Nonprofits hold communities up through their selfless dedication to the people they serve. In Guadalupe County, they provide essential services such as food, housing, and healthcare, bridging gaps where public services fall short.
This year, our nonprofit guide brings you two stories of nonprofits making a difference in Seguin. First, you’ll learn about the Will Smith Zoo School and how it’s impacting early childhood education in Seguin. Then you’ll learn how the South Texas Pregnancy Care Center became debt-free to better serve its patients.
We also have a complete list of Guadalupe County Nonprofits along with contact information for each to help them better serve you.
All that and more in this month’s Seguin Today Magazine.
Lizz Daniels Creative Director
Photo by Lizz Daniels
Lizz
Lizz Daniels
Laurie
Linda Duncan
OUTDOOR LEARNING DONE RIGHT
The non-profit mission to change early childhood education in Seguin
Laughter rings through classrooms at the Irma Lewis Outdoor Learning Center as early elementary students run and play, but this classroom looks and feels quite different from a typical classroom. Instead of four sturdy walls filled with desks and play spaces, the great outdoors becomes the classroom where students learn through play and exploration.
In its inaugural year, the program boasts a group of sixteen students in the morning, plus five more who stay for the full day.
This one-of-a-kind learning experience was brought to Seguin in part by the Will Smith Zoo Schools, a nonprofit program that makes it its mission to bring nature-based learning to schools, allowing students an opportunity for a different type of learning –– one that comes with experience.
Teacher Jessica Herbold manages the early education classroom with the grace of a seasoned educator, keeping a watchful eye on her students as they explore their outdoor learning space.
“We’re a nature-based preschool where kids learn through handson experiences outdoors,” she said. “We spend a lot of our day outside exploring, hiking, and letting kids really connect with nature, whether they’re looking for shells on an island, getting their hands dirty, or practicing letters outside. Everything we do is rooted in learning through real experiences compared to just sitting inside. We’re part of something really special. This partnership with Seguin ISD is the first of its kind in
Texas, bringing nature-based learning into a public school setting. It gives kids a chance to learn through the outdoors. Will Smith gave Seguin an opportunity, which we feel very lucky that they picked our city to do it in. They could have gone to New Braunfels, they could have gone to San Marcos, but they chose Seguin. We feel very lucky.”
Days at the Irma Lewis Outdoor Learning Center start in much the same way as typical classrooms. Students arrive before 8am and hang out in a traditional classroom space until their classmates arrive. Once everyone is in for the day, the class heads outside. Tall shade trees surround their classroom building, and lush green grass grows along a scenic pond where students are allowed to explore.
“So they’re here from 7am to 3pm,” Herbold said. “And then we also have kids that come in the afternoon as well, so we have a morning class, an afternoon class, and then those that are here with us all day. There’s three different options. We’re outside about 90% of the day, hiking to our island, having water days, learning about and observing animals, and we even get to take the zoo trips because we are partnered with Will Smith Zoo School. Everything is hands-on and kind of built into it. They bring a bus down, and we all take a big bus trip, and that’s usually the kids’ highlight. They love riding in the bus. But we’ve got to feed the giraffes, we got to pet the kangaroos, so we don’t just get to walk around the zoo, we get hands-on learning and interactive learning.”
Story & Photos by Lizz Daniels with Courtesy photos
This type of learning experience is engineered to help students grow not only educationally, but also emotionally. Students grow from shy introverts into confident explorers when traditional classroom walls are removed.
“You get to see the students build their independence and confidence in the outdoors, and they learn things that they normally wouldn’t learn in an indoor classroom setting,” Herbold said. “We are in riskier environments –– there’s snakes around us, there’s water safety they have to learn, there’s different spiders and scorpions, and you see those every day. When you get your first snake encounter and seeing the kids, you’ve been talking about it for weeks and weeks and weeks, what to do, and then for them to actually do that. To be like ‘back up, tell a teacher’ and have that cool learning moment of what snake is this, is it a safe snake, is it a venomous snake? That sort of thing has been really cool to see.”
Herbold shared that while the learning may look different at the surface, students are still taught all the typical educational skills expected for their level.
“We still cover all the early learning skills like letters, sounds, fine motor skill development, but we do it through play and exploration,” she said. “So, for example, we might practice letters in the dirt, count rocks, and identify patterns in nature. It makes learning stick because it’s hands-on. And then I think our highlights are we have our very own Kid Island that we hike to, and it’s a really special part of our program. The kids explore and just experience nature up close. It’s one of their favorite parts of the day. It’s pretty awesome, and they also build their endurance. We’re hiking two to ten miles a week, which is pretty incredible. This is ages three to five. I think I average about five miles per day, so I feel like they average a lot more because they’re running around all day.”
