The Mitchell Chang Foundation, named after a three-year-old boy who drowned at a swim school in 2018, mobilized the community to sew more than 7,000 masks to donate to local hospitals. We publish this compassionate news roundup every Wednesday afternoon. If you want to get the news sooner, follow us on Twitter @compassionNET1. And don’t forget to use the hashtag #compassionateSA so we can find YOUR compassionate acts!
A child holds up a thank you sign for the SAISD staff who are putting food on her table. Sweet!
Seen on KENS 5, 9 April, 2020
San Antonio school nurses head to NYC to help fight coronavirus
The Southwest ISD nurses said they felt a calling and signed up to help.
Seen on WOAI 4, 9 April, 2020
COVID-19 Response Fund grows to $3.9 million to help local nonprofits
“Our goal was to create a unified effort among donors and to deploy funds quickly to start helping those in need right away.”
Seen on Spectrum News, 9 April, 2020
Austin-Based Rapper Teams Up with San Antonio Spurs Coyote for “Hip-Hop Health PSA”
“I’ve had so many people that have messaged me like ‘yo that song is stuck in my head'”
Found in the Rivard Report, 9 April, 2020
Texas Diaper Bank Works to Meet Surge in Demand During Pandemic
The bank has seen an even sharper rise in demand for incontinence products, with a 70 percent increase.
Seen on WOAI 4, 9 April, 2020
UTSA awarded $50,000 gift from Frost over coronavirus-related hardships
It will go to 4 funds: Student Emergency Fund; Roadrunner Pantry and Whataburger Resource Room; Student Tech Fund & Fostering Educational Success Center.
Found in the Current, 9 April, 2020
Food Drive at Central Catholic High School Brings in Huge Donations
In just two hours, they were able to raise 1.178 tons of food.
Found in the Current, 9 April, 2020
Iconic San Antonio Eatery Earl Abel’s Donates Meals to Frontline Workers
R.E.A.C.H. — Ready Earl Abel’s Community Helpers — provides dinners to frontline workers. Now serving hospitals, they will start deliveries to fire stations Monday.
Found in San Antonio Magazine, 9 April, 2020
Child Abuse Is On The Rise During COVID-19. Here’s How You Can Help
If you spot a Cardboard Kid during the month of April, snap a photo and share it online by tagging @ChildSafe on social media and using the #cardboardkidssa.
Found in the Express-News, 9 April, 2020
Thousands hit hard by coronavirus pandemic’s economic fallout seek help from San Antonio Food Bank
“I wanted to get in the game, stay in the game, stay engaged,” volunteer C.J. Littlefield, 80, said. “And the good Lord says help your neighbor.”
Seen on KENS 5, 10 April, 2020
Free meals delivered to war veterans during coronavirus pandemic
They found many veterans who survived their spouses couldn’t easily cook for themselves or struggled to go to the grocery store.
Found on KSAT 12, 11 April, 2020
SA author Shea Serrano raises over $80K for San Antonio Food Bank
The effort aims to raise $100K for the food bank to help provide food for those impacted by COVID-19.
Found in the Express-News, 11 April, 2020
Shea Serrano tweet spurs $100,000 in donations to San Antonio Food Bank
“That’s how we operate — everybody just pitches in what they can and all of a sudden we have a big pile of money.”
Found in the Express-news, 11 April, 2020
Closed for coronavirus and teaching remotely, San Antonio schools hunt for missing students
“So much of touching base with our families and our kids is to make sure that our students are well, in addition to learning. The untouched students are likely some of our most needy students.”
Seen on FOX 29, 2 April, 2020
Here’s a great, free tool used to connect you with compassionate resources in San Antonio
SACRD’s only mission is to identify, research and document compassionate services, and then to make sure those programs are easy to find.
Seen on KENS 5, 11 April, 2020
Med students want your trash to transform into life-saving treasures
The group has been collecting items many might be throwing away and transforming those items into PPE, like masks and protective face shields.
