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
EDUCATION SERVICES
PROJECTS
TRANSPORTATION
PROJECTS
AFFORDABLE ADA, NET ZERO, HOUSING COMMUNITY PROJECT
PROJECTS
HOME MODIFICATION SERVICES
PROJECTS
AWARDS
``All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.`` — Jane Wagner
EMPLOYEE BIOS
``Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.`` — Margaret Mead
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!
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 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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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
DONATE
Make a secure online donation to support COIL.
It is everyone’s dream that as we age or have a disability to be able to live a free life, peacefully, in a community of our choosing. This is you, me, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, all of us. We help to make that happen. Please help us make this a reality for the less fortunate that tragically get pushed aside and become wards of the state. Your donation helps save lives and provides light and dramatically improved mental health for those in need.
