• INDEPENDENCE • FREEDOM • GO!

    INDEPENDENCE • FREEDOM • GO!

    All people should have the opportunity to belong and be accepted by a community.

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  • INDEPENDENCE • FREEDOM • GO!

    INDEPENDENCE • FREEDOM • GO!

    All people should have the opportunity to belong and be accepted by a community.

    Button
  • INDEPENDENCE • FREEDOM • GO!

    INDEPENDENCE • FREEDOM • GO!

    All people should have the opportunity to belong and be accepted by a community.

    Button

ABOUT COIL


The Center on Independent Living (COIL) assists the elderly and people with disabilities of all kinds achieve their freedom and independence and helps them thrive in the community.

We help people with paralysis which currently is not a curable ailment. It is not a bacterial, viral, or fungal disease that can be remedied and repaired with drugs. Paralysis prevails! It lasts until the end of the disabled person’s existence. We help our elderly that develop disabilities through time. It is easy to break a hip or succumb to ailments that young people seem impervious to. Degenerative bone disease, stroke, falls, and a plethora of other ailments plague the elderly. We help our veterans that have given more than their share to preserve our freedoms and remind us daily what true strength and courage is. Many come home broken both physically and mentally.

Here at the Center on Independent Living—We Help!

MISSION


To help people who have disabilities achieve or maintain independence in the community.

VISION


My life, My home, My community: Helping people with disabilities and their families build lives without limits.

HISTORY


The Center on Independent Living (COIL) was established in 1985. It was founded by the dedication of small group of parents whose young adult children wanted to learn how to live independently and their parents listened to them. This required their children to learning how to manage their own affairs, establishing support services, having an income, and transportation. That small group of families was so successful that the Center on Independent Living was born and expanded to offer all these services to all severely disadvantaged people, without discrimination, selection based only on the help needed.

This program soon caught the attention of the Great State of Texas and was adopted initially by Texas Rehabilitation Association and later moved to Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). Today, three decades of hard work has accomplished over three thousand successful relocations from nursing facilities and into the community for individuals with disabilities and the number is rising every day.


“Look past the chair, see the person and you will be glad you did!”

—Susan Murray, 30 years living Independently.

PROJECTS


``Anytime you see a turtle up on top of a fence post, you know he had some help.`` — Alex Haley

AWARDS


``All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.`` — Jane Wagner

1989

Recognition for Serving People with Disabilities—Texas Rehabilitation Commission

1992

Designated 1992 Star of Texas—Texas Community Education Association

1996

Outstanding Contribution in the field of Rehabilitation—Texas Rehabilitation Association

1996

Appreciation Award for High Quality Rehabilitation Services for Texans with Disabilities—Texas Rehabilitation Commission

1997

Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities Small Employer Award—George W. Bush

1999

20th Anniversary Outstanding Partner of the Decade—C.A.M.P.

2001

CTD Member of the Year—Coalition of Texans with Disabilities

2005

Certificate of Appreciation for Leadership and Outstanding Contribution to the Establishment of Nursing Facility Transition Teams—Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS)

2014

Best Small Nonprofit of the Year—SAILS ADA Celebration

2014

Awarded Gold Standing—GuideStar

EMPLOYEE BIOS


``Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.`` — Margaret Mead

BARRY FLOYD
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BARRY FLOYD
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Biography


Barry is a retired disabled veteran after 26 years in the Army. His background is in engineering, project management, and leadership. His service career is impressive from starting as a Private and working his way up to Captain. He has held positions of Executive Officer, Brigade project manager, and Division Chief of General Engineering before he retired. His unique skills are a breath of fresh air that has given us new ideas, has strengthened our current service position, and is capturing new markets. The new markets he is working towards complement our primary service of relocating people with disabilities from nursing facilities and institutions and enabling them to live independently in our community. We salute Barry for joining our team!

LYNN HUGHES
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
LYNN HUGHES
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Biography


Lynn attended Chinquapin College Preparatory High School just outside of Houston, and then received an academic scholarship to Trinity University. He is an Accountant with over 30 years’ experience in business and financial related fields. He brings his vast financial and business management experience to benefit COIL and we are very happy to have him on our team.

His past time he spends volunteering for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, with various committees.

NICHOLE BYRD
DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITIONS
NICHOLE BYRD
DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITIONS

Nichole Byrd has immersed herself in assisting and being of service to those in need for over 30 years.  Her career began in the financial industry where she assisted each individual or family with attaining their financial goals of what success looked like to them.    

A career path to being of service to those in need began with her own journey as a teenage mother, and the struggles, trials, and tribulations that came with that.  She now has the ability to assist and give back to other women and men in their time of need.  


It is Nichole’s mission to assist individuals in need with becoming independent by providing them with the tools that can catapult them to achieve their life’s successes.

Nothing brings her heart and soul more joy than to be able to provide that service!



