OUR HISTORY
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History and Organizational Background
SOUTH TEXAS EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN CENTER
SOUTH TEXAS EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN CENTER
The South Texas Empowerment of Women Center (STEWC) was formally incorporated as a Texas corporation on January 13, 2010. The founders are: Rosalia Fink, OSB; Jeannine T. Spain, OSB. The acting president of the corporation is Rosalia Fink, OSB who also serves as the in-kind CEO due to the lack of current funding for the position. Its current address is 3610 W. Turtle Drive, Rio Grande City, Starr County, Texas 78582. Sister Fink has spearheaded meetings with the District Attorney and the Starr County Commissioner’s Court to create interest in providing funding for the women and children victims of domestic violence. The original bylaws for the organization were adopted on December 22, 2009. These were later revised effective January 17, 2010. The corporation has refined its mission to the terse statement as follows: A Catalyst for peace, safety, and non-violence in the home.
The goals for the organization include but are not limited to (1.) advocating for intervention and prevention activities that will decrease the incidence of domestic violence and promote justice through administering a shelter and transitional housing for women and children who experience abuse and domestic violence, (2.) promoting safety for those already affected by domestic violence, (3.) educating and training people in South Texas to promote greater awareness and understanding of domestic violence, (4.) achieving effective coordination between agencies, existing services, and the courts for individuals affected by family and domestic violence and abuse, and (5.) providing prevention, intervention, and treatment techniques for dealing with family and domestic violence through such coordination and data collection.
The STEWC has been in existence for about seven years, it has dedicated itself since the very outset of organizing the corporation to ensuring the existence of a strong Board of Directors as well as seeking sources of funding for an abused women and their children shelter. Thus, a private donor in Rio Grande City, TX has donated 3-acres of prime real estate for the construction of the proposed transitional housing shelter. The estimated value of this property is $600,000. On November 17, 2010 this Deed of Gift was filed for Record in: Starr County as a RECORDING Document Number: 00294073. The Deed of Gift has no reservations and restrictions and was GRANTED, GIVEN AND CONVEYED to SOUTH TEXAS EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN CENTER (STEWC).
Appraisal of Real Property (3.0 acre Tract of land, 755 Country Estates Subdivision Rio Grande City, TX 78582 was completed November 10,2010 by Silvestre Gonzalez, MSA.
The INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE letter of approval of tax exempt status under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code was received December 3,2010. Effective Date of Exemption: January 13, 2010.
We have used the time since January 1, 2011 fund raising in order to obtain the money needed to build what is needed to get started in giving services to women and children suffering from abuse and/or domestic violence. For the last three years we have had a giving calendar for a fund raiser and it has been doing a pretty good job. So we are trying it again for 2016. This calendar gives you 60 chances to win a little of the cost of the calendar back during the year. You get all 60 chances even if you win your name goes back into the pool so you may win more than once if you are lucky. This is why we call it a giving calendar because you give to us to help us build and get started giving services and we give back to you with the chances to win a casher’s check.
In October 2013 STEWC begin the process of obtaining building permits to begin construction of the office building. This process has many steps. One of the first was the subdivision process of the 3 acre tract and payment of the fee. It is now the SOUTH TEXAS EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN CENTER Subdivision of Rio Grande City, TX 78582. Another important step is the completion of a section of the road (Turtle Drive) that leads to the subdivision. The latest on this is the need of soil testing before the work on the roads can continue.
The STEWC has dedicated itself since the very outset of the organization to ensuring the existence of a strong Board of Directors as well as seeking sources of funding for a shelter for women and their children suffering from abuse and domestic violence. The membership on the Board of Directors is currently limited to not less than three (3) or more than thirteen (13).
Board officers for 2010 were President Rosalia Fink, OSB and Secretary Rosa Maria Garcia.
The officers for 2011 and 2012 were: Rosalia Fink, OSB – President, Rosa Maria Garcia – Secretary, Francisco G. Zarate – Vice President, Holly Guerrero – Treasurer, and Jeannine T. Spain, OSB – Reporter Other Board members: Heriberto Silva, Sylvia Garza, Blanca Juarez, Lorena Garcia, Sandra Garcia and Elizabeth Chapa.
Board membership for 2013 and 2014 are: Rosalia Fink, President: Rosie Garcia, Secretary: Jeannine Spain, Reporter: Sylvia Garza, Board Member: Elizabeth Chapa, Board Member: Maria A. Botello, Board Member: Gloria Garza, Board Member
Board membership for 2016 are: Rosalia Fink, President: Rosie Garcia Secretary: Jeannine Spain, Reporter Maria A. Botello, and Board Member: Father Eduardo Villa, Board Member: Rosa Gonzalez Board Member, and Nora Montalvo-Liendo, Advisor Volunteer.
