San Antonio Community Resource Directory
Empower House (Nonprofit )

Empower House (formerly Martinez Street Women's Center) provides transformative community health services, youth development programs, and advocacy opportunities that empower women and girls of color in historically disenfranchised East Side San Antonio.

Our programs are rooted in restorative justice principles, developmental relationships, and feminist, womanist, and mujerista theory. As an organization, we center the needs of women and girls as we welcome all genders to participate in our programs.

School Year Hours: Monday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Tuesday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Wednesday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Thursday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Friday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Saturday: CLOSED Sunday: CLOSED Summer & Spring Break Hours: Monday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Thursday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Saturday: CLOSED Sunday: CLOSED
Jenny Castro - Executive Director
(210) 776-8630
Becca Najera - Assistant Director Send email

Empower Connects provides digital equity opportunities, including access to the internet, devices, and tailored digital skills workshops.

Our goal is to empower our community members with the knowledge and confidence to navigate technology and make informed choices for themselves and their families. 

Connectivity Resources
  • Computer Skills Classes
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Free Computer Use
School Day Hours: Mon. ā€“ Fri. 11:00 AM ā€“ 8:00 PM School Break Hours: Mon. ā€“ Fri. 8:00 AM ā€“ 3:00 PM
Updated within the last month

Empower House’s youth development program creates opportunities for youth to explore their world, achieve their dreams, and inspire their peers.

Our program model is rooted in restorative justice principles, developmental relationships, and feminist, womanist, and mujerista theory.

As a participant in our Youth Development program, you have access to all services. Together with our staff, we'll create a plan to plug into services that are right for you!

  • Support with Goal Setting
  • Whole Family Support
  • Tutoring
  • Girl Zone
  • Mentorship
  • Mental Health and Counseling Services
  • Youth Circles
  • Family Circles
  • Creative Expression
  • Skill Building
  • Leadership Opportunities
  • Service Learning Projects

As an organization, we center on the needs of women and girls but welcome all genders to participate in our programs.

Click here and scroll down to sign up for our Youth Development programs.

Free

Hours
Monday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: CLOSED

Summer & Spring Break Hours: Monday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 3:00PM Thursday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Friday: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Saturday: CLOSED Sunday: CLOSED
Angelita Negron Send email
(210) 908-9772
Jenny Castro Send email
(210) 908-9772
Updated within the last 3 months.

Restorative Justice (RJ) creates opportunities to right relationships among individuals, communities, and even systems. It invites people to identify and name harm (interpersonal, generational, systemic) and those who have done harm to make it right or be accountable.

At times RJ looks like advocacy, demonstrations, speaking truth to power, and at other times it looks like a facilitated conversation held in the presence of a loving community.

Community Circles

Circles are a powerful symbol of community, inclusion, equity, and wholeness.

At Empower House, we sit in circles with youth, adults, families, and our staff. Through circle practice, we build community, repair harm, learn together, work through conflict and heal.

As an organization, we center the needs of women and girls as we welcome all genders to participate in our programs.

Want to learn more? Click here, scroll down, fill out a quick form, and we’ll be in touch.

Free

Hours
Monday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: CLOSED

Summer and Spring Break Hours: 8 a.m. ā€“ 4:30 p.m., Monday ā€“ Friday
Updated within the last month

Girl Zone's two-week summer camp is open to girls and femme identified youth between the ages of 8 and 18 years old.

Must register online and attend one of the parent orientation meetings.

Vikki Ramirez Send email
(210) 557-7287
Updated within the last month

Community Health Programs strengthen women and their communities by working to reduce health disparities and barriers to care. We increase access to essential health care services, wellness tools, skills, and support for transformative community-wide change.

Empower House Parents

Together with San Antonio Metro Health, United Way HOPES Collaborative, and all their partner organizations, we’re raising awareness around family violence and empowering parents with skills and strategies to build life-giving relationships with their kids.

Empower House Women

Through skill-building and wellness workshops, we empower women with knowledge, skills, and a supportive community to make informed choices for themselves and their families.

Community Health Workers/Promotoras

Our community health workers/promotoras work with individuals to bridge access to education, healthcare, and resources. We support people in identifying and addressing their needs, empowering them to live healthy, whole, flourishing lives.

Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for parenting classes, emergency assistance, and other Community Health services.

Empower Connects 

Provides digital equity opportunities, including access to the internet, devices, and tailored digital skills workshops. Our goal is to empower our community members with the knowledge and confidence to navigate technology and make informed choices for themselves and their families. 

Free

Hours
Monday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: CLOSED

Free computer, Internet, and printer access Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM.
Angelita Negron Send email
(210) 908-9772
Updated within the last 2 months.

We launched our radio station, The Empower House 101.5, in 2018 to empower youth and adults through thoughtful on-air conversations, media, and education.

Since then, staff and students have worked to create original programming aimed at anyone ready to change their community and world. Tune in digitally via apps like Google Play and the App Store, and find hours of world music, meditations, and motivational talks. Listen to our weekly programming to learn about tools and solutions to social issues like restorative justice, family violence prevention, and more.

Click here to view the program schedule.

Click here and scroll down to download our radio app and listen from your mobile device at any time!

Free.

Hours
Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: CLOSED

Updated within the last month

Volunteer and Internships

There are always opportunities to grow! Empower House is looking for some compassionate volunteers and interns for various events, programs, and opportunities throughout the organization.

Ways to Give

We would not be where we are today without the support of the community and organizations that believe in our vision. If you would like to contribute to the mission of transforming communities please consider making a donation so we can continue our work. Click here to make a donation.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with Empower House’s current events, programs, and opportunities by subscribing to our newsletter!

Want to get involved? Click here, scroll down, fill out a short form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday: CLOSED Sunday: CLOSED
Updated within the last year