Award Ceremony Highlights

City Problem Solver of the Year Award
Joel V. Pope

Jr. City Problem Solver of the Year Award
Aferdita Kolonja

Aferdita Kolonja serves as President of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity and is actively involved with UTSA Voices. She leads volunteer initiatives across San Antonio, partnering with numerous nonprofits and community service organizations to make a meaningful impact in the community.



SAPD First Responder of the Year Award
Zachary Scripter

Officer Zachary Scripter SAPD, while working a nearby school zone on his police motorcycle observed a large plume of smoke in the sky coming from the neighborhood. He quickly rode his motorcycle to the location of the smoke and determined the front of 5111 Prince Valliant was on fire. The dispatcher was immediately notified, and Officer Scripter began to assess whether there were any occupants inside the residence. While walking the perimeter of the location, Windcrest Police Officer Chelsea Brooks #130 also arrived on scene and eventually determined there was an occupant inside the garage. Officer Scripter ran towards the garage and both officers along with bystanders began communicating with the occupant inside later determined to be Mrs. Lydia Torres, a 76-year-old female. Due to the combination of the smoke and several large items in the pathway of the garage, Mrs. Torres was trapped inside. Officer Scripter immediately began to move the items including a large file cabinet and a dryer out of the pathway and Officer Brooks was able to grab Mrs. Torres and pull her towards the exit. Both officers were able to carry Mr. Torres to safety as the fire department arrived on scene. Mrs. Torres was eventually transported to the hospital as a precaution due to smoke inhalation. Officer Zachary Scripter exhibited extraordinary courage, skill, determination, which is responsible for saving Mr. Lydia Torres life.

SAFD First Responder of the Year Award
Melvin Fitzgerald

Melvin is a member of the MIH PICC program and has worked for SAFD for over 50 years. The PICC program’s mission is to address the top 100 high utilizers resulting in emergency detentions due to behavioral health issues. At the age of 69, Melvin continues to work in the field with these difficult patients, ensuring that they receive proper care and necessary treatment. Melvin is often asked why he hasn’t retired and it is because he believes he is doing this work for the Lord and God has not told him he is finished just yet.

Public Service Organization of the Year Award
San Antonio Police Officer Association (SAPOA)

The San Antonio Police Officers’ Association (SAPOA) is an organization dedicated to supporting San Antonio Police Department officers by advocating for fair wages, benefits, and safe working conditions. Beyond officer support, the Association promotes wellness, professional development, and community involvement, while working collaboratively with city leadership to strengthen public safety. Through legal guidance, training initiatives, and community partnerships, SAPOA plays a vital role in supporting officers and enhancing the quality of law enforcement services in San Antonio.

https://www.sapoatexas.org

Environmental Remediation Organization of the Year Award
River Aid San Antonio

River Aid San Antonio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting stewardship and protection of the San Antonio River Basin through community engagement and volunteer‑driven environmental efforts. The group organizes numerous watershed cleanups throughout the year, trains volunteers in water quality monitoring, and leads large citywide events like Basura Bash to remove trash and restore urban waterways, helping keep creeks and rivers cleaner and healthier for the community and local ecosystems.

https://riveraidsanantonio.org

Environmental Awareness Organization of the Year Award
Bexar Branches Alliance

Bexar Branches Alliance is a San Antonio–based nonprofit organization focused on urban forestry and environmental stewardship, dedicated to expanding and preserving the tree canopy throughout the Greater San Antonio region. The Alliance brings together community members, arborists, and partner organizations to plant and care for native trees, provide tree maintenance programs, and offer educational outreach that increases awareness of tree benefits and ecological health. They work on equitable tree planting projects, including school programs and community plantings, to help cool neighborhoods, improve air quality, and foster environmental education and advocacy.

https://bexarbranches.org

District 10  Community Engagement Leadership Award
Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to providing nutritious meals, friendly visits, and safety checks to seniors and individuals with limited mobility or health challenges. Through local chapters, including in San Antonio, the program helps combat hunger, social isolation, and malnutrition, allowing older adults to maintain independence and quality of life while staying safely in their homes.

https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/

District 9  Community Engagement Leadership Award
Dr. Eric Buell

Dr. Eric Buell is the Executive Director of West Avenue Compassion, a San Antonio nonprofit that works alongside community members to meet immediate needs—such as food, clothing, and health support—while also creating opportunities for long‑term stability and growth through resource connections and collaborative programs. At West Avenue Compassion, he helps lead efforts in food distribution, ESL classes, senior assistance, and other community services designed to foster dignity, empowerment, and measurable impact across the neighborhood.

https://westavenuecompassion.org

District 8  Community Engagement Leadership Award
Robert Abe Abraham

Robert “Abe” Abraham is a longtime San Antonio community leader and volunteer known for his active involvement in local civic and public safety initiatives. He has served in leadership roles with neighborhood and crime‑prevention groups such as Northwest Neighbors Against Crime and Citizens on Patrol with the San Antonio Police Department, and he has contributed to organizations including Child Advocates San Antonio and Simpson Housing Services. In addition to professional experience in sales and insurance, Abe has been an at‑large member of the San Antonio Housing Commission, where he works to help shape housing policy to meet the city’s growing needs.