As of May 2016 STEWC has two buildings completed. The Home Office Information Center and the Crisis Shelter and we are looking into the purchase of a 36 unit apartment complex in Rio Grande City, TX 78582 to be used as income to help obtain staff and to use as Transitional Housing.
The goals for the organization include but are not limited to (1.) advocating for intervention and prevention activities that will decrease the incidence of domestic violence and promote justice through administering a shelter and transitional housing for women and children who experience abuse and domestic violence, (2.) promoting safety for those already affected by domestic violence, (3.) educating and training people in South Texas to promote greater awareness and understanding of domestic violence, (4.) achieving effective coordination between agencies, existing services, and the courts for individuals affected by family and domestic violence and abuse, and (5.) providing prevention, intervention, and treatment techniques for dealing with family and domestic violence through such coordination and data collection.
The STEWC has been in existence for about seven years, it has dedicated itself since the very outset of organizing the corporation to ensuring the existence of a strong Board of Directors as well as seeking sources of funding for an abused women and their children shelter. Thus, a private donor in Rio Grande City, TX has donated 3-acres of prime real estate for the construction of the proposed transitional housing shelter. The estimated value of this property is $600,000. On November 17, 2010 this Deed of Gift was filed for Record in: Starr County as a RECORDING Document Number: 00294073. The Deed of Gift has no reservations and restrictions and was GRANTED, GIVEN AND CONVEYED to SOUTH TEXAS EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN CENTER (STEWC).
Appraisal of Real Property (3.0 acre Tract of land, 755 Country Estates Subdivision Rio Grande City, TX 78582 was completed November 10,2010 by Silvestre Gonzalez, MSA.
The INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE letter of approval of tax exempt status under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code was received December 3,2010. Effective Date of Exemption: January 13, 2010.
We have used the time since January 1, 2011 fund raising in order to obtain the money needed to build what is needed to get started in giving services to women and children suffering from abuse and/or domestic violence. For the last three years we have had a giving calendar for a fund raiser and it has been doing a pretty good job. So we are trying it again for 2016. This calendar gives you 60 chances to win a little of the cost of the calendar back during the year. You get all 60 chances even if you win your name goes back into the pool so you may win more than once if you are lucky. This is why we call it a giving calendar because you give to us to help us build and get started giving services and we give back to you with the chances to win a casher’s check.
In October 2013 STEWC begin the process of obtaining building permits to begin construction of the office building. This process has many steps. One of the first was the subdivision process of the 3 acre tract and payment of the fee. It is now the SOUTH TEXAS EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN CENTER Subdivision of Rio Grande City, TX 78582. Another important step is the completion of a section of the road (Turtle Drive) that leads to the subdivision. The latest on this is the need of soil testing before the work on the roads can continue.
The STEWC has dedicated itself since the very outset of the organization to ensuring the existence of a strong Board of Directors as well as seeking sources of funding for a shelter for women and their children suffering from abuse and domestic violence. The membership on the Board of Directors is currently limited to not less than three (3) or more than thirteen (13).
Board officers for 2010 were President Rosalia Fink, OSB and Secretary Rosa Maria Garcia.
The officers for 2011 and 2012 were: Rosalia Fink, OSB – President, Rosa Maria Garcia – Secretary, Francisco G. Zarate – Vice President, Holly Guerrero – Treasurer, and Jeannine T. Spain, OSB – Reporter Other Board members: Heriberto Silva, Sylvia Garza, Blanca Juarez, Lorena Garcia, Sandra Garcia and Elizabeth Chapa.
Board membership for 2013 and 2014 are: Rosalia Fink, President: Rosie Garcia, Secretary: Jeannine Spain, Reporter: Sylvia Garza, Board Member: Elizabeth Chapa, Board Member: Maria A. Botello, Board Member: Gloria Garza, Board Member
Board membership for 2016 are: Rosalia Fink, President: Rosie Garcia Secretary: Jeannine Spain, Reporter Maria A. Botello, and Board Member: Father Eduardo Villa, Board Member: Rosa Gonzalez Board Member, and Nora Montalvo-Liendo, Advisor Volunteer.
As of May 2016 STEWC has two buildings completed. The Home Office Information Center and the Crisis Shelter and we are looking into the purchase of a 36 unit apartment complex in Rio Grande City, TX 78582 to be used as income to help obtain staff and to use as Transitional Housing.