Newsletter

Volume 6, Issue 12

December 2024

Message from Mark Denzin

Texas Ramp Project Executive Director

As I reflect on the past year, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to those who have helped shape our organization and advance our mission of providing safe access to neighbors across Texas. It is this spirit of giving and willingness to help those in need that truly sets the Texas Ramp Project apart.

The Texas Ramp Project is unique in so many ways. Its DNA is formed by every person and every action that drives our ability to help individuals live safer, more independent lives. The concept of giving back carries many meanings, but for our organization, it is about delivering renewed freedom and eliminating barriers.

As we look ahead to 2025—our 40th anniversary—we remain steadfast in our founding vision: that no Texas resident should lack safe access to their home.

Thank you for an incredible year. I wish you all the best as you step into the year ahead.

“We caught the RAMP BUG! We MUST build more ramps!”

This is what happened to Linda Kelly and fellow leaders of her church youth group after they built their first ramp in Houston back in 2012. What started out as a couple of fundraising ramps turned into a lifetime commitment for Linda. She has been helping run the Houston Ramp Project ever since.

Linda came to the Ramp Project with a long history of serving others, primarily through a series of Missouri Synod Lutheran churches. At her current church, Christ Memorial, she’s been a high school Sunday school teacher for 15 years and works in the women’s care, youth, college prayer and Boy Scout ministries.

Along with service, Linda came to the Ramp Project with IT and communication skills. A 20-year Army veteran, Linda was in the Signal Corps and served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the Middle East. At the Texas Workforce Commission, where she has worked since 2008, she provides IT support to hearing- and/or vision-impaired employees.

So Linda immediately became Houston’s online point of contact and Salesforce interface person. She also recruited and scheduled local volunteers. Houston region coordinator Les Schmaltz describes her as their “communicator-in-chief.” She does Facebook posting, prepares display posters and helps with TRP presentations. She continues to help on many builds. She especially loves working the final task—sanding the rails and sweeping the ramp—in preparation for the big moment: bringing out the family and client, if available, for a prayer of thanksgiving and a group photo.

“Their smiles say it all. They are so proud and beaming at the newly built ramp,” she says. “Some clients even call their neighbors to ‘come over and test the ramp.’ They are so grateful.”

Linda takes pleasure in seeing the Houston region branch out. The region has just been split into two smaller regions: Harris and Brazoria counties on the south, and Montgomery and Waller counties on the north. Her church now has three functioning teams, which call themselves the CMLC Rampers.

Linda traveled many parts of the world and the U.S. as a service member. She is the mom of 31-year-old twin sons and enjoys walking, hiking, swimming, snorkeling, sightseeing and taking photographs. A fun fact, she says, was appearing as an extra in the movie The Chosen. She was part of the 5,000 followers in the miracle of the loaves and fishes, filmed on a hot summer day in Midlothian.

Year-End Giving

With the holiday season in full swing, we want to remind you that a donation to the Texas Ramp Project is truly a gift of a lifetime for someone less fortunate.

Today, 3.8 million Texans—over 12% of the state’s civilian, non-institutionalized population—live with a disability. Among them, 1.7 million (49%) face ambulatory challenges that limit their mobility, making basic tasks like safely entering or exiting their homes a daily struggle.

The Texas Ramp Project is working to aid these individuals, their families and care providers by building ramps that remove barriers, enhance accessibility, and promote independence. But we can’t do it without the support of generous donors like you. A year-end gift to TRP’s mission will help us continue to provide life-changing ramps for those in need.

This is also a good time of year to spread the word within your community—your churches, civic groups, and local businesses—and invite them to include the Texas Ramp Project in their year-end giving or 2025 budget planning.

Thank you for your support, your generosity, and for being part of our mission to create independence for all Texans. To support the TRP mission, click here: [Secured Link}

We at the Texas Ramp Project wish you and your loved ones a joyful and peaceful holiday season.

H-E-B Feast of Sharing

TRP ramp recipient Mary Hernandez shows off the ramp TRP and H-E-B volunteers built for her a few years ago. Manning the table at the H-E-B Feast of Sharing in San Antonio on Dec. 21 are (from left) Daphne Velez of H-E-B, Mary Jo Bolster and Steve Swanson of TRP, and John Rodriquez of H-E-B. The Feast of Sharing has been held across Texas and Mexico since 1989 and features a free meal and other festivities. Over the years more than 4 million meals have been served.

Giving Tuesday Success



The 2024 Giving Tuesday campaign on December 3 brought in a total of $16,380 for the Texas Ramp Project. This included $11,830 raised from donors plus a $5,000 match. Thirty-nine percent of those donating to TRP were first time donors, with an average gift of $333.  This was TRP's first foray into Giving Tuesday and definitely will be repeated again in 2025.

Recent Grants and Donations

Over the course of a year TRP receives large, medium and small grants from foundations and similar donations from other entities, including churches, service groups, businesses and individuals. A few opt to give a small donation on a regular basis, which is more feasible for them. Examples range from Oviedo Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-RAM-Fiat-GMC of LaGrange, at a combined $1,200 per month, to tiny Garden Valley Baptist Church of Lindale, at $29 per month.

