September 8, 2023

Nearly half of Texas youths being treated for depression or suicidal thoughts reported at least one suicide attempt, and 90% had experienced suicidal ideation, according to a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers.

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September 8, 2023

Since its doors opened in 1993, Habitat’s impact and community reach has grown immensely, with multiple ongoing projects each year. As of now, it has built 54 homes with deserving families and repaired 154 homes in the community.

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August 31, 2023

The beginnings of an organization that would become the McKenna Foundation go back more than 70 years to a time when industry was emerging in what was a farm and ranch community and population growth prompted the need for a full-service hospital.

Two attempts in the late 1940s to establish a county-funded hospital in New Braunfels narrowly failed, but a group of business and civic leaders led by Howard McKenna didn’t give up on that vision.

The group set out to privately secure the funds to build a new hospital. Along with a host of peers, McKenna persuaded the city in 1951 to support health care for its residents by providing a site for the proposed Hospital. The city leaders and other individuals organized a fundraising effort in 1952, often going door to door to ask residents for their support.

The effort was worth it, and the vision became a reality. New Braunfelsers donated more than $500,000 for the project, equivalent to nearly $5.9 million in today’s dollars, augmented by a $280,000 Hill-Burton grant.

Construction began in October 1952, and a grand opening celebration for the new 40-bed New Braunfels Hospital took place about a year later. The original structure, which still stands as the central core of the Hospital, opened its doors to patients in November 1953.

In 1973, New Braunfels Hospital changed its name to McKenna Memorial Hospital in honor of Howard McKenna, who served as president of the Hospital’s board of trustees for more than 20 years.

The following decades brought tremendous growth to the Hospital, including several multimillion-dollar facilities and equipment expansions. What began as a small community hospital grew into a nationally recognized regional healthcare provider. The McKenna Health System found its place as a vital part of New Braunfels and Comal County, providing effective programs, services and resources benefiting the health and well-being of the community.

The hospital operated as an independent facility until 2008 when the board opted to sell McKenna Memorial Hospital to a system with resources that could expand the service line to the growing area. The sale to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care took place on January 31st of that year.

The hospital sale brought two significant benefits to the New Braunfels community: the assurance of quality health care by CHRISTUS and providing the funding to create the McKenna Foundation, whose mission is to advance the well-being of the greater New Braunfels community.

The foundation began making grants to community nonprofits in 2009 and has since awarded more than 500 grants to 85 nonprofit organizations serving local residents. Over 15 years, more than $28 million in grant funding has resulted in strengthened and new programs and nonprofit assets that bolster the strained social infrastructure of this growing community.

The foundation also continues to oversee the McKenna Events Center and the Children’s Museum which opened on April 1, 2006. Since that time, those offerings remained a community need through which McKenna has served thousands of residents as a community partner.

In the coming months, we will highlight key funding areas and projects that have come to define McKenna’s role as an advocate for those in need. Above all, the McKenna Foundation seeks to listen, learn, and love on the community with whom their journey began 70 years ago.

The community spirit first demonstrated by Howard McKenna continues to be embodied by his namesake organization that he never knew would carry on the legacy of his life’s work. Thousands in this community, including many of you, have been part of this work as hospital and foundation staff, volunteers, donors, board members and nonprofit partners. This makes us all part of the McKenna family.

Alice Jewell is the Chief Executive Officer for the McKenna Foundation whose mission is to advance the well-being of the New Braunfels community. She has been with the Foundation since its inception in 2008, and with the McKenna organization since 2006. Prior to this role, Alice served as the Foundation’s Executive Director, Director of McKenna Children’s Museum and Director of McKenna Events Center. She oversees all aspects of the grant development process, as well as the Foundation’s strategic planning and community collaborations. Alice received a BA in Communication from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Service and Administration from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

August 30, 2023: The McKenna Foundation awarded $759,852 in grant funding to 18 nonprofit organizations in Comal County in the second round of 2023 grantmaking.

The Foundation awarded a $20,000 grant to first-time recipient Acacia Medical Mission, which provides health care to uninsured and underinsured people in western Comal County through a faith-based clinic. The funding will help support a medical outreach program coordinator position who will facilitate all mobile support services to increase access to medical care and help meet the need for assistance in remote locations.

Project MEND received $15,000 to assist the organization’s mission to provide low-income persons with disabilities with refurbished, donated medical equipment and assistive technologies to enhance their independence, self-sufficiency and mobility.

The Foundation also awarded health and education grants to Any Baby Can, Bulverde Spring Branch Emergency Services, Canine Classmates, Children’s Advocacy Center of Comal County, Communities in Schools of South Central Texas, Community Action Inc. of Central Texas, Friends of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Foundation, Friends of the New Braunfels Public Library, Hill Country MHDD Centers, Kinetic Kids Inc., New Braunfels Firefighters Charity Association, RecoveryWerks!, River City Advocacy and Counseling Center, The SHARE Center, Texas Ramp Project and New Braunfels Christian Ministries.

“Access to mental and physical health care and educational opportunities are cornerstones of a person’s ability to thrive,” said McKenna Foundation CEO Alice Jewell. “Many times, nonprofits fill a gap or go the extra mile that others aren’t able to do. McKenna values programs operated by nonprofits that contribute to the community in this way, and we celebrate the creative and professional approaches they use to impact people who need help.”
Foundation board members approved the grant requests during their August meeting.

McKenna’s health and education grant portfolios are designed to fund nonprofit organizations that provide accessible care that leads to healthy bodies and minds and improves the quality of life through education and social support.

