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McKenna Foundation seeks community input for two year-end grant recipients

The McKenna Foundation plans to culminate a fantastic and productive year by awarding two year-end unrestricted grants to nonprofit partners. This year, the Foundation is once again asking the community to participate in the nomination process!

The Foundation is thrilled 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 a stellar partner to the community? Who deserves special recognition for going above and beyond? This is your opportunity to shine light on those who have made a lasting impact.

Nominate 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 10.   

“For many years, we have asked our nonprofit partners to nominate one of their peers. However, last year we decided to involve the community, and we were overwhelmed by the response, receiving over 3,300 nominations,” said McKenna’s program officer Kristen Fain. “With such a great community response, we are excited to do it again this year and hear from even more voices!”

The recipients will be announced during the Foundation’s annual Christmas Breakfast on December 17 at the McKenna Events Center. The news will be shared on the McKenna website.

This year, the Foundation has already awarded nearly $1.5 million in grants to 39 nonprofit organizations in Comal County. Since the Foundation began its grantmaking efforts in 2009, nearly $30 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 recipients!

For more information or to nominate a deserving nonprofit to receive an end-of-the-year impact grant, please visit the McKenna website. Follow McKenna on Instagram at @mckennafoundation.

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McKenna Foundation approves final grants of the year

The McKenna Foundation’s Board of Trustees approved $108,000 in grant funding during the final grantmaking session of the year.

Trustees voted to distribute this amount among nine nonprofit organizations within the McKenna Foundation’s Family Relationships Portfolio. The funding will support initiatives aimed at meeting the needs of our local senior population, children, youth, and families.

One of the organizations receiving funding is the Bulverde Spring Branch Activity Center (BSBAC), which was approved for $22,500. The BSBAC provides comprehensive programs designed to support older adults, promote independent living, and battle isolation. Serving rural Comal County, the BSBAC also serves approximately 87 individuals through its Meals on Wheels program, addressing seniors’ nutritional needs, health, socialization, and overall quality of life.

Trustees also approved $8,000 of funding for Project 10:27. According to the CDC, socially isolated seniors face a 50% increased risk of developing dementia, a 29% higher likelihood of heart disease, and a 32% increased risk of a stroke. Project 10:27 aims to alleviate these risks by reducing loneliness and social isolation among our neighbors through programs that cater to their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

“We are immensely thankful to the McKenna Foundation for their generous support of our mission. This grant not only validates our efforts to combat loneliness among seniors but also invigorates our commitment to this cause.,” said Project 10:27 founder and executive director Shane Carter. “Their partnership is instrumental in enabling us to expand our reach and deepen our impact, ensuring that every senior we serve feels truly valued, connected, and cared for. Together, we are building a strong community where no senior has to endure isolation alone.”

1HOPE for Kids was approved for $10,000 by the McKenna Board. The organization offers foster care services, supporting children and families by recruiting and training foster parents, facilitating matches, providing education, and more. Since its inception, 1HOPE for Kids has licensed over 400 families, served more than 1,000 children, facilitated 340 adoptions, and helped over 480 children reunite with their families.

New Braunfels Angels, a nonprofit based in New Braunfels, will receive $7,500 in funding to support its Dare to Dream program. This initiative provides one-on-one mentorship to foster youth at risk of aging out of the foster care system. With a 72% rise in youth experiencing mental health issues and nearly 50% of local students identified as “at-risk,” the Dare to Dream program aims to provide foster youth with stability, mentorship, and trauma-informed care.

This third and final round of grantmaking for the year concentrated on the Foundation’s Family Relationships Portfolio, which aims at empowering all generations with the skills and support required to strengthen family bonds. Funding areas include child and youth development, parenting support, abuse and neglect prevention and recovery, and senior services.

With the final grants approved, the Foundation has distributed over $1.4 million to local nonprofit organizations in 2024 alone. In June, the Foundation allocated $575,000 in grant funding under its Basic Needs Portfolio, and in August, it distributed $564,000 to nonprofits within the Education and Health Portfolios.

Since 2009, the McKenna Foundation has granted nearly $30 million to local nonprofits. In 2025, the Foundation looks forward to continuing its legacy and investing in local nonprofit organizations to create a lasting impact on the community.

For more information please visit the McKenna Foundation website or follow us on Instagram @mckennafoundation.

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Kenneth Anderlitch to come down San Antonio St. in 1,800-mile run for recovery

One man, 1,800 miles, six weeks—Kenneth Anderlitch is nearing the final stretch of his incredible run from Washington D.C. to San Antonio and will be running down San Antonio Street soon.

