FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TX – Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Honorary Chair of the 2019 Governor’s Volunteer Awards, and OneStar Foundation today announced the recipients of the 36th annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards. These awards honor the exemplary service of individuals, groups and organizations that have made a significant and measurable contribution to their communities through service and volunteering.

“Texans are generous by nature,” Mrs. Abbott said. “And I am so honored to celebrate the amazing generosity of these ten outstanding awardees. By selflessly giving of their hearts and hands, their time and treasure, they have helped to make the future of Texas even brighter.”

The awardees will be honored in the fall at an evening reception at the Texas Governor’s Mansion. The recipients of the 2019 Governor’s Volunteer Awards are:

Governor’s Lone Star Achievement Award | Sammy Nieto

In 1997, Sammy Nieto founded the Valero Juvenile Justice Mentor Program, which works directly with the courts to connect truant youth with Valero volunteers. Gang violence, abuse, teen pregnancy, and drugs define the lives of many of these students. Sammy knew in his heart that a caring adult could make all the difference. The program has grown in scope and impact under Nieto’s consistent leadership. Since its inception, thousands of at-risk youth have turned their lives around and found a more positive path to successful adulthood.

First Lady’s Rising Star Award | Kara Weld 

17-year-old Kara Weld is a 2019 graduate of Northeast School of the Arts at Legacy of Educational Excellence High School in San Antonio and will be a freshman at Texas A&M University in the fall. Kara is known for her strength of character, her academic prowess, her talent in the arts, and her heart of service. Kara volunteers her time to many causes and is a passionate advocate against cyberbullying. During the 2017 Texas Legislative session, Kara worked tirelessly to make lawmakers aware of the issue. Due to her tenacity, David’s Law was passed and signed by Governor Greg Abbott, making cyberbullying a punishable crime.

Partners in Education Award | Reading with Barbers

The Reading with Barbers Initiative, established by Fort Worth ISD’s Equity and Excellence Division, along with local barbers, aims to help students ages 4-14 maintain and improve their reading skills in a safe and trusted community space — the local barbershop. Fort Worth ISD provides the books and bookshelves, while the barbers serve as role models and mentors for children. Reading begins once the children walk through the door and select a book, continuing through the haircut. Barbers are there to guide the reading process, engaging with their young clientele over content and comprehension. Reading with Barbers supports Fort Worth ISD’s elementary literacy initiative — called 100 X 25 FWTX – which sets a goal of 100% of third-graders reading on grade level or above by the year 2025. Superintendent Kent P. Scribner is partnering with Mayor Betsy Price and retired BNSF Executive Chairman Matt Rose to lead the community-wide Read Fort Worth initiative. This collective impact strategy engages parents, grandparents and caregivers as well as volunteers from the city’s business sector, higher education, non-profit organizations, and the faith-based community.

Service to Veterans Award | H.O.N.O.R Mentoring

H.O.N.O.R Mentoring is a program for justice-involved veterans within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. H.O.N.O.R Mentors are veterans who have successfully worked through their own traumatic issues arising from their time of service. The H.O.N.O.R Mentoring program teaches participants to use their educational and life skills to tutor other veteran and non-veteran inmates. They teach math and reading to GED students, English as a second language, college prep, and reentry classes. H.O.N.O.R Mentors are modeling the way for all of the inmates they serve, showing that they too can not only survive their trauma, but also learn to thrive.

Higher Education Community Impact Award – University | St. Mary’s University  

St. Mary’s students engage in intentional relationships that reach far beyond the physical boundaries of their campus. Whether it’s hosting a summer camp for neighborhood children from low-income households, providing pro bono legal services to veterans at the VA Hospital, facilitating ID recovery and warrant-relief services for individuals experiencing homelessness, navigating resources and services for individuals with intellectual disabilities, providing free tax preparation, or assisting Texans recovering from disasters, St. Mary’s students are truly making a difference in San Antonio and beyond.

Higher Education Community Impact Award – Community College | Austin Community College

The Office of Student Life at ACC provides students with a wide variety of student leadership, campus engagement, and experiential learning opportunities. Each program incorporates an aspect of service to reinforce learning outcomes and to encourage students to begin a lifetime of volunteering. One example is the ACC Food Pantry and Resources Program. ACC Student Life established food pantries, operated by student volunteers, on all 11 ACC campuses. With the ACC Board of Trustees supporting the charge, the entire institution answered the call for non-perishable items to stock the pantries.

