Pioneering Contributions
Louise Thomson Locker, MSW, LCSW, has always believed in the inherent possibility for great good within everyone and that most people will act on it if given the chance. She also believes that almost anything is possible.
After her father died suddenly when she was 19, Locker was moved in her grief to make a dream come true for another by giving her childhood dolls away anonymously to a little girl who yearned for dolls yet wouldn’t get them. When she was little, she had a Christmas when her dad was without work, and she wondered if Santa would remember her.
She went unannounced to the post office to read Santa’s mail imagining she’d find that little girl. She was told no, she could not do that, she would be tampering with the mail. Louise persisted and soon found letters from children who believed despite their reality. A young girl, Anna, said to Santa,” I know the only reason you have never given us anything is because we’ve never written. Anna asked for a few simple toys for each of her siblings. She ended with “Please bring us a Christmas tree, we’ve never had one, and please don’t get lost”. Deeply moved, Locker knew there must be more like Anna and ultimately searched through hundreds of letters. She found letters that began with “My mama says you are too poor” and” You must have gotten lost last year”. Soon she was armed with 13 letters, 65 children and requests for 200 presents. While Locker had no means, she was working her way through college and her Mama was working at minimum wage, she believed their dreams had to come true. With less than three days, she asked friends and strangers to join in and refused money. Miraculously, she had like-new presents closely matching requests and a band of volunteer “elves”. On Christmas Eve, a friend dressed as Santa. They delivered the wrapped presents into the middle of the night to thirteen unsuspecting families who were shocked and thrilled when Santa arrived. No one asked who sent them. It was Santa and dreams were coming true!
Locker had to do it again.
This intentionally anonymous giving was eventually dubbed Elf Louise by the media. Today the Elf Louise Christmas Project has given out presents to more than 1.5 million children. It’s grown from surprising 65 children to over 20,000 each year. Now family names come from coordinating with hundreds of entities working with families who are struggling the most. Annually, 500 Santas with Elf teams deliver presents and love to families who would not otherwise have a Christmas. Locker has intentionally brought in volunteers from all segments of the community. She oversaw, along with fellow volunteers, the elaborate process including fundraising for decades and inspired thousands to join in. The project, all- volunteer, is not funded. Today, still, ninety-eight cents out of every dollar raised goes to buying the toys. After fifty-one years, Locker stepped down from large responsibilities. She remains involved with fund-raising and telling stories of seemingly impossible dreams coming true. The project is rooted in the community and continues with a core group of dedicated leaders along with thousands who have made this their own personal labor of love. Many Santas are second and third-generation volunteers. Many were delivered presents from Locker's Santas as children. It is a massive pay it forward and has become a treasured annual tradition in San Antonio. Locker believes it will continue forever.
Locker said” Before the days of social media and cell phones, early volunteers, often strangers, were brought in one conversation at a time, in early morning conversation in a booth at a coffee shop along with small group meetings where I encouraged everyone to share their wildest dreams with one another. Everyone’s ideas and weigh ins were important. It was a movement of hopes, dreams and possibilities and was fueled by believing rather than long range planning. It was about knowing there were children believing and needing to not be let down, saying yes to one more family and one more and one more without even knowing how. Many years our elf group stepped out to make Christmas without knowing how we’d raise the money or even where we’d house the project.”
Hundreds of local articles have been written about the Elf works and the hope and joy it brings to families and volunteers alike. The project has received national publicity including on Good Morning America and national news stations. It was featured in Reader’s Digest, Good Housekeeping, McCall’s, Southwest Airlines Magazine, Woman’s World and Parade Magazine. Locker received over five thousand letters from people moved to believe they too could start something from nothing and could make a difference in the world. Locker corresponded with them offering encouragement, ideas and inspiration.
Locker has worked as a clinician in private practice since 1978. She brings tremendous wisdom, passion and caring to her work as a counselor and life coach. She considers her work a true calling.
Locker believes life works best when we develop hope, joy, resiliency, adaptability, gratitude and purpose. She helps others with this as well. Louise remains determined to contribute as much good as is possible to the world.
Career Highlights
Locker majored in Sociology and graduated from Trinity University, San Antonio, in 1971. Her first full-time job was at the YWCA as the Teenage Program Director. She created community and service project opportunities for teenaged girls in disadvantaged parts of the city. She advocated for and created leadership training programs at high schools throughout Bexar County, bringing students together from different socio-economic and racial backgrounds.
As an undergraduate, Locker was actively involved in the University’s Chicano Students Association. She served on the school’s admissions committee and asked permission to seek funds to attract minority students to Trinity. She obtained a grant from the Ford Foundation. Dozens of Hispanic students were recruited and were part of an orientation and support program that optimized their success at the university. While at Trinity she headed up the Community Service program and grew it from a dozen students to more than 500 who became actively involved in volunteering in socially relevant initiatives created for the community that included one on one teaching for the GED.
Louise was the first female to volunteer in the Bexar County Jail and pioneered developing literacy programs for inmates as well as in an inner-city disadvantaged area. To further her development as a clinical social worker, Locker worked at the Brady-Green Hospital from 1975-1978 in the psychiatric department within a multi-disciplinary team.
Biographic Data
Locker was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1949. From a young age Locker sensed the potential for connections between people and went out of her way to connect with people of all ages and from all backgrounds. At age 14, Locker began tutoring math to both help others and to earn much needed money for the family as well. She spoke from a very young age with her beloved Mama about “the tremendous untapped potential for good in the world and what if everyone knew of their goodness within and acted on it. The world would be transformed.”
Locker received her BA in 1971 from Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas; and her MSW in 1976 from Our Lady of the Lake University, Worden School of Social Work.
Today, she is the proud Mom-ma of her amazing son and daughter-in-law and Gramma of two precious young grandsons.
Significant Achievements and Awards
- Best and Brightest- University Roundtable, 2019
- Legends Award- South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, 2010
- Humanitarian Award- La Prensa Foundation, 2010
- Peacemaker Award – San Antonio Bar Foundation, 2010
- NASW Lifetime Achievement Award, 2002
- People Of Vision Award- Prevent Blindness, 2001
- Outstanding Alumnus- Trinity University, 2000
- Women’s Hall of Fame- San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, 1998
- Socially Responsible Entrepreneur of the Year Inc. Magazine, 1994
- Walter McAllister Community Builder, 1990
- Good Samaritan Humanitarian Award - Emancipation Commission, 1982
- Outstanding Alumnus OLLU, 1981
- Law Day Award, 1980
- Jefferson Award- Institute for Public Service,1979