SAN ANTONIO – Haven for Hope is welcoming a new CEO as the nonprofit celebrates 15 years.
Rhonda Mundhenk is the new president and CEO of Haven for Hope. She takes over for Kim Jefferies, who stepped down earlier this year to accept a job position out of state.
Mundhenk assumed the leadership position with the nonprofit on Oct. 1.
The Chicago native is not new to Texas.
She came to San Antonio from Austin, where she held an executive team position with a health care company.
Mundhenk said she wanted to be a part of Haven for Hope as the nonprofit realizes its future potential. She said part of that potential is the City of San Antonio itself.
“One of the major causes of homelessness is simply affordable housing,” she said. “Austin doesn’t have an opportunity to remediate affordable housing anymore — The City of San Antonio does. This is a moment where I thought it was very important, because I want to do impactful work.”
Not wasting any time, Mundhenk said she is already in the process of ensuring the nonprofit is equipped to meet the needs of its clients on a daily basis and in the next decade.
“We’re celebrating our 15-year anniversary”, she said. “The campus hasn’t grown, but the City of San Antonio has. The capacity that we had to provide care and services to people on campus is in excess of what’s available in the community.”
Mundhenk brings almost 20 years of health care management experience to the fight against homelessness.
She said looking forward, health care must continue to be considered as part of the conversation for Haven for Hope’s outreach.
“It is very important to bring that health care lens and that nexus of integration,” Mundhenk said.
She pointed to Haven’s partnership with CentroMed, which has a clinic located on the Haven for Hope campus, giving clients and community members access to a sliding-fee scale for services, including primary care and continuity care.
Mundhenk also touched on behavior health services and said it is another reason why she is thankful for Haven’s partnership with CentroMed.
Mundhenk said she has already witnessed just how big the heart of San Antonio is and looks forward to nurturing the spirit of hope at Haven.
“In just these four days, I’ve seen (empathy) repeatedly with staff who work here, people who have taken that journey, and so you hold the empathy, and you hold hope,” Mundhenk said.
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