The Children First campaign, organized by the Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio, received a grant for $15,000 from the San Antonio Area Foundation. Photo provided

SAN ANTONIO • Grants to help strengthen the capacity of nonprofit agencies researching cancer therapies, enriching schoolroom curriculum with the arts, and increasing nutritional and health-care for low-income and senior citizens are among the 140 programs receiving funding from the San Antonio Area Foundation.

A leader in community philanthropy for over 44 years, the Area Foundation recently announced $2,274,065 million in grant awards to 121 nonprofit groups serving San Antonio and South Texas.

Twenty-seven agencies received funding for programs dedicated to education. Providence Catholic School plans to use their grant to aid young women in need of tuition assistance.

“Providence is grateful to the San Antonio Area Foundation for its support through the years to the school and especially for the generous award this year for tuition scholarships,” explained Anne Bristol, president. “This gift provides assistance for students who would otherwise not be able to attend our school. Your gift will be life changing as these young women will have the opportunities to achieve success in our academically rigorous college prep program. From here they will go on to study at the college of their choice and become strong women leaders in our community.

Early childhood education is the focus of the Children First campaign, organized by the Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio. Dianne O. McAlister, director of development, explained how their Area Foundation grant will ensure hundreds of children from low-income families receive a superior educational beginning. “We realize many of these infants, toddlers, and pre-school children may experience learning obstacles. Given an early solid start on education, these children can enter kindergarten on the same level as their classmates from more economically secure families.”

“Through the generosity and vision of area donors who partner with us in their charitable giving, the San Antonio Area Foundation successfully addresses many of the community’s most challenging educational issues,” said Reggie Williams, president and CEO of the Area Foundation. “Since its inception in 1964, the Area Foundation has funded a diverse range of programs encouraging innovative educational opportunities. We’re proud to support an array of coordinated action plans designed to fulfill the needs of children and youth.” This year, the Area Foundation received 68 education applications totaling over $1.5 million in requests and 53 children and youth applications totaling $1.1 million in requests.

“The volunteer education Community Advisory Committee and volunteer children and youth Community Advisory Committee did an outstanding job selecting the 2008 grant recipients,” explained Joe Lozano, chair of the San Antonio Area Foundation Board of Directors. “Understanding the need was greater than these funds, these dedicated community leaders spent considerable time to thoughtfully evaluate each individual application. We appreciate their time and service to this difficult decision-making process. Because of their good work, the Area Foundation can continue its mission to ‘help donors achieve their charitable goals for the greater benefit of the community.’”

More information is available on the Area Foundation’s Web site: www.saafdn.org.

2008 GRANT AWARDS FOR
CATHOLIC ORGANIZATIONS

Eleven Catholic organizations received grants for $107,632.

• Seton Home — $11,000
• Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio — $15,000
• Benedictine Ministries Corporation — $4,882
• Merced Housing Texas — $15,000
• Archdiocese of San Antonio Catholic Charities — $5,100
• St. Mary’s University — $14,450
• Providence Catholic School — $10,000
• Oblate School of Theology — $5,000
• St. John Berchmans School — $8,000
• Our Lady of the Lake University — $10,700
• Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital Foundation — $7,500