PLATINUM2023

THRU PROJECT

Bridging the gap between foster care and adulthood

San Antonio, TX   |  https://www.thruproject.org/

Mission

The mission of THRU Project is to help youth overcome the challenges of growing up in the foster care system by providing guidance, support, and advocacy in order to prepare them for life after foster care.

Ruling year info

2014

CEO

Courtney Laverty

Main address

4502 Centerview Dr. Suite 225

San Antonio, TX 78228 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

46-3961089

NTEE code info

Adult, Child Matching Programs (O30)

Foster Care (P32)

Youth Development Programs (O50)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

THRU Project's primary areas of focus are education, employment and stable housing. Foster youth often experience multiple homes, schools and caseworkers by the time they age out of care. This instability means youth are unable to form a relationship with a trusted adult. By matching current and former foster youth with a volunteer mentor, these young men and women are able to rely on a trusted adult to guide and support them as they learn to live independently from foster care. THRU Project offers free semester bus passes for reliable transportation to work and school, free cell phones and service to maintain contact with their THRU Project mentor, employer and resources, and two housing programs -- one for young adults in state care and one for those who have aged out of care. Finally, THRU Works partners with local employers to establish "foster friendly" workplaces.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Mentoring Program

Our mentor program is the heart of THRU Project. We match a youth or young adult (ages 14-25) with a dedicated mentor who provides guidance and encouragement. Our mentors and youth are matched based on compatibility and location. Mentors must be at least 24 years old, pass a background check, complete training and commit to a minimum of one year of service.

Population(s) Served
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Victims and oppressed people
Young adults
Adolescents

Youth transitioning from foster care rarely have dependable transportation. THRU Project provides renewable, 6-month VIA bus passes to enable these youth and young adults to find and maintain employment, attend school regularly and secure resources for health and housing.

Population(s) Served
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Victims and oppressed people
Young adults
Adolescents

Eligible THRU Project youth receive a free smartphone and monthly service plan in order to provide a consistent, reliable source of communication for school, employment and resource needs. The phones also provide access to the internet and other technology necessary to succeed at work and school.

Population(s) Served
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Adolescents
Young adults
Victims and oppressed people

This program provides free housing for 1-2 years for eligible young adults (ages 18-25 with a history of foster care) while they learn life skills, work towards their college degree/build career skills, contribute to a savings account and maintain contact with their mentor. Furniture and household essentials are provided. THRU Project staff provide case management and wrap-around services. Upon completion of the program, young adults are able to live as self-sufficient, independent adults.

Population(s) Served

SIL Housing is for young adults (ages 18-21) in extended foster care. THRU Project covers the cost of rent for 1-3 years while the individual focuses on building career skills or pursuing an education. Furniture and household essentials are included. THRU Project staff provides case management and wrap-around services. Each participant is paired with a mentor and benefits from bimonthly life skills workshops.

Population(s) Served

Along with our community partners, we provide fun and educational life skills training on topics such as finance, health & fitness, nutrition, mental health, interviewing, apartment hunting, civic engagement, etc.

Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Young adults
Victims and oppressed people
Economically disadvantaged people
Young adults
Victims and oppressed people
Economically disadvantaged people
Young adults
Victims and oppressed people
Adolescents
At-risk youth

Four out of every five youth with a history of foster care are diagnosed with serious mental health concerns. THRU Project identified mental wellness as a major gap in service to the young adults we serve with lived experience in the foster care system. As we begin our second decade of service in San Antonio and Bexar County, THRU Project is proud to launch BreakTHRU: a new initiative that provides a three-part approach to mental wellness. Participants will have access to one-on-one counseling, peer support groups, and occupational therapy in an ongoing strategy to support our participants for as long as they need us.

Population(s) Served
Out-of-home youth
Students
LGBTQ people
Foster and adoptive children
Orphans

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

Texas Network of Youth Services 2013

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Average number of service recipients per month

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adolescents, Adults, At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people, Victims and oppressed people

Related Program

Mentoring Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of mentors recruited

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

At-risk youth, Adults, Economically disadvantaged people, Victims and oppressed people, Children and youth

Related Program

Mentoring Program

Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Increasing

Hours of mentoring

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adolescents, Adults, At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people, Victims and oppressed people

Related Program

Mentoring Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Our organization strives to provide all current and former foster youth, 14 and over with a volunteer who may be the only constant in the young adult's ever-changing life and circumstances. By matching them with a volunteer mentor for at least one year, they have a much better chance of avoiding homelessness, incarceration and victimization when they leave foster care. Our other support programs provide wrap-around services for current and former foster youth within one organization.

THRU Project receives support from individual donors, corporations and foundations. Our team, including the youth we serve and our volunteers, regularly speak about the organization to local media and give presentations to local clubs and businesses. We have a strong partnership with other nonprofits serving foster youth in south Texas. Many of those organizations refer youth to THRU Project.

THRU Project was founded in 2011 and serves approximately 200 youth each year. The organization has grown from offering one program, mentoring, to now providing six programs that address transportation, housing, life skills, communication (cell phones), access to employment, and mentorship. Our team of seven brings a broad range of skills to the organization including case management, marketing, fundraising, program development and volunteer leadership.

We have become a vital and sought-after organization when it comes to serving the foster youth community in south Texas. We are the sole mentorship program in San Antonio and one of just a few apartment housing programs. Foster youth repeatedly tell us that we are the only organization that provides real answers to their individual needs.

We have provided service to over 1,000 young men and women since our inception in 2011 and plan to expand our services to foster youth throughout Texas.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome

Financials

THRU PROJECT
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

THRU PROJECT

Board of directors
as of 11/29/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Alex Moczygemba

Valero

Term: 2017 - 2025

Kent Roach

Retired

Verina Martin

Journalist

Alex Moczygemba

Valero

Mike Rust

Highland Commercial Properties

Marko Hurley

Highland Commercial Properties

Stacie Clark

Broadway Bank

Jessica Odom

Real Estate Investment

Sironda Chambers

Wells Fargo

Shamarr Prentice

JP Morgan Chase

Hector Morales

Government Relations

Debbie Jennings

UT Health

Nerissa Ellis

Deloitte

Lora Lane

Volunteer

Donna McIlveen

Vaco

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 11/29/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 09/10/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.