The Turkish festival was really fun. Great food being surrounded by great people. I wish they had…read moremore booths as they lacked in that department. The deserts were amazing and the majority of the food was great! However the only thing that truely bugged me was the döner. I have been to Turkey before and have had some incredible ones even in surrounding European countries. This was subpar to that experience. The issue wasn't the meat. It was everything else. A hispanic tortilla, onions, tomatoes, pickles, and mayo was what was included on. What about the cabbage, yogurt-based tzatziki, garlic sauce (toum), or spicy chili sauce. Pickled peppers and turnips? THAT would have been the best selling item and it would have shown San Antonio what Turkish food really is! Not some North American dumbed down version like all the other cultural food seems to be these days.

Very fun attending the Turkic festival! They seem very authentic here as everyone tending to a…read morebooth had an accent from their country and clearly knew their stuff! The food was pretty good, obviously not exactly what you would get in the country itself but honestly it gives a good idea if you've never been. Everyone was super sweet and informative. I thought it was cute but as someone who has visited some of the countries that they were representing they definitely needed more people out there! The booths actually meant to inform people on the cultures lacked anything that might maybe make people want to visit. As a tourist I almost felt bad that the countries weren't made to look as cool as they really are. I definitely think they should put more out there but despite this it's a great thing they are doing here. I'd definitely recommend people to try it out! The food wasn't expensive at all and was really tasty, it's a great way to step outside of your comfort zone and enjoy someone else's culture. They also had lovely music which was live along with a raffle give away. Everyone was kind and I hope to see them expand in the future. It was also really nice because you could feel the difference in culture with the hospitality of the Turkic community. Very very good service! Thank you!

Boysville has been around since the 1940s. It's a home for boys and girls who, for one reason or…read moreanother, need a place to stay. Boysville takes a holistic approach to the care and well-being of a child, regardless of age or developmental stage. The organization is dedicated to helping as many of San Antonio's youth as they can, providing housing, clothing, food, education, finance management, and other key aspects of "growing up" to the almost 100 residents. The organization also holds an annual fundraiser (usually in August every year) to help bring in needed funding for programs for the kids. It costs about $100 per day to raise a child at Boysville. The staff takes extra care to make sure that every child gets a shot at as normal a life as possible: they take them Christmas gift shopping in December, hold Thanksgiving dinner in November, have other outings and excursions throughout the year, while providing a safe, stable, and structured environment for them to grow and learn. I've had the pleasure of knowing and working with Boysville for the past 5 years, and it never gets old. While I don't work directly with the residents I know that every little bit helps, and that's what Boysville is all about. It takes a village to raise a child, and with almost 100 children it takes a little help from all of us. Twitter: @Boysville - http://www.twitter.com/Boysville

I have been to a few of Boysville's events as well as worked them on various products. It's…read moreincredible to see the positive impact that they are making on their residents (children in need). The work they do is so important, and they do it amazingly well. If you're looking for a local organization to volunteer for or support - I can't recommend them enough.

Great sculptor Pompeo Coppini (the Cenotaph, Alamo Plaza), at 115 Melrose Place. His home is the…read moreCoppini Academy of Fine Arts. Coppini's artistic legacy lives on in hundred of artists around Texas and the world who have attended art workshops and classes for the past 85 years. Check it out! thecoppini.org

The Coppini Academy of Fine Art is a non-profit organization that is member-run and member…read moresupported. I frequently attended open drawing sessions on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. As far as I know, it is the only place in San Antonio , outside of the Universities and colleges , that consistently offers open drawing sessions in a professional studio, using live figure models. It even has open session for portraits on Friday mornings, using live models. Additionally it offers adult classes in oil painting, for beginners, intermediate, and more advanced painters. It has classes for children through its "Coppini Kids" program, and a "master class" in drawing for kids 11 - 17. As if this isn't enough, it offers workshops for members and the public, taught by popular and world-class artists who come in from across the country. If an artist is focused on representational art, the Coppini is a great place to investigate!

