Charity Spotlight: Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc.

Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc. (FVPS) has been helping victims of domestic violence in San Antonio since 1977.

They host a number of events throughout the year, raising funds to support their many services. Among these is the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter of Bexar County.

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone. Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It can happen to couples who are married, living together or dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.

Odds are, there is someone in your life who struggles or has struggled with domestic violence. 74% of all Texans have experienced some form of domestic violence or have a friend or family member who has experienced it. 31% of all Texans report that they have been severely abused at some point in their lifetime. Some more statistics:

  • One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
  • Almost one in three female homicide victims reported in police records were killed by an intimate partner.
  • One in six women and one in 33 men have experienced an attempted or completed rape.
  • Sexual assault or forced sex occurs in approximately 40-45% of abusive relationships.

What Can We Do to Help?

We are collecting items this month to support the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter of Bexar County. This very important service offered by FVPS gives women and their children a safe haven as they leave an abusive situation. Our donations will go toward providing their clients emergency food, clothing, personal care items and baby and child care items. Here is a link to their wish list. I’ve also put a short version in the event listing.

If you or someone you know is afraid about something in their relationship, the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter helps with the following resources:

  • 24-Hour Crisis Intervention Hotline: 210-733-8810
  • Individual and Group Counseling for Women and Children
  • On-site Attorneys
  • On-site Adult Education
  • Case Management
  • Transitional Housing
  • On-site Primary Medical and Dental Care

Again, if you are in immediate danger, call 911 or reach out to the Crisis Hotline at 210-733-8810.

Charity Spotlight: Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc.2016-11-25T10:59:38-06:00

January Nerd Night

Happy New Year, nerds! Time for January Nerd Night. We’ll be gathering once again at Magic Beans Gaming Café and this month we are collecting items for the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter. This facility, run by Family Violence Prevention Services, gives every person seeking help and shelter a safe haven. They run a 24-hour crisis hotline, offer case management, a children’s program, counseling, emergency food and clothing (more on that in a moment), legal advocacy and referral, medical and dental care, parent education, workshops and support groups, and a lot of educational services that help women and their children become self-sufficient.

The shelter is in need of a number of personal and household items that are accepted in new or gently-used condition. I’ll post a complete list in the charity profile later this week, but here are some highlights. All of these things will be collected at Nerd Night on January 8th. If you have a large item or need to donate at another time, give the donation center a call at (210) 733-3536 and Mari will make arrangements.

Baby Items

8-oz. Baby Bottles
Bottle Brushes
Baby Shampoo & Lotion
Diapers: Large sizes, 4, 5 & 6
Pull-ups: Large sizes
Baby Wipes

——
Personal Hygiene

Hand Gel/Soap (full size)
Bat Gel/Soap (full size)
Shampoo & Conditioner (full size)
Toothpaste & Toothbrushes
Deodorant
Hair Brushes & Combs
African-American Hair Products

——
Linens & Bath

Full/Twin Sheets – White only
Blankets & Comforters – White only
Towels & Washcloths
Shower Curtains
Pillows

——
Clothing & Shoes

New children’s underwear (all sizes)
New women’s underwear (Size 6+)
Pajamas
Bras
Socks
House Slippers
School Uniforms (sizes 4-20)

January Nerd Night2016-11-25T10:59:40-06:00

Meetup Group, Updates and More

Meetup

In the interest of finding more like-minded folks, I’ve started a Meetup group. Click here to visit, join up and stay informed about Nerd Night goings-on. I’ll still be maintaining the website as I 1) enjoy it and 2) think it’s really a better platform for blogging and such, but this gives me access to better recruiting tools and an additional promotional avenue. We’ll give it a shot and see how it works out!

San Antonio Nerd Night

December

Nerd Night is TONIGHT! I’m excited to see how a Friday works out at Magic Beans, and also to fill up that huge barrel. Check out our list of 12 Most Wanted Items and come by to see us tonight!

12 Most Wanted Items:

Peanut Butter
Cereal
Tuna
Beans
Rice
Mac & Cheese
Chili
Canned Stews
Canned Soups
Canned Luncheon Meats
Full Means Can/Box
Pop Top Food Items

January

I’m also excited to announce that next month’s Nerd Night is going to benefit the donation center at Family Violence Prevention Services. I’ll have more information about what’s most critically needed over the next week or so, and I hope everyone will get behind this very worthy cause.

See you tonight, nerds!

Meetup Group, Updates and More2016-11-25T10:59:39-06:00

Giving Tuesday: Virtual Food Drive!

