Going forward, we anticipate having an impact in our community in a number of ways, directly and indirectly. We currently have programs up and running such as New Braunfit, the McKenna Children’s Museum, the McKenna Events Center and others.

We’re already having a direct impact through these existing operations and we will continue to create new services and initiatives as needs are identified.

This is both a big opportunity and a big responsibility. We take both very seriously. We have identified several foundations around the country who we think do it right. Using those as benchmarks and with input from our leadership, we’re developing smart, thoughtful guidelines to make sure we are responsible financial stewards and that New Braunfels gets the greatest benefit from these funds.

As it is with any visionary endeavor, we get really excited about the possibilities for our community. What it can become is purely a reflection of our combined determination. In this case, “believing is seeing.”

The challenges the McKenna Legacy Foundation expects to address span both health and social issues. We are committed to finding ways to address these issues which negatively impact the well-being of those involved and the people around them.

Our organizational goals.

• Make a positive difference in the quality of life and well-being of people living in New Braunfels through grant-making, education and capacity building programs.
• Be a flexible and responsive leader, facilitator and innovator in addressing the critical and changing needs of the New Braunfels community.
• Exercise responsible stewardship of the Foundation’s financial and intellectual resources to assure the perpetual viability of the Foundation for the benefit of those living in the New Braunfels community.

Our values.

• We are one team working together to reflect our passion for excellence and commitment to our purpose. We, the Trustees and Team Members of McKenna Legacy Foundation, conduct ourselves and provide services based on the fundamental values that are at the core of who we are.
• We demonstrate mutual loyalty, respect, trust and support.
• We communicate in a manner that is honest, effective and sensitive.
• We hold ourselves to the highest standards of ethics, integrity and accountability.
• We recognize and value each other’s unique contributions, diversity and accomplishments.
• We promote continuous growth in our staff, volunteers and community partners.

Our focus is well-being.
That term can be loosely defined, and that’s intentional. We want to think about the well-being of our community in a number of ways, from many different perspectives. We consulted civic leaders, educators, healthcare providers and community organizations, here and elsewhere. We conducted a needs assessment with the local community. We explored a lot of different options about which direction we might choose. We see where community needs are being met, and where there were gaps, and we will try to anticipate what issues will be gaining prominence in the future. Through all of the talk and research and analysis, the discussions kept leading in the direction of community well-being, beyond the traditional definitions.

Well-being for all.
There are several issues we believe represent the ultimate success in delivering on our purpose, including health, education, and social issues. We anticipate that individuals, families, community organizations, and the community as a whole will benefit from our broad scope.

Who are our partners?
We do not have plans to do this on our own, in fact far from it. There are dozens of great organizations and existing service providers in New Braunfels. We expect to reach out as a partner to design and fund programs, educational efforts and services to deliver on the promise of well-being. Some of the groups who we expect to work with include:

• Non-profit organizations
• Government entities
• Civic, community and educational leaders
• Healthcare providers
• Faith-based organizations
• Public and private schools
• Corporations with a local presence
• Small businesses
• You and your family

What does well-being look like?

• We have easy access to primary, preventative, non-acute public health services.
• We live in a clean, safe physical environment.
• People with disabilities (of all kinds) are contributing members of our society.
• Basic nutrition – both food and education – is available to everyone in an affordable and respectful manner.
• People of all ages have access to programs that stimulate and challenge them educationally, socially, recreationally and creatively.
• The community embraces the pursuit of health & healthy life choices.

Some primary obstacles to well-being:

• Sedentary lifestyles
• Unchallenged minds
• Lack of tools to improve well-being
• Isolated family members & fractured families
• Tightening budgets limiting government and non-profit services

One day soon, here’s what we’d like people to be saying:
Parents
We have the resources available to help make our family healthier physically, mentally and socially. And the tools to help our kids realize their full potential.

Kids
We feel safe and appreciated. My family and neighbors care about me, and I care about them. There are a lot of fun things to do here.

Seniors
We are active and engaged. Our life experiences are considered an asset to the community. We still want to learn and play, and we can do that here; we never feel left out.

Healthcare providers
We’re seeing a healthier community with far less acute issues. And our patients are much more active and informed participants when it comes to their health.

Schools
We now have access to resources we didn’t used to have, and that has opened a lot of new doors for us and our students. Kids are attentive, eager to learn and taking advantage of the opportunities they have. We’re seeing far less teen pregnancy, substance abuse and dropping out.

Non-profits and faith-based organizations
McKenna has helped us improve our operations and run more efficiently and effectively. That means we can concentrate on doing what we’re supposed to do – helping people.

Government officials and civic leaders
This is a true public/private partnership and really lets us stretch our resources. Together, we’re able to provide far more for our community than we could in the past.

Other cities
How can we be more like New Braunfels?

The Foundation’s financial assets are invested with the primary objective of providing the financial support needed to fulfill the Foundation’s purpose in perpetuity. To meet this objective, the Foundation strives to achieve a long-term total return sufficient to support its ongoing operations and programs while keeping up with inflation. The Foundation also judges the performance of its investment portfolio in relative terms, striving to out perform relevant benchmarks for the portfolio as a whole, for individual managers and for manager groupings.

The Foundation’s investment portfolio receives close attention from an investment committee composed of experienced persons with diverse business backgrounds. In accordance with the Foundation’s Investment Policy and with the assistance of an independent investment consultant, the committee has developed a well-diversified, professionally managed investment portfolio designed to meet the investment objectives described above while minimizing risk. The portfolio includes domestic and international stock and bond funds and a variety of alternative asset investments such as hedge funds, private equity and natural resources. All assets are invested with outside investment managers with proven records.

McKenna Grant Press Release

July 2, 2010	June 15, 2009

McKenna Annual Report

Coming soon.