MISSION
Third Coast Charities builds community through compassion, hospitality, and culture.
Third Coast Charities (TCC) eases burdens across the community, creates connections through events and partnerships, and supports cultural and educational initiatives that uphold dignity and celebrate heritage. From providing practical relief to gathering people around shared meals, TCC puts hospitality into action—because communities grow strongest when care for one another is at the center.
STORY
Third Coast Charities began with a simple goal: to ease burdens and uphold dignity for neighbors in San Antonio. The work has always been rooted in compassion—supporting families through difficult seasons with practical help like rent and utilities assistance, home repairs, and other essentials.
Over time, that commitment has deepened into a broader vision of hospitality. True hospitality is more than sharing a meal—it is the act of creating space where people are seen, welcomed, and connected. It is face-to-face community that says we belong to one another.
Today, Third Coast Charities continues to provide benevolent assistance while also nurturing the cultural and culinary heritage that makes San Antonio unique.
Through events, storytelling, and partnerships connected to San Antonio’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, that spirit of hospitality extends beyond one city—linking diverse traditions that unite people across backgrounds, generations, and even borders.
The story of Third Coast Charities is one of compassion expressed both in moments of relief and in lasting relationships: meeting real needs and strengthening community through hospitality and shared culture.
“And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.”
FOUNDER - Susan kaars-sypesteyn
As a first-generation Cambodian American, born to refugee parents, Susan’s early experiences shaped her deep commitment to stand alongside those who may not have a voice or know how to ask for help.
Drawing on her background as a business owner and community advocate, she has worked to build connections that bring practical support to neighbors and to strengthen community through hospitality and shared culture. She believes that when people and businesses invest in their communities, everyone becomes stronger and more resilient.
Beyond nonprofit work, Susan and her husband own NOLA Brunch & Beignets, a San Antonio restaurant rooted in hospitality and community. She also serves with Africa Renewal Ministries, extending her commitment to strengthening communities beyond San Antonio. At home, Susan treasures time with her husband and four children, often gathering around cooking, music, and faith, which remain at the center of all she does.