Newsletter

Volume 8, Issue 10

October 2026

Message from Mark Denzin

Texas Ramp Project Executive Director

A Moment That Reflects the Heart of Our Mission

Recently, the Texas Ramp Project had the extraordinary opportunity to welcome NBC’s Today Show and veteran correspondent Harry Smith (Pictured with Mark) for a segment in the program’s Common Good series. (See following article.) While the visibility this opportunity brings is significant, what will stay with me most is the experience of working alongside our volunteers from WellMed and the Texas Ramp Project.

There was something special about watching everyone come together with a shared purpose. Each person brought their own skills, commitment, and enthusiasm to the work, and through that collaboration, the entire effort seemed almost effortless. What might appear to be a remarkable production opportunity from the outside was, at its heart, simply another example of people coming together to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.

That is the story I hope this segment will tell. While the cameras captured one family, one ramp, and one community, the work represents something much bigger. It reflects what happens every day throughout our network across Texas—neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers giving their time and talents, and dedicated teams working together to provide access, independence, and dignity to people who need it most.

I want to extend a special thank-you to our San Antonio Central team, who represented the entire Texas Ramp Project family with such professionalism, warmth, and pride in our mission. They demonstrated exactly who we are and what makes this organization so special. Their efforts, along with the partnership and support of WellMed, made this opportunity possible and showed what we can accomplish when we work together.

This is a high-water moment for the Texas Ramp Project. The opportunity to share our mission with a national audience will help elevate our visibility and introduce more people to the impact of our work. Greater awareness creates opportunities to build new relationships, engage additional volunteers, strengthen partnerships, and attract the resources needed to serve more Texans.

As we look ahead, I hope we see this not simply as a moment in the spotlight, but as a catalyst for what comes next. Our mission has always been bigger than any one ramp, region, or volunteer crew. This opportunity gives us another way to tell that story—and to invite more people to become part of it.

Thank you to everyone who made this experience possible and to the volunteers across Texas who bring our mission to life every day. The work we do together is what makes these moments meaningful, and it is what will carry the Texas Ramp Project forward.

Mark

Texas Ramp Project on the TODAY Show

The opportunity to share the Texas Ramp Project’s mission on NBC’s TODAY Show began in early February. Following several months of correspondence with the production team, submission of organizational background, and an expression of interest, TRP was selected as a potential candidate for the program’s Common Good series.

The production team established several requirements, including proximity within a 60-minute drive of a major airport, a family willing to participate on camera, and English-speaking or bilingual participants. Working with Nancy DeLuca and regional coordinators, four TRP regions were identified for potential involvement. Families meeting the production criteria were vetted, and a preliminary shortlist was submitted for internal review before a finalized list was provided to the production team. Throughout the process, regions were reminded that production requirements could evolve and that flexibility would be essential.

Following review and consideration, three regions submitted potential families. The selected family and regional team participated in interviews and discussions to understand the process, expectations, and commitment involved.

The opportunity culminated in a special ramp build on October 21 in San Antonio under the leadership of George Swarner. Supported by Donna and Steve Swanson, Spike Hubenak, Leanne and Stewart Smith, Mary Jo Bolster, and volunteers from our WellMed partner, the team created not only a safe and accessible home entrance but also a meaningful opportunity to share TRP’s mission with a national audience.

The segment is currently being edited by the TODAY Show production team, and an air date has not yet been announced. TRP will share an update with the organization once broadcast details become available.

A special thank-you goes to Brittany Pratt, Scott Badger, Mark Hinzman, Jim Campbell, and Mark Denzin for their leadership, coordination, and planning throughout this opportunity. Their collective efforts, along with the commitment of the San Antonio Central team and its volunteers, helped bring the Texas Ramp Project’s mission of access, independence, and dignity to a much broader audience.

Imagine living 538 miles away and showing up to build a ramp in Austin, Texas. Dick Fink does that every month. Well, he also reports in to work (Applied Nanotech Inc. in Austin, where he is vice president) while he’s here, but still….

Dick came to Austin in 1989 and lived there until summer 2024, when he moved to Conway, Arkansas, to be near long-time friends and retire (eventually). He works remotely, so makes the monthly trip to Austin. But his years of working with the Austin Central Ramp Project are still in his blood. Hence the monthly ramp.

