Newsletter

Volume 7, Issue 12

December 2025

Message from Mark Denzin

Texas Ramp Project Executive Director

A Year of Growth, Momentum, and Impact



As we close out 2025, I am incredibly proud of the momentum we have built together and grateful for the community that made it possible. This year marked a significant chapter in our organization’s history—one defined by growth, innovation, and a renewed focus on sustainability.

In 2025, we celebrated our 40th Anniversary, a milestone that honored four decades of service while also looking boldly to the future. The anniversary campaign was a tremendous success, engaging longtime supporters and welcoming new ones, and it reinforced just how deeply our mission resonates across Texas.

That momentum translated directly into impact. We are on target to complete more ramp builds than during the 2024 campaign, reflecting stronger regional capacity, improved coordination, and the incredible dedication of our volunteers.

Financially, 2025 marked an important shift in how we support and sustain our work. We intentionally focused on growing unrestricted revenue, allowing the organization to respond more quickly to needs and invest more strategically in our regions. Through individual donor development, community giving days, and focused stewardship efforts such as Giving Tuesday, we strengthened relationships with supporters and created more flexible funding to fuel our mission.

Behind every milestone is a network of committed volunteers, donors, regional leaders, and partners. Your belief in this work—and your willingness to invest time, talent, and resources—continues to transform lives and communities.

As we look ahead to 2026, we do so with confidence and clarity. We will continue to build on the foundation laid this year, deepen our impact in existing regions, support new ones, and steward the trust you place in us with care and accountability.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for helping us turn access into opportunity—today and for the next 40 years.



Mark

40^th Anniversary Builds

We asked every region to build at least one ramp in celebration of TRP’s 40 years of service. Well, you did it! We received 52 reports detailing a total of 107 builds. You also reported participation by 1,095 volunteers. Congratulations to all for helping celebrate this milestone. You are terrific!

Christmas Ramps Bring the Gift of Freedom

Even Santa stopped by to help with a build.

L-R Kelly Bullock with Family First Home Health and Hospice, Will Reese and Jimmy Dickey of GEUS.

Volunteer of the Month: David Merritt,

Dallas Region

From banking to building—it’s a transition David Merritt made gracefully and fruitfully. After a 35-year career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, David has turned his enterprise-wide data analytics and project management experience into a new volunteer career with TRP’s Dallas region.

David retired from the Dallas Fed just two years ago, and six months later he sent a volunteer application to the website. He mentioned having worked with Kay Champagne at the Fed, and within an hour Kay was on the line recruiting. A week later David was in the field with his first ramp build.

The Texas Ramp Project is a natural for David. Over 25 years David participated in 36 weeklong trips into Appalachia with high school and college age youth from his Farmers Branch church, Christ United Methodist, to refurbish and repair homes. He was looking to recreate that zeal in a local setting. Lucky TRP!



“I almost immediately began shadowing and collaborating with [Dallas region coordinator] Gary Stopani on builds,” David says. “This allowed me to see first-hand how the operational aspects worked with volunteers, build-sites, and ultimately the clients.”

He then moved on to lumber cutting in the warehouse and performing site surveys. He now knows the project from start to finish, creating, as David says, “meaningful and necessary mobility solutions to the clients.”

David is a native of North Little Rock and mostly grew up there, earning a BBA in finance from the University of Arkansas Little Rock. He arrived in Texas in 1988 to join the Dallas Fed. He lives in Farmers Branch, just a few blocks away from the Dallas warehouse.

David and his wife of 23 years, Dana, met at work and have a daughter, Morgan. David also has two older daughters and a year-old granddaughter. He has invited Morgan and his son-in-law to join him at builds.

David has been active in Farmers Branch government, having served three years (2021-24) on City Council, 16 years on the Planning and Zoning Commission, and five years on the Parks and Recreation Board. He has also worked with the local ISD and City Bond Commission.



David and Dana have traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Costa Rica, Hawaii and Alaska. A Hawaiian vacation and European river cruise are on the 2026 calendar. David also enjoys live music shows and Dallas Stars hockey.

We'd love to hear from you. If you would like to nominate a volunteer to be featured as the Volunteer of the Month, send your nomination to Sandra Knutson, sjknutson@texasramps.org, and she'll follow up with you for the details.

Giving Tuesday: Bigger Impact, Greater Flexibility

Giving Tuesday 2025 delivered exceptional results, demonstrating both growing donor commitment and the strength of our focus on unrestricted revenue.

This year, 31 donors raised $40,624, a 148% increase over 2024, when the campaign generated $16,380. While the number of donors remained steady year over year, the average gift rose to $442, up from $382, showing deeper investment from our supporters.

The campaign was powered by a diversified mix of support, including $12,824 in online individual gifts, $20,600 in offline contributions (highlighted by a $15,000 corporate Giving Tuesday initiative), and $10,000 in matching funds.

Only $1,700 of total gifts was donor-designated, meaning the vast majority of funds raised were unrestricted and giving us critical flexibility to respond where needs are greatest.

Giving Tuesday 2025 also welcomed nine first-time donors, while returning donors increased their giving, reinforcing the impact of focused stewardship and intentional donor engagement.



Thank you to everyone who helped make Giving Tuesday 2025 a powerful investment in access, dignity, and independence.