District 7  Community Engagement Leadership Award
THRU Project

THRU Project is a San Antonio–based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth and young adults with a history of foster care by helping them successfully transition from the foster care system to independent adulthood. The organization provides a range of supports—including volunteer mentors, rent‑free housing, life skills workshops, bus passes, cell phones, and mental health resources—to give foster youth the tools and guidance they need to build stable, successful futures.

https://www.thruproject.org

District 6  Community Engagement Leadership Award
Prosper West San Antonio

Prosper West San Antonio is a nonprofit community economic development organization dedicated to fostering prosperity and equitable growth on San Antonio’s historic Westside by supporting small businesses, housing and real estate development, cultural preservation, placemaking, and community engagement. The group works with residents, businesses, and partners to maximize local assets, remove barriers to opportunity, and build a vibrant community where people want to live, work, and visit, including programs in workforce development, affordable housing, and small business support.

https://prosperwestsa.org

District 5  Community Engagement Leadership Award
SATX Inner City Development, Inc.

SATX Inner City Development, Inc. is a long‑standing nonprofit community‑based organization serving the near Westside neighborhood of San Antonio—primarily around the Alazan‑Apache Public Housing Project—since 1968. Its mission is to lift the dignity of individuals by providing essential support like emergency food, clothing, educational and recreational programs, and by encouraging neighborhood improvement through volunteerism; nearly all services are delivered by an all‑volunteer staff to meet critical basic life needs and foster community engagement.

https://www.innercitydevelopment.org

District 4  Community Engagement Leadership Award
Ascension DePaul Services of San Antonio

Ascension DePaul Services of San Antonio is a longstanding nonprofit community health ministry rooted in the Catholic tradition, originally founded in 1958 by the Daughters of Charity to serve vulnerable and low‑income families on the south side of the city. The organization provides a wide range of holistic support—such as affordable medical, dental, and behavioral health care; early childhood education and Head Start/Early Head Start programs; social services including food and utility assistance; parenting support; and wellness programs—through neighborhood‑based centers aimed at helping individuals and families overcome hardship and build stable, healthy lives.

https://www.adssa.org

District 3  Community Engagement Leadership Award
San Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families

San Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families (SACVF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Antonio dedicated to meeting the urgent needs of military service members, Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors by providing direct support including assistance with shelter, food, and short‑term financial help. Founded out of a desire to better serve Veterans and unify service providers, SACVF acts as a bridge between individuals in crisis and the resources available through other programs, while also building collaborations, educating the community, and advocating on behalf of Veterans and their loved ones throughout the Alamo Region.

https://sacvf.org

District 2  Community Engagement Leadership Award
Reaching Maximum Independence

Reaching Maximum Independence (RMI) is a San Antonio–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to achieve their highest possible level of independence and community inclusion. Founded in 1982 by families seeking better residential options for their loved ones, RMI offers a range of supportive services including group homes, supported apartment living, foster care services, life enrichment and job skills programs, and vocational support that help individuals live, work, and participate fully in their communities.

https://www.rmihomes.org

District 1  Community Engagement Leadership Award
Each One Teach One, Inc

Each One Teach One (San Antonio) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering adults in Bexar County by improving literacy and educational outcomes through free, personalized tutoring in reading, writing, math, GED preparation, and English as a Second Language (ESL). Founded in 2004, it helps adults build confidence, achieve personal and professional goals, and strengthen families and the broader community by addressing barriers to literacy and economic mobility.

https://www.eotosa.org

City Problem Solver 500–1000 word Essay Award
Athena Lor

The role of a city problem solver is to find the issues facing urban environments by finding solutions that help the needs of people and the economy. This means identifying problems, researching the causes, and making solutions. This can range from urgent concerns, like public health crises, to long-term planning for urban growth. Urban problem solvers include professions such as urban planners, policymakers, architects, etc. Unlike problem-solving in other areas, city problem solving requires a different approach, as solving one problem usually impacts others.

For example, fixing homelessness needs more than just providing temporary shelter. It requires an understanding of the economic and social factors that lead to homelessness. A city problem solver can do that by working with other urban problem solvers to create a solution that goes over the causes and ensures long-term support. In this way, problem solving in cities requires a broad skill set and a deep understanding of multiple issues.

City problem solving is never the work of a single person alone. It requires a collaborative process. Working with residents, especially the ones from marginalized communities, is also important. Their input often provides valuable and useful insights into the real-world situations of policies and initiatives. A city problem solver must act as an initiator, bringing together these different perspectives to create solutions that are effective.

For example, when going over environmental issues like waste management or pollution, city problem solvers should have a range of stakeholders. Collaboration means that solutions are in the needs of the community while also being backed by those who understand the technical aspects of environmental management. Again, including residents, especially those from marginalized communities, is important, as their experiences can offer good insights to the potential challenges and successes.

Sustainability and long-term thinking is one of the biggest challenges for city problem solvers. Sustainability is central to the work of urban problem solvers. Urban areas consume large amounts of energy, produce large amounts of waste, and rely a lot on fossil fuels for transportation. Cities must adopt balanced ways to help the well-being of both current and future generations. This includes using renewable energy, adopting green infrastructure solutions, and transportation systems to prioritize public transit forms of transport like walking and cycling. That way, it will keep the well-being of current and future generations stable and healthy.

A city problem solver has to think more than short-term fixes and focus on long-term solutions that benefit future generations. This could involve making urban forests, parks, and green roofs, which provide environmental benefits. Urban sustainability also means fixing social issues such as poverty and inequality. The design of a city should make sure that all residents can have affordable housing, good education, and healthcare. City problem solvers must work to create urban spaces where people from all backgrounds can grow. This also requires policies that promote social equity. Sustainable cities are also resilient to future challenges, keeping the cities stable and balanced.

So what does it really mean to be a city problem solver? Being a city problem solver means a lot more than just fixing the problems that occur in urban environments. It requires a deeper level of the understanding of the complex systems that define cities. Whether working on issues related to transportation, or climate change, urban problem solvers play an important role in shaping the cities of the future. They ensure that cities remain vibrant and resilient in an inconsistent world.