San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Danielle Gunter, SA YES
SA YES Executive Director Danielle Gunter saw at an early age how helping others, even in small ways, can have a huge impact on their lives. It’s a lesson she learned from her father.
Gunter, who grew up in Kirby, still remembers riding along with her dad as he distributed hot meals to neighborhoods in need after a flood. “I grew up with the background that you always give back to the community you live in, in some way, shape, or form,” she said. “My father was very big in preaching that to us.”
When it came time for her to choose a career, Gunter said she either wanted to work for a sports-related organization or a nonprofit. After graduating from college, it didn’t take long for her to figure out that, like her father, she too was passionate about helping people in her community. Before joining San Antonio Youth Educational Support Project (SA YES) six and a half years ago, Gunter worked for several nonprofits, including the American Heart Association. It was during that time she became a heart survivor. Gunter was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a condition, according to heart.org, that occurs when the electrical pathways between the heart’s upper and lower chambers malfunction. Understandably, she took a step back after that to recover and focus on her family. When she decided to take another job, Gunter brought her skills and experiences to SA YES.
For more than 20 years, SA YES has helped thousands of elementary school students get the educational tools they need to succeed. At the beginning of each school year, the nonprofit’s Back to Basics Project provides free school supplies to Title 1 elementary schools in San Antonio, Austin (Austin YES ), and Corpus Christi (CC YES). Title 1 schools receive additional funding from state agencies to provide extra educational support to ensure that state standards are being met. SA YES has established relationships with the Edgewood, Harlandale, San
Antonio, and South San Antonio Independent School Districts.
The organization currently assists 80 schools but recently received enough funding to expand its services to the Dallas/Fort Worth area in 2022.
Despite the pandemic, Gunter said she and her staff accomplished more than ever this year. In August, 50,000 school supply kits were distributed across all three markets. Their annual Drive Away for Education Truck Raffle raised more than $500,000 for students in South Texas. Gunter said the organization awarded just over $110,000 to area schools for STEM grants in October. It’s the largest amount the nonprofit has awarded at one time.
The organization also reached its goal to install 10 Little Lockers across San Antonio as part of its Little Locker Project. The lockers have been placed in front of two middle schools and elementary schools within Edgewood, South San, and Harlandale ISD. So far, 11 have been placed in San Antonio and one in
Austin. “Students get really excited about it, and the teachers like the fact that it’s on par with their literacy effort.” Although SA YES does not take donated school supplies because it works with a vendor, Gunter wants people to know that book donations are welcome and needed. For more information, visit sayes.org.
Gunter is proud that SA YES is making such a difference in the community. “It truly is one of the best feelings you get when you’re in these schools, and you are handing out the supplies, and these kids are so excited to get a package of supplies,” she said. “And the teachers are so extremely grateful.”
To learn more about SA YES, go to sayes.org.