Dick’s first involvement in Austin was with Habitat for Humanity, but, he says, “It was soon apparent to me that these [TRP ramps] were projects of scale that I could put my arms around.” He has been a team leader since 2018, working with various volunteer groups that want to build but need a leader.

“It has been rewarding working with a broad range of volunteers, some who have never used a driver before, to those highly skilled in carpentry,” Dick says. “I learn from them all. I particularly enjoy working with youth groups, YMSL in particular.”

Dick was raised on a farm in rural South Dakota, graduating in a high school class of 12. He received a bachelor’s degree in engineering physics from South Dakota State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He arrived in Texas shortly after when, as he says, “Austin was weird, and amazing.”

Back in Conway, Dick has joined a church and sings in the choir. He quickly became club service chair for the Conway Morning Rotary Club. And he has continued his ramp-building efforts with a group in Conway.

“It is a great day when the ramp is completed and the volunteers have a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment,” he says.

Rick and his partner have two dogs, Chester and Safi. “I have taken them to ramp builds,” say Rick. “They have not been helpful, unfortunately.”

San Angelo Region: 100 Ramps and Counting 

October 24 was a special day for the San Angelo Ramp Project. The region reached the 100-ramp milestone for the first time. Five teams built eight ramps in the morning, bringing the total ramps built to date to 103. The previous high-water mark was 81 in 2025. A celebratory lunch marked the occasion.

According to region coordinator Rob Newman, the 2026 growth came from recruiting new teams, expanding current teams, and a wave of visiting youth groups helping with flood recovery efforts. The region has 13 recurring teams that cover 14 counties, which have a total population of 160,000.

The San Angelo region has provided over 500 ramps in the 14 counties, most built in the past six years. Rob estimates about 120 ramps for 2027. The region has strong foundation support, but Rob has launched a local fundraising effort to account for the surging build numbers. It is already bearing fruit.

Crew Leader Guidance Checklist

What’s worse than arriving at a site to build a ramp and missing some lumber, or hardware, or a tool? The build gets held up while the missing item is retrieved. Time on site is prolonged. Crew gets irritated. Not our best moment!

The East Texas Tyler Project solved this problem by working up a guideline for their dozen or so ramp construction leaders that all but ensures glitches like these don’t happen. The guidelines outline the duties and responsibilities of every team leader and co-leader for every build. It includes a checklist of all materials and tools so the truck will arrive with everything needed to accomplish the job.

Construction guidelines have been in place in Smith County for many years. Recently, Ron James, one of two Tyler “Wranglers” who select ramps from the referral list, assign leads and solicit volunteers, updated them. The result is a three-page document that ensures uniformity and consistency among their dozen build team leads no matter which job they are assigned to.

The document lays out the various tasks prior to the build, the morning of the actual build, and the build itself.

Don Dickson of the Tyler Ramp Project says the guideline is now in use and working well. Because of the uniformity, crews can work seamlessly with different team leaders. And because of the consistency, all the ramps are basically following the same guidelines.

The Smith County Duties and Responsibilities checklist works well for their region. It may require some modification to work in other regions, but it can be used as a model for regions that have not yet developed this type of organizational tool. The attached document can be modified to fit the unique requirements of any region.

To view or download the Smith County Duties and Responsibilities document, click on the document below:

San Antonio Area Foundation Grant

The San Antonio Area Foundation has awarded the Texas Ramp Project a $50,000 grant, to be used over the next two years to provide wheelchair ramps in eight San Antonio area counties. The grant from the San Antonio Area Foundation was made possible in part through the collective generosity of donors, including:

Ruth Lang Charitable Fund

Fred Roy Charitable Fund

John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation

Robley Freeman Sopris and Elizabeth Reese Sopris Fund

Strauch Family Fund in Memory of Leonor Salinas

Lila G. and Vesey F. Taylor Fund

Elizabeth Madden Welch Fund

Frank H. and Flora Paeltz Wolff Trust

of the San Antonio Area Foundation.

“Texas Ramp Project is making a lasting impact in our community,” said Ryan Lugalia-Hollon, Ph.D., chief impact officer for the San Antonio Area Foundation. “We’re proud to support their work so more of our neighbors have the opportunity to thrive.”