As for where the funding for such innovative learning comes from, that’s where the partnership with the Will Smith Zoo School
comes into play.
“So the Zoo School is fully funding our school right now,” Herbold explained. “We’re partnered with Seguin ISD, and they bring us the meals, and they provide this campus for us, but other than that, they’re employing the employees and providing school supplies. Without the nonprofit, we wouldn’t be here today. So they’re really what’s helping us get our feet on the ground, and hopefully, eventually, it will allow Seguin ISD to feel comfortable taking it over.”
Zachary Stigl, director of the Will Smith Zoo School, said the nonprofit’s goal is to create an inclusive and impactful educational model for the community that can carry them into the future.
“As part of a broader public-private partnership, the Outdoor Learning Center is designed to serve as a bridge—bringing together families, educators, and community
organizations around a shared vision for early learning that is innovative, accessible, and rooted in place,” he said. “We aim to support working families, strengthen school readiness, and contribute to a growing awareness of the importance of outdoor experiences in early development. Ultimately, the non-profit aspect allows us to think beyond a single program and focus on long-term impact—how we can influence early childhood practices across the region, provide meaningful opportunities for children of diverse backgrounds, and help cultivate a community that values both education and conservation.”
As laughter fills the tree line and tiny feet splash through puddles, Jessica Herbold holds in her classroom a potential future for learning where students are encouraged to think not only outside the box, but also outside the classroom. •
www.seguintoday.com
2026 Non-Profit Organization Directory
211 Information & Referral Service dial 211 for essential community services www.211.org
Agape Counseling Center
Faith-Based Trauma Informed Counseling 301 N. Austin Street Seguin, Texas 78155 830-832-1509 (phone/text) www.theagapectr.org https://www.facebook.com/theagapecenter
Alamo Area Council of Governments AACOG www.aacog.com
Bluebonnet Trails www.bbtrails.org/seguin 1104 Jefferson Ave, Seguin, TX 78155 1-844-309-6385
Blue Santa www.seguintexas.gov/1113/Blue-Santa
Boy Scouts Alamo Area Council www.alamoareabsa.org
Brighter Futures Foundation 409-433-4005 717 N Hwy 123 Bypass www.brighterfuturesnow.org
Buck Fever/Buck Fever Foundation email: buckfeverseguintx@gmail.com https://buckfever.org/
Camino Real Early Childhood Intervention www.caminorealcs.org
CASA of Central Texas www.casacentex.org 830-626-2272
Catholic Charities www.ccaosa.org
Centro Esperanza Community Center www.centroesperanzasmtx.com
Christian Cupboard 516 N. Camp St., Seguin, TX 78155 830-379-4857
Columbus Club Seguin Hall (Venue) 1015 S Austin St., Seguin Tx, 78156 Augie Kay 830-379-0602 830-305-0076
ColumbusClubSeguin@gmail.com 3412KC@gmail.com
Communities in Schools of South Central Texas (CIS) 430 W. Mill Street, Suite 100 New Braunfels, TX 78130 email: info@cissct.org https://www.cis-sct.org/
Community Council of South Central Texas Executive Director: Bobby Deike Community Services Office 830-379-3022
813 N State Hwy 123 Bypass, Seguin TX 78155
Community Cycles www.communitycyclesseguin.org
Community Music Academy/CMA tlu.edu/about-tlu/civic-engagement/ community-education/community-music-academy 830-372-6448
Connections Individual & Family Services www.connectionsifs.org 830-629-6571
Connect Seguin Bus Service seguintexas.gov/856/Public-Transportation
Daughters of the Republic of Texas/Seguin Chapter https://www.facebook.com/SeguinTXDRT/
Day Zero Foundation. contact: Ed Eaton 830-832-5836 ed@dayzero.foundation
Disabled American Veterans/Seguin Unit 61 www.texvet.org/resources/disabledamerican-veterans-dav-chapter-61 830-379-3299
2026 Non-Profit Organization Directory
Family Life Center www.flcnb.org
