Current Grant Recipients

The Komen Austin Affiliate is a generous source of funding for local breast cancer programs, providing more than $900,000 in local grants this year alone.  Donations raised at events like the Austin Race for the Cure help provide the funds for these programs.  Listed below are the Austin Affiliate 2009 grant recipients.

1. American Housing Foundation

• provides eight apartment units for women in treatment through the Seton Cancer Care program in Austin
• Counties: Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Bastrop
• Contact: JoAnn Cruz-Perez, 806-349-4625; joann@americanhousing.org

2. Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas (BCRC) - Breast Cancer Patient Navigation for the Medically Underserved of Travis & Williamson Counties

• provides patient navigation services for women receiving treatment at Seton Shivers Cancer Center at University Medical Center at Brackenridge  in Austin as well as navigation and breast health education services for women at the BCRC Williamson County Offices and Seton Medical Center of Williamson County.
• Counties:  Travis and Williamson
• Contact:  Jessica Pavelka, 324-7992 (Brackenridge office); 248-2645 (Williamson office) jessica@bcrc.org; Vivian Smith, 544-0901;  Vivian@bcrc.org

3. Community Action Inc. of Hays, Caldwell, and Blanco Counties

• Community Action Breast Cancer Outreach and Early Detection Program 
  • provides comprehensive breast cancer education, screening and diagnosis, and case management program  targeting Spanish-speaking, limited English proficient women
  • Counties:  Hays, Caldwell, Bastrop, Williamson
  • Contact: Lydia Perez, 512-392-1161, ext. 322;  lperez@communityaction.com
                Ana Sierra, 512-716-1402; asierra@communityaction.com ; Williamson
                Keri Worthy, 512- 393-4764;   kworthy@communityaction.com Bastrop  & Caldwell
• Transportation Project
  • provides transportation coordination for patients to help ensure that women are able to follow through with medical appointments and cancer treatment
  • Counties:  Hays, Caldwell, Bastrop, Williamson
  • Contact:  Samantha Rendon; 512-392-1161;  srendon@communityaction.com
                 Lydia Perez; 512-392-1161, ext. 322;  lperez@communityaction.com

4. Community Centers of South Central Texas, Inc.- Caldwell Healthy Women’s and Men’s Program

• provides breast health education and patient navigation for screenings and treatment for Hispanic and African American women and men
• Counties:  Caldwell
• Contact:  Diana Torres, 830-875-6399; torresd.gonzales@tachc.org ; dtorres19@grandecom.net
                Henry Salas, 830-672-6511, ext. 205; salash.gonzales@tachc.org

5. El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission - El Decision Inteligente -The El Buen Samaritano Breast Education Outreach Project

• provides a comprehensive Breast Health Education program to the Hispanic immigrant community 
• Counties:  Travis and Williamson
• Contact:  Yajaira Lara, 439-0728; ylara@elbuen.org 
                Lil Almonte, 439-0734; lalmonte@elbuen.org

6. H.A.N.D.(Helping the Aging, Needy and Disabled)- Help at Home

• provides in-home assistance including housekeeping, cooking, and personal care for women after surgery and while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment
• Counties:  Travis, Williamson, Hays
• Contact:  Evelyn Cooke; 477-3796; evelyn@handaustin.org
                Eloise Morgan; 477-3796; emorgan@handaustin.org

7. National Center for Farmworker Health - Cultivando la Salud Breast Cancer Education Program 

• provides comprehensive breast cancer education and screening program for Hispanic women using a culturally appropriate educational program led by lay health promoters
• Counties:  Hays and Caldwell
• Contact:  Alicia Gonzales, 512-312-2700; gonzales@ncfh.org
                Monica Saavedra, 512-312-2700; saavedra@ncfh.org

8. Planned Parenthood of Texas Capital Region - Breast Evaluation and Management of Low Risk Women Ages 18-34

• provides breast cancer risk assessments, breast exams, follow-up exams, education, and referrals when needed, for low-risk women between the ages of 18-34
• Counties:  Travis
• Contact:  Betsy Rosenbaum Tyner; 275-0171, ext. 112;  betsy.rosenbaum@ppaustin.org
                Shelly Strauss, 275-0171, ext. 114; shelly.strauss@ppaustin.org
  

                      
9. Samaritan Health Ministries - Breast Cancer Early Detection & Education Program 

• provides access to breast health education, screening and diagnostic mammography to low-income, uninsured & underinsured women ages 40 & over 
• Counties: Williamson and NW Travis 
• Contact:  Carol Gaskamp, 512-331-5828; cgaskamp@theshm.org 
               Tammie Danielsen, 512-331-5828; tdanielsen@theshm.org

10. Seton Family of Hospitals 

• Seton Breast Cancer Diagnostic Work -Up
  • provides diagnostic services including mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, surgeon consultations, and pathology interpretations to low-income, uninsured and underinsured women
• Seton Emergency Assistance Fund for Breast Cancer Patients 
  • provides financial assistance to low income, under insured women who have a breast cancer diagnosis and are receiving treatment; support includes rent, utilities, food, medical coverage payments, and medications
• Seton Mobile Breast Cancer Outreach Program 
  • provides mobile mammography, clinical breast exams and breast health education to underserved women ages 40 and older
  • Counties:  Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Bastrop
  • Contact:  Dawn Parsons, 505-5523; dparsons@seton.org
                  Esther Lara, 505-5515; elara@seton.org

11. The University of Texas at Austin - Breast Cancer Screening – Family Wellness Center 

• provides no-cost breast cancer screening and follow-up, including diagnostic and case management and navigation services, for low-income women ages 40-49, as well as women under 40 who have been referred by other services providers
• Counties:  Travis
• Contact:  Dr. Lisa Doggett; 232-3900; ldoggett@mail.nur.utexas.edu   
                Joy Harris; 232-4770; jharris@mail.nur.utexas.edu

12. WINGS (Women Involved in Nurturing, Giving, Sharing, Inc.) – True Access in Rural Areas (TARA)

• provides comprehensive, no-cost breast cancer treatment and patient navigation services to uninsured, low income women; a bilingual navigator/translator facilitates services for the primarily Hispanic client base 
• Counties: Bastrop, Hays, Caldwell
• Contact: Terri Bronocco Jones; 210-946-9464; tjones@texaswings.org