Grants and Donations

Highlighted this month is the Austin East region, which pulls much of its revenue from local sources. This month the region received $3,500 from four local organizations, including a civic group, business, small private foundation and church. So far this year the region has received $24,500 from these local sources. It takes work on the ground to accomplish this kind of funding. Great work, Frank Smith and team!

Other grants and donations include the following:

• $25,000 for San Antonio area from San Antonio Area Foundation.
• $10,000 for Tarrant County from James and Dorothy Doss Foundation.
• $10,000 for East Texas Tyler from Green Acres Baptist Church.
• $7,500 for Austin Central Bastrop County from Born Again Emporium.
• $5,000 for Bryan/College Station from A Ray of Hope community volunteers.
• $5,000 for San Angelo from Sierra Vista United Methodist Church.
• $5,000 for East Texas Longview from First UMC Hallsville.
• $4,660 for Waco South from Waco Habitat for Humanity.
• $2,500 for Waco South from Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative.
• $2,500 for Dallas from Kiwanis Club of McKinney.
• $1,600 for Abilene Scurry County from Big Country Electric Cooperative.
• $1,500 for San Antonio Central from Oak Hills Church.
• $1,446 for Houston Central from Good Shepherd Church Cypress.
• $1,071 for McAllen from McAllen Lodge 1110.
• $1,000 for Austin East from McBride Post, American Legion Wolters Park.
• $1,000 for Austin East from Hermann Sons of Life Schulenberg.
• $1,000 for Austin East from Kenlin Foundation, Inc.
• $1,000 for San Antonio South Guadalupe County from First UMC Seguin.
• $750 for Amarillo from Panhandle Regional Planning Commission.
• $750 for San Antonio Northeast from St. John’s Episcopal Church.
• $701 for Amarillo from Amarillo Habitat for Humanity.
• $500 for Dallas from Clark Family Living Trust, Pathfinders Class.
• $500 for San Angelo from Knights of Columbus, San Angelo Council #2136.
• $500 for Austin East from St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church La Grange.
• $470 for McAllen from McAllen Masonic Lodge.
• $450 for Austin West from Hill Country Fellowship.
• $402 for Austin West from The Church at Horseshoe Bay.
• $250 for Victoria North from Lions Club Carnival Fund Yoakum.
• $200 for San Angelo from Fr. Serran R. Braun, Fourth Degree Assembly Knights of Columbus.
• $200 for Amarillo from Betenbough Companies.
• $100 for East Texas Tyler from Langen/Wink Bible Class.
• $50 for East Texas Emory from The Red Dome Café.

Every Referral Matters

Every ramp TRP builds begins with a referral. Every referral represents a person—one with an identified need who may be unable to safely leave their home, whose caregiver may be struggling, or whose release from a rehab facility may depend on accessibility at their home.

What happens to the client if we do not act? This question should influence every referral decision.

Referral management is mission critical. Untimely referral management can result in:

• Clients waiting unnecessarily.
• Delayed access to medical care and appointments.
• Frustrated referral partners.
• Frustrated volunteers.
• Damage to TRP’s reputation.
• Potential loss of grant funding.
• Increased legal exposure.

Good referral management protects clients, volunteers, regional leadership and TRP as an organization. TRP’s success is not measured by the number of ramps built. It is measured by lives improved, falls prevented, independence preserved, families supported and communities strengthened.

We are not simply building ramps. We are helping people remain safe, independent, and connected to the care and support they need.

That’s why every referral matters.

Ramp of the Month

East Texas Van Zandt, Van Zandt County

The six steps leading to 89- year-old Mr. H.'s front door posed a significant barrier to his ability to safely enter and exit his home while navigating his walker. Vital Caring Group in Canton realized the risk and made the referral. Six TRP volunteers go to work and donated 34 hours of labor in building his 49 foot ramp. Mr. H's daughter told the volunteers he was thrilled with the new ramp.

Correction: The September Newsletter listed the wrong county for Volunteer of the Month Phil Fenton. He serves Washington County in the Bryan/College Station region.

You are encouraged to use the TRP Media Consent, Waiver and Release form for your builds. To access the form, click here.

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