better driver with improved control of my vehicles.  At age 50, I learned to ride a motorcycle and enjoyed the freedom, but never felt comfortable enough to race or go off-road with it. Five years ago, the Big Bend Open Road Race captured my attention. I backed out the first year but attended the event to observe. I was wait-listed the second year. The third year, I was offered a navigator position in a friend’s car and discovered the nuances of the race. Then I got a racing spot in April 2020, only to have it canceled due to the pandemic.  My first race was April 2021 in the 95-mph class, and the second was in October 2021 in the 100-mph class.  Both classes have a minimum speed of 75 mph and maximum of 124 mph. The winner is the car that averages closest to the target speed over a 118-mile route on State Hwy 285. My navigator Kris Moore was key to our success. We got first place in October, averaging 99.9995 mph — off perfect by 19 milliseconds!

When Guardian House received a 2019 High Impact Grant from Impact San Antonio, their focus was on repairing and upgrading their headquarters, a vintage home in the Monte Vista area.

Some of the work, including foundation repair, had already been done when Covid hit. But the pandemic raised questions about whether the headquarters were adequate in an age of social distancing.

Now, the grant has been repurposed to provide for needs highlighted by the pandemic: more bilingual staff and related supplies and equipment. That is much needed because the agency saw an 86 percent increase in client enrollments from 2020 to 2021.

Guardian House serves families by offering counseling, parenting classes and supervised visitations between children and non-custodial parents. When Covid arrived, the need for those services grew, and the nonprofit had to change the way it provided them.

“We started working from home the second week of March 2020,” said Shannon White, Guardian House CEO and Chief Clinical Director. “People had been coming in from all over for visitation, including from other states like California, and we realized it wasn’t practical to have people do that in person. We realized we couldn’t keep people safe from Covid here. Even cleaning supplies were hard to get. Within a month, we had pivoted all of our services online.”

Staff started coming back into the office in October 2020, but that highlighted a new set of issues. The need to follow social distancing protocols became a real problem in the old house and its small rooms, White said.

“We had to limit the number of rooms we use for visitations and consultations, which reduces the number of families we can see,” she said. “Because of the way the house is designed, there were privacy concerns because people are discussing really personal things in counseling sessions.”

Staff discussed possible expansion of the house with a second floor, but ultimately decided to hire a consulting firm to survey the agency’s top donors.

“Their consensus was, ‘We don’t want you in that building anymore.’ We took that back to the board, and it was decided that we needed a new location,” White said.

With that in mind, White and her staff met with Impact SA grant liaisons Holly Ward and Elizabeth Fox to discuss how to use the remaining grant funds for something other than repairs and renovation.

What everyone agreed on was that the remaining grant funding should go to hiring one full-time and one part-time bilingual clinician, plus paying a portion of other clinicians’ salaries and purchasing laptops and other associated supplies to provide mental health services to clients.

Today, about half of Guardian House’s services are provided online, White said. “As we see spikes of Covid, families are less comfortable coming into the office,” she noted.

The agency is seeking a new headquarters but hasn’t found the right building yet, she added.

Although changing the focus of a grant is a rare occurrence for Impact San Antonio, White has high praise for the flexibility of our organization and the two agency liaisons.

“We had really fantastic conversations with the liaisons on what we need,” she said. “Impact SA is a huge supporter of our work. It’s all these amazing women who are uplifting their voice and passion. It’s truly inspiring.”

www.guardianhouse.org

210-733-3349

For parents of a young child with hearing loss, their major concern is communication. How can children learn to speak if they can’t hear what others say? 

Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children focuses on enriching lives and improving listening, language and speech, and a big part of that is fitting students with the proper hearing devices. That’s where Impact San Antonio comes in.  

Sunshine Cottage received a 2020 High Impact Grant to purchase new, state-of-the-art hearing technology to expand their Hearing Aid Loaner Program, which allows children to “try out” devices for a time before deciding whether to buy them.  

“Hearing equipment can range from $1,800 to $6,000,” said Miriam Elizondo, director of development for Sunshine Cottage. “A child with hearing loss must have immediate and consistent access to sound. Because a child’s hearing can change, we prefer they borrow hearing aids until their hearing loss becomes more stable. Then the parent can purchase a personal hearing device that is most beneficial for the child. 

“Other reasons a child would borrow hearing equipment would be if their equipment needs repair or they are waiting for surgery. Every child in our program with a hearing loss has utilized the Hearing Aid Loaner Program.” 

Last year, 295 children participated in the loaner program. The school has 489 hearing devices, 45 of which were funded by the Impact SA grant, Elizondo said.  

Covid has not had a major impact on the loaner program, she said. “There have been a few slight delays of bigger pieces of equipment due to the pandemic, but we have not experienced other delays.” 

The school, which was founded by Dela White in 1947, focuses on helping children learn through a stimulating environment, targeted education and the use of hearing devices. But even new, up-to-date devices still need to be upgraded every few years, Elizondo said.  

“Most children will upgrade the technology but stay with the same hearing equipment,” she explained. “Because hearing aids are compared to computers, children’s listening devices need to be upgraded every three to five years.”  

