By: Kylie Cooper & Jacqueline Gonzalez Photo Provided by: United Way of the Coastal Bend
The Coastal Bend is filled with incredible nonprofits and grassroots initiatives. While there are too many worthy organizations to list in one feature, we’re hoping the ones highlighted here provide you with a place to start. Make sure to read about each of the published nonprofits in our December issue by checking out the full feature!
SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVOR ADVOCACY
- The Purple Door – With a mission to empower the community and those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault in the Coastal Bend region, The Purple Door provides free services to victims and survivors of assault and abuse, to help survivors regain their independence. As only the third shelter in Texas when it opened in 1978, the nonprofit has since grown to provide not only shelter, but counseling services, response teams, a crisis hotline, case management and legal advocacy, and youth services.
HEALTH SERVICES
- Esperanza de Tejas – Dedicated to enhancing communities’ access to fresh food, healthcare, and supplies and skills needed for education, Esperanza de Tejas aims to uplift underserved individuals in the Coastal Bend. With a motto of “Amor y Esperanza,” the nonprofit strives to build hope through community engagement, comprehensive programs, and social service initiatives. Its various services address food insecurity and aid in healthy hygiene and eating practices, mental health for minorities, knowing your rights, mentoring programs, and so much more.
CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR ADVOCACY
- New Life Refuge Ministries – Did you know over 2,900 children are trafficked right here in Corpus Christi in just one year? Devastating truths such as this are what motivates New Life Refuge Ministries. This nonprofit aims to provide a refuge of hope and healing for child survivors of sex trafficking, provide education to the community on the issue, and establish partnerships with other organizations in this fight. New Life provides specialized, long-term support, therapeutic care, refuge homes with clothing and other necessities, daily activities, and more.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
- The Council on Alcohol + Drug Abuse – Coastal Bend – Since opening its doors in 1957, The Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse has served a multi-county region with a range of care in prevention, intervention, and treatment of the disease of alcoholism and other drug abuse for individuals and families. With most of its services being free to those in need, COADA provides outpatient treatment for youth and adults, recovery support, prevention and education for at-risk youth, veteran services, and pregnant and post-partum intervention.
LIFE RESOURCES
- United Way of the Coastal Bend – An independent nonprofit for more than 80 years, United Way of the Coastal Bend believes every person should have access to quality education, every family should have a decent job to pay the bills, and every individual should be able to live a healthy and thriving life. Its mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of community, and is carried out through programs such as Success By 6, the Nurse-Family Partnership, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, and distributing funds from the Community Investment Fund to related causes and programs in the area.
EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP
- The Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education – Corpus Christi – “We exist to assist” is the motto behind TABPHE-CC. The organization provides a vehicle for a diverse, multicultural workforce to learn, share, direct, lead, and influence our educational system, and serves as a support network for students of African descent promoting higher education, student enrollment, retention, tutoring, and networking through the Village initiative. Its objectives are accomplished through projects such as reading initiatives, community and civic engagement, student leadership and mentor programs, and various speaker series.
EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
- Hammons Employment Leadership Program – HELP – Hammons Employment Leadership Program is growing the work force of the Coastal Bend by placing junior and senior high school students, disabled students, and those in the Juvenile Justice Center in lucrative careers with local employers in construction, oilfield services, first responders, medical fields, and the military. HELP has taken 6,000 students from 27 schools in the Coastal Bend on 250 field visits to over 100 different job sites.
How to Get Involved:
Many of the organizations that give back to the community are able to do so due to monetary donations, but volunteering your time is just as important and greatly appreciated.
- The Purple Door is seeking volunteers for a variety of services such a preparing meals, manning a hotline, and reading stories to children.You can also purchase items off its Amazon wish list for the shelter and its clients.
- Register to participate in COADA’s annual Addicted 2 Recovery 5k (March 2022). You can also purchase a special bracelet on its website with funds going back to the nonprofit.
- United Way of the Coastal Bend has a number of volunteer opportunities which can be found in the Volunteer Portal on its website.
- Creating a welcome package for survivors by “Adopting a Butterfly,” sponsoring the building of a new home, purchasing items off its wish list, and volunteering are just a few ways to get involved with New Life Refuge Ministries.
- Esperanza de Tejas is always seeking Agents of Hope, who act as volunteers for the organization. You can fill out a form online to be placed in the most appropriate volunteer opportunity for you.
- TABPHE-CC membership is open to anyone committed to its mission. Visit the website for information about membership, meetings, and local events and initiatives.
- If your business is interested in learning how to partner with HELP to offer employment and internship opportunities to students in the program, contact the program’s director via the number on the website.
To view the other nonprofits published in our December issue, check out the full feature!