1903
Our Journey Begins
A small group of altruistic women launched a grassroots campaign to help the poor and the hungry. They could not have foreseen that their charitable mission, begun on a $5,000 budget, would endure and indeed thrive for more than a century. Originally called The Charity Association of San Antonio and Bexar County, that agency evolved to become Family Service Association of San Antonio, the city’s oldest human service agency.
- Family Service is created under the name The Charity Association of San Antonio
1906-1910
The Seeds of a New Profession
Studying patterns of poverty and collaborating with President Theodore Roosevelt at the national level, the agency helped plant the seeds of social work as a new profession. In what would become a philosophy of forging community partnerships for the optimum benefit of clients, the agency centralized services with other benevolence groups to assist clients with relief, employment, transportation, and medical care and took on a new name to reflect the expansion: The Associated Charities of San Antonio and Bexar County.
- Name changed to The Associated Charities of San Antonio and Bexar County
- Alongside President Theodore Roosevelt, develop social work as a new profession
- Start to centralize services
An archived photo of Commerce Street in the 1900s.
1920s
Laying Foundations
We helped organize and became charter members of the Community Chest, the predecessor of the United Fund and finally, United Way. With a budget of $22,000, assistance covered a full spectrum to relieve distresses attributed primarily to “Death, desertion and ill health of the breadwinner.” The guiding mantra, which still motivates the agency a century later, was stated as: “Our first wish always is to keep the home together.” The original variation of Adopt-A-Family was born in this decade and flourishes still.
- Organize and charter of Community Chest, which later becomes United Way
- 1929: Adopt-A-Family created
- Help stabilize the first Red Cross in San Antonio
1930s
Caught up in the Great Depression
Meeting the desperate needs of families affected by economic disaster posed a critical challenge as the crises escalated and resources diminished. In a drive to raise $60,000, the largest fundraiser in its history, the agency appealed to citizens promising, “91 cents of every dollar will be utilized for direct aid: to buy food, clothes, shoes, fuel and shelter; to provide crutches, medicine, stoves and bedding; to rehabilitate destitute, discouraged, desperate families; to give milk to starving babies and a chance in life to thousands of dependent children.” In later years, that promise would grow to an unprecedented 96 cents of every dollar used to directly benefit clients.
- Promise of 91 cents for every dollar donated would be utilized for direct aid.
- 1938: Name change to Charity Association of San Antonio
The residual estate of Misses Isa and Mona Holland was used to pay for a portion of the building costs of the Family Welfare Association office at 230 Pereida Street. Miss Isa is seated at the left and Miss Mona is standing. Their sister Miss Fannie is the one on the right.
1940s
Family Casework Dawns
Social work evolved as a profession, gaining strength in numbers and unanimity of purpose, resulting in support for family casework, which was provided by the Community Chest. With these changes, our agency was renamed Family Welfare Association of San Antonio, Inc., reflecting its new service direction. Tuberculosis was the number one health threat, which drained the coffers of the agency and urged the formation of a government tuberculosis program. Needs swelled to more than 1,300 annual applications for assistance, and the budget grew to $125,000. When longtime Executive Secretary Imogene Callaway retired in 1945, Mrs. Edwin Gunkle became the first paid executive director of the agency, serving through 1955.
- Family casework created
- Tuberculosis Control Program
- 1940 formation of San Antonio Social Workers Association
- Name change to Family Welfare Association of San Antonio, Inc.
1950s
Counseling Services Offered
By the 1950s, social workers were concentrating on the family and how it was affected by issues of health, economics, and mental/emotional challenges. Marriage counseling and family counseling services were now offered, and in 1954, for the first time, modest fees were charged for those who could afford to pay. After years of operating from a series of loaned spaces, the agency received the gift of a cottage on King William Street, which would serve as our home for the next 11 years.
- Marriage and family counseling services offered for the first time
- Sliding scale fee implemented
- First owned agency location, a cottage on King William Street
1960s
Healing the Wounds of Social Turbulence
In a decade when war, civil rights issues, and college youth uprisings threatened the fragile fabric of American life, the agency stated its mission was “… to assist families desiring better family life.” We were positioned to meet this goal from a permanent home after receiving a gift of land and funds to build an office at 230 Pereida Street, which remained our headquarters until 2003. The Community Chest became the United Fund and was the primary funding source for the newly-named Family Services Association of San Antonio, Inc. The annual budget reached $172,083.
- Gifted the land and funds for permanent office space at 230 Pereida Street
- Community Chest became United Fund-primary funding source for agency
- Name change to Family Services Association of San Antonio, Inc.
1970s
Addressing Changing Social Needs
In this decade, we assumed our final identity as Family Service Association of San Antonio, Inc., an accredited affiliate of the national organization. Expanding our range and purpose to address societal change, we began offering diverse services that included Sexual Abuse Counseling, Protective Services for Adults at Risk, Homemaker Aides, and Family Life Education. At the same time, the Board of Directors discontinued direct financial assistance to redirect funds to professional services. Two satellite locations were opened. Budget, $191,449; families served, 1,000. From 1969 through his retirement in 1981, James R. Gamble, Jr., served as Executive Director.
- Programs expanded to include: Sexual Abuse Counseling, Protective Services for Adults at Risk, Homemaker Aides, Family Life Education
- Satellite facilities were established
- Name change to Family Service Association of San Antonio, Inc.,
Family week encouraged families to spend quality time together at home. Family-centric programming continues at Family Service today with in-home and school-based activities for families.
1980s
Progress, Collaboration, Forward Thinking
Services continued to focus on families, counseling, sexual abuse, and resource guidance. In this decade, the Employee Assistance Program began partnering with area businesses to counsel workers in distress. Respected longtime board member Lois Oppenheimer said, “this agency has never looked backward. The attitude is, ‘let’s try this,’ rather than, ‘we’ve already done that.’” The agency was recognized for its progressive vision. Family Service is known for constantly reviewing societal change and adapting its services accordingly, and for a willingness to collaborate for the good of the community.