Corporate Community Impact Award | Noble Charities Foundation

Established in 2015, Noble Texas Builders is a recognized brand in South Texas. One of their core values is COMMUNITY. To facilitate giving back to the communities in which they work, Noble Texas Builders created Noble Charities Foundation, focusing primarily on improving education and health outcomes in the Rio Grande Valley. Their mission statement is: “Inspire Hope, Improve Lives & Strengthen the Communities We Live In.”  Examples include scholarships for students enrolled in Construction and Public Safety Programs at South Texas College, child care renovation projects for Easter Seals Rio Grande Valley, and the renovation of La Esperanza Park into an all-inclusive playground where both disabled and able-bodied children can play.

Community Leadership Award | Dr. John Fink

Dr. John Fink, a retired physician from Medina County, has been instrumental in engaging members of the community in numerous projects over the years, including Texas Ramps Project, Blessings in a Backpack, Medina County Food Pantry, Feast of Sharing, and Hondo Helping Hands. John also serves as president of the board of the Medina County Food Pantry. When notified that the regional Food Bank would no longer be able to partner with them due to the poor condition of their building, Dr. Fink found funding for a new facility. John’s selfless service is an inspiration to all.

AmeriCorps “Make a Difference” Award – VISTA | Katie Blair

As an AmeriCorps VISTA, Katie Blair works at Network of Community Ministries in Richardson. Katie took the lead in a large-scale project that has changed service delivery in Network’s Food Pantry and Clothing Closet. Clients are issued a Network debit card and allotted “Network Cash” to shop in either the Food Pantry or Clothing Closet. A complete remodeling and restructuring of the Food Pantry was required to make the area more “retail friendly.” To ensure the successful implementation of these new programs, Katie oversaw the training of over 200 volunteers!

AmeriCorps “Make a Difference” Award – Senior Corps | Douglas Brown 

Douglas Brown has been an active volunteer with the RSVP Senior Corps Program in Denton County since 2003. A World War II veteran, Mr. Brown taught himself how to use, refurbish, and repair computers. Although Mr. Brown volunteers for many causes, his passion is repairing and donating computers at no cost to veterans. He also connects veterans to resume writing and job search skills, helping them translate their military service into skills suitable for civilian employment. Douglas brings at least three computers with him each Friday to give to the veterans with whom he works. At age 93, Douglas has donated over 1,000 computers.

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OneStar Foundation was created to support the State of Texas by strengthening the nonprofit sector, encouraging civic engagement through service and volunteering, promoting innovative strategies to address local issues, and facilitating public-private partnerships to expand the reach of the sector. OneStar Foundation is the Governor-designated National Service Commission in Texas and administers the AmeriCorps State grant program. OneStar is also home to Texas’ Faith-Based and Community Initiative. OneStar Foundation connects partners and resources to build a stronger nonprofit sector in Texas. Learn more at onestarfoundation.org.

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Governor Abbott Names Vice Chair And Appoints Five To OneStar National Service Commission

May 20, 2019 | Austin, Texas | Appointment

Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Lonnie Hsia and Lori Stevens and reappointed Kirk Beckert, Ronnie Hagerty, Ph.D., and Roger O’Dell to the OneStar National Service Commission for terms set to expire on March 3, 2021. Additionally, the Governor named Annette Juba vice chair. The Board promotes volunteerism in Texas and oversees the administration of the AmeriCorps programs for the state.

Lonnie Hsia of Round Rock is a project manager at Applied Materials. He is a member of Project Management Institute and Agile Austin. He is a volunteer with CASA of Williamson County, Asian Family Support Services of Austin, and Refugee Services of Texas and a former volunteer with the SAFE Alliance. Hsia received a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Alaska and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University.

Lori Stevens of Royse City is the CEO and Founder of Patriot PAWS Service Dogs, an organization that raises and trains service dogs for disabled veterans. She has over 30 years of professional dog training experience and is an active member and evaluator for Assistance Dogs International, the only accreditation organization for service dogs worldwide. She is also a member of the International Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Stevens graduated from North Garland High School and the Animal Behavior University in San Diego and earned certifications from Karen Pryor Academy and as a professional trainer.

Kirk Beckert of Richardson is retired and is formerly the chief marketing officer at Texans Can Academies. Prior to that, he worked for Summit Consolidated Group and served as a teacher and coach at Richardson Independent School District. He has served in leadership positions as a board member of the Texas Association of Business and member of the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. Beckert received a Bachelor of Science in hotel administration from Cornell University. He also completed graduate studies at the University of North Texas and holds a Region 10 alternative certification in special education.

