Photo: Jerry Lara, Staff with San Antonio Express-News
Haven employee Kenneth Anderlitch is going to run across Texas to create awareness and funding for sober living programs and Haven’s partner, Pay it Forward, SA.
Photo: Jerry Lara, Staff with San Antonio Express-News
Haven employee Kenneth Anderlitch is going to run across Texas to create awareness and funding for sober living programs and Haven’s partner, Pay it Forward, SA.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio has become the first of 70 cities aligned with the House America pledge that’s met and exceeded the goal of placing 1,500 people from the streets into permanent housing.
“Today, I am proud to announce that San Antonio has rehoused over 1,600 households,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
A coalition of non-profits and community leaders set a goal last fall to use funds from the American Rescue Plan for helping rehouse 1,500 households in San Antonio by the end of 2022.
“Congratulations for being the first House America community to not only meet but to exceed your rehousing goal,” said Marcia Fudge, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. “No community has ever solved homelessness by banning it.”
While the city was able to relocate 1,642 people into permanent housing, SAMMinistries President and CEO Nikisha Baker stressed there are still thousands of residents across Bexar County at risk of ending up on the streets.
“18% of our local households are living at or below the federal poverty level and another 33% are considered working poor, which means half of our neighbors are just one paycheck away from homelessness,” Baker said.
Haven for Hope continues to serve as an anchor for helping San Antonio’s homeless community. President and CEO Kim Jeffries noted soaring inflation and rising housing costs have contributed to the unprecedented number of families seeking shelter and services.
“Family dorm is full and we have 65 families in overflow and so those families are coming to us because of all of these factors and so that tells us that we still have work to do,” Jeffries said.
Click here for the news story on Kens5
Jack and Emma Heeney already understand the importance of giving back. Jack needed a project for his Eagle Scout rank. He asked his former Scout Master for ideas. Monty McCann, Life Safety Officer at Haven gave Jack a tour and pointed out two projects. The butterfly garden or the Hair Care Center.
Haven has operated a Hair Care Center since opening its doors in 2010. Volunteer barbers and hairdressers provide free haircuts and styles to Haven clients. For someone who has been experiencing homelessness, this is very impactful. A fresh haircut or style boosts one’s confidence, especially for a job interview. The Hair Care Center lacked personality and many of the supplies needed by the volunteers.
The remodel included new flooring, paint, frames around the mirrors, larger barber chairs, back bars for supplies, a TV, and a cordless vacuum. As a bonus, Jack secured a donated barber shop pole. The project helped Jack earn his Eagle Scout rank, the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts program. And Jack is only 15.
His sister Emma, age 17, got involved and is going for her Gold Star ranking (equivalent to the Eagle Scout) for the Girl Scouts. She secured supplies – clippers, scissors, hair care products, brushes, combs, etc. A family friend took photos on campus and around San Antonio. The black and white photos on the Hair Care Center walls add personality to the transformed space.
The value of the project is more than $13,000 and took approximately six months to complete. Haven’s volunteer barbers are thrilled with the new “look” and hope to recruit more volunteers to help in the Hair Care Center and make it accessible to clients multiple days per week.
Watch the impact of this project when KSAT interviewed Jack and Emma and one of Haven’s clients and volunteer barbers. It will inspire you. Click here to watch!
Did you know that socks are the #1 requested item among those experiencing homelessness? Haven for Hope distributes more than 1,500 pairs of socks each month. David Chancellor, morning anchor for News4 San Antonio does a segment called “Sock it to Monday.” News4 wanted to help Haven’s clients by sponsoring a sock drive.
During the month of October, in partnership with News4 San Antonio and participating Subway restaurants, we are asking the community to purchase new socks (men’s, women’s, and children’s sizes) and donate them to Haven for Hope.