Seen on KENS 5, 11 April, 2020
Feeding those on the front lines against the coronavirus
“We kind of had an idea last week to connect with Cruising Kitchens and bring the mother of all food trucks out here and give back to those who are giving so much to us, to bless those who are blessing us by working so hard on the front lines.”
Heard on Texas Public Radio, 11 April, 2020
Stuck At Home With Perpetrators, Domestic Violence Survivors Struggle To Seek Help
Mayor Nirenberg: “There is no circumstance where the need for domestic violence services is going to be reduced in a crisis,” he said, “so we’re going to figure out a way to make sure that those services are intact.”
Visto en Univision 41, 11 de abril 2020
Escasean las pañales de bebés en Texas, pero estas organizaciones pueden ayudarle [Baby diapers are scarce in Texas, but these organizations can help you]
Según estadísticas del Banco de Pañales en Texas, 1 de cada 3 familias no tiene acceso a un suministro adecuado de pañales. [According to statistics from the Texas Diaper Bank, 1 in 3 families does not have access to an adequate supply of diapers.]
Visto en Telemundo 60, 11 de abril 2020
Lanzan línea directa para ayudar a personas sin hogar [Hotline launched to help homeless people]
A partir de este viernes, la gente puede llamar al 210-207-1799 para recibir consejería y conocer las herramientas disponibles si se encuentra desamparada. [Starting Friday, people can call 210-207-1799 for counseling and to learn about available tools if they need assistance.]
Found in the Express-News, 11 April, 2020
Coronavirus hurting low-wage workers the most
For lower-wage earners across the city, the story is largely the same: They were barely getting by before the virus upended their lives. Now they must rely on any help they can find.
Found in the Express-News, 12 April, 2020
Don’t settle for a return to the old normal
Why would we settle for returning to this normal, when we should focus our energy on eliminating the digital divide, reducing our poverty rate, boosting quality education and revamping workforce training?
Found in the Express-News, 13 April, 2020
Food distributor continues father’s legacy of charity across San Antonio
“The No. 1 commodity missing in society today is love. I truly believe love is the fuel that can bring about change and hope, but you have to unleash it.”
Found in the Express-News, 13 April, 2020
San Antonio Oasis creates program to check on seniors’ welfare
Though the headquarters is locked because of the coronavrius pandemic and participants can’t visit in person, the nonprofit has had volunteers reaching out to the more than 3,000 Oasis members to let them know they’re not forgotten.
Seen on WOAI 4, 13 April, 2020
San Antonio Food Bank CEO talks struggle of feeding 120K people with Today Show
“All of my peers in other cities are struggling to have enough food to meet the need of that line.”
Seen on KENS 5, 13 April, 2020
San Antonio justice shares her personal battle against coronavirus during children’s town hall
“We can do our best to try to be creative, to empower one another and to enjoy the time we do get to spend together.”
Found on KSAT 12, 13 April, 2020
Mayor Nirenberg, Justice Chapa host children’s town hall, answer questions on COVID-19
‘While this is something we need to take seriously, we don’t need to be afraid.’
Found in the Express-News, 13 April, 2020
Mayor seeks to ease San Antonio children’s fears about COVID-19
“Our city will be so much safer, cleaner and healthier because of what we have learned and what we will learn in the coming days.”
Found in the Rivard Report, 13 April, 2020
Kids Ask ‘Mayor Ron’ About Coronavirus in Town Hall Livestream
“Kids have to work together, siblings have to work together like they’ve never had before.”
Found in the Express-News, 14 April. 2020
San Antonio peer support counselor offers first responders help via virtual conferences
“Hopefully by what we’re doing now it prevents significant stress reactions, post traumatic stress and individuals becoming depressed and anxious about the situation.”
Found on WOAI 4, 13 April, 2020
Local African-American community reeling from high COVID-19 numbers
African-Americans make up about seven percent of our population but we’re seeing closer to 14 percent being affected. It’s not just about individuals. Its about systems.