Mission Statement The Mission of the American Indians in…read moreTexas at the Spanish Colonial Missions is to work for the preservation and protection of the culture and traditions of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation and other indigenous people of the Spanish colonial missions in south Texas and northern Mexico through: education, research, community outreach, economic development projects and legislative initiatives at the federal, state and local levels. San Antonio has the 10th largest population of urban Native Americans in the United States per capita. AITSCM strives to strengthen and enhance the ties Native Americans have to the practices that are universal to indigenous people, building on them to educate and inform others of their presence and history. AITSCM is a non-profit organization in the San Antonio area that provides: * Economical Development with Mission tours, native plants, native food café * Cultural Programs with dance, music, art, food * Languages for all ages with storytelling and instruction * Advocacy with both a youth and elder council for the missions, sacred sites, and Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation. Family Health & Wellness: San Antonio Fatherhood Campaign Rites of Passage Healing the Wounded Spirit Indigenous Arts: AIT Dance Theater Yanaguana Singers Economical Development through Cultural Arts Civic Engagement: Native Voices Network Native Youth for Equal Voices REAL Dads (Resident Engaged Advocate Leaders) AITSCM hosts two Mission Heritage fundraising dinners each year... May is based on the Cactus Blossom and Dec is based on the Pecan. Dec 2017 Pecan Harvest dinner was held at Casa Hernan (a Chef Johnny Rodriquez Catering event venue) with plenty of food, drink, entertainment, and presentations... one in particular one honoring the Sisters of Incarnate Word for their help in preserving the Blue Hole Sanctuary... all of this for only $23... we got a steal of a deal that night! ... Plus lots of door prizes! One of the comments I caught that night is that the younger generations are not interested in keeping up the traditions (for various reasons)... if this keeps happening, the traditions of language, dance, art will be lost forever. This org is here to support the local Native American community and it really is up to us to support them as well. Yanaguana Mission Heritage Tours are also hosted by AITSCM. What better way to see the missions as to be guided by local decedents of the Missions. Private groups tour are available at $50 per person... or you can watch their site in case they may host a public tour which is happening Sat 17 Mar 18 $20 per person. This will be a #SA300 event. Oh and check my review here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/yanaguana-mission-heritage-tours-san-antonio The United San Antonio Pow Wow in Feb at Mission County Park was the perfect place to hold this event. Check the link for my review... https://www.yelp.com/biz/united-san-antonio-pow-wow-san-antonio . You will find AITSCM at all the local Pow Wows around town as well as other events, so be sure to stop by, say hi, and donate as much as you possibly can to this much needed organization for our community.

I have been to the San Antonio missions on many occasions, but today I went on a guided tour by the…read moreAmerican Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AITSCM) and it really was awesome. They didn't focus too much on the architecture, etc., instead they focused on what life was really like for the American Indians and the cultural issues that still exist today. A lot of history was covered, and they spoke about their current mission to bring cultural awareness to the public and the descendants of the American Indians who lived and worked at the missions. We met at Mission San Jose and after touring that one, we boarded a bus for the other three missions. Ramon was our guide and it is obvious he has a passion (and a wealth of knowledge) about his ascendants and passing the culture on to future generations. We learned SO much that we never knew about. At the end of the tour, his mother had some cultural dishes prepared for us to sample and they were REALLY good. Ramon and his sons also sang a couple of traditional ceremonial songs and performed a ceremonial dance to one of them. Keep in mind, the American Indians of South Texas were not like the stereotypical American Indians you see in the movies and on television. Don't expect to see what you have seen in pop media. Ramon, his mother, and his sons are all AWESOME. To sum it up, I have to say I came away with a lot of new knowledge and was very enlightened. In addition to the mission tours, this organization hosts several other events throughout the year. Check out their website for more information.

Awesome place for renting for your functions, hall is nice and big with plenty of tables and…read morekitchen area that is truly awesome... easy to find and worth the money to rent. Highly Recommend!

Love! Love ! Love! Signed up to volunteer and will be doing it again. The staff is so helpful and…read morewalk you through everything to make sure everything is packaged correctly and that expired or opened food is not being distributed.

Went here to volunteer as part of an Yelp event. This organization is wonderful and they are doing…read moresuch great work. Everyone we interacted with was kind and helpful. Our shift was to sort through the donations and box them in the appropriate categories. I would encourage more people to volunteer their time here and help feed our neighbors.

It is so easy to sign up and volunteer with this organization. They are family friendly amd…read morehomeschool group friendly. They not only welcome kids, but have jobs they can eaaily perform. Regarding the "jobs", they offer a variety, from filling boxes, to restocking the items being filled, making boxes, & sealing boxes. All the staff & regular volunteers were freindly and encouraging. The facility is clean, well lit, and temp controlled. I also liked the transparency of letting volunteers know hkw much work was done and where the current work is headed.

A must have! This organization works around the clock pushing out necessary food to our great…read morecountry and worldwide. The stories shared about all the efforts and donations made is so motivating and fulfilling. We volunteer here about at least four times a year with either our family, neighborhood, business or church. Angie is the organizations team leader and she has a heart of gold. This Christian based organization is one you have to experience. Your hearts will be warmed. From kids to teens and adults, bring the whole crew and help make a difference. Sign up and booking is easy. The work shifts are short but the end results are glorious. Call them today!

Maria Lopez was very friendly and helpful in what we were looking for. She was very welcoming and…read morevery attentive. Thanks Maria. We will you again soon.

Found a great wreath selling for 10% of its original ticket price. Very good quality. Check out was…read morea breeze. Customer service friendly and professional. I recommend this business.