Magdalena Ministries Inc. DBA Magdalena House

Magdalena House is a neighborhood of transitional homes in San Antonio that serves mothers and children who have fled dangerous and abusive lives by providing transformation through education, nurturing community, and programming.

Empowering families to eliminate cycles of abuse and neglect in our community.

Goal One: Build out the neighborhood of homes to accommodate more families and create more dedicated program space.

Goal Two: Grow the awareness of Magdalena House in the community.

Goal Three: Diversify and grow the funding sources at Magdalena House.

We have been working on developing an understanding of conflict styles to help our leadership and all employees learn how these affect our interactions with others and how to lead teams with a range of conflict styles. All staff completed the Thomas Kilman Conflict Mode Instrument. A licensed professional counselor led staff in understanding each other's favored conflict styles and how to remove themselves from unhealthy triangulation patterns. This work also empowered staff to understand and improve their own interactions with clients.

With the start of the COVID pandemic in March, our first focus was on the safety of the families we serve and our staff. Our Executive Director consulted CDC guidelines, medical professionals and other shelters to determine the best way to continue to provide services safely. In concert with program staff, she developed protocols to limit in-person exposure for both clients and staff, screen for COVID, manage isolation and potential quarantine situations, and handle potential hospitalizations of resident clients and resulting needs for ensuring their children's safety. Throughout the year, program staff continually updated these protocols to address the changing risks in San Antonio. They obtained supplies for additional disinfecting practices and quarantine preparation. At the same time, program staff worked creatively to ensure that client families continued to receive high-touch, individualized support despite limited face to face contact as they all navigated increased fear, isolation, and stress brought on by the pandemic. Staff quickly secured additional technology and provided support to ensure that each client and child could pursue school on-line, engage in tele-heath with their counselors, and continue fun and enriching group activities using Zoom. Staff found ways to engage children on-line and in safe ways outside to provide mothers with a sanity break from their round-the-clock engagement with their children. Staff created events to build community, engaging families in reading challenges, drum circles, monthly family meals and holiday celebrations either through Zoom or safe outdoor experiences. Financially, development staff pivoted from an in-person gala for 600+ guests to an engaging, high technology live on-line format that grossed over $330,000 in much needed funds. Despite the challenges of the year, our client families achieved their academic and personal goals and experienced safe home-like shelter and loving support.