Found in the Express-News, 14 April, 2020
San Antonio nurse heads to coronavirus front lines in New York City
“I’m not scared. I’m not sad. People are like, ‘Why?’ and I say, ‘Why not? I’m a nurse for a reason.’”
Found in the Express-News, 14 April, 2020
We need to end the gaping digital divide
“We are dealing with potentially huge disparities in learning, as well as social and health services, for no other reason than differences in access to broadband internet at home.”
Seen on KSAT 12, 13 April, 2020
Homeless Connections Hotline becomes lifeline for those without shelter
‘It’s a vulnerable population that we want to ensure stays healthy and also has their basic needs met.’
Found in the Express-News, 15 April, 2020
Spurs’ Popovich inspires weary San Antonio Food Bank staff
“He told them some stories about some tough games and how to get through a crisis.”
See on KSAT 12, 14 April, 2020
Tens of thousands of vulnerable San Antonio residents don’t have internet access. How do they get COVID-19 information?
‘This disease is hurting our communities of color in disproportionate ways,’ said the Metro Health director.
Found on NOWCastSA, 13 April, 2020
18 More Ways You Can Find Help or Be a Helper
More and more businesses, individuals and organizations are heeding the call to help in COVID-19 outbreak recovery efforts.
Found in the Express-News, 15 April, 2020
Local company makes $50,000 donation to hard-hit San Antonio Food Bank
The SWBC — a San Antonio-based financial services company — gave $50,000 to the food bank as a way to help “feed our neighbors in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Found in the Express-News, 15 April, 2020
At-risk homeless get 3-star treatment at empty hotel, helping decrease spread of deadly virus
In addition, other now-empty San Antonio hotels are being used as isolation care facilities, meaning a place to quarantine people — both homeless and the general public — who test positive for COVID-19 and need a place to self-isolate, but do not have a home or need an area separate from their family or roommates.
Found in the Express-News, 15 April, 2020
COPS/Metro proposes sweeping late-fee protections for renters
For out-of-work tenants currently faced with the cruel choice of purchasing food for their family or paying the rent, the threat of a late fee is too much to bear.
Found in the Express-News, 15 April, 2020
San Antonio Food Bank trims request for badly needed aid to boost its chances of approval
The Food Bank received more than $750,000 in donations over the weekend. Truckloads of food have also poured in from H-E-B, Labatt Foods, Ben E. Keith Foods, Sysco and NatureSweet.
Seen on KENS 5, 15 April, 2020
Toyota provides first responders with face shields amid coronavirus crisis
The face shields are being produced at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas plant on San Antonio’s south side.
Seen on KSAT 12, 15 April, 2020
Face shields produced at SA Toyota plant distributed to first responders
With truck production halted, staff will make about 75K shields in April.
Seen on KSAT 12, 15 April, 2020
Local church continues to feed hungry during pandemic
Resurrection United Methodist reopened monthly food pantry.
Seen on WOAI 4, 15 April, 2020
Local Pastor using money raised through church to give back
Community Bible Church will buy gift cards to restaurants and businesses who have been struggling and then give those gift cards to medical workers and first responders.
Seen on WOAI 4, 15 April, 2020
VIA partners with SAHA, SAISD, City and Northside ISD to tackle digital divide
The service provides mobile Wi-Fi to students using VIAtrans van equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi networks.
Found in La Prensa Texas, 15 April, 2020
Please join us in thanking San Antonio’s frontline service providers and essential workers
The United Way site helps you create your own virtual greeting card, video or photo for those sacrificing to keep our community strong, including: healthcare professionals, first responders, teachers and education leaders, grocery and food service workers, researchers and scientists, small business employees, and childcare staff members.
Found in the Observer, 14 April, 2020
Mayor Ron Nirenberg and The San Antonio Observer tackle emerging Coronavirus attacks on communities of color and underserved populations
“I am not looking for San Antonio to return to the way things were. I am looking for San Antonio to get through this ordeal by making strides to remove the systemic injustices of the past.”
