The Village of San Marcos will hold the Village Main Grand Opening on Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. on the $4 million 22,000 square foot facility to house four social service agencies serving more than 30,000 residents of the Hays County area.
The campus, located at 215 S. Reimer Avenue in San Marcos, will add facilities for Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas, Any Baby Can/ Early Childhood Intervention, the Family Justice Center, and the Women, Infants and Children Program, The 29-acre campus also includes sports fields for youth and a future site for the Hays County Food Bank.
“This celebration fulfills a community vision achieved with the generosity of donors, large and small, dedicated Village partners, and the wonderful support of the city of San Marcos and Hays County,” said Kathy Morris, a founder and major contributor to the project.
The project was designed by architect TRB architecture and Delineate Studio and constructed by general contractor Sabre Commercial Inc.
Guest speakers at the groundbreaking will include Hays County Commissioner Lon Shell, San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson, and Penny Dunn, previous assistant chief for the San Marcos Police Department. Dunn, now the Police Chief in Davidson, N.C., will emcee the event.
The four agencies have worked with many volunteers over the past five years to plan and raise funds for the Village of San Marcos. The Village of San Marcos board, composed of representatives of each agency.
The agencies serve clients in Hays County and nine adjoining counties.
Headquartered in San Marcos, the regional Community Action Agency serves an average of 23,941 clients annually in eight counties for people young and old. Community Action provides adult education, Head Start, cancer screenings for women, HIV/ AIDS assistance, primary health care, prescription assistance, reproductive health services, senior citizens programs, and utility assistance.
“Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas is delighted to be a part of the Village of San Marcos,” said Carole Belver, executive director. “This historic effort, will enable social service agencies to co-locate in one location so that clients in our community can receive a variety of services in a one-stop shop. Thank you to all who have supported this effort and helping us to make this a reality.”
The city’s WIC program serves an average of 8,654 mothers and children monthly in four counties and provides breastfeeding support for new mothers, nutrition education, online education classes, Lonestar cards for the purchase of nutritious foods and referrals to health and social services.
WIC was established by Congress in 1972 as an amendment to the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 approved during President Johnson’s administration.
“The building of Village Main is well overdue for our community,” said WIC Director DerryAnn Krupinsky. “Clients will have an easier time accessing each of our programs, both on a routine basis, as well as in times of crisis.
The Family Justice Center of San Marcos and Hays County, established in 2008, partners with many local agencies to provide long-term solutions to victims of violent crime.
“The Village of San Marcos campus will bring many services to one location to make it easier for victims of violence to receive critically needed victims’ assistance, counseling, medical services, job training, prosecutorial and legal assistance,” said Dunn, who chaired the Village’s capital campaign while serving with the SMPD.
Any Baby Can administers the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program for Hays County provides comprehensive services for young children with developmental delays from birth to 3 years. The ECI program offers assessment, family counseling, developmental services, nutrition, social work, psychology and therapeutic services for families.
“Our board has been involved with the Village of San Marcos and Village Main since day one, said Lois Hickman, ECI board president. We are very excited to finally be breaking ground. This project will be the first of its kind for Hays County and will benefit all families immensely.”
Donors who helped make it all possible include Emmett and Miriam McCoy Foundation, memorial donation for William H. Crook, JP’s Peace Love & Happiness Foundation, San Marcos Lions Club, Walton Group, Jenifer Strait Memorial Foundation, Burdine Johnson Foundation, Tomblin Family Foundation, ECG Foundation, The Meadows Foundation, the city of San Marcos and Hays County Commissioners, as well as many local businesses and individuals.
To learn more about the Village of San Marcos, the Village Main project or to make a donation, visit the Village Campus' website.
All donations are tax deductible as The Village of San Marcos is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