Parents express gratitude for the opportunity to test equipment before buying it, Elizondo said.  

Parent Lori L. said: “The Hearing Aid Loaner Program helped us make a decision for our daughter that (will affect) her for the rest of her life.” 

I am honored to be serving as president of Impact San Antonio for 2022-23.  

By way of introduction, I grew up in a small town in southeast Louisiana, where my family’s roots go back more than four generations. After earning a bachelor’s degree from LSU, I worked in audit at Ernst & Young, LLP in Houston. In 2005, I moved to San Antonio for a career opportunity at Valero Energy Corporation, where I currently work as Executive Director of Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. 

I have been actively involved in Impact San Antonio since becoming a member in 2015, when a representative from Roy Maas Youth Alternatives ignited a spark in me, revealing the vital importance of our High Impact Grants to the agencies we support. I have served as a financial reviewer on various Grant Review teams for four years and was Grant Review co-chair for three years. 

Operating during a pandemic has been challenging, but it has also brought out the best in the women of Impact San Antonio. Our wonderful membership brought their energy, resources and talents as we continued our wholehearted support of our community.  Through our efforts over the past 17 years, Impact SA and our members have contributed more than $4.8 million in transformative grants to area nonprofits that make a difference every day. 

 Although we have had to cancel our Kickoff celebration due to Covid, we still have the goal of once again achieving at least 500 memberships. That will allow us to award one $100,000 High Impact Grant in each of our five focus areas — Arts & Culture; Environment, Recreation, and Preservation; Education; Family; and Health and Wellness.   

For me, Impact SA has been a great way to get to know this community, the broad needs that exist and the amazing agencies that are meeting those needs. It also has given me the opportunity to interact with folks I may not have otherwise met, and they have made me love this community even more. 

I encourage you to renew your membership now or become a new Impact SA member. We also hope you will introduce Impact SA to others.  We are hopeful we’ll be able to hold various events throughout the year that will help shine a light on the nonprofits that are working to address a wide range of needs in our area, while also allowing us to cultivate relationships that will help build a stronger community.   

With your support, 2022 will be another great year for Impact San Antonio. We are Cultivating a Vibrant Community … Together! 

Chantae Recasner joined Impact San Antonio last May and is enthusiastic about our brand of philanthropy. Here’s what she has to say about our organization.  

How and when did you first hear about Impact San Antonio? What did you think when you heard about the concept of collective generosity? 

As a relatively recent transplant to San Antonio, my knowledge of community-based and/or charitable organizations was quite limited. However, during a volunteer event, I met Nia Evans, a member of my sorority and a member of Impact SA. Sharing mutual interests, we decided to keep in touch, and she later asked me about joining Impact SA. She said it seemed like the kind of organization I would love to join. She was right! 

 The concept of “collective generosity” is quite aligned to my personal values. There is a South African philosophical concept called ubuntu. It situates the value of community over the individual; thus, I am because WE are. In that vein, I honor the work of collective generosity because I believe in the profound and lasting impact of collective work, collective responsibility and collective consciousness.  

 What and/or who inspired you to join last May? 

As I mentioned before, Nia Evans invited me, but it is the vision of Impact San Antonio that has kept me: “Diverse group of women serving as catalysts for transforming lives in our community.” I am passionate about seeing that vision manifest — and, of course, working alongside so many other dynamic women committed to the heart work and hard work of community change is quite rewarding in and of itself.  

 Have you served on any committees or helped with any events?  

I volunteered at Grant Award Night. It was my first award night, and my heart swelled with pride as I watched the impact this organization was making. As a new member, I am finding my way and figuring out how to optimize my service.  

 Is there a role in the organization that you’d like to take on in the future? 

I am not exactly sure which role(s) I will settle into. However, I am committed to helping women who relocate to San Antonio learn about Impact SA’s service and helping nonprofits learn about this organization’s desire to help. That kind of sounds like working with the membership and/or grant committees in some way.  

 What do you like most about Impact SA? What about it inspires you? 

What I like most about Impact SA as an organization is that you can see the direct impact of your contribution. I have been and am a member of quite a few organizations that are dues-paying. I love the operational simplicity of collecting dues to fund great organizations. I am inspired by the welcoming spirit of Impact SA’s leadership, the pragmatism that drives service (i.e. do what you can when and if you can!), and the beauty of its mission and vision.  

 What do you do for a living?  

Simply put, I’m an educator! My career began at an educational nonprofit and moved into public school education until I pursued my doctorate. I have worked in higher education for 15 years. This year, I am starting a role as Equity Research Manager for Western Governors University, an online university based in Utah. I’ll be working remotely from my home in San Antonio. Formerly, I was Dean for Academic Success at Northeast Lakeview College in the Alamo Colleges District. I joined Northeast Lakeview College after serving as Dean for Faculty and Instructional Development at Austin Community College. Before that, I was a tenured professor of English and literature at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, where I also was the college’s inaugural director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. My experience in higher education also includes eight years as a consultant-evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission, a national accrediting body, and service in various professional organizations including WCET (WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies), the National Council on Black American Affairs (an affiliate organization of the American Association of Community Colleges), and the ACE Council of Women in Ohio.