These are the stories of volunteers who share their time and energy to assist us in providing hope to the less fortunate here in our community.
We at SAMMinistries were honored to nominate the following individuals, congregations and organizations for services performed above and beyond in 2007
Volunteer of the Year Awards (VOYA) nominees
| Large Corporation - AT&T Pioneer Volunteers, The AT&T Pioneer Volunteers are members of the TelecomPioneers |
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TelecomPioneers is the largest industry-related volunteer organization in the world, with chapters located the United States and Canada. Founded in 1911, TelecomPioneers, formerly known as the Telephone Pioneers of America, is comprised of nearly 620,000 current and retired telecommunications employees who have joined together to make their communities better places in which to live and work. In San Antonio,over 5,000 active and retired |
employees of AT&T are members of the Pioneers. Every day, an AT&T Pioneer is volunteering their time and talent to a community agency, shelter for the homeless, public school mentoring program, environmental project, or senior citizen service project, to name just a few.
The Pioneers have been instrumental in supporting SAMMinistries through volunteering their time in acquiring and delivering back to school supplies for our children. Each year this team hosts bringing in the spirit of the Christmas by uniting with our guests and residents to decorate their facilities. |
| Mayors Youth Award Individual - Sarah Bachman |
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Sarah has worked in several areas of the SAMMinistries Emergency Shelter. She has volunteered in the property room, women’s dorm and on the family floor. Sarah also assists with the church service and helps serve the meals provided to those who attend the service. She shares that she found her niche working with the children on the family floor. Both she and her mom worked in the playroom with the kids, once just supervising and playing with them, then the next month they brought in paper, stamps and ink, stickers and markers and made Valentine's Day cards. This was very well received by the children which gave her the idea of organizing some craft nights for them while their parents were at a parenting class at the center. Sarah arranged to offer two craft nights where they do projects that the children are able to keep. They do modeling clay, jewelry making, and paper crafts. |
Sarah gathers the supplies, organizes the activity, recruits and supervises other volunteers, helps the kids with their projects and cleans up afterward. Sarah also continues to keep her commitment of volunteering on the first Friday of each month. In addition Sarah has organized a kids’ supply drive (diapers, wipes, bottles, etc.) through her church. She had a collection box there for one month of which she gathered up, sorted through and delivered enough items to fill the back of her mom's van.
Sarah hopes that she has made a positive impact, however small, on their lives. |
| Nonprofit Faith-based Service Organization - Door, Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection |
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DOOR is an organization devoted to serve groups and individuals in missions, service and learning experiences. DOOR helps groups see the face of God in the city. Through weeks and weekends in the city, participants immerse themselves in urban life and serve in community-based ministries. “DOOR exists to challenge individuals to consider ministry and service an essential, daily part of living out their authentic Christian faith.” DOOR volunteers do a wide variety of volunteer work at SAMMinistries. They have helped with sorting and organizing donations at the Emergency Shelter, |
cleaning and organizing the warehouse, cleaning and putting furniture together at Furniture for a Cause, and working with children and on cleaning tasks at the Transitional Living and Learning Center. |
| Governor's GVA Lonestar Achievement Award Nominee - Tabitha DeGruy |
Tabitha DeGruy was born in New Orleans, La. The first three years of her life were spent living in Children's Hospital due to her birth abnormalities. She was born without a right arm and at nine months old, her right leg had to be amputated. Her left arm is half the normal length, but none of this has ever STOPPED her. Tabitha’s family raised her just as any other kid in their family. The labels cripple or handicapped were never used to describe her...EVER!
Tabitha started her organization in 1992; called "The Second Wind Club." Her main focus at that time was helping homeless shelters and sending poetry cards to Children's Hospitals for their patients. During these fifteen years she’s been excited, thrilled, and discouraged to the point of giving up. In 2005 hurricane Katrina came and relocated Tabitha to Texas. Tabitha shared that although the experience was HORRIBLE, it turned out to be a true blessing for her in the end. She sat down with her daughter and came to the conclusion that she would no longer allow the lack of compassion of others stop her from doing what she was destined to do. After a few hours Tabitha had a new name for her organization and an entirely new game plan.
Not long after that they geared the organization to create gift bags and gift boxes for all ill children and for children living in homeless shelters (such as SAMMinistries). Tabitha shared that her life has been a truly blessed one and it's only fitting that she share her blessings with others. |
| USAA Volunteer of the Year Nominee - Juan Slois |
The fourth Thursday of every month, even during the holidays, Mr. Solis and his volunteer team, "Holy Spirit on Fire Band and Singers", come and grace SAMMinistries guests with readings, meditations, soulful singing and praise. The preparation begins at 5:30 p.m. by gathering the readings and music to be shared during this time of worship with the guests. The special worship and praise service begins at 7:30 pm. Through the music and praise our guests have the opportunity to experience a time of spiritual nurturing and rest. The guests seem to forget, even for just an hour, their daily struggles and challenges. They are able to focus on the spirit which renews their hope and strength for tomorrow. The benefits are to numerous to share. Scripture readings and music positively impact the entire facility. There is no way to describe how important it is to unite in singing, praise and a comforting spirit as the problems of life seem to melt away. After the readings and singing Juan and his team offers prayer to individuals who have a special need and this is a time that miracles begin to happen. Mr. Solis's group always has a full attendance even during the times of sporting events shown on the TV. He and his ministry impacts lives greatly for those who are in a time of transition in their lives.
