United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County

The Volunteer Center serves as a valuable resource not only for individuals, but also for nonprofit agencies and groups needing assistance in starting and maintaining volunteer programs. The Volunteer Center serves nonprofit agencies by offering training, technical assistance, consultations and other resources pertaining to the administration of volunteer management programs. San Antonio Volunteer Administrators (SAVA), an organization sponsored by United Way. meets every other month allowing its members to network and expand their knowledge of volunteer management through structured meetings which feature a speaker on topics of interest to this field. Every other month, brown bag workshops are held during the lunch hour focused on helping volunteer administrators at local agencies and organizations improve their volunteer management skills and volunteer programs. An annual nonprofit board volunteer orientation is also held.

Several volunteer events are coordinated by the Volunteer Center. Night of a Thousand Stars is an event honoring individuals, families, groups and youth who volunteer in our community. At this gala event, awards are given to honor deserving volunteers. The Feast of Sharing is an annual event sponsored by H-E-B, in which the Volunteer Center takes a leadership role by recruiting, training and managing over 1,000 community volunteers who help serve a holiday dinner to those who are hungry or lonely. Volunteers are also recruited for the Raul Jimenez Annual Thanksgiving Dinner. The Volunteer Center also collaborates with the City of San Antonio and various corporations to sponsor large-scale volunteer projects throughout the year.

United Way has become synonymous with caring and helping children, families and individuals. We have a long tradition of helping people with basic needs food, clothing, shelter and safety and changing lives through strong, well-managed programs.

United Way is also engaging the community to get to the heart of problems. In San Antonio, United Way focuses on improving early care and education for children, helping students succeed in school, and strengthening families. The United Way 2-1-1 Help Line is a critical link for over half a million callers a year seeking assistance and referrals to health and human services across the area.

Through community initiatives like these and investment in 137 outcomes-based programs at 69 agencies, United Way is helping to change peoples lives.

The Volunteer Center merged with the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County in January 1989 and has served the community by connecting community volunteers with opportunities to serve in a variety of service projects for nonprofit agencies, city parks, community projects and United Way events and activities. The Volunteer Center is operated as a service to the community by United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County and is the central clearinghouse for volunteer opportunities, special volunteer projects and initiatives on behalf of all sectors of our community. The Volunteer Center is a valuable resource not only for individuals, but also for nonprofit agencies and groups needing assistance in starting and maintaining volunteer programs.