THRU Project began in July of 2011 as a service project of Unity Church of San Antonio. THRU Project was co-founded in 2011 by a foster mother, Elaine Hartle, and a local business owner, Steve O’Donnell, who had grown up in the foster care system. Both were intimately familiar with the challenges that exist for youth in foster care. The San Antonio community rallied around the plight of youth aging out of foster care and the shortage of social workers available to assist them. It became apparent that there was a critical need for a permanent organization to provide volunteers who could serve as a connection between former foster youth and the services provided by local nonprofit agencies that could help them achieve healthy, independent lives and successfully bridge the gap between foster care and adulthood. In 2013, THRU Project became a separate entity, gaining its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

Mentoring was the first program we offered, connecting youth with histories of foster care with caring and consistent adults who provide guidance and support. As time went on, the youth and young adults we served began to open up about the other barriers in their lives. THRU Project began to offer access to cell phones, bus passes, life skills workshops and housing to help our clients meet basic needs and fulfill their potential.

Today, THRU Project serves more than 200 youth and young adults, ages 14-25, each year. Nearly 1,000 youth have relied on our services throughout the last decade. We remain the only nonprofit in San Antonio dedicated to helping older youth, and those who have already aged out, successfully bridge the gap between foster care and adulthood.