Join us at the McKenna Events Center the morning of October 31 to line the streets to cheer him on! You can even run with Anderlitch for the stretch between the Brauntex Theatre and McKenna!

His estimated timeframe is between 8 a.m. and noon. Please visit mapcomal.org or follow @mapcomal on Instagram and Facebook for the most up-to-date information and his time of arrival.

Averaging around 45 miles a day, Anderlitch began this extraordinary journey on September 20, driven by a mission to raise awareness and funds for Families in Recovery. This new program offered by Haven for Hope allows parents and guardians in a substance use disorder recovery program to remain with their children.

Having lost his mother to addiction at just 20 years old, Anderlitch struggled with substance use and found himself homeless at a young age. As a former client of Pay it Forward, which offers recovery support after drug and alcohol rehabilitation, he discovered that running helped him in his recovery journey, keeping him focused on his physical and mental health.

Now, eight years sober and working with Haven for Hope—San Antonio’s largest homeless shelter— Anderlitch has raised over $33,000 for the new program through his run halfway across America.

“I feel strongly about giving back to those who helped me when I needed it the most. I wish my mom would have found help and healing and was with us today. Her memory keeps me motivated and I hope we will help many families with this new program,” Anderlitch said.

In partnership with Lifetime Recovery, Pay it Forward SA, and Haven for Hope, Ken hopes to raise $50 for every mile he runs, aiming for a total of $90,000 for the Families in Recovery Program.

The ambitious run from Washington D.C. to San Antonio is not Anderlitche’s first big achievement as a runner. In November 2022, he embarked on an 840-mile run across Texas to raise awareness for the same cause; recovery. Averaging 44.2 miles a day and running through 19 pairs of shoes, Anderlitch completed the route in just 19 days (about two and a half weeks), raising $56,897 for Pay it Forward.

You can watch “The Road to Recovery: Ken’s Journey Across Texas” documentary on YouTube.

At over 1,500 miles of his 1,800-mile trek, Anderlitch is quickly approaching New Braunfels and his ultimate finish line at Haven for Hope in San Antonio. Keep up to date on his current location by visiting www.runkenrun.org. Donations for the Families in Recovery Program can be made on the site as well.

We invite you to be a part of this monumental moment as Ken nears the finish line, bringing hope and help to families in recovery. It is projected that he will run down San Antonio Street sometime between 8 a.m. and noon on October 31. Join us at the McKenna Events Center to line the streets, or join him on the run from the Brauntex Theatre to McKenna!

Visit www.mapcomal.org or @mapcomal on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on his estimated arrival time in New Braunfels.

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Get ready for Wurstfest at SMKSR Foundation’s Wurst Bingo event

In the leadup to Wurstfest, the Sally M. Kingsbury Sarcoma Research (SMKSR) Foundation is preparing for its first-ever Wurst Bingo fundraising event to support sarcoma research.

The SMKSR Foundation will host the Wurst Bingo fundraiser on October 16, 2024. This fun, family-friendly evening will provide attendees with the chance to enjoy music from the Lederhosen Junkies, participate in a silent auction, win cash prizes, and compete in a Masskrugstemmen contest.

The event will also feature special celebrity guests announcing the bingo numbers including New Braunfels Mayor Neal Linnartz, 2024 Wursfest President Sherman Krause, and more. Jason Hurta will be the MC for the evening.

The silent auction will feature items such as golf packages, Das Rec passes, Wurstfest packages, Yeti and Shiner Bock products, and more.

Get your tickets here.

Since its inception 17 years ago, The SMKSR Foundation has donated over $500,000 to sarcoma cancer research institutions, such as the Torres Laboratory at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The Foundation primarily raised these funds through its annual knock-out rose sale. However, this year, the SMKSR Foundation is excited to turn the page and start a new chapter of fundraising.

“I was thinking, this would be a great event. Everyone is getting excited for Wurstfest, people are dressing up,” said SMKSR board member Cesar Castilleja. “I figured that this is an event that we could pull off, to start up the next chapter of fundraising. That’s just where it all evolved. We have had a lot of excitement for it on all ends.”

The event offers a top sponsor package which includes a front table for up to eight guests, two bingo cards per person for each game, one dauber per person, a swag item, plus a bier and bratwurst.

VIP and reserved seating packages are also available. The VIP package provides a reserved table for eight, one bingo card per person for each game, and a bier and brat. The reserved seating sponsorship includes a first-come, first-seated at a reserved table, one bingo card per game, and of course, a bier and brat.

By sponsoring or participating in this event, you will further the SMKSR Foundation’s mission to raise funds for sarcoma cancer research.