Ronnie Hagerty, Ph.D. of Houston is assistant vice president of community relations and talent management for the United Way of Greater Houston. She is an adjunct professor at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University and former lecturer at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. She serves as a board member for The Rose, and as an advisory committee member for the Houston Arts Alliance, Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, Career Gear, and University of Houston Downtown Master’s in Nonprofit Management program. She is a member of the PowerTools for Nonprofits Advisory Board and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Houston. She was previously a member of Renewing our Communities Advisory Committee and the American Diabetes Association. Hagerty received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Saint Mary’s College – Notre Dame, Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston, and Doctor of Philosophy in leadership and change from Antioch University.

Roger O’Dell of El Paso is the executive director of Model Cities-El Paso and MRE/Higher Ground Hosting. He also owns PosiTrend Industries which serves as an energy cost containment consulting firm. Previously, he was the manager of credit and collections for El Paso Electric Company. He is a life member of the El Paso Jaycees and Junior Chamber International JCI Senate. He has previously held leadership positions in the community as co-founder and member of the El Paso Character Council, chairman of the Rio Grande Economics Association and Hospice of El Paso, co-founder of El Paso’s East Side Civic Association, member of El Paso Auto Theft Task Force, alumni member of the U.S. Marshalls Citizen Academy, board member of El Paso Pregnancy Help Center, and former chairman of deacons and chairman of trustees of Immanuel Baptist Church. O’Dell received a Bachelor of Business Administration in management from The University of Texas at El Paso.

Annette Juba of Austin is the deputy director for AGE of Central Texas, a regional non-profit organization serving older adults and their family caregivers. She is former co-chair of the Aging Services Council and a University Field Affiliate in The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Juba received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Master of Science in social work from The University of Texas at Austin.

Governor Abbott Names Chair, Vice Chair And Appoints Six To OneStar Foundation

May 20, 2019 | Austin, Texas | Appointment

Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Robert G. “Bob” Wright, II to the OneStar Foundation for a term set to expire on March 3, 2021. Additionally, the Governor appointed Elexis Grimes and Michael Parker for terms set to expire on March 3, 2020 and reappointed Yvonne S. “Bonnie” Brown, Benjamin A. Montañez, and Randy H. Skinner for terms set to expire on March 3, 2022. The Governor named Wright as chair and Brown as vice chair. The OneStar Foundation provides technical assistance, education, information and other support to Texas’ extensive volunteer community, and improving and strengthening the state’s volunteerism and community service infrastructure.

Robert G. “Bob” Wright, II is founding member and lead corporate and finance attorney of Wright Connatser PLLC. He is a senior lecturer on entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship at The University of Texas at Dallas. Previously, he built and managed two computer game companies – ION Storm and Edge of Reality. He has served as a member of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund Advisory Committee and as member of the Camp Fire USA Board of Trustees.  Wright received a Bachelor of Arts in history from Allegheny College and a Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor degree from Texas Tech University.

Elexis Grimes of Cedar Park is the managing director of the Texas division of WEXCO International and serves as a School Board Member of Leander ISD. She is a former member of the National Society for Minorities in Hospitality and served on the steering and financial committees for Leander ISD. Currently, she volunteers with the Reveal Resource Center and previously with CARES. Grimes received a Bachelor of Science from New Mexico State University.

Michael Parker of Weatherford is managing partner of Parker LLP, a regional transportation and insurance litigation law firm. He currently holds the rank of Major in the Texas State Guard, and previously served with distinction in the California State Military Reserves. He is a member of the Federal Bar Association and its Ethics Committee, Access to Justice Committee, and the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. Additionally, he is a member of the United States Court of Appeal for the Armed Forces and the International Association of Special Investigation Units and a lifetime member of the State Guard Association of the United States and the National Guard Association of Texas. He is chair of the State Guard Association of the United States – JAG Training Academy. Parker received a Bachelor of Science from Pepperdine University and a Juris Doctor degree with honors from Whittier Law School.

Yvonne S. “Bonnie” Brown of Raymondville is co-owner of three small businesses. Previously, she served as a high school teacher for 30 years. She is currently on the board of the Raymondville Chamber of Commerce and serves as secretary of the Harlingen Concert Association Board. Additionally, she is a board member of Communities Against Substance Abuse and has served on several non-profit boards including La Posada Providencia, HOPE board and the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Brown received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Sam Houston State University and a Master of Education from Pan American University.

