“ Giving is better than receiving and if you can help, even a little, that is better than not giving at all. Several small ripples can unite to create a big wave.” Noemi Zapata Texas Commission on Environmental Quality irectory of Charities of irectory D OUR COMMUNITY “ CHARITIES CANNOT CONTINUE THEIR WORK WITHOUT OUR SUPPORT. “ So they’ll THEY NEED US AS MUCH never know AS WE NEED THEM.” Dr. Minita Ramirez hunger.” Texas A&M International University Maria Reyna Hernandez Healthy Texas Women’s Program – HHSC WHY DO YOU GIVE? #secctx reason for our giv y in er g v ... te a h w thank you! TABLE OF CONTENTS : 2020 General information about the SECC ....................2 Benefits of payroll deduction ................................4 Giving guide: what will my gift provide? ..............4 A case for leadership giving ...................................5 2019 SECC leadership givers ................................6 2019 SECC award winners ................................. 10 Charitable listing content explained ................ 10 How to give to another region in Texas ............. 10 LOCAL LISTINGS: ** ** (each area’s listings are preceded by its LEC roster) STATEWIDE LISTINGS: ABC – America’s Best Charities .................... 62 Amarillo ........................................................... 12 America’s Charities ........................................ 65 Brazos Valley .................................................. 14 Assistance to Domestic Victims Capital Area ..................................................... 16 of Human Trafficking ................................ 65 Coastal Bend .................................................. 20 Community Health Charities ........................ 65 DFW Metroplex ............................................... 22 EarthShare of Texas ...................................... 66 East Texas ....................................................... 26 Fund for Veterans’ Assistance ..................... 67 El Paso ............................................................ 28 Global Impact ................................................ 67 Galveston ........................................................ 30 Local Independent Charities of Texas ........ 68 Greater West Texas........................................ 32 Neighbor to Nation ........................................ 69 Houston........................................................... 34 Save Texas History ........................................ 69 Laredo ............................................................. 38 Texas Adopt-A-Beach .................................... 69 North Texas ..................................................... 40 Texas Match the Promise Foundation ........ 69 Rio Grande Valley ........................................... 44 Texas State History Museum ....................... 69 San Antonio ..................................................... 46 South Plains .................................................... 52 ................................................................ 70 Texas Pine Belt ............................................... 56 INDEX Waco ................................................................ 58 2 S What is the SECC? The State Employee Charitable Campaign is the only statutorily-authorized workplace campaign for state agency and higher education employees in Texas. Thanks to legislation that created the SECC in 1993, employees of state agencies, junior and community colleges, universities, and retirees throughout Texas enjoy the benefit of giving to many of their favorite charities through an annual workplace giving campaign which features the convenience of payroll deduction. State of Texas employees have contributed $189.75 MILLION through the SECC since its inception in 1993, providing aid to their family, friends, neighbors, and countless others in need across our state. It’s not hard to understand why employees of the how does it work? Each fall, you get the opportunity to learn about the charities in the SECC, choose which Friendship State have ones you want to help, and then fill out a pledge form to indicate how much you wish responded enthusiastically to donate to which groups. Your gift can be deducted from each paycheck beginning to the SECC since 1993: the next calendar year or you can make a one-time gift by cash or check. • Our contributions help The campaign runs annually, September through October. improve the quality During this time period, you can expect to receive information about this year’s SECC of life for people in charities and a pledge form. This directory provides information on all the charities in communities locally, the campaign — a great resource not only for helping you make your choices, but also for finding help if you need it yourself. across the country, and around the world. what charities are involved? • The annual, statewide One of the great benefits of the SECC is the wide variety of charities and causes campaign supports a represented; there is something for everyone. They range in scope from small, local variety of vital health grassroots organizations, to well-known national and international groups. All charities and human services. that wish to participate must meet stringent legal requirements and then be scrutinized by committees of state employees to ensure: • It’s an easy, effective and cost-efficient way • They are recognized by the IRS as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to give to charities. and registered with the Secretary of State. • They are audited (or reviewed) annually by an accountant in accordance • All charities in the with generally-accepted auditing standards. campaign must meet • They provide direct or indirect health and human services. strict eligibility criteria. • They spend no more than 25 percent of funds raised on administration. S 3 who governs and runs the SECC? why should I give? Committees of state employees govern the SECC at two levels — statewide and locally. They ensure the campaign is conducted fairly and equitably under a strict • To support a favorite cause set of guidelines that give donors confidence in both the charities that benefit and the methods used to solicit. or charity on a regular basis. At the state level … A committee of state employees called the State • To help family, friends, Policy Committee (SPC) provides governance and oversight. Three members and neighbors in need. are appointed by the Governor and three each by the Lieutenant Governor and the Comptroller of Public Accounts. The SPC is responsible for a campaign • It’s the right thing to do. plan, a budget, and ensuring the eligibility of statewide organizations. The • It will make you feel great. SPC also hires a State Campaign Manager (SCM) to administer the campaign. • When lots of people give At the local level … Local employee committees (LECs) provide similar oversight. The SPC appoints the LEC chair and committee, which a little, it adds up to a lot! then recommends a local campaign manager (LCM) to the SPC to administer the campaign locally. how are funds distributed? Contributions made by state agency employees are distributed by the State Comptroller to participating federations, who then send the funds along to their members. Each university distributes funds to federations through its own payroll system. At the local level, the Local Campaign Managers distribute the funds the same way. But because it is almost impossible to account for donations lost through such things as an employee leaving or transferring, a percentage method is used to distribute funds. At the end of each year’s campaign, the percent of funds pledged to each charity is calculated. Each charity then receives that percentage of what is eventually collected. Undesignated pledges are shared with all participating charities using the same percentage. Each charity also pays its share of the cost of running the campaign (printed materials, etc.) based on the same percentage. how much should I give? a low ov How much to give is totally up to you; your personal generosity is no one’s th er business but your own and remains confidential. Still, many of us like to i he have some idea of what is appropriate to consider as a gift. W a d FIRST … Consider giving the average amount of $237 a year, 10% o which is a little more than $19 per month. f SECOND … Consider one of the giving standards used in statewide, campaigns like this throughout the nation — one hour’s pay more of your contribution per month, usually calculated as 0.006 of your annual salary. gets to the charities THIRD … Consider participating as a leadership giver — one of the many people who like to do a little more by donating you select than at the leadership giving levels described later. in almost any similar fundraising activity. 4 S what will my gift provide? $2 PER MONTH for one year: • provides a child with complete, basic childhood immunization against six diseases, supporting a healthy start. • provides vital cancer survivorship information and support to 80 cancer survivors. • provides seeds for one community or school garden, allowing families to grow nutritious, affordable food for themselves. • provides prescription glasses for five people in a Third World country. • covers the cost of planting 100 tree saplings. • provides meals for a homebound senior citizen for two weeks. benefits $5 PER MONTH for one year: of payroll • sponsors eyes exams for two children in need. deduction • provides 12 students with an interactive CD on college-age depression