The SMKSR Foundation was founded in memory of Sally M. Kingsbury; a beloved mother, wife, daughter, sister, and teacher, who was a pillar in the New Braunfels community. Diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma at the age of 51, Sally faced her illness with dignity and courage but lost the fight to sarcoma cancer on December 16, 2005.

It was her wish that the search for a sarcoma cure would persist beyond her lifetime. By supporting this event and the SMKSR Foundation, you help realize that wish.

The SMKSR Foundation invites you to join the battle, in Sally’s memory, against sarcoma cancer at the Wurst Bingo fundraiser at Krause’s Cafe on October 16, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. German attire is highly recommended.

“It’s just like having an appetizer at a dinner party. You have your little Wurstfest appetizer and then you’re ready!” said Foundation board member Jan Kingsbury.

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MAP to hold free screening of The Upstanders at the Brauntex Theatre

After a remarkable attendance and response to the first two films of an award-winning Mental Health trilogy, Mental Advocacy Partners (MAP) is hosting a free screening of the concluding film, The Upstanders, at the Brauntex Theatre on Monday, September 23 at 6:00 pm.

To reserve your free seat, please visit click here. 

The Upstanders is a film that is both unsettling and uplifting, prompting viewers to examine their behavior while inspiring us to do better, be better, and stand up against victimization and cyber-bullying. The 56-minute film delves deep into bullying, presenting the perspectives of bullies, their victims, and bystanders, while also opening a conversation among local families, community leaders, and experts.

The film interweaves true stories with the latest scientific and medical research, offering strategies to empower our community to stand up against bullying. Central to The Upstanders is the first-hand account of the Molak family from San Antonio, whose tragic loss inspired new legislation to turn the tide against the bullying epidemic.

“Today, with the quick push of a few buttons, the bullies have the ability to persistently harass, humiliate and degrade their peers 24/7. We are eternally grateful to the Molak family who let us document their journey, as they channeled their grief into tangible change: the creation of David’s Law,” said iNDIEFLIX Filmmaker and CEO Scilla Andreen.

As a staple in social and emotional learning programs in educational institutions worldwide, MAP recognizes the positive impact The Upstanders can have and is excited to present the free screening for our community.

“The Upstanders is an extremely revealing and influential film. The heartbreaking loss of David Molak not only shook San Antonio and the community here in New Braunfels, but it resonated across the whole country. It brought cyber-bullying to the forefront and The Upstanders further opens that crucial conversation and can educate our community about its effects, while also demonstrating how to stand up against it,” said Kristen Fain of MAP.

The screening will be followed by a presentation and discussion with local specialists, including Jennifer Nieto from Hill County, Comal County DA Jennifer Tharp, and Jennifer Kerr from David’s Law Foundation.

The free screening of The Upstanders is scheduled for Monday, September 23, at 6 pm at the Brauntex Theatre.

For more information or to watch the trailer, click here.

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The Big Give: McKenna Foundation offers Match Minutes of up to $5,000

Note: This is the final of three articles aimed at raising awareness around the impact, importance, and struggles of nonprofits in the lead-up to The Big Give on September 18-19, 2024.

The 24-hour online giving day is nearly here. The annual Big Give event, which showcases and celebrates the enormous impact of personal philanthropy, will observe its eleventh anniversary from 6:00 p.m. on September 18 to 6:00 p.m. on September 19. Early donations are now open.

As our neighbors contribute to their chosen organizations and causes, gifts of $5, $10, or more can collectively raise millions. Since its inception, The Big Give has amassed over $45 million for nonprofits across South Central Texas, all thanks to the generosity of more than 262,000 donors.

This year, the McKenna Foundation will offer Match Minutes between 8:11 am and 8:16 am on September 19. Any online donation of up to $100 made within that timeframe will be matched dollar for dollar. The matching pool is set at $5,000.

Click here to donate or to learn more.

In the wake of the pandemic, nonprofit organizations have experienced a decline in donations; faced with additional obstacles brought by inflation and presidential election years. The Big Give offers a chance to support these organizations and counteract this trend.

Individual giving remains the predominant form of philanthropy in the U.S., accounting for over 62% of all donations, totaling $374.4 billion in 2023, according to Giving USA. Nonprofit organizations also reinvest in the local economy, often more than for-profit organizations. In 2022, for example, nonprofits reinvested $68 million into our local economy.

Overall, nonprofit organizations signify a dedication to a better society; a socially and economically enhanced community. Despite the decline in charitable giving and philanthropy, they continue to push forward, allocating every last resource to the well-being of our community.

Now is your opportunity to contribute to a brighter future and counteract a trend that greatly impacts the lifeline of nonprofits. With more than 400 outstanding nonprofits to choose from, the choice is yours to determine where you want to make an impact. Your donation will be utilized effectively and in various ways, will benefit you in return.