Socks can be dropped off at the following Subway locations:
3227 SW Military Drive | San Antonio | TX | 78211 |
1911 Nogalitos St | San Antonio | TX | 78225 |
1315 S. St. Mary’s Street | San Antonio | TX | 78210 |
7239 SW Loop 410 | San Antonio | TX | 78242 |
302 Valley Hi Drive | San Antonio | TX | 78227 |
8124 Fredericksburg Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78229 |
6338 Old Pearsall Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78242 |
2864 W Loop 1604 S | San Antonio | TX | 78245 |
803 Castroville Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78237 |
12952 Bandera Road | Helotes | TX | 78023 |
15355 FM 471 N | San Antonio | TX | 78253 |
12550 Leslie Road | Helotes | TX | 78023 |
1134 Culebra Road | San Antonio | TX | 78201 |
4977 Walzem Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78218 |
5429 E Hwy 87 | San Antonio | TX | 78222 |
11390 IH 35 | Von Ormy | TX | 78073 |
1009 E Hondo Ave, #3 | Devine | TX | 78016 |
6394 Rittiman Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78218 |
111 N IH 35 | Pearsall | TX | 78061 |
9727 Poteet Jourdanton Freeway | San Antonio | TX | 78211 |
3138 SE Military Dr | San Antonio | TX | 78235 |
314 S. W.W. White Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78219 |
15511 Applewhite Road | San Antonio | TX | 78264 |
11643 SE Loop 410 | San Antonio | TX | 78214 |
4102 S New Braunfels | San Antonio | TX | 78223 |
1503 Pleasanton Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78221 |
4096 Foster Road | San Antonio | TX | 78244 |
131 Business Park Drive | Kenedy | TX | 78119 |
8538 IH-35 South | San Antonio | TX | 78224 |
1115 SE Military Drive | San Antonio | TX | 78214 |
5626 Walzem Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78218 |
175 IH 35 North | Devine | TX | 78016 |
4130 Broadway St | San Antonio | TX | 78209 |
240 E. Houston Street | San Antonio | TX | 78205 |
6826 N Loop 1604 E Bldg 1 | San Antonio | TX | 78247 |
8223 Marbach Road | San Antonio | TX | 78227 |
8119 Culebra Road | San Antonio | TX | 78251 |
12315 Judson Rd | Live Oak | TX | 78233 |
23503 Hardy Oak Blvd | San Antonio | TX | 78258 |
4233 McCullough Ave | San Antonio | TX | 78212 |
10650 Culebra Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78251 |
902 Kitty Hawk Rd | Universal City | TX | 78148 |
8181 Tezel Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78250 |
1464 Austin Hwy | San Antonio | TX | 78209 |
11726 I-35 North | San Antonio | TX | 78233 |
8839 Culebra Road | San Antonio | TX | 78251 |
9638 Potranco Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78251 |
5138 UTSA Blvd | San Antonio | TX | 78249 |
2606 TPC Pkwy | San Antonio | TX | 78259 |
4638 W. Commerce | San Antonio | TX | 78237 |
20079 Stone Oak Pkwy | San Antonio | TX | 78258 |
6010 Ingram Road | San Antonio | TX | 78238 |
1802 Nacogdoches | San Antonio | TX | 78209 |
1248 FM 78 | Schertz | TX | 78154 |
9427 Culebra Road | San Antonio | TX | 78251 |
12639 Blanco Road | San Antonio | TX | 78216 |
8000 Pat Booker Road | Live Oak | TX | 78233 |
15118 Potranco Road | San Antonio | TX | 78245 |
11282 Culebra Road | San Antonio | TX | 78253 |
791 FM 1103 | Cibolo | TX | 78108 |
24403 W I-10 | San Antonio | TX | 78257 |
14084 Nacogdoches Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78247 |
6912 Military Dr West | San Antonio | TX | 78227 |
7015 Bandera Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78238 |
11615 West Ave | San Antonio | TX | 78213 |
1621 N Main Ave | San Antonio | TX | 78212 |
6422 Babcock | San Antonio | TX | 78240 |
11309 Bandera Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78250 |
2414 Babcock | San Antonio | TX | 78229 |
11330 IH 10 W | San Antonio | TX | 78249 |
8830 Huebner Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78240 |
10811 Perrin Beitel | San Antonio | TX | 78217 |
5545 NW Loop 410 | San Antonio | TX | 78238 |
2800 Thousand Oaks | San Antonio | TX | 78232 |
5143 West Avenue | San Antonio | TX | 78213 |
7280 UTSA Blvd | San Antonio | TX | 78249 |
2400 West Avenue | San Antonio | TX | 78201 |
1150 N FM 1604 W | San Antonio | TX | 78224 |
14439 NW Military Hwy | San Antonio | TX | 78231 |
5025 Loop 410 NW | San Antonio | TX | 78229 |
18410 US Highway 281 N | San Antonio | TX | 78259 |
8202 N Loop 1604 W | San Antonio | TX | 78249 |
16600 Huebner Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78248 |
17815 La Cantera Pkwy | San Antonio | TX | 78257 |
12335 Wetmore Road | San Antonio | TX | 78247 |
8630 W. Hwy 90 | San Antonio | TX | 78227 |
2927 E Southcross Blvd | San Antonio | TX | 78223 |
2339 Evans Rd | San Antonio | TX | 78259 |
2267 NW Military Highway | San Antonio | TX | 78213 |
3953 Fredericksburg Road | San Antonio | TX | 78201 |
8507 McCullough Avenue | San Antonio | TX | 78216 |
1803 Vance Jackson | San Antonio | TX | 78213 |
8521 Perrin Beitel | San Antonio | TX | 78217 |
5601 Bandera Road | San Antonio | TX | 78238 |
4331 Thousand Oaks Drive | San Antonio | TX | 78217 |
10915 Wurzbach | San Antonio | TX | 78230 |
6811 San Pedro | San Antonio | TX | 78216 |
415 Pecan Valley Drive | San Antonio | TX | 78220 |
Or you can purchase a pair of socks from our Amazon Wish List and have them shipped directly to our organization. Click here!
