Bolstered by the National Fund grant and guided by Part-
ners, Divine Redeemer and HNS began to reach out to their
social and professional networks. Mueller had previously
worked with Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, the church’s city
councilmember, and recognized that this relationship might be
a place to start. Gonzales immediately saw the impact that Di-
vine Redeemer and HNS has had on their community and was
inspired by their dedication to neighborhood service. She also
saw another opportunity for the newly renovated building: a
venue for community gatherings and meetings, which were
scarce in her district. Gonzales advocated for San Antonio to
include the capital campaign in the city budget; the city is now
investing $500,000 in the project.
A congregation member at Divine Redeemer who had
worked for Bexar County reached out to her former colleagues.
That resulted in a conversation with the County Commissioner,
who pushed for the county to award a $250,000 grant for the
project. House of Neighborly Service funders reached out to
their professional connections to promote the project, who in-
troduced them to other potential funders. “It was a snowball
effect,” said Gooch. “We kept gathering more and more mo-
mentum.” The support came in many forms, including a
$75,000 in-kind gift to renovate the two campus playgrounds
and build a new basketball court. A former HNS participant,
now a professional architect with a local firm, is leading the
design and construction process at significantly reduced rates.
In May of 2019, Mueller updated the congregation on the
campaign: Divine Redeemer and House of Neighborly Service
had raised over $1.4 million for building renovations, almost all
from external funders. “They were excited to get started with
the public phase this fall,” says Mueller. “It’s no longer an im-
possible task.” And maybe it never was. Mueller doesn’t believe
that Divine Redeemer is an outlier. Any congregation sharing
space with a service provider can build upon that relationship to
the benefit of all. “Raising over $1 million from the wider
community should change some paradigm of philanthropy, not
only in San Antonio but nationwide,” says Gianfranco Grande,
Executive Vice President of Partners for Sacred Places. “It
proves that historic houses of worship are true community as-
sets, and the partnership between a church and nonprofit
should be a model for many.”
The outpouring of support has had a major impact on both
the congregation and the community which is expected to in-
crease over the next several years. The campaign itself, though
only focusing on capital improvements, has raised the entire
neighborhood’s profile. “Our network has grown so much,”
observes Gooch. “People are coming from different sectors and
areas of the city to invest in two local institutions, and the city is
starting to invest in our zip code in significant ways.” Gooch
hopes that this increased focus on San Antonio’s most vulner-
able neighborhood will help to alleviate poverty, increase educa-
tion, and improve the lives of its residents.
Multi-use space to be shared by Divine Redeemer and House of Neighborly
Service. Credit: Architect’s Concept Image by Dado Group
SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2019
11