The Big Give San Antonio is an annual event to raise public awareness of the value of supporting local nonprofits. It also stimulates nonprofit organizations to hold events and find other creative ways to reach and mobilize their stakeholders. This year’s Big Give SA is happening on March 22, 2018 from midnight to midnight; more information in the FAQ. Many public charter schools and other education nonprofits are participating in this year. I hope you will give special attention to the organizations listed here.
What difference can the Big Give make for a nonprofit organization in San Antonio? I checked in with a few leaders to get their insights.
Youth Code Jam invites students to experience STEM in a fun, challenging way. Founder Debi Pfitzenmaier described the Big Give as “an opportunity to give back to the organizations that make an impact in our community.” This earlier post tells about my kids’ experience at a Youth Code Jam event. (Photo credit: Kara Gomez, Open Book Studios)
Chawanna Chambers, Ph.D., founder of Single Seed Enrichment School, Inc., a proposed public charter school, said that the “Big Give SA is important for Single Seed because we’re hoping to expand our free tutoring program so that more children who need assistance will have an opportunity to attend. Additionally, we’re looking to launch a series of free workshops for teens and preteens. These workshops would provide them with practical lessons on financial literacy, goal setting and other important life skills.” Read more in this earlier post about their proposed school model.
Teach For America—San Antonio has been bringing high performing leaders to work in San Antonio’s urban core classrooms since 2010. The TFA commitment last for two years, but according to Tiffany O’Neill, Managing Director, Strategy, Talent, and Operations for TFA-SA, 60 percent of San Antonio TFA teachers stay in their placement classrooms for a third year and 80 percent stay to work at other levels of the education ecosystem (principals, non profits, etc.). All in all, 85 percent of the leaders they bring to the Alamo City stay here and call it home. TFA-SA plans to use contributions from the Big Give to strengthen its alumni strategy, supporting the TFA alumni who are already doing great work in education in San Antonio, and attracting TFA alumni from other cities to come here. TFA-SA has challenge grant funds from Broadway Bank and Shiner Beer, and is planning a happy hour at Fresca from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to thank donors and hand out Fiesta medals.
Charter Schools in the Big Give San Antonio
- BASIS Texas
- Compass Rose Academy
- Great Hearts Texas
- KIPP San Antonio Public Schools
- New Frontiers Public Schools
- Promesa Academy, Inc., a proposed charter school in the application stage
- ResponsiveEd Foundation including Foundation School for Autism, Founders Classical Academy of Schertz, Heritage Academy, LEEP Dual Language Academies, Premier High School San Antonio East, Premier High School San Antonio West, and Texas Virtual Academy
- School of Science and Technology Regional Office (also SST Alamo and SST Alumni Association)
- Single Seed Enrichment School, Inc., a proposed charter school in the application stage
Education Nonprofits in the Big Give San Antonio
- 100 Black Men of San Antonio, Inc.
- Autism Community Network
- Autism Treatment Center
- AVANCE – San Antonio, Inc.
- Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, child development center and Por Vida Academy charter high school
- Brighton Center
- City Year San Antonio
- Communities In Schools of San Antonio
- Communities In Schools South Central Texas (Comal and Guadalupe Counties)
- Daedalian Foundation, Randolph AFB, Texas
- The DoSeum, Little Doers
- Girls Inc. of San Antonio
- Greater San Antonio After-School All-Stars, in San Antonio ISD and Edgewood ISD schools
- Healy-Murphy Center
- HIS Bridge Builders—San Antonio
- MEYO
- Parent/Child Incorporated (PCI) of San Antonio & Bexar County, Head Start
- P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar County
- SA Youth
- San Antonio Youth Literacy – SAYL
- San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio Zoo School
- SRG Force Sports
- St. Paul Lutheran Child Development Center, Inc.
- Teach For America—San Antonio
- Youth Code Jam
- WEX Foundation
Private Schools in the Big Give San Antonio
- The Atonement Academy
- Blessed Sacrament Academy
- Buckner Fanning School at Mission Springs
- The Circle School
- Colonial Hills United Methodist School – CHUMS
- Heritage School, Fredericksburg, Texas
- Hill Country Montessori School, Boerne
- Holy Cross of San Antonio
- Incarnate Word High School
- Keystone School
- Legacy Christian Academy
- Little Flower Catholic School
- Monte Vista Montessori
- Mount Sacred Heart School
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School, Selma, Texas
- Our Lady of the Hills, Kerrville, Texas
- Providence Catholic School
- River City Believers Academy, Selma, Texas
- Scenic Hills Christian Academy
- Seguin Christian Academy, Seguin, Texas
- Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran School & Childcare
- St. Anthony Catholic School (grades PK–8)
- St. Anthony Catholic High School (grades 9–12)
- St. Gregory the Great Catholic School
- St. John Bosco Catholic School
- St. Leo the Great Catholic School
- St. Louis Catholic School, Castroville, Texas
- St. Luke’s Episcopal School
- St. Mary’s Catholic School, Fredericksburg, Texas
- St. Matthew Catholic School
- Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children
- The Winston School San Antonio
Traditional Public Schools in the Big Give San Antonio
- Alamo Heights School Foundation
- Bexar County School Board Coalition (Go Public)
- East Central School Foundation, Inc.
- Floresville ISD Education Foundation
- Karnes City ISD Education Foundation
- Lasso Alumni Association, Jefferson High School in San Antonio ISD
- Leadership SAISD
- Lee Campus PTSA
- Lytle Education Foundation
- Nimitz Middle School/STEM Academy PTA
- North East Educational Foundation
- Pleasanton ISD Education Foundation
- Poth Education Foundation
- SAISD Foundation
- Somerset ISD Education Foundation
As you make your gifts during the Big Give San Antonio 2018, I hope that you include some of these education nonprofits, including public charter schools, private schools, and traditional public school districts.