You’re Invited to listen, learn, love our community

Last year, the McKenna Foundation invited the community to Choose Kindness, and the community responded with open hearts. Neighbors lifted one another up, celebrated the good around them, and shined a light on the everyday acts of kindness that make our community so special.

This year, the Foundation is asking the community to take the next step. Kindness begins with a choice, but it grows through action.

On April 1, 2026, the Foundation officially launched the You’re Invited campaign: a call to the community to listen more deeply, learn more openly, and love more boldly. By hearing one another, seeking understanding, and embracing our community, we create a space where everyone feels seen, heard, and supported.

“This is your invitation to take the next step from choosing kindness. This is your invitation to volunteer opportunities, community conversations, and events all year long that help build connection and belonging,” said McKenna CEO Alice Jewell.

Take the next step now by following the campaign on Facebook and Instagram at @youreinvitednb and visiting www.youreinvitednb.org.

Throughout the year, the You’re Invited campaign will offer a variety of ways to get involved, from hands-on opportunities to educational events. The community is invited to participate, engage with neighbors, and help build a more compassionate and connected community.

The Foundation is also inviting nonprofits, businesses, schools, and community groups to share their creativity, passion, and upcoming opportunities. Each week, the campaign will highlight partner events across its website, social channels, and newsletter. Partners are encouraged to stay connected and share their events and opportunities so the campaign can help amplify their work and provide support where needed.

“Everyone is invited. Everyone is invited to listen to your neighbors, to learn alongside them, and to love our community in meaningful ways,” Jewell said.

Click here to learn more about the campaign and discover ways to get involved.

Rock Haus seeks community input to shape programs for individuals with special needs

The Rock Haus Foundation is inviting the community to share their voices, experiences, and insights to better understand the needs of individuals with special needs.

Rock Haus is seeking input from those who know these needs best: individuals with disabilities, their families, caregivers, and the service providers who support them. By completing a community survey, participants can help identify gaps in local services, highlight the most urgent areas of support, and guide future efforts in Comal County and surrounding areas.

The feedback gathered will play a vital role in shaping upcoming programs, strengthening partnerships, and initiatives that better serve our community.

The survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RockHaus and will remain open through March 20. 

The Rock Haus Foundation encourages anyone committed to strengthening resources for individuals with special needs to participate and share the survey with others.

“We want to learn what is working and what still needs attention,” said Rock Haus Foundation Executive Director Bill Barry. “This survey is an opportunity for our community to help impact what comes next.”

The Rock Haus Foundation is dedicated to fostering a community where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are welcomed and encouraged to participate in meaningful activities. According to Barry, this survey is an important step toward that vision.

Rock Haus currently offers a variety of programs for individuals with special needs, including music, art, dance, and chair-based Zumba. They also host parent advocacy groups, a service provider coalition, and bi-monthly Rock-The-Haus dance parties.

To learn more about the Rock Haus Foundation, visit rockhausfoundation.org, or follow on Facebook and Instagram at @rockhausfoundation.

Herald-Zeitung: How learning based preschool curriculum shapes New Braunfels’ tomorrow

The McKenna Foundation, through a collaborative effort with Early Matters San Antonio, the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce and the Greater New Braunfels Economic Development Foundation, has launched this initiative with the ultimate goal of enhancing the brain development of the local community’s youngest humans through supporting families and the childcare workforce.

Read the full story here.

McKenna Foundation awards $35,000 in We Give contest

The McKenna Foundation is excited to announce that three schools from New Braunfels Independent School District (NBISD) and three from Comal Independent School District (CISD) have been selected as award recipients for their outstanding participation in the Foundation’s We Give Video Contest.

Building on the success and heartfelt response to last year’s Choose Kindness Video Contest, the McKenna Foundation launched its follow-up We Give contest on November 19. Despite having just three weeks to produce their submissions, students and staff from both districts created 18 unique, thoughtful, and creative videos.

“We had such a great response last year that we felt compelled to bring the contest back with a new theme and award another $35,000 to local schools to use as they see fit. For both districts, first place received $10,000, second place $5,000, and third place $2,500,” said McKenna Foundation CEO Alice Jewell.

The winning schools from NBISD included: (1) Carl Schurz Elementary; (2) Lone Star Early Childhood Center; and (3) Legend Point Elementary.

Winning schools from CISD included: (1) Freiheit Elementary; (2) Pieper High School; and (3) Johnson Ranch Elementary.

This year’s first-place winners, Carl Schurz Elementary and Freiheit Elementary, stood out for their creativity and heartfelt messages. Carl Schurz produced a spirited bilingual video highlighting that giving can mean hope, love, friendship, and even a simple hug.

Watch the video below:

Freiheit Elementary’s winning video left a memorable impression by showcasing the idea that “everyone can give something,” whether it’s a helping hand, leadership, or encouragement.

Watch the video below:

The McKenna Foundation would like to thank and congratulate all participants for their incredible efforts in creating these videos and their commitment to the spirit of giving.

You can watch all winning videos on the McKenna Foundation’s YouTube or on Instagram at @mckennafoundation.

McKenna Foundation seeks community input for year-end grant

The McKenna Foundation plans to culminate a productive year by awarding a year-end unrestricted grant to a nonprofit partner and is seeking the community’s participation in the nomination process.

The Foundation is excited to invite the public to nominate a nonprofit organization serving Comal County for a chance to receive one of these generous grants. What organization has made a substantial difference in your life or the lives of others? Which nonprofit has been an incredible partner in the community? Who deserves special recognition for going above and beyond? This is your opportunity to shine a light on the organization that has made a lasting impact.

Cast your vote HERE. Please include a few sentences explaining why you believe your chosen organization deserves to be recognized this year.

Nominations will remain open through December 11.

“We love having the community’s input and hearing why they select the nonprofit they do,” said McKenna Foundation Program Officer Kristen Fain. “We have gotten a great community response the last couple of years, so we are excited to do it again this year!”

The recipient will be announced during the Foundation’s annual Christmas Breakfast on December 16. The news will be shared on the McKenna website and on Instagram at @mckennafoundation.

This year, the Foundation has already dedicated over $1.4 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in Comal County. Since the Foundation began its grantmaking efforts in 2009, over $31 million in funding has been awarded to nonprofits serving our neighbors.

Join us in celebrating the incredible work being done by our local nonprofits and help choose the year-end grant recipient!