Our Story

For nearly 40 years, Communities In Schools of San Antonio has been helping students achieve in school, graduate, and go on to bright futures. Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

The story of Communities In Schools began in the 1970s, when Founder Bill Milliken, then a youth advocate in New York City, came up with the idea of bringing community resources inside public schools – where they are accessible, coordinated, and accountable. “It’s relationships, not programs, that change children,” Bill once said. “A great program simply creates the environment for healthy relationships to form between adults and children. Young people thrive when adults care about them on a one-to-one level and when they also have a sense of belonging to a caring community.” Understanding the importance of Bill’s message, the Communities In Schools model was brought to San Antonio in 1985 thanks to forward-thinking community leaders, including Henry and Mary Alice Cisneros, Deborah Knapp, Jim Adams, Linda Gale White, Herb Emanuel, Maria Farrington, Harriet Marmon Helmle, Cyndi Taylor Krier, Terry Mendenhall, Dr. Bob O’Connor, and Jim Reed.

We are 1 of 135 affiliates in the country of Communities In Schools, the nation’s largest and most effective organization dedicated to keeping kids in school and helping them succeed in life. Click here to learn more about Communities In Schools and our affiliates. Our unique model positions site coordinators inside schools to assess students’ needs and provide resources to help them succeed in the classroom and in life. We partner with local businesses, social service agencies, healthcare providers, and volunteers. Whether it’s food, school supplies, health care, counseling, academic assistance, or a positive role model, Communities In Schools is there to help.