Last December, the Maestro Center raised over $36,000 from the ‘12 Days of Giving’ campaign to help fund programs and initiatives for 2021.

“The 12 Days of Giving is the end-of-the-year Campaign for the Maestro Entrepreneur Center that encourages contributions to ensure that the organization’s initiatives can continue throughout the following year,” Vanessa Jimenez, business development director said. “This fundraiser’s goal is to generate enough funding to meet the organization’s needs so that we can focus on serving our community.”

This annual event is made possible, in large part through the volunteer efforts of the 12 Days of Giving Ambassadors. These ambassadors consist of business professionals and leaders in the community who volunteered time and effort into helping fundraise for the center.

“Ambassadors are community leaders that represent what Maestro is,” Jimenez said. “Becoming  an Ambassador is taking a leadership role in making a difference in what we do.”

The 2020 12 Days of Giving Ambassadors include Matthew Mumme with Mumme Interiors; Liz Medina with BBVA USA; Sherrika Arch with Straight Line Management; Krystian Reyes with Woodforest National Bank; Lisa Jackson with LJP Media; Chris Martinez with Central Electric Ent. & Co.; Barbara Lamar with Lamar and Associates; Willie Ng with Blue Armor Security Services; Julissa Carielo with Dream On Group; Maurice Bridges with VIA Metropolitan Transit; and Mojgan Panah with MEHR Foundation and JBGoodwin Realtors.

Two of the 2020 12 Days of Giving Ambassadors helped raise the most money and were deemed winners of this year’s event. One of those winners was Chris Martinez, president of Central Electric Enterprises & Co. Martinez, who is also one of the founders of the Maestro Center, volunteered as an ambassador to have the opportunity to give back and to spread the message about Maestro.

“The center’s network in reach only goes so far and when you add on an ambassador it just extends and multiplies that reach,” he said. “The greater the engagement of ambassadors, the more people that will hear the story.”

As an ambassador, Martinez acknowledges some of the challenges of fundraising, but at the same time recognizes why people are so inclined to contribute.

“It’s always tough to ask people for money, but when people hear what the center does and the difference it’s making, it makes it an
easy ask.”

Martinez believes contributions to the Maestro Center are important because of the impact it has on the small business community as well as the San Antonio community at large.

“The center focuses on developing and growing small businesses equates to job opportunities,” he said. “If you want to see a healthy, vibrant San Antonio we need a healthy, vibrant small business community.”

Ultimately, the 12 Days of Giving fundraiser is one of many initiatives that the Maestro Center holds to help continue serving the small business community.

“The Maestro Entrepreneur Center is dedicated to economic development by supporting local entrepreneurs,” Jimenez said. “Our work cannot be done without your support.”