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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.