Benjamin A. Montañez of San Antonio is a senior associate at Norton Rose Fulbright. His practice focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, public and private financings, and public company reporting and corporate governance matters. Previously, he was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, and served in Saudi Arabia, Israel, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, and Washington, D.C. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Advisory Committee of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Additionally, he is a board member of the World Affairs Council of San Antonio and the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio Foundation. Montañez received a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University, a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, a Master of Letters in International Business from the University of St. Andrews, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School.

Randy H. Skinner of Dallas is the president of Strategic Justice Initiatives, Inc. and FEED 3 Inc. He is the former chairman of the City of Dallas Ethics Commission. He serves on the Re-Build Port Aransas committee in response to Hurricane Harvey Coastal Bend recovery. Additionally, he advises governmental municipalities on Opportunity Zones and Urban Revitalization. Skinner received a Bachelor of Arts from Howard Payne University and a Master of Divinity from Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary.

Join the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service for a public meeting in Waco, TX on Thursday, July 19 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm at the Dewey Community Center. The meeting will feature a panel discussion with members of the faith community in Waco who will address how critical community needs are met through service.  Liz Darling, CEO at OneStar Foundation will be a speaker and member of the panel.  Whether you currently serve or have not, this is an opportunity to hear from local leaders on the efforts happening in the city and surrounding areas. The public meeting will conclude with a Q&A and public comments session where the audience will be able to address the panel on how the faith community can help meet needs, such as hunger and disaster relief, and long-term civic engagement. Audience members can also share any ideas and thoughts related to the Commission's mandate.

To RSVP, please visit http://bit.ly/Inspire2ServeWaco

This event is OPEN press. Media interested in attending should RSVP to media@inspire2serve.gov.

OneStar Foundation announces an extension to the deadline to submit nominations for the 35th Annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards. The new submission deadline is Monday, May 21st. To submit your nomination please click here.

These awards honor the exemplary service of individuals, groups and organizations that have made a significant and measurable contribution to their communities through service and volunteering. Nominations will be accepted in the following categories:

     Governor’s Lone Star Achievement Award

     First Lady’s Rising Star Award

     Partners in Education Award

     Service to Veterans Award

     Higher Education Community Impact Award

     Corporate Community Impact Award

     Community Leadership Award

     National Service “Make a Difference” Award

Awardees will be honored in the fall at an evening reception hosted by Honorary Chair of the Governor’s Volunteer Awards, Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott. The ceremony will be held at the Texas Governor’s Mansion in Austin.

To see descriptions and criteria for each award, please visit our website. Email gva@onestarfoundation.org for more information. To submit your nomination please click here.

Contact: (512) 287-2035 or gva@onestarfoundation.org  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: (512) 287-2035 or gva@onestarfoundation.org   

AUSTIN – In conjunction with the Office of the Governor, OneStar Foundation today announced that nominations for the 35th Annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards will open Monday, April 9, 2018 and submissions will be accepted through Monday, May 14th. These awards honor the exemplary service of individuals, groups and organizations that have made a significant and measurable contribution to their communities through service and volunteering. Nominations will be accepted in the following categories:

     Governor’s Lone Star Achievement Award

     First Lady’s Rising Star Award

     Partners in Education Award

     Service to Veterans Award

     Higher Education Community Impact Award

     Corporate Community Impact Award

     Community Leadership Award

     National Service “Make a Difference” Award

Awardees will be honored in the fall at an evening reception hosted by Honorary Chair of the Governor’s Volunteer Awards, Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott. The ceremony will be held at the Texas Governor’s Mansion in Austin.

To see descriptions and criteria for each award, please visit our website. Email gva@onestarfoundation.org for more information. 

OneStar is pleased to share some exciting news!  Elizabeth Darling, OneStar Foundation President/CEO, has been nominated by President Trump to serve as the Commissioner of the Administration for Children, Youth and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Upon her confirmation by the United States Senate, Liz will oversee the $18 billion portfolio of programming related to child abuse and neglect prevention, foster care, youth development, adoption, runaway and homeless youth, teen pregnancy prevention, and family violence prevention.

Liz will continue to serve in her role as OneStar Foundation President/CEO until her confirmation.  To ensure a smooth transition, OneStar’s Chief Operating Officer, Chris Bugbee, will serve as interim CEO once Liz is confirmed.

During her time with OneStar, Liz has been a strong and steadfast advocate for national service and the nonprofit sector in Texas, and we are grateful for her leadership.  Again, please join us in congratulating Liz on this nomination! To view the press release please click here.

