Our Story

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio was incorporated on September 16, 2004, to fund not-for-profit healthcare services and education throughout Bexar County and contiguous counties in South Texas.

More than 100 years ago, a group of San Antonio physicians planted the seeds that grew to become the nonprofit Baptist Health System (BHS).

 

In 2003, the BHS Board of Trustees recognized that economic hardships threatened to compromise the system’s ability to provide exceptional care and the system was sold to the for-profit corporation Vanguard Health Systems (the system is now owned by Tenet Health).

 

The profits of the sale were used to create Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio (BHFSA), allowing the Baptists of the San Antonio area to continue caring for the physical and spiritual needs of our community.

 

Since that time, the Lord has used BHFSA to impact the community and change lives through the good work of our dedicated grant recipients.

 

From its establishment, BHFSA has awarded grants totaling over $109 million to nonprofit organizations in 8 counties. In 2023, BHFSA awarded 99 grants totaling $9,115,000.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Although Baptist Health System is now a separate for-profit corporation run by Tenet Health, BHFSA enjoys multiple partnerships with BHS in the hard work of healing our community.

Chapels and Chaplains

BHFSA assists BHS in carrying forward their Christ-based legacy by providing advice and guidance in the implementation and maintenance of chapels in the System’s hospitals.

Additionally, BHFSA provides scholarships to equip and educate chaplains through the BHS Clinical Pastoral Education program.

Graduates of BHS Clinical Pastoral Education program

Tapestries

A beautiful, hand-woven tapestry adorns the foyers and lobbies of each San Antonio Baptist hospital and emergency clinic. These tapestries were first presented to the hospitals and clinics in September of 2013 to honor the 10th anniversary of a strong partnership between BHFSA and BHS. Since 2013, each new hospital added to the System has received a tapestry.

Tapestry design

The Foundation is pleased to be a participating member of the family of BGCT institutions.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it…  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11 (NIV)