ROSIE CAVAZOS
RELOCATION SUPERVISOR
ROSIE CAVAZOS
RELOCATION SUPERVISOR

Biography


Rosie has been with the Center on Independent Living since 2000 but has worked in the field of provider care services through the CLASS/MEDICARE/MEDICAID programs her entire career. She started working at COIL as a Job Coach and quickly moved to Relocation Specialist. There she brought her vast knowledge to help individuals meet their own goals, expand their own dreams, and gain independence. Rosie’s extensive knowledge and teaching ability put her on point to be the Relocation Supervisor where she has proven to be an effective leader, mentor, and a valuable source of wisdom within the organization. Rosie is a native Texan and avid Spurs fan, she lives in San Antonio with her husband of thirty-five plus years. Her loyalty and dedication is an inspiration to all of us. Thanks Rosie!

DEBRA JEFFERSON
RELOCATION ADMINISTRATOR
DEBRA JEFFERSON
RELOCATION ADMINISTRATOR

Biography


Debra came to the Center on Independent Living in November, 2011 with extensive administrative experience. Debra attended both St. Phillip’s College and San Antonio College where she majored in Business Administration and Computer Science. She has served as an advocate for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help under-privileged women get free mammogram screenings. She has also been involved with the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Debra is very active in her Church and community and of course here at COIL. Debra married her high school sweetheart, has two adult children and five beautiful granddaughters and one awesome grandson. She enjoys watching sports and listening to music. We certainly have been singing a happy tune since Debra has arrived!

STEVE SAUNDERS
RELOCATION SPECIALIST
STEVE SAUNDERS
RELOCATION SPECIALIST

Biography


Steve has been with the Center on Independent Living the longest. He started here in 1999! Steve is disabled and is a quadriplegic which gives him the advantage of perspective we fully cannot understand without being in his shoes. Steve faces many challenges on a daily basis, but focusing on his disability is not one of them. After his accident that left him paralyzed, the doctor told his wife that Steve should be placed in a facility for those with disabilities. Oh, so, not going to happen! Steve gained his independence and now tirelessly helps others achieve independence instead of the alternative; being institutionalized. Steve is a very straight forward person that will tell it like it is and why not? He lives it! Thanks for keeping it real Steve, you are an example we all should follow!

SHAUN VINSON
RELOCATION SPECIALIST
SHAUN VINSON
RELOCATION SPECIALIST

Biography


Shaun’s experience has been from Assistant Director of a child care facility to assisting in housing for disabled people and outreach programs before she joined us in 2013. Her experience has helped her become a valuable asset to the Center on Independent Living. She is passionate, caring, and loves to help people achieve their freedom. Shaun is a absolute delight to be around! Thank you Shaun!

ESTEFANY HICIANO
RELOCATION SPECIALIST
ESTEFANY HICIANO
RELOCATION SPECIALIST

Biography


Estefany Hiciano relocated to San Antonio after serving four years in the Armed Forces and later graduated from National University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a goal to help others within the community. She enjoys working at the Center on Independent Living and has been with us since January 2022. She stated that she fulfills her goal over and over again every time she reunites a family together or helps individuals relocate back to the community.

BLOG


``Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.`` — Margaret Mead

By Barry Floyd 10 Oct, 2022
To help my twelve year old daughter understand fully the power of words that she is beginning to use, I have been giving her some history of their meaning and how they should be used properly. For example, she was upset with a friend of hers that told her she needed to go, “Balls to the wall!” My poor daughter thought it had something to do with boys. I laughed and told her, “No Sugar, it is a WWII aviation term for full power. The controls on the engines had balls or knobs and when you pushed them toward the front dash panel or wall you go faster. Your friend just wanted you to go as fast as you can.” My daughter was relieved and later told me her friend didn’t even know it meant except go faster, it was just something her grandfather always said. My daughter’s friend knew it meant to move fast but didn’t know why.
By Barry Floyd 10 Oct, 2022
Attitude is everything! Some would say that its money and to others it could be something else. But, in my humble opinion, it all starts with attitude. The right attitude at the right time accomplishes feats that will blow your mind away. Take the photo of Barry Muth in the Himalayas climbing Mount Everest in a wheelchair. Hey, I got two legs that work and I have NO desire or the right attitude to climb Mount Everest! I asked Barry the stupid question most would ask, “Why did you climb the mountain?” and got the quintessential Zen filled answer, “Because it was there!” Ok, I deserved that. I am positive Barry gave the idea considerable thought. It wasn’t about “should I climb the mountain” , but rather how he would prepare his equipment, modifications to his chair and support systems, etc. His attitude was focused on, “I am going to climb Mount Everest come hell or high water!” and so he did.
By Barry Floyd 10 Oct, 2022
The Center on Independent Living (COIL) and the Construction Careers Academy have teamed up to help each other build affordable homes for people with disabilities, homeless veterans, and anyone else that falls into the programs that we support. COIL was very impressed with the quality and above all the “out of box” thinking the kids in the program have approached home building.
By Barry Floyd 10 Oct, 2022
That’s a loaded statement. It means different things to different people. I was in Iraq and it was 120 degrees plus and we had a rare moment when someone had some lemonade sent to them in a care package. We were “cooling off” in some shade, and drinking what tasted like heaven. One of those moments when the worries of war were put on hold and my Platoon Sergeant said “It doesn’t get any better than this!” and at the time I agreed. I later thought, “What was I thinking! It most certainly gets better than that! To be back home with family drinking lemonade with ice sounds infinitely better!”
CENTER ON INDEPENDENT LIVING
F: 210 655 2338
COMMUNITYENGAGEMENT@COIL.ORG

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