The Collection Bins
How It Works
∙Collect We place collection bins in key community spaces — senior centers, apartment complexes, and places of worship — where anyone can drop off used plastic bags. ∙Transform The collected bags are delivered to Conviva Senior Care Center, where volunteers weave them into durable sleeping mats. ∙Give Back These mats are donated to Haven for Hope, providing comfort and care to those experiencing homelessness.
Powered by Community
This project is made possible through the generous support of Guiding Light, a community-based hospice agency in San Antonio. Their sponsorship and partnership have helped us set up our first collection bins and expand outreach across the city. But we can do more — with you.
We’re always looking for volunteers:
Teens to help with pickups and education. Adults to assist with logistics, management, or outreach. Every hand helps. Every action counts.
A single bag placed in a collection bin can ripple outward — reducing waste, protecting our planet, and bringing comfort to someone in need. Together, we can turn waste into hope.
HEB Project
In the summer of 2025, I partnered with several local H-E-B stores that generously donated 500 reusable shopping bags to support my ongoing plastic-reduction and community-education efforts. With these resources, I organized and delivered a series of environmental awareness presentations aimed at empowering seniors with practical knowledge about sustainability, recycling, and everyday waste-reduction habits.
Throughout the summer, I was able to meet and engage with 2,500 seniors across Bexar County. The donated bags were distributed during presentations and outreach events held at the WellMed One Stop Senior Center in Greater San Antonio, the Conviva Care Center in Stone Oak, and the William R. Sinkin EcoCentro. At each location, I shared information on the environmental impact of plastic pollution, demonstrated simple alternatives to single-use plastics, and encouraged participants to adopt small, meaningful lifestyle changes.
This initiative not only provided seniors with reusable shopping bags they could use immediately, but it also helped raise awareness about sustainability within the community. The collaboration with H-E-B and the support of local organizations played a key role in expanding the reach and impact of this project.
