Please Scroll down the page for a full list of current charities and events ran by
The Bernie Grace Foundation
The Bernie Grace Foundation General Fund
Each of the below listed events are independently ran and financially self-sustained. These events are hosted by and fall under the legal, tax, and fiscal sponsorship of The Bernie Grace Foundation. The Bernie Grace Foundation helps facilitate each of these events by providing an organizational/corporation backing, initial fiscal backing as needed, their own DBA and bank account, insurance, legal and CPA, a board of directors, tax benefits for both the event and donors, members of board on the planning committee, and other organizational and event planning assistance, web design, promotional design, marketing, fundraising, press releases, and a network of assistance through multiple services, supplies, donors, and volunteers.
The Bernie Grace Foundation General Fund is the fund that supports the backbone of all the events and charitable efforts which this organization oversees. It is what facilitates each of the below events to continue to do their great deeds in their community as they do.
Initial set up of this non-profit organization and backing is currently being funded out of pocket to support these causes.
The Bernie Grace Foundation General Fund is the fund that supports the backbone of all the events and charitable efforts which this organization oversees. It is what facilitates each of the below events to continue to do their great deeds in their community as they do.
Initial set up of this non-profit organization and backing is currently being funded out of pocket to support these causes.
San Antonio 110
9/11 Memorial Climb
The San Antonio 110 9/11 Memorial Climb was founded in 2013 by The Bernie Grace Foundation's founder, Dawn Solinski. As an active firefighter she saw the need of a 9/11 event in her local community for her brotherhood to pay tribute to their fallen brethren of the September 11th attacks. A strong group of individual volunteers came forward to form the SA110 Planning Committee and put on the very first event of its kind in the city. On September 11th, 2013 the inaugural SAN ANTONIO 110 9/11 Memorial Climb took place. The event has been held for seven strong years now.
The event is held downtown San Antonio at The Tower Of The Americas. It begins with a solemn memorial service. Then in an effort to pay proper tribute to the fallen firefighters of 9/11 Fire personnel, Law Enforcement, military, and civilians strive to not just climb the 65 flights of stairs of the tower once but do so twice. This is to represent and actually exceed the 110 floors of the World Trade Center towers that firefighters tragically perished in on September 11th, 2001. Moments of silence and marks of tribute are held throughout the climb and finish with climbers signing the name of their honored fallen on a Remembrance Flag. This is done in honor and tribute and to complete the climb of these fallen brethren. A tag for each of the fallen firefighters is carried by a participant and placed on an accountability board at completion and an honor bell rung for each of the fallen as their name tag is placed. Approximately 2000 people attend annually.
This event is open to the public, a free event, and is fully funded and supported by donations and sponsors.
Any additional proceeds are donated to a different chosen annual beneficiary each year. San Antonio 110 is very honored to have assisted in not only paying a tribute to our fallen 343 but in addition be able to assist these other great organizations.
Beneficiaries change annually and are chosen each year by the committee.
A very strict code of ethics and values formed by its founding board lead every decision of this event's committee and all event proceedings to ensure proper morale and integrity in all aspects of its endeavors.
For more information please visit the San Antonio 110 9/11 Memorial Climb website at: www.SanAntonio110.com
The event is held downtown San Antonio at The Tower Of The Americas. It begins with a solemn memorial service. Then in an effort to pay proper tribute to the fallen firefighters of 9/11 Fire personnel, Law Enforcement, military, and civilians strive to not just climb the 65 flights of stairs of the tower once but do so twice. This is to represent and actually exceed the 110 floors of the World Trade Center towers that firefighters tragically perished in on September 11th, 2001. Moments of silence and marks of tribute are held throughout the climb and finish with climbers signing the name of their honored fallen on a Remembrance Flag. This is done in honor and tribute and to complete the climb of these fallen brethren. A tag for each of the fallen firefighters is carried by a participant and placed on an accountability board at completion and an honor bell rung for each of the fallen as their name tag is placed. Approximately 2000 people attend annually.
This event is open to the public, a free event, and is fully funded and supported by donations and sponsors.
Any additional proceeds are donated to a different chosen annual beneficiary each year. San Antonio 110 is very honored to have assisted in not only paying a tribute to our fallen 343 but in addition be able to assist these other great organizations.
Beneficiaries change annually and are chosen each year by the committee.
A very strict code of ethics and values formed by its founding board lead every decision of this event's committee and all event proceedings to ensure proper morale and integrity in all aspects of its endeavors.
For more information please visit the San Antonio 110 9/11 Memorial Climb website at: www.SanAntonio110.com
ChocolateForCharity (CFC)
HOW IT BEGAN:
ChocolateForCharity began many years ago in the kitchen of The Bernie Grace Foundation's founder, Dawn Solinski. One holiday season when tight on funds she decided to pull out a secret chocolate recipe and make homemade chocolate as gifts for her friends and family. The recipe was modified and a few varieties were made. When the next year approached her friends and families specifically asked for this homemade chocolate again and many inquired if they could purchase more to serve at Christmas and give as holiday gifts. She decided she would do so and in charitable heart of the holiday season would donate 100% of the proceeds to charity. It was at this point she combined the favorite aspects of each of the most requested chocolates and created the recipe for her "BestOfEverything" chocolate, now her signature ChocolateForCharity chocolate, and took her first orders.
