The mission of the San Antonio Community of Congregations is to facilitate the unification of the faith community in ministry and service to the benefit of our greater San Antonio community.
Forward progress in 2007: Our Infant Formula Program has grown ten-fold. We supply formula to high risk infants as well as infants not at risk but needing help. We supply formula not only to WIC families, but also to infants and mothers in crisis through the Healthy Start Program. Our client base has grown 42% this year.
We are in the process of organizing a stand-by pool of clergy and laity to serve the city of San Antonio as disaster response chaplains. Lessons learned from Katrina/Rita. Our organization is active in the Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster in San Antonio.
We are working with the Texas Fair Trade Commission to bring a “sweatshop free ordinance” to San Antonio. This ordinance would ask the city of San Antonio to purchase any uniforms used by city employees only from companies who guarantee a sweatshop free working environment.
In collaboration with Mayor Phil Hardberger and Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg, SACOC helped launch an interfaith commemoration for the victims of 9/11. This effort will become an annual event in San Antonio to continue to honor the lost of Sept. 11.
The environmental awareness campaign for area congregations is called Stewardship Earth Sunday. We ask our member congregations and all faith organizations in San Antonio to dedicate one Sunday per year to environmental concerns and to educate their congregations concerning environmental issues on this particular Sunday.
Forward progress in 2008: The city of San Antonio identified a gap in the disaster response/recovery system. SACOC was asked to fill that gap. We spearheaded the creation of the San Antonio Long Term Recovery Group (SALT Recovery Group). This organization is in place and plays a unique role in emergency response, harmonizing programs with community and regional development, respecting the equality of all persons and searching out needs of vulnerable populations. SALT is called upon to give support to over 400 families in Bexar County impacted by Tropical Storm Erin.
The 2008 CROP Walk for Hunger was our most successful to date! We broke through our $60,000.00 goal (we have reported contributions of over $62,000). Twenty five percent of the money raised stays in San Antonio to support the San Antonio Food Bank and other local agencies.
We have initiated an effort to supply literature to congregations concerning prayer in public schools. We have partnered with The First Amendment Center to help inform and educate parents and teachers on this continually controversial issue.
We have finalized our efforts to become an interfaith organization. While we maintain our Christian character and convictions, we choose to dialogue with and include other faith groups in our membership for our mutual benefit. We have changed our name to the San Antonio Community of Congregations as of February 1, 2008.
SACOC was awarded a $50,000 grant to facilitate the new initiative by the Texas Health and Human Services commission called “Twogether in Texas”. This program will promote free, skills-based marriage education and provide couples with the tools they need to manage the challenges inherent in relationships. Research has shown that couples who receive premarital and marriage education improve their communication skills and increase their marital satisfaction which benefits child well-being. Classes will benefit couples who are seriously dating, engaged to marry or married for any length of time.
Forward progress in 2009: Our Infant Formula Program has grown by 45%. We continue to provide infant formula to families on the WIC program and those associated with Healthy Start. We receive referrals from the San Antonio Food Bank, the San Antonio Independent School District, the United Way via the 211 system, and several other non-profit agencies.
The 2009 CROP Walk was held on Sunday, March 1, 2009. We had a record attendance and will know the financial outcome of the Walk sometime in October. To date, we have raised over $55,000.00.
In early 2009, the San Antonio Community of Congregations was contacted by the Chaplain for the San Antonio Police Department. He asked SACOC to spearhead a program to provide Bibles for every police officer in San Antonio. We are currently raising funds for this program, and expect to provide the Bibles by the summer of 2009.
We continue supporting our current programs. Please visit our website at www.sacoc.info. We maintain a relationship with approximately 150 faith organizations.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeanne Goodlin
Executive Director
SACOC
