Newsletter

Volume 6, Issue 7

July 2024

Central Support: At Your Service

Over the past years we’ve heard TRP volunteers talk about the administrative aspect of TRP as “Headquarters,” the “office in Richardson,” or “those up in Dallas.” These references got us thinking about volunteers’ perceptions of TRP’s administrative functions.

The irony is, there is no headquarters. The office in Richardson is the P.O. Box. And yes, the majority of the individuals who volunteer their time and administrative skills are in the D/FW area, although that is changing. Every one of them works out of their home, saving precious dollars of office rent to build more ramps.

But there is much more to how TRP helps volunteers across the state by providing the administrative assistance needed to manage their regions.

TRP is blessed with a board of directors (all volunteers) where every single member has a specific administrative or outreach responsibility. Each is relied on to make the whole organization function smoothly. In fact, three of our board members are doing double duty, as they are also regional coordinators: Gary Stopani in Dallas, Roy Harrington in Bryan/College Station, and Pete Carey in Texoma.

Of note, in the field of nonprofit organizations of our size, having an all-volunteer board is highly unusual. For a nonprofit organization the size of the Texas Ramp Project, there is usually any number of staff that carry out most or all administrative functions.

In addition to board members, we are fortunate to have several individuals whose support roles are critical to operations. These include Nancy DeLuca, who handles all incoming calls and emails; Vanessa Baker, who manages database functions; and Ann Ploetz, who is keeping a close eye on the health of each region.

So what do you call this configuration of administrative volunteers? We call it Central Support, which aptly describes the coordination of administrative functions rather than geography or an office building.

Think of Central Support as the entity that provides critical tools that can’t be purchased at Lowe’s or Home Depot, but are necessary for TRP’s regions to function smoothly, to grow, and to continue providing ramps for so many people in need. These include insurance, database management, financial management, corporate relations, fundraising, grant writing and reporting, communications, and any number of other functions crucial to an organization’s operations.

Central support is here every day to make your job easier. You give your time and dedication to provide ramps for hundreds of people who desperately need them. Central Support is your partner in making that happen.

[Link to the TRP Board of Directors]

TRP's Statewide Conference is Only Days Away

One hundred and thirty people have registered and will be attending TRP's 2024 statewide conference in Dallas on August and 10. This will be a great opportunity to meet other TRP leaders from all over Texas, share stories, catch up on new techniques, and review new website content and database information. We'll have good food, engaging speakers and, most of all, plenty of time to visit, get acquainted and swap ideas.

BBB: Breakfast Before Building

Kelly Jones of Abilene started a two-ramp build day in Stamford with a hearty breakfast prepared by his wife. This build was a combined effort of the Abilene and Stamford Kiwanis Clubs, Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, and a volunteer from New Hope. These were great builds for two families in need.

Summer Building Reminders

Canopies. Make sure canopies cover the ramp during construction and also shade the miter saw. During construction, move the canopy down as you go. It is important to put up the canopies before you start building to make sure your volunteers are protected from the start. There should be two canopies on each site.

Schedule earlier. Try to schedule the summer builds as early as 7 a.m. to avoid the heat of the day. Everybody can get home an hour earlier, too.

Hydrate. It is critical that we keep our volunteers hydrated by having plenty of water on site. Also consider providing cooling towels that can be placed around the neck for a faster cool-down.

Danger! Never expose your volunteers to any conditions that can put them at risk. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are dangerous and can be fatal. Keep your volunteers safe.

Volunteer of the Month: Kelly O'Donald,

Tarrant County

For Kelly O’Donald, the Texas Ramp Project has always been a family affair. Her husband, Jeff, actually started working with TRP in 2009, and Kelly joined in a year later. They took the kids, now ages 13 to 27, along with them, with youngest riding snug in a baby sling. Every major holiday it is their tradition to build a ramp as a family.

Kelly stepped into the role of coordinator in late 2020, taking over for the late Beverly Ford.

COVID was still raging, and getting volunteers was a struggle. This was a big change for Kelly, who for several years prior had organized several community-wide projects in Parker County known as Give One Day. Volunteers for this project would turn out to build five to 10 ramps in a single day.

Kelly grew up in Fort Worth and worked in a hospital setting for 10 years. After the third child arrived, she “retired” and attended Weatherford College for bookkeeping. She works with her husband in their business, Alliance Scale and Instruments. They live in Aledo, in Parker County.

“Working with TRP isn’t always easy,” Kelly says. “We have a fairly large backlog, and not enough consistent build teams. We only have three teams in addition to my family.” Kelly is working with TRP board member Mark Hinzman to recruit and secure additional volunteers, with builds up considerably this year.

Despite the backlog, Kelly says, “The spiritual blessing is immeasurable once a ramp is built. The smiles, and tears, confirm that they [recipients] see hope, they feel safer, and that makes my heart happy.”

Jeff and Kelly attend Aledo United Methodist Church, where Kelly is heavily involved in the youth group. She teaches Sunday School and Wednesday Bible study, and she has cooked church dinners on Wednesday nights for 19 years. The family looks forward to yearly trips to the Texas Coast. She is a gardener, loves to make jellies and jams, and collects cookie jars.

Because her kids are involved in Future Farmers of America, they have a collection of pigs, lambs, chickens and rabbits along with their three dogs and four cats.

But a big part of this family’s life for 15 years has been the Texas Ramp Project. “TRP has been a blessing to my family,” Kelly says. “We get to fulfill our calling to serve like Jesus.”

