e c i o V r u Yo Staff Newsletter Holiday Issue
Core Value of the Month: Community We collaborate to serve and build community We invest to create positive change We practice inclusion and diversity
Our mission ...helping donors achieve their charitable goals for the greater benefit of the community
Staff Birthdays:
Staff Anniversary:
September
November
September
Faelyn Smith – Sept. 3
Gina Martinez – Nov. 10
Kathy McDonald, 5 years
Cadence Corbin – Sept. 6
Arizbeth Posada – Nov. 19
April Hansard, 2 years
Jeanette Medina – Sept. 14
Sandie Palomo-Gonzalez – Nov. 22
Eliana Rodriguez – Sept. 22
Patty Russett – Nov. 28
October
Debbie Vasquez – Nov. 30
Arizbeth Posada, 2 years
Lorna Stafford – Oct. 5
December
November
Fernando Ibarra – Oct. 15
Gavin Nichols – Dec. 2
Kale Harris, 2 years
Anne Ferguson – Oct. 25
Jessica Urias – Dec. 29
October
Martin Acevedo – Oct. 31
December Catherine Garcia, 17 years Nicole Sowell, 2 years Eliana Rodriguez, 4 years Gina Martinez, 9 years Jennifer Ballesteros, 4 years
A Note from Your President/COO A picture is worth a thousand words, but a picture also tells only half the story. It was this charred picture of a young bride, smiling lovingly, that grounded me in the uncomfortable reality that a natural disaster or unplanned emergency can change the comfortable existence we all know. It’s this picture that reconnected me to the humbling and incredible opportunity we have within our reach to help. It goes without saying, as a community foundation we exist to help donors achieve their charitable goals for the greater benefit of the community. For our living donors the “touch points” and “check ins” to assure we are honoring their wishes is more immediate than connecting to our legacy donors. However, both carry the same vigilance and require the same sense of urgency. There is one donor who has weighed heavy on my heart over the past two years – not simply because his trust was a “game changer” to the next iteration of the Area Foundation’s growth trajectory; but also, because a significant amount of his trust is directed to an organization that functions outside our eight-county service area. In his trust, Mr. Santikos provided clear directive that 10 percent of our annual dividends be allocated to International Orthodox Christian Church (IOCC), specifically to support their work in Greece. Since 2016, we have received quarterly and year end summary reports that outline program outcomes and financial reporting. The grant dollars are used to support programs providing emergency assistance to victims of natural disasters, education initiatives for low-income students and refugee populations, as well as capacity building efforts to scale and stabilize local economies. The reports are impeccable, which bring assurances that great things are happening, and funds are being spent effectively. Over the last two years, while digging deep into the data and reports, I continued to ask myself “why” and “what” was Mr. Santikos’ connection to IOCC? I went on a fact-finding mission seeking people who worked with him and lastly piecing together his life story from his obituary and newspaper articles. My heightened sense of wonder led to the invitation from the IOCC to visit Greece and see the programs in operation. As a result, I took PTO in October and traveled there to see the deepening and growing impact of John L. Santikos’ legacy. I spent seven days with the IOCC leadership and Apostoli staff (IOCC’s church partner). During my first three days I spent time in Athens distributing food parcels to immigrant refugees; administering grocery cards; distributing school supplies at a community education center for refugee adults and children; as well as touring an education center for low-income students. Days five and six, we traveled to Thessaloniki to visit several women-owned micro businesses manufacturing pasta, jams and cookies, operating a dairy farm, and producing oregano and rosemary. I couldn’t help but think that the spirit, passion and determination of the Greek people illustrated in a profound way the character that is used to consistently describe Mr. Santikos. At that moment, I knew he would be proud. But it was day four, when we visited Mati to witness the devastation left by the horrific fires, that I realized the true impact. It was there that I met, Thola, a young mother of two, who is the woman in the photo. She and her family lost everything in the fire that destroyed her small fishing village. I was moved by her resiliency, faith and deep appreciation for the work of the IOCC, the same sentiments I witnessed from so many in her village. I began to draw the distinct parallels to our work in helping families during Hurricane Harvey. It was profoundly amazing to me how two countries, so vastly different, are being touched by the legacy and charitable giving of our donors. In this season of giving I am reminded of the small role we can all play in helping our donors achieve their charitable goals for the greater benefit of the community, even if that community is a country away.