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AFP National Philanthropy Day Awards Nominees
| Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business Nominee - Physician Sales and Services, Rick Graham |
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Physician Sales & Service, Inc. was founded in 1983 and based in Jacksonville, FL. with a mission to fulfill the inventory needs of office-based physicians by providing unique and innovative services. The key belief of this organization is “The customer is everything”. Rick Graham the Director of Operations here in the community of San Antonio has incorporated this belief to include an outreach effort dedicated to doing everything his staff can to meet the needs of those who may be in a difficult time of transition in their lives. |
To accomplish his vision he has partnered with SAMMinistries. We are honored to nominate Physician Sales and Services as an outstanding philanthropic small business based on their tireless efforts and dedication of directly supporting us. Each year they sponsor the Thanksgiving dinner for approximately 200 residents at the Transitional Living and Learning Center. Over the past two years this small business has donated these meals with a combined valued amount of over $1300.00. Each year they conduct a nonperishable food drive. Last year the food drive donations held Oct 1-Nov 30, 2007 were valued at over $10,000. In addition, they also donated 2 new microwaves and a variety of baby items. Many of our families in transition are on restricted incomes or attending school full-time therefore we evaluate each families needs and distribute the food collected accordingly. This small business donor presented close to $5,000 in basic needs for Christmas gifts for the guests residing at the Emergency Shelter. Within a 3-month time span in 2006 and 2007 their staff of 55 employees donated well over 500 volunteer hours and served over 400 individuals at SAMMinistries. |
| Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy - Jonathan Becker |
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Jonathan Becker (pictured left) found his inspiration in a Five Star Cleaners commercial. While watching a local new station, Jonathan saw Robert Horry of the San Antonio Spurs campaigning as the Honorary Chairperson for the Cold Days Warm Hearts Winter Coat Drive. Jonathan immediately began a drive collecting coats at school and from family members.
Jonathan worked with his principal to have posters hung
thoughout the school as well as advertise the drive in the
school's weekly news bulletin. Jonathan’s parents
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supported his endeavor by helping to create donation boxes to place around the school and driving him back and forth to the Five Star Cleaners to drop off the coats. In the beginning Jonathan only expected to collect about 30 coats, but his selfless efforts more than doubled his expectations with a donation of 70 coats.
Jonathan is 13 year old, 7th grade honor roll student at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran School. He is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, tutors a neighborhood friend, and enjoys doing homework and playing sports. Jonathan volunteers with other organizations, including First Baptist Church Kingsville and the Santé Fe Boys and Girls Clubs, to help clean, pickup rocks, provide meals, and help with arts and crafts projects. Here in San Antonio, he is looking for a summer project where he can help cleanup graffiti and litter. |
United Way 2007 Volunteer of the Year Award Winners
| Unsung Hero Award - Angie Ellis |
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Through her 62 years of volunteer service, Angie Ellis has improved the quality of life from the very young to the elderly. Her efforts have provided a better life for orphaned children, military personnel, families and patients with HIV, and the homeless. In 1939, Ellis worked along side her mother in providing food to people in their small town during the Depression. In 1942, she began volunteering at Brook General Hospital (now Brook |
Army Medical Center.) Serving the Children’s Service Bureau for 20 years, she worked to promote awareness about orphaned children in San Antonio. Preserving the heritage and beauty of San Antonio was part of her 43 years of volunteer service to the San Antonio Conservation Society.
For the past 55 years, Ellis has served as the key contact with the Mary Martha Guild of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, helping others with shopping, doctors appointments, and making final life decisions. She is also a member of her church’s “Night Team” SAMMinistries shelter. As a volunteer for the local cancer drive for the last 10 years, Ellis personalizes “luminaries” with the name of the loved one who lost his cancer battle. Passionately drawn to volunteering, Ellis says, “People in need are beaten down. It is not for us to judge. We should treat them with compassion and respect that is free of judgment and ridicule." |
| Family in Service / Civilian - The Archey Family |
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Alex and Sandra Archey are committed to volunteering for SAMMinistries. In fact, all of their adopted children have experienced homelessness in their lives. Their first adopted son was abandoned at birth. Then they adopted two foster girls who had been homeless because of physical abuse, neglect, and domestic violence in their home. Next, the Archey’s opened their home to a foster youth on his 18th birthday because he had no family and |
was going to be dropped off at a homeless shelter. By working with SAMMinistries, the Archeys believe they can help combat the ever-increasing population of foster youth who turn into homeless adults. They want to work with SAMMinistries because they know that if families receive help and support when times are tough, they can be saved and suffering prevented. “We wish everyone could see the determination, motivation, and ingenuity of SAMMinistries residents. We have been overwhelmed by their mutual support and encouragement of one another. It has been a privilege for our family to be involved,” said Alex Archey.
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| Small Business Award - Physician Sales and Service |
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The 55 employees of Physician Sales and Service donated a total of 500 volunteer hours and served over 400 individuals at SAMMinistries in 2006. They collected and delivered 4,475 cans of food for the residents at the Transitional Living and Learning Center, provided a meal for 200 residents at Thanksgiving, and presented nearly $5,000 in basic-need Christmas gifts (toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, socks,) for guests at a local shelter. |
The company’s staff, nearly 100 of its customers, and eight manufacturers worked together to volunteer and donate services. To Physician Sales and Service employees, volunteerism is not about being in the limelight; it’s about elevating the awareness of community needs. "A take away for me would be instilling in my one year old son the courage it takes for a family to walk through the door at SAMMinistries--how hard it would be for a father to look at his son and not be able to provide for him," said Rick Graham of Physicians Sales and Service. “We are excited and determined to make a difference in the future.” |
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