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday Food Drive

This is the 4th year for Giving Tuesday, a day to highlight volunteering and charity donations on the day after “Cyber Monday.” In the last four years it has come to symbolize the beginning of the charitable season. I’m all for anything that encourages people to give back! Consider this my official Giving Tuesday post to encourage everyone to take a moment and visit our Virtual Food Drive to benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.

One of the only complaints I had at our November toy drive was that I didn’t have any way for people to donate using their credit cards. Luckily for me, the San Antonio Food Bank is on top of things and set me up with the virtual food drive for our December event! It’s a cute little flash-based shopping spree, where you drive your shopping cart down virtual shopping aisles and select food items by the case or dollar amounts to donate. It’s easy and fun, and is a secured option provided by the food bank for your peace of mind. No worries about handing over cash to some stranger at a game night!

Anyway. Those of you who can’t make it out to see us at Magic Beans, please consider clicking here and doing some virtual shopping to help feed the hungry and food insecure in Southwest Texas. The food drive will be active throughout the month of December. The food barrel will be at Magic Beans from December 4th – 14th, and December Nerd Night will be Friday, December 11th, starting at 6pm. Clean out those cupboards, put a few extra cans in your cart at the grocery store. Be a part of the solution! The Nerd Nighters and the San Antonio Food Bank thank you. 🙂

Giving Tuesday: Virtual Food Drive!2016-11-25T10:59:39-06:00

Charity Spotlight: The San Antonio Food Bank

For December, we highlight another charity close to my heart: The San Antonio Food Bank.

In 2012, I was laid off from a job and once my SNAP benefits expired, the food bank was my next stop. Time to pay it forward.

It’s impossible to overstate how much this organization relies on donations. It’s also impossible to overstate how desperately it is needed in Southwest Texas. Food insecurity, or not knowing where your next meal is coming from, is a rampant problem in our wealthy state. Some statistics:

  • One in five adults in Southwest Texas struggles with hunger.
  • One in four children is at risk of food insecurity.
  • Texas ranks 8th nationally in rate of food insecurity.
  • Each week, the San Antonio Food Bank assists 58,000 individuals in sixteen counties through their various programs.
  • 98% of all donated resources go directly to hunger relief.

Some of the San Antonio Food Bank’s programs include:

  • Kid’s Cafe: Neighborhood children can go to one of 28 Kids Cafe sites in the San Antonio area after school for a hot meal and homework help. 1,000 children visit these sites each day.
  • Project HOPE: Provides a 50-lb. bag of shelf-stable, supplemental food items to fixed-income seniors. 7,500 seniors every month are served by Project HOPE.
  • Nutrition Education: The San Antonio Food Bank deploys nearly a dozen bilingual nutrition educators into the San Antonio community every day to teach people how to shop for and prepare healthier meals.
  • Distribution: Mobile Food Pantries and Food Fairs allow the San Antonio Food Bank to distribute 1 million pounds of food weekly to difficult-to-reach individuals in the 16-county area (17,559 square miles) the food bank serves.

The San Antonio Food Bank distributes 50 million pounds of food every year. We’re trying to make a very small scratch on the surface of that with our food drive. A single shopping cart = 100 lbs, and we’re trying to fill three.

So dig into your pockets, go through those cupboards. Find some of these “twelve most wanted” non-perishables and bring them by Magic Beans, or just click here to go to our virtual food drive and make a cash donation. Every $1.00 donated provides seven meals to a hungry Texan.

12 Most Wanted Items:

Peanut Butter
Cereal
Tuna
Beans
Rice
Mac & Cheese
Chili
Canned Stews
Canned Soups
Canned Luncheon Meats
Full Means Can/Box
Pop Top Food Items

Join us in supporting the San Antonio Food Bank in the month of December. Donate food at Magic Beans Gaming Cafe from December 4th – December 14th, or donate online here. Mark your calendar for DECEMBER NERD NIGHT on Friday, December 11th starting at 6:00 PM.

Charity Spotlight: The San Antonio Food Bank2016-11-25T10:59:39-06:00

November Nerd Night is in the books.

November Nerd Night Wrap-Up

What a great night! Thank you so much to everyone who came out to see us at Magic Beans and especially to you lovely people who donated toys. We collected two large boxes of new, unwrapped toys for the Elf Louise Christmas Project!. It was a great learning experience for me, and even though we didn’t get to do all the things I would have liked, the things that were done were enjoyed and everyone had great feedback for me on what they’d like to see at future events.

Our Ticket to Ride winner was Kelly, and she was super excited to get her Alvin & Dexter expansion. I have custody of the little monsters, as she doesn’t own a copy of the game just yet… I might have to see what can be done about that 😉 and Shane and Paulina won the raffle, with their own copy of Settlers of Catan!