Funding areas for health grants include physical health, mental health, health care support services and access to care programs.

Funding areas for education grants include programs that provide school readiness, education access and support, after-school programs and literacy programs.

The application window for grants in the area of family relationships (child and youth development, parenting support, abuse/neglect prevention and recovery and senior services) opened on Aug. 15, with applications due Sept. 9. New and returning applicants are welcome to apply.

The Foundation accepts applications from verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving New Braunfels and Comal County residents. In addition, the Foundation maintains a geographic limitation that requires grant funds to be used for residents in Comal County.

Returning applicants can visit mckenna.org/community-partners/apply-for-a-grant for information on submitting their proposal, contact McKenna’s grant team at 830-606-9500 or email grants@mckenna.org. First-time applicants are highly encouraged to contact the grant team before starting an application.

McKenna began making grants to community nonprofits in 2009 and has since awarded about $28.4 million in grants to nonprofit organizations serving New Braunfels and Comal County residents.

So far this year, the Foundation has gifted about $1.95 million in grants to 35 nonprofit organizations in Comal County.

Contact McKenna’s grant team at 830-606-9500 or email grants@mckenna.org for more information. Visit the Foundation’s website at www.mckenna.org.

August 29, 2023: The McKenna Foundation congratulates the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung on receiving the Texas Treasure Business Award, created by the Texas Historical Commission in 2005, to pay tribute to the state’s well-established businesses that have been in continual operation for at least 50 years.

The newspaper business in New Braunfels began in 1852 with the publication of the Neu Braunfelser-Zeitung – just seven years after the city was founded. The first editor was Ferdinand J. Lindheimer, who published the newspaper for 20 years from his home, which still stands at 491 Comal Ave.

The New Braunfels Herald began publishing in 1892 in English with S.R. Whitley as the editor. In 1957, the New Braunfels Herald joined with the Neu Braunfelser-Zeitung, alternating weekly publications. The two newspapers merged in 1967 to become the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

During a devastating flood in 1998, water severely damaged the Herald-Zeitung offices, equipment and archives, but the newspaper’s publication was uninterrupted with the help of the neighboring Seguin newspaper office.

The Herald-Zeitung is one of the oldest newspapers in the state.

Comal County commissioners recognized the paper by issuing a proclamation during the Aug. 24 meeting for its “exceptional historic significance and their longevity in Comal County.”

August 17, 2023: Today is National Nonprofit Day, commemorating the Tariff Act, which the U.S. Congress signed into law in 1894. The Tariff Act taxed corporations but excluded nonprofits in honor of their unique importance and significant societal contributions. Thank you to all nonprofits for your tireless work and dedication to making a positive impact on communities and causes around the world. Sherita J. Herring, an author and respected speaker, launched National Nonprofit Day.

Locally, nonprofit organizations have shown their resilience, simultaneously facing a pandemic and an increased need for services. During the pandemic, these vital organizations generated more revenue, hired more staff and served more people with life-saving goods and services. Without them, numerous families would have been homeless, hungry and hopeless.

“Nonprofits fill a significant role in this community in helping people survive and thrive — and they do it with professionalism, utmost care and precision from both a business and emotional perspective,” said McKenna Foundation CEO Alice Jewell. “They help people, but only with the support of the community around them.”

According to a 2021 McKenna Foundation survey, local nonprofit organizations served 272,281 unique clients in 2021, an 11% increase from the 245,226 clients seen in 2019.

Local nonprofits showed a 46% increase in annual revenue between 2019 and 2021. Organizations saw a yearly revenue of $82 million in 2021. Nonprofits also experienced a 36% increase in full-time jobs, from 542 in 2019 to 738 in 2021.

Nonprofit organizations put $68 million back into the local economy in 2021, a 33% increase from 2019.

“The goal of the McKenna Foundation is to support growing and thriving nonprofits that strengthen social services for residents of New Braunfels and Comal County,” said Kristen Fain, the McKenna Foundation’s program officer. “Ultimately, we work toward a lasting impact on the lives of people in our community. People change people’s lives. The nonprofit community is strong but needs to scale up to meet growing demand. The community needs more today, so we have to invest in people for tomorrow.”

Here are some other statistics about nonprofit organizations in Texas:

— There are 140,043 organizations in Texas, according to Cause IQ. These Texas nonprofit organizations employ 917,476 people, earn more than $191 billion in revenue annually and maintain assets of $499 billion.

— Organizations with less than $1 million in revenue account for 3.4% of combined nonprofit revenues, whereas organizations in Texas with more than $100 million account for 67.2% of nonprofit earnings.

— There are 10,357 organizations in the greater San Antonio metro area, including the cities of San Antonio and New Braunfels. These San Antonio metro nonprofits employ 78,493 people, earn more than $14 billion in revenue annually and maintain assets of $31 billion.

— Churches, schools, and foundations dominate the nonprofit sector, accounting for almost 40% of all nonprofits in the United States, according to Cause IQ. After that, about 15% of organizations are classic civil, social and business engagement organizations, including little leagues, chambers of commerce and fraternal organizations. The following 7% include emergency assistance providers, residential care facilities, and other human services. Another 7% are museums, arts groups and other cultural and humanities nonprofits. The remaining types of nonprofits

— about one-third of all nonprofits — all have 4% or less of the total and include everything from unions to environmental advocacy to think tanks and civil rights.

— According to Giving USA, charitable giving by individuals, endowments, foundations and corporations in the U.S. amounted to $449.64 billion in 2019, one of the highest years ever for charitable giving.

For a nonprofit resource directory, click here.