Create Healthy Awards $270,000 in Matching Funds to Strengthen Hill Country Nonprofits Through Fuel to the Fire 2025

Create Healthy announced the successful conclusion of its 2025 Fuel to the Fire initiative, a community-driven effort designed to help Hill Country nonprofits strengthen their year-end fundraising and expand the reach of essential local services.

Through the initiative, Create Healthy awarded $270,000 in matching funds to 10 nonprofit organizations serving Gillespie, Llano, and Mason Counties and Comfort. By matching community donations dollar for dollar, up to $25,000 per organization, Fuel to the Fire amplified local giving and ensured that contributions stayed close to home.

“Fuel to the Fire is built on a simple idea: when communities are given the tools to support their own nonprofits, the impact is deeper and longer lasting,” said President and CEO of Create Healthy Jayne Pope, RN. “This initiative brings donors, organizations, and neighbors together around shared priorities, and the results speak for themselves.”

Fuel to the Fire 2025 supported the following organizations and initiatives:

• Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes’ Llano Club — Providing a safe, healthy environment for children outside of school, allowing parents to work while supporting academic success, character development, and healthy lifestyles.
• Boys & Girls Club of the Texas Hill Country (Comfort and Fredericksburg)— Delivering after-school and summer programming centered on academic achievement, character building, and healthy living for local youth.
• Friends of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area — Supporting stewardship, education, trail maintanence, and visitor safety efforts that preserve the natural and cultural resources of Enchanted Rock for the public.
• Hill Country Community Needs Council — Expanding access to mental health counseling for children and adults, particularly those impacted by trauma or financial barriers.
• Mason County Food Pantry — Evolving beyond food assistance to address broader community needs, including mental health support, education, hygiene resources, job readiness, and community connection.
• The Golden Hub Senior Center Foundation — Providing meals, social engagement, wellness programs, and education for older adults in Gillespie County to combat loneliness, hunger, and declining health.
• The Good Samaritan Center — Serving as a medical home for low-income, uninsured individuals through primary care, dental services, mental health counseling, screenings, and social work support.
• The Grace Center of Fredericksburg — Advancing trauma-informed counseling, crisis intervention, childcare, health education, and wellness resources to promote stability and long-term recovery for families in crisis.
• The Salvation Army of Fredericksburg — Expanding emergency financial assistance, food access, and future plans for mobile food outreach to help more families facing rising living costs and unexpected hardship.
• Zonta Club of Fredericksburg Foundation — Supporting early childhood literacy through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, helping children from birth to age five build a foundation for learning, health awareness, and family engagement.

Create Healthy extends its sincere thanks to the individuals, nonprofit leaders, and community members who made Fuel to the Fire possible. Their generosity reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the Hill Country through practical, locally driven solutions — and demonstrates what can be accomplished when communities invest in their own health and future.