Plunkett Foundation Funds East Texas Counties



Jerry Halpain, East Texas Jacksonville coordinator, accepts a check for $5,000 from the T.J. & LaVerne Plunkett Foundation at East Texas Communities Foundation for TRP’s work in Rusk, Cherokee and Nacogdoches counties. From left are Barbara Bass, former Tyler mayor; Bill Preston, Rusk County team leader; Jerry Halpain, and Kyle Penney, ETCF president.

December Grants and Donations

End-of-year grants continue to flow into the Texas Ramp Project, offering a promising start to 2026. They include $75,000 from the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation and $25,000 each from the LGR, RAM and Ed Rachal foundations. Grants and donations (excluding individuals and government reimbursements) received in the past month include the following:

• $75,000 for San Antonio area counties from Kronkosky Charitable Foundation.
• $25,000 for Statewide from LGR Foundation, The Rawl Family.
• $25,000 for Texarkana North from RAM Foundation.
• $25,000 for Statewide from Ed Rachal Foundation.
• $20,000 for San Antonio Central from DEW Foundation.
• $15,000 for Austin Central, North and South from Lola Wright Foundation.
• $10,000 for Austin West and San Antonio Northwest from Create Healthy Foundation.
• $10,000 for Waco South from Bernard & Audre Rapoport Foundation.
• $8,000 for Dallas from BECK Community Development.
• $7,500 for San Antonio area counties from St. Luke’s Lutheran Health Ministries.
• $5,000 for San Antonio Central from Mays Family Foundation.
• $5,000 for East Texas Jacksonville and Deep East Texas from T.J. & LaVerne Plunkett Foundation at East Texas Communities Foundation.
• $3,000 for NCT East Hunt County from Greenville Chamber of Commerce.
• $2,993 for Waco South from Waco Habitat for Humanity.
• $2,636 for Houston from Good Shepherd Church Cypress.
• $2,500 for San Antonio Central from Dixie Starnes Wenger Foundation.
• $2,215 for Houston North from Montgomery County Habitat for Humanity.
• $1,500 for San Antonio Central from Oak Hills Church.
• $1,500 for Wichita Falls from 50+ Zone Quilters Group.
• $1,425 for Amarillo from Amarillo Habitat for Humanity.
• $1,340 for San Antonio Northwest from Bethany Lutheran Foundation of Fredericksburg.
• $1,200 for Statewide from The Luttrell Family Charitable Fund.
• $1,125 for Texarkana East from First Baptist Church Wake Village.
• $1,000 for Texarkana East from Texarkana Area Community Foundation.
• $604 for Bryan/College Station from United Way of the Brazos Valley SECC.
• $529 for Austin North from Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County.
• $500 for Temple/Belton from Farmers Mutual Protective Association.
• $500 for Statewide from Gardner Family Charitable Trust.
• $500 for Austin East from St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church La Grange.
• $500 for Austin East from Prosperity Bank.
• $450 for Austin West from Hill Country Fellowship.
• $334 for NCT South Ellis County from B&B Management.
• $150 for McAllen from the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs.
• $100 for East Texas Tyler from Langen/Wink Bible Class.

Vet’s Ramp Gets City Assistance



It started with a referral from Cinthia Morales, constituent service representative for San Antonio District 5 Council member Teri Castillo. The client, Francisco Sarabia, was an 86-year-old veteran who was scheduled to get a ramp on December 5.

A dozen volunteers from Home Depot’s Bitters Store and Flatbed Distribution led by Brandi Marquez turned out on build day, tearing down the old, dilapidated ramp and building a new 39-foot ramp in its place. This is the sixth ramp that Home Depot teams have helped build and covered the materials cost.  After the build, Home Depot thanked Mr. Sarabia for his service and presented him with a new American flag that he proudly mounted on his front porch. 

This is the fourth ramp built in the city’s District 5 this year. Ms. Morales was there to view the build and sent a follow-up note, with photos. “I just wanted to thank the Texas Ramp Project and the Home Depot team for assisting our D5 constituent,” she said. “We truly appreciate the difference you all continue to make in the San Antonio communities.”

Congratulations from State Senator Campbell



The Texas Ramp Project has received a letter of congratulations from Sen. Donna Campbell, M.D., Texas State Senate District 25. Sen. Campbell, of New Braunfels, has served since 2012. District 25 represents the major cities of San Antonio, Austin, New Braunfels, Schertz and San Marcos. Read the letter.

Ramp of the Month, Washington County

Bryan/College Station Region

TRP delivered a last-minute Christmas present to a 64-year-old New Braunfels woman who needed a ramp quickly. Washington County coordinator Butch Meyer wrote this thank you to his troops:

 "WOW! I don't know what else to say but Wow!

"The J. family called to see if we could build Saturday, and I told them not sure I can get enough help with just a two-day notice but will see. And wow, did you all come through! With only a two-day notice, I believe it was 20 of you that gave up your Saturday morning (when you all probably still had too much to do before Christmas), came out and built this 37-foot ramp in just over two hours for a total of 45 volunteer hours. This was our 25th ramp of the year.

"WOW! The Christmas Spirit of giving was in full display today from all you Texas Ramp volunteers. May God bless the family and all you volunteers.

"Great job everyone!"

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