Stronger Together Philanthropic Collaboration In August, the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation gave six nonprofit organizations a combined $3 million for future capital projects. A few weeks later, Harvey E. Najim, understanding the need in our community, took $3.5 million out of his donor-advised fund and gifted seven additional nonprofits who were in the running for the JLS gift. “I asked the Area Foundation for applicants to their grant process who represented unmet needs for children and youth in our community,” said Najim. “I wanted to take strong business practices and apply them to philanthropy by identifying how my fund could collaboratively magnify the impact made,” he added. Through this collaboration an even greater economic impact was made when Valero Energy Foundation provided an additional $2 million gift to another deserving nonprofit on the JLS list. In all, 15 nonprofits received vital funding. It’s collaborations such as these that ensure the nonprofit ecosystem strengthens. For a full list of recipients and the projects that will be completed thanks to this funding, see the News section of our website at saafdn.org
Renaissance with the Stars Recap The San Antonio Area African American Community Fund awarded 10 nonprofits a total of $50,000 during this year’s Renaissance with the Stars fundraising event. The funding was courtesy of the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation, a fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation. Dancers in this year’s 10th anniversary event included: The Rev. James P. Amerson, pastor, St. Paul United Methodist Church; Linda Molina, attorney, The Molina Law Firm; Katherine Kimm, co-owner and general manager, WestEast Design Group; Erika Prosper Nirenberg, first lady of San Antonio and senior director of Customer Insights at H-E-B; and Dr. Phallon Doss, owner, Doss Audiology and Hearing Center. Each competitor was paired with a professional dancer and together, they performed choregraphed routines showcasing everything from the Cha-Cha to Jive Fusion. This year’s dance champion was Rev. Amerson. The 2018 SAAAACF grant recipients: • Alamo Colleges Foundation Project -- MEN mentoring program • Beyond the Light Outreach Project -- Food panty and clothes closet • The Carver Development Board, Inc. – Youth matinees • Communities in Schools of SA -- XY-Zone program at Sam Houston High School • Hallmark University, Inc. -- Eastside Cyberforce Prime program • Latched Support, Inc. -- In-home breastfeeding assistance • Lifes Little Miracles Corp. – Infant products and family services • San Antonio City Wide NSBE Jr. Chapter – Mathcounts • San Antonio IVY Educational Fund, Inc. – Mahogany Brain Challenge • Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., SA Chapter STEM-A – Program for science, technology, engineering and math with an emphasis on aviation
Synergy Building for Mental Health On Sept. 26, the Area Foundation joined local philanthropy and nonprofits who are aligned around increasing early identification of mental illness in youth, while simultaneously sending a message that the stigma must end. Hosting the meeting were Harvey Najim and Barbara Gentry, both of whom have funds at the Area Foundation. The content experts and facilitators of the meeting were representatives from Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, who is known to be influential with the Texas legislature. The group discussed the need to move “upstream” in the continuum of care, as the average delay between onset of symptoms and intervention is 8-10 years. The group imagined being told you have cancer, and then waiting years for treatment. And the delay in treatment is only for the individuals who were identified as needing an intervention! Thousands of individuals are never screened or identified as needing mental health supports. Funders such as the H.E. Butt Family Foundation, Harvey Najim, Kronkosky Charitable Foundation and the Area Foundation are coalescing on a solution. Other funders may be identified as the synergy builds. Preliminary next steps may include a study of local resources’ capabilities and capacities, while engaging the nonprofit ecosystem in any ideas around potential solutions. As a vision emerges, we’ll continue to share information.
SA2020 Equity SA2020 is helping the Area Foundation evaluate its own equity lens to better understand and reach diverse populations within our community. The program consists of a series of trainings and work sessions facilitated by the organization, to support Area Foundation staff in: • Identifying, prioritizing, and evaluating outcomes • Asking critical questions of data in order to advance outcomes • Creating and streamlining action plans that lead with outcomes and are informed by data • Intentionally communicating the Area Foundation’s impact toward the SA2020 Community Vision • Connecting and coordinating work across the organization and with community partners Staff received insightful information from the daylong training kickoff. Highlights include: 1. Implicit bias are the attitudes and stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions and decisions subconsciously.
2. Explicit bias are the biased attitudes and stereotypes we express directly and consciously. 3. Equity does not mean equality. 4. Equity means policies, procedures, programs and distribution of resources that account for different histories, challenges and needs of the people served. 5. Equality means treating everyone the same despite markedly distinct qualities or characteristics. 6. Racial equity is achieved when race does not determine or predict community outcomes.
Building Community Visionary Circle Event
Legacy is important to the Area Foundation because it is the engine that ensures community needs are met for generations to come. On Sept. 19, the Area Foundation honored its legacy society known as the Visionary Circle. Members of this elite group in addition to others in the community were treated to a tour of “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors.” The exhibit consists of 66 full-color portraits and a fourpanel mural painted by former President George W. Bush to honor service men and women who served our nation with honor since 9/11. Brad Parman, a Visionary Circle member and board member of the Area Foundation opened the evening with a warm welcome. Close to 80 people attended the event hosted by the Development and Donor Services team.
