Molina Healthcare of Texas Celebrates Local Heroes At Its First-Ever San Antonio Community Champions Awards

10/21/2016

Molina Healthcare of Texas recently recognized the extraordinary community service of six local residents at its first-ever Community Champions Awards in San Antonio. At the event, which included a dinner, entertainment and awards ceremony, each of the honorees received a trophy and a $1,000 grant to give to a deserving nonprofit of their choice.

San Antonio’s first-ever Community Champions were:

  • Irma Canfield, an instrumental volunteer for the Autism Society of Central Texas.
  • Mary Lou Gonzalez, whose work with the Inman Christian Center feeds hundreds of families each year.
  • Gloria De La Cruz Sandoval, a recreation supervisor for the City of San Antonio Parks who has spent more than 25 years volunteering for various organizations including the YMCA, Park and Recreation Youth Center and Esparza Elementary School.
  • JR Cantu, a behavioral health consultant who combines his career with his passion for helping others by providing private consultation for adults and children who have special needs. By working with the Arc of San Antonio, he helps support hundreds of individuals and families with intellectual disabilities.
  • Maria Gonzalez, a Salvation Army of San Antonio service coordinator who embodies compassion in her everyday actions, such as when she took initiative to aid a homeless man, ultimately helping him receive disability benefits and become independent again.
  • David Ramos, a remarkable man with the unique role of being a foster grandparent at Catholic Charities’ Seton Home, where he cares for the children of vulnerable teenage mothers so they may finish their education and break the downward cycle.

Established to honor the memory of Dr. Molina, our Community Champions program spotlights the good deeds of everyday heroes in their communities. The Molina Healthcare Community Champions Awards event was first held in Sacramento in 2006.