New funding will support 2,972 AmeriCorps members to meet local needs

Austin, TX – OneStar Foundation today announced that Texas has received $14.6 million in federal AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).  Funds are awarded to nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, and educational institutions following a highly competitive process and will be matched by $37.3 million in local resources.  These funds will support 2,972 AmeriCorps members who collectively will earn up to $11.7 million in education awards valued at $5,815 per member for completing a 1,700 hour term of service.

AmeriCorps members will tackle a variety of critical issues in Texas serving as in-school, after-school and summertime teachers, tutors and mentors. AmeriCorps members will also work to provide intensive college access and success services, engage in adult and early literacy interventions, participate in early childhood development programs, distribute food to economically disadvantaged children and families, engage children in daily physical activity, assist with case management for the homeless, recruit hundreds of volunteers, and respond to Texas communities recovering from disaster.

“National service is an essential part of the solution to many of the challenges facing our state,” said Elizabeth Darling, President/CEO of OneStar Foundation. “These AmeriCorps members will strengthen communities as they develop civic and leadership skills to last a lifetime.  I congratulate these outstanding organizations and thank all those who serve their communities through AmeriCorps.”

AmeriCorps is a public-private partnership, and AmeriCorps grantees leverage significant outside resources to operate their programs.

Below is a listing of 2017-18 AmeriCorps grants in Texas:

• Amarillo Independent School District, $303,953 to support 55 AmeriCorps members
• American YouthWorks, $134,300 to support 10 AmeriCorps members
• Breakthrough, $710,842 to support 170 AmeriCorps members
• City Year, Inc. Dallas, $605,000 to support 50 AmeriCorps members
• City Year, Inc. San Antonio, $1,403,600 to support 116 AmeriCorps members
• CitySquare, $1,151,176 to support 292 AmeriCorps members
• CitySquare, $74,927 to support a one year AmeriCorps Planning Grant
• College Forward, $1,098,290 to support 100 AmeriCorps members
• College Forward, $75,000 to support a one year AmeriCorps Planning Grant
• Communities In Schools of Central Texas, $685,634 to support 84 AmeriCorps members
• Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas, $351,845 to support 43 AmeriCorps members
• Equal Heart, $451,016 to support 109 AmeriCorps members
• Front Steps, $455,000 to support 35 AmeriCorps members
• Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, $640,000 to support 50 AmeriCorps members
• LoneStar College – Kingwood, $343,553 to support 106 AmeriCorps members
• National College Advising Corps, $400,000 to support 50 AmeriCorps members
• Project Transformation, $725,732 to support 157 AmeriCorps members
• Project Transformation, $74,994 to support a one year AmeriCorps Planning Grant
• Reading Partners, $ 453,250 to support 37 AmeriCorps members
• Reading Partners, $75,000 to support a one year AmeriCorps Planning Grant
• Relay Graduate School of Education, $250,000 to support 250 AmeriCorps members
• Teach for America, $728,000 to support 728 AmeriCorps members
• Texas A&M International University, $317,727 to support 70 AmeriCorps members
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, $618,288 to support 170 AmeriCorps members
• Travis Co. through Travis Co. HHS, $363,618 to support 32 AmeriCorps members
• United Way of El Paso County, $265,516 to support 20 AmeriCorps members
• University of Houston, $276,528 to support 40 AmeriCorps members
• University of North Texas, $ 508,598 to support 110 AmeriCorps members
• UT Austin Charles A. Dana Center, $1,070,783 to support 88 AmeriCorps member

These organizations are currently recruiting for AmeriCorps members to begin service this fall. AmeriCorps members typically receive a modest living stipend and earn a scholarship of up to $5,815 to pay for future education costs or to pay back student loans. Those interested in serving can learn more by visiting americorps.gov/join.

Beginning this fall, AmeriCorps members serving in Texas will join more than 80,000 AmeriCorps members serving across the country in 21,600 locations. These members help communities tackle pressing problems while mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve.

Since the program’s inception in 1994, more than 52,000 AmeriCorps members have served over 70 million hours in Texas alone, earning more than $156,670,000 in education scholarships.

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OneStar Foundation is the Governor-designated National Service Commission in Texas and administers the AmeriCorps State grant program. Governor-appointed board members oversee the legal and policy governance of the AmeriCorps Texas program portfolio. Learn more at onestarfoundation.org.

AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Social Innovation Fund, and the Volunteer Generation Fund, and leads the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov .