(SAN ANTONIO) – Brooks Gives Back surprised three non-profit organizations serving San Antonio’s South Side – Boys & Girls Club of San Antonio, Meals on Wheels and the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) Foundation – each with $12,500 cash awards last week as part of its annual disbursement. Brooks Gives Back – Brooks’ community-centric philanthropic organization – was established to support non-profits that serve the two zip codes on and around the Brooks campus, 78223 and 78235.
“These three organizations stood out from the more than 30 applications we received this year,” said Brooks Gives Back Chairman David Marquez. “We hope these awards help to uplift these organizations during this challenging time so that they may continue to serve youth and seniors throughout our community.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio serves more than 500 children between ages 6 and 18 in the Brooks area, annually, through a variety of after-school and summer programs. The organization aims to inspire youth to achieve their full potential in a safe, positive and engaging environment that promotes education, health and character development. Funds received from Brooks Gives Back will be utilized to fund staff focused on assisting at-risk youth and purchase program supplies.
One of the largest senior service organizations in the United States, Meals on Wheels serves 223 individuals in the 78223 zip code, its second-largest concentration of clients in a single zip code. Funding will be utilized for the organization’s Comfy Casas program, which assists Meals on Wheels clients in need of minor home improvements, enabling seniors to remain in their homes while living healthier and more independent lives.
The SAISD Foundation supports students throughout the district by raising funds to invest in the innovative ideas of teachers, campus administrators, and district leadership. Over the past three years, the SAISD Foundation has funded more than 65 educational enrichment projects in nine schools throughout the Brooks area. Brooks Gives Back funding will be utilize to support students’ continued access to online learning resources, as well as to fund “FitCycles: Biking Our Way to Active, Healthy Lifestyles” – an active healthy lifestyle initiative at CAST Med High School.
The $12,500 awards are unrestricted funds that will be used to support the organization’s programs at their discretion. Brooks Gives Back raises funds through signature events on the Brooks campus, as well as direct donations. In addition, Brooks Development Authority donates a portion of asset sales proceeds. These and other financial contributions to Brooks Gives Back are used to support meaningful growth and improvements on and around the Brooks campus.
“Each of these organizations has identified special projects and opportunities for this funding that will make a significant impact on the South Side,” said Brooks Gives Back Vice Chair Lorraine Pulido. “With many non-profit organizations facing shortages in funding and donations as a result of the global pandemic, we are thrilled to be in a position to offer some support.”
Brooks Gives Back was formed as a community-centric organization to support Brooks’ mission of promoting and developing a vibrant, sustainable mixed-use community. Brooks Gives Back’s vision is for all who live, work, learn, play and stay at Brooks to be vested in the ideals of the common good, generosity and aspirational growth for the entire Brooks family.