Frank Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home 200 Veterans Drive, Floresville, TX 78114 830-216-9436
Friends of the Seguin Public Library https://www.seguintexas.gov/216/Friends-of-theLibrary
Geronimo Lions Club meets at 6:30 a.m. first Thursday of each month at Big Red Barn. Hosts First Friday Feast the 1st Friday each month at Red Barn. www.facebook.com/2021GeronimoLions
Geronimo Lions Club First Friday Feast e-clubhouse.org/sites/geronimo/index.php
Geronimo VFW Post No. 8456 6808 N. State Hwy. 123 Seguin, Texas 78155 830-379-9260
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas www.girlscouts-swtx.org/
Greater Randolph Area Services Program/GRASP grasp211.org/ 210-658-6351
Guadalupe County 4-H guadalupe.agrilife.org 830-303-3889
Guadalupe Clinic at GRMC www.grmedcenter.com/medicalservices/guadalupe-clinic/ 830-303-9400
Guadalupe County Child Welfare Board www.gccwb.org 830-303-9967
Guadalupe County Children’s Advocacy Center www.gccac.net
Guadalupe County Crime Stoppers guadalupecountycrimestoppers.org Tip line at 1-877-403-TIPS
Guadalupe County Fair Association www.gcfair.org/ Guadalupe County United Way www.guadalupeunitedway.org 830-491-7528
Guadalupe County Humane Society 2484 N. State Highway 46 Seguin, TX 78155 830-372-2055 https://www.gchshumane.com/
Guadalupe County Veterans Services www.co.guadalupe.tx.us/vetrep/vetrep.php 830-303-4188, ext. 1249
2026 Non-Profit Organization Directory
Guadalupe County Youth Livestock & Homemakers Show https://www.gcys.org/
Kiwanis Club of Seguin www.facebook.com/KiwanisClubofSeguin
Knights of Columbus Council 3412 PO Box 115, Seguin Tx, 78156
Mark Salinas (512) 497-8609 3412KC@gmail.com
A P P L Y A N D E N R O L L N O W !
Our New Braunfels location provides educational opportunities for residents of Comal & Guadalupe Counties
Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English, Math, Fine Arts, Philosophy, Psychology
Day & evening options
IT - Cyber Defense and Networking
Associate Degree with a Business pre-major offered in an accelerated (8 week) format
2026 Non-Profit Organization Directory
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council 682 830-321-0412
P.O. Box 707 Seguin, TX 78156
LULACSeguin.org LULACSeguin@gmail.com
Marion Community Library Association (MCLA) 201 S. Center St., Marion, Texas www.marioncommunitylibrary.com
Marion Education Foundation marionisd.net/marion-education-foundation
Meals on Wheels/Comal County Senior Citizens Foundation www.nbsenior.org 830-629-4547 ext. 120
Methodist Healthcare Ministries
Wesley Nurse Program
Contact: Danna Meyers, RN
Phone: 830-379-4112 ext 208 710 N. Austin Street Seguin, Tx 78155 www.mhm.org
Mid-Texas Symphony mtsymphony.org/ 830-463-5353
NAACP/Seguin Branch PO Box 2127 Seguin TX 78156-2127 18
NAMI-Guadalupe County www.namiguadalupecounty.org 830-433-9036
National Council of Nonprofits www.councilofnonprofits.org
Navarro Education Foundation https://www.navarroisd.us/nef
New Berlin Community Club/ New Berlin Sausage Festival 8815 FM 2538 Seguin Texas 78155 Rae Howell 210-343-9570
New Berlin VFD Chief Kurt Strey 830-560-6647
chief@newberlinfr.org 8730 FM 775 Seguin, TX 78155
New Braunfels Food Bank 1620 S. Seguin Ave. New Braunfels, Texas 78130 www.nbfoodbank.org 830-327-6000
E n h a n c i n g L i fe i n O u r C o m m u n i t y
E n h a n c i n g L i fe i n O u r C o m m u n i t y
E n h a n c i n g L i fe i n O u r C o m m u n i t y
W i t h o v e r $ 3 M i l l i o n i n a s s e t s , t h e S e g u i n W i t h o v e r $ 3 M i l l i o n i n a s s e t s , t h e S e g u i n
A r e a C o m m u n i t y F o u n d a t i o n ’ s g e n e r a l f u n d
A r e a C o m m u n i t y F o u n d a t i o n ’ s g e n e r a l f u n d
i s t h e s o u r c e o f o n g o i n g d i v i d e n d s t h a t a l l o w i s t h e s o u r c e o f o n g o i n g d i v i d e n d s t h a t a l l o w
A u n s f d i d c i n p y
y o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o g i v e i n p e r p e t u i t y ! y o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o g i v e i n p e r p e t u i t y !