- Additional programs added: Homemaker Services, Counseling, Family Sexual Abuse Counseling, and Family Resource Center
1990s
Innovative Services Recognize Family Diversity
Family Service continued to develop services to keep families strong and redefined the meaning of “family” as two or more people committed to caring for each other, who share a history and hope for a future, who may or may not live under the same roof. Services expanded to include Parents Anonymous, Youth Against Gang Activity (YAGA), Families and Schools Together, Helping Children Cope with Divorce, Dependent Care Management, Smart Start, KidShare and an intensified focus on Adopt-A-Family. We established outcome measures and performance objectives and operated out of five locations to improve accessibility.
- Programs expanded once again to include: Parent Anonymous, Youth Against Gang Activities (YAGA), Families And Schools Together (FAST), Helping Children Cope With Divorce, Dependent Care Management, Homemaking, Organizing, and Parental Effectiveness Service (HOPE), Smart Start, KidShare, and the modern-day Adopt-A-Family
- Expanded to 5 locations
Community mural painting at the Family Service offices.
The main office of Family Service moved to San Pedro Ave. The building was originally a Studebaker dealership with the car ramps still existing in the building today.
The newsletter announcing the new Family Service office at San Pedro Ave.
2000-2005
Adapting to a New Century with New Vision
It was a time of strategizing for the future in a new century and of transitioning from a charity to a not-for-profit organization. We developed bold initiatives and our spectrum of services broadened to include every age from birth to end of life. Through Smart Start, we paved the way for Family Service to become a standard-bearer in early childhood education. We began recycling student uniforms to give children and teens a chance to start school with a fresh outfit and outlook. We strengthened our approach to helping seniors remain independent and on YAGA and offered practical advice to teen parents. In 2003, Family Service completed a capital campaign and found a new home at 702 San Pedro Ave, which continues to serve as headquarters. In this decade, our widely diversified portfolio included a respected slate of public and private investors.
- Broadened programs to include wraparound services from birth to end of life
- 2003, completed a capital campaign and moved headquarters to San Pedro, where we still reside today
2005-2010
Extending Services to 80,000 in 28 Counties
By 2005, we were serving more than 45,000 individuals, and extended operations to three counties and ten community offices. A spirit of collaboration and national recognition for our services marked this decade of growth. We innovated programs to address families in crisis and military families devastated by war, serving as a reliable, steady presence through societal change for more than 107 years. Services extended into 28 counties by the end of the decade, protecting, guiding, counseling, motivating and caring for more than 80,000 individuals on a budget of nearly $5 million. In a year when one in three San Antonio teens dropped out of high school, 98% of the youth we served at 11 high schools and 34 middle schools graduated. We rented and repurposed a closed elementary school to create the Neighborhood Place on the Westside. We were recognized as one of San Antonio’s Top Work Places.
- Recognized as one of San Antonio’s Top Work Places
- 2006: Began renting the building that once was HK Williams Elementary School. Repurposed and transformed the building to become a local community center – the Neighborhood Place
- Services expanded to 28 counties and we served over 80,000 individuals
Opening of Family Service Neighborhood Place, our community center on the Westside of San Antonio, upon us purchasing the building that once was H.K. Williams Elementary School.
Giving students a head start by helping them be kindergarten ready through Family Service Head Start.
2010-2015
Real People, Real Stories of Transformation
Stories of transformation emerged as the defining goal of Family Service with 18 services addressing four areas of impact. Proven tools with evidence-based outcomes were applied to help transform the hurting into healthy, productive, strong, independent individuals and families. The agency deeply influenced progress for tens of thousands of vulnerable children and families enrolled in Head Start. The Neighborhood Place evolved into a dynamic community center for child abuse prevention, financial empowerment, teen technology, senior social activities and more. By the end of the decade, agency services guided and strengthened more than 90,000 individuals to transcend the challenges of poverty, debt, abuse, depression, powerlessness, isolation, and other impediments to success.
- Total of 18 services in 4 impact areas
- Strengthened more than 90,000 individuals to transcend the challenges of poverty, debt, abuse, depression, powerlessness, isolation, and other impediments to success
2016-2018
A Thriving Legacy of Innovative Social Service
After renting the Neighborhood Place since 2006, we completed a capital campaign to purchase and renovate the campus to better serve the community. We received a $2 million endowment for early childhood well-being and education. In expanding our trauma-informed care, we were able to sustain lives touched by an emotional shock from a stressful event or injury. Our Journeys of Transformation luncheons focus on events, initiatives, and growth in our city. Our services expanded to touch nearly 100,000 individuals in Bexar County and 15 surrounding counties, with 600 staff and over 10,000 volunteers on an annual budget of more than $25 million. We continue to earn local and national recognition for innovative, effective services that strengthen families, lift people out of poverty, improve access to education and build community partnerships.
- 2016 purchased the Neighborhood Place and became renovations of the building
- Journeys of Transformation luncheons focuses on events, initiatives and growth in San Antonio
2019-Present
Continuing Forward for Future Generations of Change
Family Service continues evolving to meet the changing needs of our community. We are now in 14 counties across South Texas. We have over 25 programs offering comprehensive services, with numerous community partners to strengthen and expand our mission. We remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and through today, to continue offering the pivotal services our families need.
- 2019: Family Service’s the Neighborhood Place’s renovation is complete. Though the community center has been open during renovations, a Grand Reopening finalized the transformation.
- Remained open throughout the pandemic offering services
The grand re-opening of Family Service Neighborhood Place, our community center on the Westside of San Antonio in 2019.