Thank you for supporting Haven for Hope!
Haven for Hope President & CEO, Kim Jefferies, provided an update to the Bexar County Commissioner’s Court on Haven’s operations. She shared that we are seeing a record number of families experiencing homelessness. Watch KSAT’s coverage for more information.
Courtney Freidman, reporter and anchor for KSAT News in San Antonio recently visited Haven for Hope and talked to one of our families about living at Haven for Hope and preparing for a new school here.
Kens 5 visited our Donation Warehouse to learn more about our increasing needs for donated water and sleeping mats. Watch the story here:
Gianna Adams may only be 10 years old, but she already exhibits Servant Leadership! She has been helping her grandmother, Carmi “Mia” Adkins in Haven for Hope’s Kennel for three years. She loves helping take care of the cats and dogs who stay at Haven for Hope while their owners work on their housing plans.
Haven’s kennel has room for 20 dogs and 10 cats. Pets are important and we recognize how therapeutic it is for clients to be able to keep their pets safe while staying at Haven. Clients are responsible for feeding their pets and visiting them twice a day. Haven provides food, supplies, and basic vet care including core vaccines and flea treatments. Mia and her volunteers, including Gianna, help keep the kennel areas clean, restock supplies and make sure the pets are well cared for.
Gianna loves dogs but doesn’t mind changing the kitty liter and giving the cats fresh water and treats. “She used to be scared of the cats, but now she loves to play with them,” Mia said.
“Animals respond to love and that’s what we provide here,” Mia continued. When asked if she wants to care for pets as an adult? Gianna shakes her head. Her dream job? Illustrating children’s books.
We have no doubt, that Gianna will do great things in the future!
Bank of America benefits SA charity through leadership program
Jul 21, 2022
Bank of America Corp. established a “leader on loan” program as part of its philanthropic initiatives, which sends an executive to a local charitable organization within its respective market for a year.
Stefanie Adame, senior vice president of regional business management and operations executive at Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), was selected to spend a year as interim director of leadership and organizational development at San Antonio’s Haven for Hope.
“When I said yes to this assignment, I thought it was a perfect fit given my skill set,” said Adame. “I can come in, I can give recommendations, I can help in terms of leadership development and organizational development.”
Adame says her day-to-day duties include planning events, dealing with community partners and locating resources for the organization.
The program, which started in 2017, began as a partnership with four organizations. Today, it sends 27 executives to help with economic and philanthropic initiatives for respective organizations, according to Adame.
BofA works with area nonprofits to match leaders with the organization. She says in other markets, applications are posted for employees to sign up for leader on loan positions.
Adame said she retained her full salary, benefits and vacation time while serving as an employee with Haven for Hope. She is in the final few months of her tenure with the organization and says that once finished she will transition back to her duties with BofA.
“This is a very unique opportunity that we’ve had, the opportunity to benefit from it,” said Justin Barbour, general counsel and director of human resources at Haven for Hope. “We would welcome those kinds of opportunities in the future.”
Haven for Hope, founded in 2010 by founding CEO of Valero Energy Bill Greehey, helps provide food, shelter and clothing for San Antonio’s homeless. It has reached over 15,000 clients since its founding. The two organizations have had partnerships in the past, with Haven for Hope being named a Bank of America Neighborhood Builder in 2019.
Thank you to White Cloud Production Company for creating this video highlighting the work NEC is doing at Haven for Hope to upgrade our communication and security equipment with enhanced AI technologies.