Seton Home’s Gala in the Garden brings the community together to support life-changing programs for teen mothers and their children.
SAN ANTONIO — A local nonprofit dedicated to helping young mothers build better futures is inviting the community to step in and support its mission.
Seton Home, a program of Catholic Charities, has spent decades working to break the cycle of abuse and poverty by providing housing, education, and support services for pregnant and parenting teen mothers and their children.
Now, the organization is gearing up for its biggest fundraiser of the year — the Gala in the Garden.
“A safe place, a second chance and a path forward — that’s what Catholic Charities Seton Home provides for pregnant and parenting teen moms here in San Antonio,” said Executive Director Gladys Gonzalez during a recent interview.
Founded in 1981 and named after Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton — the first American-born saint — Seton Home focuses on creating long-term change for young families.
“We’ve been doing this, and we’re consistent with it,” Gonzalez said. “For viewers, people don’t know that our mission continues to serve teens that come through. They receive all the wonderful programming, intense case management treatment, therapeutic treatment for them — a second chance.”
Seton Home serves young mothers, some as young as 15 or 16 years old, offering not just shelter but a full range of support designed to help them succeed.
“It’s not just a home,” Gonzalez explained. “We’re hoping that it really sets the pathway forward for success. This is the first time for many of them that they haven’t had that sense of security and placement.”
The organization has adopted a trauma-informed care model — something Gonzalez says is critical to their success.
“We were taking a new trauma informed mentality. It’s called sanctuary. And that’s what we’ve become — a sanctuary for them and their baby,” she said.
Seton Home also provides early childhood education through its four-star Rising Star program and Early Head Start, ensuring both mother and child have access to resources from the very beginning.
The impact, Gonzalez says, can be life-changing.
“These young women are going to college and they’re finding successful jobs,” she said. “We all know a pregnant teen in our lives… they go on to have PhDs, they go on to be leaders in our community. And we want to make sure that we continue to be that source of inspiration and safety.”
The upcoming Gala in the Garden is a key part of making that work possible.
“This is our only event, our fundraiser,” Gonzalez said. “The support really comes from an entire community… all the dollars that go into our mission goes to our children and our moms and babies.”
The event will be held Saturday, March 28 at The Whitley Theological Center, bringing together supporters for an evening focused on empowering young families.
Organizers say every contribution — no matter the amount — helps continue their work.
“We really would engage our community — $2, $5, $100,” Gonzalez said. “It goes right back.”
For Seton Home, the mission is simple but powerful: helping young mothers not just survive, but thrive — and in the process, changing the trajectory for generations to come.