CAC Event
Community Advisory Committees (CACs) are the backbone of grant making at the San Antonio Area Foundation because these volunteers determine which nonprofits will receive funding. To honor the work of CACs as they are commonly known, the San Antonio Area Foundation’s Community Engagement and Impact team hosted an appreciation event in the Wells Center on Oct. 29, from 3 to 6 p.m. CACs consist of men and women from the community who volunteer their time to review hundreds of grant applications submitted by area nonprofits for specific needs. CAC members are chosen by the Area Foundation because of expertise that aligns to funding requests areas. Funding areas include Animal Services, Arts and Culture, Children and Youth, Community-at-Large, Medicine and Healthcare and Seniors. Each funding area has its own team of CAC members. Thanks to CAC members, the Area Foundation’s generous donors can truly achieve their charitable goals through well-thought out, vetted, non-biased and impactful grant-making decisions.
Area Foundation Updates Audit Update – Congratulations to the Area Foundation’s finance team for a successful 2017 audit. Not
only was the audit finished on time in the month of July, but audit adjustments were significantly minimized, the team solidified strategies necessary for accurate reporting in the future, and the team proactively identified and discussed changes required to the future audit process under new regulations. Great job by all!!
Annual Responsive Update – Cycle two of the Annual Responsive Grants application process is
complete. Community Advisory Committee members and Area Foundation staff boarded buses to visit the various nonprofits in the running for grants in the areas of animal services, arts and culture, and community-at-large. CAC members had the arduous task of deciding which nonprofits would receive funding. Nonprofits have been notified of their grant awards.
SALSA Update – A total of 41 applications have been received for Seniors-SALSA grant funding. Funding supports programs and services that help older adults live healthy, safe and vibrant lives.
The intense work began as the CE&I team poured through the applications to evaluate eligibility for round two. That next level consists of evaluations by Community Advisory Committee (CAC) members who will then decide which nonprofits will be awarded funding.
CF Leads: Becca Brune Accepted Into Prestigious Program The Executive Leadership Institute, hosted by CF Leads is a year-long learning opportunity focusing exclusively on community leadership for community foundation CEOs. Our President and COO, Becca Brune was accepted into the program for 2019. You may be asking yourselves “Why is this experience important and relevant to Becca and our foundation?” This opportunity comes at a pivotal time in the development and growth of our organization and its leadership. Participation in this elite group of learners is a critical follow-on to the work that the Area Foundation did with FSG. As you recall, FSG recommendations challenged the Area Foundation to create a better future for all by pursuing the community’s greatest opportunities and addressing the most complex social / system challenges, inclusively uniting people, institutions and resources from throughout the community, and producing significant, widely shared and lasting results. FSG challenged the Area Foundation to become a community catalyst and committed to building stronger communities through community leadership. This experience is predicated on a framework that positions community foundations as vital partners in building communities where all residents are prosperous, healthy and secure. The curriculum creates a space for sharing knowledge, benchmarking best practices and creating action plans to focus on core areas of organizational growth and learning. CFLeads offers conferences, forums, webinars, resources, structured intensive learning opportunities for foundation leaders, and consulting services to the community foundation field.
! e m o Welc
Five New Members Join the Area Foundation Team
Patricia Mejia
Vice President, Community Engagement and Impact
Araceli Calvillo
Administrative Assistant, Development and Donor Services, and Strategy and Innovation
Brandie McHazlett Receptionist, Human Resources and Organizational Development
Melinda Norris, CPA Senior Accountant, Finance
Debi Silva Program Assistant, Development and Donor Services
Congratulations to Jessica Urias. Jessica is the new administrative assistant for Community Engagement and Impact.
Top Golf Fun, food and friendly rivalry dominated during a recent staff outing to Top Golf. The half-day event was courtesy of the Culture Committee and SLT and featured lots of laughter, conversation and a nice respite from the work day. Here are few photos. To see more, click here.
Holiday Open House Laughter, great conversation and wonderful food were highlights of the San Antonio Area Foundation’s recent Holiday Open House. The festive Nov. 29 event, decked in red, green and silver holiday trimmings, was attended by nearly 100 people including staff, fund advisors, nonprofits, board members, Community Advisory Committee members, community leaders like Judge Nelson Wolff and Tracy Wolff, and Pearl residents. True Flavors catering provided the tasty buffet of street tacos and a salsa bar. The popularity of the evening was evident by the words of thanks and appreciation from guests, the requests that the Area Foundation host another open house next year, and the fact that many guest stayed well past the 7 p.m. end time. The Open House was hosted by the department of Development and Donor Services.