Unsure where to begin? We suggest supporting our partners, all local to Comal County, who support our community and reinvest in our local economy.

Those eligible for the McKenna Foundation Match Minutes include: Any Baby Can, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Comal and Guadalupe Counties, 1HOPE for Kids, Project MEND, Kinetic Kids, RCBC Helping Hands Food Pantry, Friends of New Braunfels Public Library, Connections, EdenHill Communities, CASA of Central Texas, New Braunfels Christian Ministries, Comal County Habitat for Humanity, Hope Hospice, Rock Haus Foundation, Comal County Senior Citizens Foundation, and Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels, Family Life Center, CRRC of Canyon Lake, Canine Classmates, Bulverde Spring Branch Activity Center, SJRC Texas, Headwaters at the Comal, RecoveryWerks!, Chosen Care, The Salvation Army New Braunfels, New Braunfels Youth Collaborative, River City Advocacy, STEPS, Communities in Schools, NB Housing Partners, and Steve’s Pantry.

Donate here. The Foundation recommends filling out the donation form a minute or two before the start of the Match Minute window so that when time hits, donors can submit and have the best chances of being matched.

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McKenna Foundation launches early childhood care initiative

The McKenna Foundation, in collaboration with Early Matters San Antonio and the New Braunfels Economic Development Foundation, has officially launched the Path Forward for Early Learning and Care initiative following the inaugural session on August 24.

The event marked a significant milestone, uniting over 20 local childcare providers and 25 local business leaders in two separate but parallel sessions. These sessions provided a platform to voice concerns, share knowledge, and initiate the development of an improved early childhood ecosystem in New Braunfels.

In the session for providers, they were guided to posters on the walls displaying statements regarding the current state of early childcare in New Braunfels and tasked with identifying which ones resonated most with them. One of the statements that resonated most was, “The System is broken – it costs parents too much and we cannot pay educators enough.”

The numbers support this reality. In Comal County, an average of 11.5% of a family’s income is allocated to childcare, significantly surpassing the 7% threshold considered to be affordable. This was underscored by one provider who noted that a colleague could not afford childcare for their child at their center. Another highlighted that low wages are driving employees away from the sector, often to the food service or retail industries, where the pay is higher and the work less demanding.

Regarding employment, guest speaker Sara Redington of The Best Place for Working Parents highlighted to local business leaders the advantages of investing in childcare policies, noting that 83% of millennials would switch jobs for one that offers stronger family support and policies.

The assembly of childcare professionals also expressed concerns over a lack of awareness of the crucial brain development in the earliest stages of life. This topic was not only prevalent among the childcare providers but also among local business leaders who attended the corresponding session.

During the meeting with local business leaders, Pre-K 4 SA CEO Sarah Baray emphasized that 90% of brain development occurs before age five. This period is marked by a surge in synapse development, crucial for learning and memory formation. Within this realm, childcare professionals voiced concerns that their pivotal role in this stage is not widely recognized, emphasizing that they are seen as babysitters rather than educators.

Local providers further shared their worries about the increasing complexity of regulations, mandates, and certification demands. “The regulations that they have make it nearly impossible to take care of a child,” stated one local provider. Another added that we “need to find a way to regulate it without squeezing our necks.”

Mark Larson, the Executive Director of Early Matters San Antonio, supported these concerns. He noted that as of the beginning of April, only three of the 26 centers in New Braunfels will be eligible to accept scholarships and subsidies due to stringent regulations come October 2024. Specifically, centers will have to achieve a Texas Rising Star rating to receive scholarships, a process that is lengthy and expensive.

Though these initial discussions focused on brainstorming and education, they laid the groundwork for tackling the challenges faced by the early childcare sector in New Braunfels. With a draft of goals, strategies, and actions set into motion, future sessions will focus on implementing measures to advance this initiative and enhance the early childhood environment in the community.

McKenna would like to extend its gratitude to the following stakeholders and providers for sharing your expertise and perspectives in the first Path Forward for Early Learning and Care session: First Protestant School, CRRC, The Pillars Christian Learning Center, Gruene Tree Learning Center, Learning Their Way, Triple L Ranch, the Family Life Center, St. Paul Lutheran, Belong, the New Braunfels Food Bank, Ms. Debbie’s Darlings Preschool, the City of New Braunfels, and all else involved.

The next meeting is scheduled for October 5, from 10 am to 1 pm at the McKenna Events Center. If you did not attend the first session but would like to participate in the upcoming sessions, RSVP by emailing kfain@mckenna.org.