9thAnnual SACF9thAnnual SACF 9thAnnual SACF
Guadalupe River at Max Starke Park | Photo by Brandon Neidig
2026 Non-Profit Organization Directory
Northeast Lakeview College Alamo Colleges District 2193 FM 758
New Braunfels, TX 78130 alamo.edu/nlc/nb
Pecan Valley Communicators Club pecanvalleycommunicators.org
PFLAG Seguin pflag.org/chapter/seguin
Precious Life Suicide Prevention www.preciouslifesuicideprevention.org
Our Site Coordinators work inside schools every day to remove barriers that stand in the way of student success. By connecting kids and families to vital resources—like food, counseling, academic support, and more—we help students focus on what matters most: learning, growing, and thriving.
Learn more about our work at
We surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. www.cis-sct.org
Get Involved
There are many ways to make a lasting impact: Donate: Your contribution helps provide essentials like food, mental health support, and academic assistance.
Volunteer: Share your time and skills to mentor students or at our CIS Thrift Store.
Advocate: Spread the word about the power of community support in our schools.
Waggin Tailz Rescue and Adoption www.facebook.com/waggintailzrescue/
Zonta Club of Seguin seguinzonta.org/seguin-zonta-foundation
NOTE FROM THE EDITORS:
If your organization or an organization you care about was not included in this year’s directory, please reach out to us, and we’ll make sure it is included next year!
KWED/Seguin Daily News
609 E. Court St., Seguin 830-379-2234
To promote your event on this page contact advertising at 830-379-2234 or email communitycalendar@kwed1580.com
Featured Events
Pantherpalooza
Navarro ISD will host Pantherpalooza, a Kids and Family Expo, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at Navarro Intermediate School. The free event will feature family resources, student organizations, local businesses, games, food trucks and information about summer recreation and student job opportunities. For details or vendor information, visit navarroisd.us/pantherpalooza.
April 16
Kindergarten Roundup
Families with young children are invited to learn more about enrolling in Navarro ISD during the district’s upcoming Pre-K and Kindergarten Roundup events at Navarro Elementary School in Geronimo. Pre-K Roundup will be held from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, followed by Kindergarten Roundup from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 21. For details and required documents, visit navarroisd.us/ roundup.
April 17
Small Business Unite Symposium
The Texas Tri-County Chamber of Commerce will host the Small Business Unite Symposium on April 17–18 at Northeast Lakeview College in Paluxy Hall in Universal City. The symposium will feature business education sessions, networking opportunities, industry panels, and a Lean Six Sigma White Belt Certification included with registration. Registration is now open at busines.txtricountychamber.org.
April 18
BBQ fundraiser
Seguin Field of Honor will have a BBQ fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at Cash America Pawn, located at 1111 E. Court St. The plates are $12 each and consist of half a chicken, cowboy potatoes, beans and trimmings. Presale tickets are available from committee members, or call Connie at 830-243-2872.
April 24
Texans Reaching Out 2026
Come one, come y’all to celebrate in true Texas style at St. Andrew’s “Texans Reaching Out” on Friday, April 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the church parish hall, 201 E. Nolte. The event features a lip-smackin’ fish fry by Johnny’s BBQ and music by The Magpies! You’ll also enjoy appetizers, drinks, and a handheld dessert bar. Tickets are free of charge, but reservations are required. A collection will be taken to benefit the local and international outreach ministries of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Seating is limited so reserve prior to April 17 by calling the church office at 830.372.4330 or emailing secretary@standrewseguin.org.
April
Homestead Exemption Audit Process
Under a new state law, appraisal districts across the state, including the Guadalupe Appraisal District, will begin conducting audits of homestead exemptions. As part of the process, property owners with an active homestead exemption may receive a notice asking them to reapply for the exemption every five years to verify eligibility. Property owners who receive a notice should follow the instructions provided by the Guadalupe Appraisal District.
Faith, generosity plus a debt-free
DREAM
South Texas Pregnancy Care Center celebrates major milestone
In a time when many nonprofit organizations spend decades paying off construction costs, the South Texas Pregnancy Care Center in Seguin is celebrating something rare -- complete financial freedom.
Located at 1348 E. Kingsbury St., the center, which operates as a faith-based ministry, has officially paid off its new facility. A goal that once seemed ambitious is now being celebrated as both a blessing and a blueprint for others.
Executive Director Janice Weaver says the organization has served families for years from its former location on West Court Street near Texas Lutheran University. But as its mission grew, so did the need for space -- and the vision for something more permanent for local families.