WHAT IT HAS DONE:
That first year a friend had told Dawn about how she had been volunteering time at the cancer and immune deficiency ward of a local childrens hospital. After money was collected from the sales of the holiday chocolate Dawn asked if there was any way she could help these children. She was informed that the children had only two playstations, one of which often did not work, that were rotated in turns among all the children's rooms. These children, often there for long stays, rarely got their turn at this entertainment and when did, rarely had the opportunity to keep it long enough to enjoy reaching new levels. ChocolateForCharity found its first beneficiary. Dawn contacted multiple pawn shops and set up an agreement with a local chain to purchase Playstations at a discounted price. It was then that CFC made its first donation. The Cancer and Immune Deficiency ward at Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hopsital in San Antonio, TX was delivered Playstations, memory cards, and games by an Anonymous donor.
Since then CFC has grown (in its largest holiday season selling approximately 1,500 bags of homemade chocolate) and made many more donations. CFC is a seasonal effort, all chocolate being made and sold in December and 100% of the proceeds of these chocolate sales go to charity. Beneficiaries are chosen in the following spring to help assist programs and efforts that may have little assistance outside of the holiday-giving season. It is also a strict rule that no monetary funds are ever distributed, giving only in product so as to ensure the donation is going directly to its chosen cause.
Some of the other beneficiaries who have benefitted from CFC:
Studio4FM: This east-side San Antonio, TX after school program for girls was robbed. CFC donated games, art and craft supplies, and sports equipment to this small local organization.
Santa Rosa Center For Miracles: This center for counseling and assistance for abused children was just opening its doors and had very little toys for their lobby and playroom. CFC collected a shopping list and stocked them with new toys and bought and assembled a playhouse with a slide for their lobby. (An added surprise to this donation was the discovery that the director of this center has a child who, while battling cancer, was admitted into the cancer ward of Santa Rosa years ago and overjoyed when the Playstations were anonymously donated.)
Roy Maas' The Bridge: The Bridge is a short-term temporary living facility for children, mostly teens, who have been removed from their families by Child Protective Services. The center houses boarding for 12 males and 12 females. As their living is kept separate by gender it is difficult to meet the needs of living for both sides. CFC received a shopping list and provided 4 truckloads of items including a new TV, a Wii, PS and Xbox controllers, vacuum and commercial grade steamvac, bakeware, deep fryer, and kitchen supplies, 3-in-one copier, lamps, barstools, cooler, hairdryers and flat irons, and six big boxes of beauty and hygiene products, and every child and room received new pillows, sheets, comforters, and their own bath towel set.
*Dawn Solinski donates the funds from Chocolate For Charity to The Bernie Grace Foundation which then by contract distributes the funds in product to local groups and causes in need.
ChocolateForCharity began many years ago in the kitchen of The Bernie Grace Foundation's founder, Dawn Solinski. One holiday season when tight on funds she decided to pull out a secret chocolate recipe and make homemade chocolate as gifts for her friends and family. The recipe was modified and a few varieties were made. When the next year approached her friends and families specifically asked for this homemade chocolate again and many inquired if they could purchase more to serve at Christmas and give as holiday gifts. She decided she would do so and in charitable heart of the holiday season would donate 100% of the proceeds to charity. It was at this point she combined the favorite aspects of each of the most requested chocolates and created the recipe for her "BestOfEverything" chocolate, now her signature ChocolateForCharity chocolate, and took her first orders.
WHAT IT HAS DONE:
That first year a friend had told Dawn about how she had been volunteering time at the cancer and immune deficiency ward of a local childrens hospital. After money was collected from the sales of the holiday chocolate Dawn asked if there was any way she could help these children. She was informed that the children had only two playstations, one of which often did not work, that were rotated in turns among all the children's rooms. These children, often there for long stays, rarely got their turn at this entertainment and when did, rarely had the opportunity to keep it long enough to enjoy reaching new levels. ChocolateForCharity found its first beneficiary. Dawn contacted multiple pawn shops and set up an agreement with a local chain to purchase Playstations at a discounted price. It was then that CFC made its first donation. The Cancer and Immune Deficiency ward at Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hopsital in San Antonio, TX was delivered Playstations, memory cards, and games by an Anonymous donor.
Since then CFC has grown (in its largest holiday season selling approximately 1,500 bags of homemade chocolate) and made many more donations. CFC is a seasonal effort, all chocolate being made and sold in December and 100% of the proceeds of these chocolate sales go to charity. Beneficiaries are chosen in the following spring to help assist programs and efforts that may have little assistance outside of the holiday-giving season. It is also a strict rule that no monetary funds are ever distributed, giving only in product so as to ensure the donation is going directly to its chosen cause.
Some of the other beneficiaries who have benefitted from CFC:
Studio4FM: This east-side San Antonio, TX after school program for girls was robbed. CFC donated games, art and craft supplies, and sports equipment to this small local organization.
Santa Rosa Center For Miracles: This center for counseling and assistance for abused children was just opening its doors and had very little toys for their lobby and playroom. CFC collected a shopping list and stocked them with new toys and bought and assembled a playhouse with a slide for their lobby. (An added surprise to this donation was the discovery that the director of this center has a child who, while battling cancer, was admitted into the cancer ward of Santa Rosa years ago and overjoyed when the Playstations were anonymously donated.)
Roy Maas' The Bridge: The Bridge is a short-term temporary living facility for children, mostly teens, who have been removed from their families by Child Protective Services. The center houses boarding for 12 males and 12 females. As their living is kept separate by gender it is difficult to meet the needs of living for both sides. CFC received a shopping list and provided 4 truckloads of items including a new TV, a Wii, PS and Xbox controllers, vacuum and commercial grade steamvac, bakeware, deep fryer, and kitchen supplies, 3-in-one copier, lamps, barstools, cooler, hairdryers and flat irons, and six big boxes of beauty and hygiene products, and every child and room received new pillows, sheets, comforters, and their own bath towel set.
*Dawn Solinski donates the funds from Chocolate For Charity to The Bernie Grace Foundation which then by contract distributes the funds in product to local groups and causes in need.