Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Helterbrand
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Respite Care of San Antonio’s journey started nearly 40 years ago as a nonprofit. Marie Smith and the McAllister’s were our founding families. They each knew that raising a child with special needs and/or complex medical needs meant that additional stressors were placed on the parents. As a result of their caring hearts, they developed “respite” or “temporary relief” for caregivers. Today, Respite Care of San Antonio is a deeply respected organization who serves nearly 400 unique individuals each year. As the only licensed shelter in the state of Texas who cares for this vulnerable population, we have some children living with us 24/7/365, while other children are with us for full days of care. We help children reach their full, innate potential. Additional programs include in our day/night/weekend out services, out-of-school time camps, or our full-time early childhood education center. Respite Care provides a high-quality program not only for children with special and/or complex medical needs, but their siblings, too!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like many journeys in life, the path is not always easy. Respite Care struggled through the pandemic years and focused on rebuilding. Today, our operating budget has grown 50% in just three years, and we have expanded programs and services dramatically. We now offer our day/night/weekend out program Monday through Sunday, including Friday nights. This program is available across three locations for families to mix and match offerings to meet their unique needs. Meanwhile, we added two classrooms to our early childhood education center, which operates in Monte Vista, inside of Christ Episcopal Church’s family ministry building.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a nonprofit leader, my proudest moments occur when we are working at a system level to make it easier for families to easily access needed care and services. San Antonio is known for its collaborative spirit and being a compassionate city. When nonprofits, philanthropy, and conveners come together to solve problems in our community, that is when I feel that anything is possible and change truly takes hold. I am a grateful part of the system of care, and the leaders I work alongside are truly innovative, passionate and dedicated.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I grew up in a small Texas town, where normally there would not be tremendous opportunities for growth. Yet my hometown rallied to make sure that I was able to attend college, and even helped pay for my textbooks to remove every obstacle to success. I am enormously grateful that infrastructure supports such as the Pell Grant, college scholarships, and the tenacity and care of small-town Texans created a path for me to succeed.
Pricing:
- Respite Care’s Day/Night/Weekend Out is FREE to qualifying families!
- Respite Care’s Early Childhood Center and Camps accept childcare scholarships – reach out to learn more!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.respitecaresa.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/respitecareofsanantonioinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RespiteCareofSanAntonio
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/respite-care-of-san-antonio
Image Credits
Several photos are courtesy of Rising Oak Images. RCSA owns all copyrights, yet Rising Oak Images is the stellar creative force behind most of our images.