“We began construction in April of 2023, and the Koehler Company had built our building, and they ironically told us that it would take about nine months,” Weaver said. “You know, we thought that it was fortuitous when you talk about a pregnancy center and a pregnancy takes nine months, you know, that this building would take about nine months. So, from groundbreaking that was in March of 2023 and then until they started in the end of April -- first of May and then we moved in June the 10th of the next year of ‘24.”
Weaver says the project was a leap of faith from the start. With a construction loan secured in March 2023, she says the center moved forward -- grounded not only in financial planning, but in deeply held beliefs about stewardship and responsibility.
“So, the construction loan was probably done in March of 2023. And so, First United Bank loaned us the money,” Weaver said. “We stepped out on faith to see about funding this building. We also had done a lot of work up front to prep for it. We paid off our old center seven years before it was due. And after we did that, then we started keeping payments going so that we could put that money into a money market and could start saving money.”
That discipline nonetheless became a defining strategy. Even before opening the new doors, the organization was already positioning itself to eliminate debt as quickly as possible.
“Debt and paying interest were not good uses of the donor’s money,” she said. “We have the philosophy that if we can pay more than the mortgage payment, we do. And so, every time someone would give us a generous donation, we would look at the finances, and we would try to pay more than our mortgage payment. And so that has just been our goal.”
Story by Cindy Aguirre-Herrera
Photos by Lizz Daniels with courtesy photos
In 2024, the donor-funded center owed approximately $2.4 million. And just over a year later, that balance was gone.
Weaver adds the major turning point came from an unexpected act of generosity.
“And then we have had some amazing donors,” she said. “I mean, we really have. We had a man who came to us after our last fundraising banquet that said, you know, my dad taught me that being in debt was not a good thing. And so, after this fundraising banquet, I want you to look at what you still owe, and I want to pay off your debt. So that was a huge, huge, huge donation, and what a blessing.”
But that single gift was only part of a much larger story – a story that Weaver says is being defined each day thanks to widespread community support.
“When you get a call from Greg Seidenberger (former Guadalupe County Commissioner), who says, Janice, do you need a metal roof? … I didn’t even go ask for it – and so we had metal roofing materials that were donated by Central Texas Metal Roofing Supply Company Things just started coming,” Weaver
said. “Georgia-Pacific Gypsum plant in McQueeney donated wallboard, and then the Seguin High School construction trades class built all of our interior walls… those kids had an opportunity to really build something that was going to go somewhere.”
Weaver says monthly contributions from more than 20 churches and various individual donors have also played a steady role in sustaining daily operations.
“We’ve got over 20 churches who send us a donation every month,” she said. “And we’ve got individuals who do the same thing. And so that gives us the operating money for daily operations. But then as we had extra, we always put that toward the debt.”
For Board President Mindy Johnson, the achievement reflects a deep commitment of relying on the Lord as these generous donations poured in.
“We are just the stewards of that money,” Johnson said. “That money is given to us to use for the ministry. And so, we are very cognizant of that in our day-to-day decisions. Are we using the donor money well? And, we always want that answer to be ‘yes.’”
ALL CABINETS INCLUDE
• Solid wood construction
• Soft close doors and drawers
• Under mount drawer glides
• Free onsite measurements, designs and quotes
• In House -Installation services
• Fast delivery and installation time
More importantly, she credits Weaver’s leadership style for helping guide the organization to this milestone.
“She hates to pay interest,” Johnson said. “She hates to be in debt. And that has served her well, because she leads the band with that. Let’s not have any debt.”
Now debt-free, the center is looking ahead -- not at bills, but at possibilities.
Without the burden of a mortgage, they feel they can allocate more resources directly to client services, including expanded programming and new initiatives. One example already underway is a growing car seat safety program in which trained staff help families properly install car seats in their vehicles.
The board is also exploring future growth, including expanding medical services, the hiring of another nurse and potentially launching programs aimed at supporting fathers.
Still, leaders say the milestone is more than just about finances. It is about what can happen when vision, faith, and community are all aligned.
Leaders of the organization say they hope this milestone serves as a source of encouragement for other nonprofits working through similar challenges.
With its clear mission, “careful stewardship, and strong community partnerships,” they believe what happened in Seguin can happen elsewhere.
“Having a clear vision of how a nonprofit organization aims to accomplish their mission and whom they want to serve is imperative,” Weaver said. “Sharing that vision openly with supporters and partnering with community members worked well for South Texas Pregnancy Care Center.”
And while the building may now be paid for, the work inside it is far from finished.
As Johnson puts it, the mission remains the same -- saving babies, restoring families, and being faithful stewards of every dollar entrusted to them for the years ahead. •
