About Us

Sometimes a simple conversation starts events rolling that take on a life of their own.  That is exactly what happened in November 2000 when the chairman of the Bexar County Child Welfare Board, Debra Nicholas, told San Antonio Construction News Publisher Buddy Doebbler that many children in the foster care system in San Antonio were being forgotten at Christmas.

 

Thinking the San Antonio Construction Industry might be able to help, Doebbler asked the construction associations to join him and Nicholas for a meeting to explore what could be done to help these children in the few weeks before Christmas.

 

What came out of that meeting was a plan to bring together local construction associations and other industry related companies for a once a year fundraiser to benefit foster kids serviced by the Bexar County Child Welfare Board. Steven Schultz came up with the name “Construct A Kid’s Christmas” and the group was off and running.

 

Calls went out to the construction associations and labor unions asking for their involvement and support.  Seventeen quickly joined and on Dec. 15, 2000, the first Construct A Kid’s Christmas Toy Drive was held at the offices of San Antonio Construction News.

 

The following year in 2001, many of the same associations held the first Construct A Kid’s Christmas Gala in conjunction with Toy Drive.  This event is held the day before the Toy Drive and has added another huge opportunity to raise funds and gifts for this worthy cause.

 

Due to the continued success of both events, Construct A Kid’s Christmas was officially formed as a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Today, many of the same construction associations continue to participate annually in both events.  The project supports the Bexar County Child Welfare Board and Child Advocates of San Antonio and our goal is to make sure that every child in the foster care system receives a gift at Christmas and to help improve the lives of all abused and neglected children in the system. With the San Antonio economy continuing to build, participating associations have been working hard to ensure that this incredible event will continue to be a success.

 

Over the past 22 years, the San Antonio construction industry has come together through both the Christmas Gala and the Toy Drive to contribute more than $1,050,000 in cash and well over 31,000 toys to the Construct A Kid’s Christmas project.

 

We appreciate your consideration!

 

Construct A Kid’s Christmas Board

Buddy Doebbler, President

Sandee Morgan, Vice President

Jennifer Swinney, Treasurer