Watch the site over the next couple of days for more information about December. Nerd Night is scheduled for December 11th (Friday) at 6:00 pm. We’ll be gaming for the San Antonio Food Bank, and the site will be hosting an online Food Drive. We’ll also be collecting non-perishable food items at Magic Beans from December 4th through December 14th!

Elf Louise Elves
Our guests from Elf Louise: Elves Betsey, Lewis and Laura.
Toys for Elf Louise
Two boxes this big!
Kelly won Ticket to Ride
Kelly with her Ticket to Ride prize.
Raffle Winners
Paulina and Shane won the raffle and got a copy of Settlers of Catan
November Nerd Night is in the books.2016-11-25T10:59:39-06:00

Nerd Night is this weekend!

It’s almost time for our first Nerd Night! I’m so excited at the interest that has been generated, not that I was surprised – I know that gamers are the most generous of folks, and when given the chance to come out for a good cause, they will. It’s hard to find a better one than Elf Louise! So grab those new, unwrapped toys and c’mon down to Magic Beans on Saturday night! We’ll be there starting at 6pm, signing up people for Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, RPG demos and more.

An Extra Life 2015 update: Some of you might have seen my Facebook post, but ICYMI: Extra Life has raised almost SEVEN MILLION dollars so far this year for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals! I was proud to be a (very small) part of Team Nix World, who surpassed its goal, raising nearly $6,000 (with more still to be counted). If you’d like to donate, there is still time. Head to this link and click on “support me.”

Lastly, a bit of housekeeping. The December event has moved to FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11th. Once I get through this weekend, we’ll be starting to promote December! Our charity will be the San Antonio Food Bank, and we’ll be collecting non-perishable food items at Magic Beans. So pick up some extra food to prepare when you go to the grocery store for the next few weeks.

That’s all for now! Hope to see each and every one of you at Magic Beans on Saturday at 6pm. Looking forward to kicking this off right.

– Stephanie

Nerd Night is this weekend!2015-11-11T14:48:40-06:00

Extra Life and Nerd Night Update

Shameless plug! I’m participating in Extra Life this year and would love to take your money 🙂 Take a look at this very worthy cause and donate to support the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. I’ll be playing board games on the night of November 7th with my friend Nathan and the rest of his team. Click the link to read more about Extra Life and the good things they support.

Nerd Night is coming up fast. I’ve solidified plans with Magic Beans and Elf Louise. We’re planning a Ticket to Ride tournament, as well as a Settlers of Catan tournament. I’m working on a some RPG demos as well, they will have staggered start times for the first couple of hours so that anyone who wants to play will have a spot. So far I’ve confirmed a Hunter game, for those of you who like White Wolf. If you’re a GM and have any interest in running a demo, drop me a line and let’s talk!

 

Extra Life and Nerd Night Update2015-11-11T14:48:58-06:00

Nerd Night Launches in San Antonio

Inaugural Nerd Night Set for November 14th, 2015

I’m so excited to announce that San Antonio Nerd Night is finally a reality. It’s been a long time coming. I registered the domains for San Antonio Nerd Night over a year ago, after reading about the great work done up in Dallas by DFW Nerd Night and being so inspired by the idea that gamers, and tabletop gamers especially, had a unique perspective on working together and caring about their community. The games we play, whether they be RPG, cooperative board games, competitive strategy games, humorous games, card games, dice games, social party games… they all build relationships and friendships among the people who play together. Game nights strengthen families, bridge cultural barriers, and are a truly level playing field for people of all backgrounds. Our Nerd Nights take that one step further. We intend to project the goodwill and generosity of the gaming community onto the San Antonio area at large.

The Elf Louise Christmas Project

Our first Nerd Night is set up to benefit a non-profit near and dear to my heart. As a child in Girl Scouts, my first experience volunteering was our annual night at Elf Louise. I have warm memories of taking a list of children, some just about my age, and wandering the warehouse to find the perfect toys. We wrapped our gifts with care, labeled them for the children, whose names we knew, and packed it up so Santa would deliver it right into their hands.

For almost fifty years, the all-volunteer Elves have made Christmas a little brighter for San Antonio’s less fortunate children, reaffirming the spirit of Christmas through anonymous giving. The Project is, to quote their philosophy, “based on hope and faith and a belief in the goodness of people.” I can think of no better way to lean into the holiday season than to embrace that thought, which crosses religious and cultural barriers.

Elf Louise Christmas Project

Nerd Night Launches in San Antonio2016-11-25T10:59:40-06:00
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Gaming for good.

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San Antonio Nerd Night is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity. Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
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