Creating a world-class park in San Antonio

One of the best parts of Shannon Perry’s job is when she sees children leaving a show at the Magik Theater. As soon as they turn to see Yanaguana Garden at Hemisfair, their eyes get bigger, their jaws drop and they start running with joy toward the colorful, vibrant playground next door.  

“That never gets old,” she said. “I love seeing the faces of those kids.”

Creating better leaders through coaching

Carissa was training a group to go into rural areas and teach others when she had an aha moment.

“For me it was a life-changing moment of realizing this is what I want to be about, equipping the leaders who are going to go out and make an impact in their sphere,” she said. “I really view that as my purpose.”

Supporting moms and families

When Tia Gibson’s younger brother died tragically, she was lost in grief. 
“I didn’t realize how deep-rooted it was. I didn’t know how to deal with it, but I knew I still had my children to take care of,” Gibson said. “I decided I needed to do something that would allow me to feel again and to live out his legacy.”

That’s when she decided to start Monster Moms…

Pairing young people with caring mentors

Gable Crowder learned early on the difference having a positive role model makes in a kid’s life. Growing up in the projects of Baltimore, he was the only kid he knew who had a father at home…

Helping children with disabilities soar

SVPSA Partner Sharon Krietzburg never intended to be the executive director of a nonprofit. She was working part-time for one when the founders decided to shut it down. Krietzburg, now fully committed to the mission, decided to continue the work she was passionate about: providing once-in-a-lifetime vacations to San Antonio for children with disabilities and their families from all over the U.S.

Catchafire program surpasses $1.6 million in value

Investing in measurable impact is a core value of Social Venture Partners. This is why we fund programs like Catchafire that enable nonprofits to do more, and to increase their skill levels. As of today, nonprofits across the region have received $1,663,749 in value from pro-bono professionals who volunteer their time on the Catchafire portal. This is thanks to a collaborative of … Read More

Advancing and engaging people with disabilities

Melanie Cawthon was working with people with intellectual disabilities when she discovered her calling. She saw that while many organizations exist to help people with specific disabilities, a person or their caregiver dealing with multiple disabilities would need to find three, four or more different agencies to get assistance. The city needed a unified community of service providers. That insight … Read More

A life of faith, community and service

For SVPSA Partner and Board Member Ed Pope, the concept of helping others is woven into everything he does. It’s part of the reason he founded his technology company, DigitalGenetix, which not only helps nonprofits and churches with their digital needs, but also helps support Pope’s charitable giving.  

A new generation of philanthropy

Garrett Brown

At 35, Garrett Brown is among the youngest SVPSA Partners, which gives him a unique perspective on engaging the next generation of philanthropists. He also has more than a decade of experience in recruiting millennial leaders to serve in community. Garrett shares some things he has learned with SVPSA.

While he believes younger professionals have a strong desire to serve, they don’t always understand the need in their communities. The key is telling a story effectively, and use appropriate communication channels to let them know what’s happening close to home, Brown said.
While he believes younger professionals have a desire to serve, they don’t always understand the need in their communities. The key is using their communication channels to let them know what’s happening close to home, Brown said.

SVPSA Founder Helmle receives Governor’s Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award

Harriet Helmle Texas Volunteer Award

Harriet Marmon Helmle, a founding partner and first Executive Director of Social Venture Partners San Antonio, was recently recognized for her lifetime of exemplary service at the 39th annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards. Helmle is a financial advisor of new client relationships for CAPTRUST, financial advisory firm in San Antonio.

Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott announced Helmle’s award for the Governor’s Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award on Feb. 2 at the Texas Governor’s Mansion.