Houston Scores $25K from Consignment Shop

Les Schmaltz of Houston accepted a $25,000 donation from The Guild Shop of the Church of St. John the Divine on July 23. The shop sells household goods, art, clothing and jewelry on consignment, with proceeds going to elderly people in need in the Houston area. Some of their volunteers assisted with a build in June, and they are looking forward to doing more. The Guild Shop donated $15,000 in 2023, topped off with a $1,000 Christmas bonus.

Recent Grants and Donations

IIn addition to The Guild Shop grant, TRP was thrilled to receive a $25,000 donation from the Niraj Bhatia Fund. Mr. Bhatia is a locally based film producer, tech investor and philanthropist. His foundation focuses on food, water, education and self-empowerment. He recently made a $200,000 grant to the North Texas Food Bank. His donation to TRP was unsolicited and a most happy surprise. It will be used across the state in regions most in need.

Other grants and donations received in the past month include the following:

$20,000 for San Antonio Central from The Greehey Family Foundation.
$15,000 for Amarillo from C.J. & Syble Fowlston Charitable Trust.
$12,308 for Statewide use and Dallas from King of Glory Lutheran Church.
$10,000 for San Antonio Northeast from NB Women Go Fund with the Community Foundation of New Braunfels.
$10,000 for Tarrant County from Helen Littauer Education Trust.
$5,000 for East Texas Tyler from First Christian Church.
$5,000 for Abilene from Greathouse Foundation.
$5,000 for Abilene from Hendrick Health System.
$2,500 for Austin East from Vietnam Veterans of America.
$2,500 for Dallas from Rotary Club of Grand Prairie.
$2,167 for Waco South from Waco Habitat for Humanity.
$2,000 for San Antonio Central from Army Residence Community Protestant Chapel.
$2,000 for Austin North from Christ Lutheran Church, Georgetown.
$1,481 for Austin Central from Farmers Insurance.
$1,000 for Wichita Falls from Vistra Corporate Services.
$1,000 for San Antonio Northeast from St. John’s Episcopal Church.
$796 for East Texas Van Zandt from Hochheim Prairie Insurance.
$539 for Austin West from The Church at Horseshoe Bay.
$500 for Austin Central from Lost Pines Bible Church, Bastrop.
$500 for East Texas Marshall from New Destinations Inc.
$350 for Austin West from Hill Country Fellowship.
$350 for McAllen from El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church.
$300 for Temple/Belton from Faith Circle LWML.
$200 for Austin West from O.A.R.S.
$200 for Austin West from First Baptist Church of Marble Falls.
$100 for East Texas Tyler from Langen/Wink Bible Class.
$75 for East Texas Tyler from Garden Valley Baptist Church.
$74 for Statewide use from CAF America.
$74 for San Antonio Northeast from Cranes Mill Baptist Church.
$54 for Austin East from Shared Lutheran Ministry of Fayette County.

Fundraising Aid for You

The Texas Ramp Project has a 90-second video that captures the essence of our work assisting people with disabilities. This video focuses on one of TRP’s most valuable assets—our volunteers. Feel free to send this video to all your volunteers, friends and donors so they can see in a flash what we are all about, or use it in group settings to introduce our work to others. The video is posted on TRP’s website at https://texasramps.org/videos.

Welcome to the TRP Board: Brittany Pratt

Brittany Pratt has been a long-time supporter—and cheerleader—for the Texas Ramp Project. Her very first build was in 2016, right after she was hired at WellMed Medical Management in San Antonio. She was impressed by TRP’s high impact/low overhead cost. In her role as vice president of social responsibility, she encourages other WellMed employees to participate in builds.

Brittany, a San Antonio native, earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from UT–San Antonio. She interned at the Children's Shelter of San Antonio and worked for Girls Inc. and UTSA before joining WellMed. She leads philanthropic and volunteerism efforts for 12,000+ employees across Texas, New Mexico and Florida.

Today WellMed volunteers assist in several markets across the state. Brittany has found volunteering for a ramp build a truly meaningful experience.

Her go-to pitch for WellMed employees who have only a single opportunity to participate in community volunteering is, “Then it’s gotta be TRP.”

Brittany lives in San Antonio with her husband and two daughters, ages 13 and 11. She serves on the alumni board of her alma mater, UTSA, and is a PTA mom at her daughters’ elementary school. She loves to travel and listen to music.

She believes that her professional background has given her a lot of experience with fundraising and volunteer management. She sees that as her contribution to the board and its central support activities. “I’m hoping to share some of my knowledge with the organization to increase unrestricted funding and improve team lead recruitment.”

Ramp of the Month: NCT East, Hunt County

Hunt County operations received a referral for a “hair-on-fire” ramp from Senior Citizens Resource and Public Transportation Center for Sylvia H., 71, of Caddo Mills. She would be coming home from rehab but had no way to get into her home. When Sylvia was transported to the hospital, the EMS providers told her husband that they, too, were in danger because the steps and porch were not safe. Ten volunteers built Sylvia’s 36-foot ramp, donating 30 man-hours. It meant Sylvia would be able to safely access her home upon discharge from rehab. This ramp was the 494^th ramp on the way to 500 for the Golden K Kiwanis since partnering with TRP in 2009.

We hope you enjoy having the newsletter sent to you directly, as it is filled with useful information, building hints and tips, data collection updates and processes, client stories, special announcements and recognitions.

The newsletter only does its job when it is dispersed and shared with all who might be interested. We encourage you to liberally pass it on to others in your region.

Also, do send email addresses of people in your region who should be receiving it, along with their name and TRP region, to Sandy Knutson at sjknutson@texasramps.org.

If you prefer to NOT receive the newsletter, you can unsubscribe by emailing sjknutson@texasramps.org and asking for your name to be removed or use the "Unsubscribe" link below.

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