In between are The Church at Horseshoe Bay, $539; Hill Country Fellowship, $350; and the Langen/Wink Bible Class, $100 per month. They are faithful givers, and over a year the monthly payments add up, whether to purchase lumber for one or several ramps or the hardware that holds them together. Then there are the individuals who donate monthly through their company and are matched by Benevity—all for the benefit of our grateful clients. Thank you for your commitment.

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

• $25,000 for Texarkana North from RAM Foundation.
• $25,000 for statewide from Ed Rachal Foundation.
• $25,000 for North Texas from Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation.
• $20,000 for San Antonio Central from DEW Foundation.
• $20,000 for statewide from LGR Foundation.
• $20,000 for San Angelo from San Angelo Area Foundation.
• $15,000 for statewide from PennyMac Giving Fund in memory of Stanford L. Kurland.
• $15,000 for San Antonio region from The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation.
• $10,000 for Waco South from Bernard & Audre Rapoport Foundation.
• $5,000 for East Texas Jacksonville from T.J. & LaVerne Plunkett Foundation.
• $5,000 for East Texas from Austin Bank.
• $5,000 for Dallas from Stephen M. Seay Foundation.
• $3,600 for Austin East from Oviedo Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-RAM-Fiat-GMC.
• $2,773 for Waco South from Waco Habitat for Humanity.
• $2,500 for Dallas from Experian.
• $2,500 for Temple/Belton from Don Ringler Investments.
• $2,500 for East Texas Tyler from Bob L. Herd Foundation.
• $2,000 for San Antonio Central from Dixie Starnes Wenger Foundation.
• $1,209 for Amarillo from Amarillo Habitat for Humanity.
• $1,000 for Temple/Belton from Extra Co.
• $1,000 for Abilene from Tom and Lillian Grinnan Wilkinson Trust.
• $1,000 for Temple/Belton from Temple Founder Lions Club.
• $850 for Dallas from Texas Instruments Foundation.
• $800 for Austin Central from Capital City Post No. 8787 VFW.
• $560 for Dallas from King of Glory Lutheran Church.
• $539 for Austin West from The Church at Horseshoe Bay.
• $500 for Temple/Belton from Lengefeld Lumber Co.
• $500 for Austin Central from Redeemer Women in Mission.
• $500 for San Antonio Central from Alamo Area Hospitality Association.
• $500 for East Texas Emory from Helping Because We Care.
• $500 for statewide from Gardner Family Charitable Fund.
• $500 for San Antonio Northwest from Bethany Lutheran Foundation.
• $350 for Austin West from Hill Country Fellowship.
• $300 for East Texas Tyler from Celebration Class.
• $285 for statewide from Bright Funds Foundation.
• $100 for East Texas Tyler from Langen/Wink Bible Class.
• $96 for San Angelo from Menard Mission Fund.
• $29 for East Texas Tyler from Garden Valley Baptist Church.

Christmas Spirit abounds in these photos. A new ramp blesses the ramp recipients as well as the volunteers.

Christmas ramp in

Texarkana West, Titus County

Christmas ramp in East Texas Van Zandt county

Christmas ramp in Dallas County

Amarillo Ramp Project Gets TV Spot



A TV spot on Amarillo’s KFDA News Channel 10 featured Henry Wyckoff discussing a client who had received a ramp on Dec. 23, just in time for Christmas.

“An average ramp is between $800 and $1,000, and if the client we built for this morning, if you asked that lady to cough up $1,000 bucks, she couldn’t do it. She has struggled paying her gas bill and her light bill,” he said.

See the TV report here. [Link to https://www.newschannel10.com/2024/12/23/texas-ramp-project-sees-rise-ramps-built-throughout-tx-panhandle/]

Local Newspaper Honors Kay Geurin

The New Braunfels Herald Zeitung has honored San Antonio Northeast coordinator Kay Geurin as an H-Z Holiday Hero. Read the article here. [Link]

News Captures Ramp for Wilson County Veteran

The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association partnered with the Texas Ramp Project to build a ramp for a fellow veteran in Pandora, in Wilson County. The referral came through first responders of the Hardwick—Wilson County Emergency Services District 3 (ESD 3). According to TRP team leader David Teel, ESD 3 has made 10 requests for ramps this year, with nine installed. Read the Wilson County News article here. [Link]

Create Healthy Spotlights TRP

One of TRP’s newest sponsors, Create Healthy of Fredericksburg, featured the Texas Ramp Project in its December newsletter’s Grantee Spotlight. The article showcased two ramps built with funding from Create Healthy, which provided $10,000 in October for ramps in the Hill Country. Austin West coordinator Don Barlow submitted the photos. Read the newsletter article here. [Link]

Ramp of the Month, Dallas County

Dallas

Ms. Helen G., 99, of Dallas is gradually losing her hearing and sight and lives alone. Fortunately, she is blessed with a community network of people who respond to her immediate needs. On the day of the build, the Meals on Wheels volunteer arrived and was thrilled to see that Helen was receiving a ramp. Twenty-one volunteers (mostly team leads) worked a total of 45 hours to build Helen's 60-foot Christmas ramp. As Helen turns 100 in January, the TRP volunteers were encouraged to send her birthday cards. The referral for this ramp came from Baylor Scott & White Health.

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.