About
SilK Foundation of Texas
Why SilK exists
Life can change in an instant.
SilK Foundation of Texas was created to help people in those moments — compassion with structure, tenderness with resilience, practical help offered with dignity.
A diagnosis. A traumatic accident. A parent or loved one who suddenly needs care. A spouse, partner, or close friend who becomes a caregiver overnight. Anyone who has worked hard, planned carefully, and done everything responsibly can still find themselves overwhelmed by medical bills, care needs, lost income, paperwork, and uncertainty. Not everyone has family nearby; sometimes the people carrying the weight are friends, neighbors, coworkers, or a chosen community.
We provide needs-based charitable assistance to approved participants when resources allow, and we build resource pathways that help more people find credible support for medical hardship, disability, caregiving, elder care, legal information, benefits navigation, and household stability.
The name “SilK” combines Silva, Monica’s family name, with Kaus, Bryan’s family name. Silk is delicate and comforting. It is also remarkably strong. That is the spirit of the Foundation.
We cannot carry every burden. But we can help lighten some. We can help people find a first step. And where possible, we can bring others together around those who need support most.
Resources for many. Direct assistance for a few. Dignity for all.
Founder’s Note
From lived understanding.
Bryan Kaus
Founder & Board Chair
SilK Foundation of Texas
SilK Foundation grew out of a lifelong belief that service should be practical, structured, and human.
I grew up in a working-class family in New Jersey, the son of a nurse, and saw early how medical hardship ripples through whole households — and beyond them. Over the years — through volunteering, professional work, friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues — I have seen how quickly life can change, and how hard it can be to know where to turn when it does. Not everyone has family nearby. Sometimes the people doing the carrying are friends, partners, coworkers, or a chosen community.
My wife, Monica, and I created SilK Foundation of Texas because we believe help should preserve dignity. Nobody facing illness, disability, caregiving, bereavement, or sudden hardship should have to navigate it alone — whether they have a household behind them or not.
SilK will not be able to help everyone directly. But we can build something useful. We can provide direct charitable assistance where possible. We can point more people toward credible resources. We can create a governed structure for donors who want to help. And we can try, in a small but meaningful way, to be the good we hope to see in the world.
— Bryan Kaus
Founder & Board Chair, SilK Foundation of Texas
The name
Soft. And incredibly strong.
Silk is gentle in the hand and stronger than steel by weight. The name carries both ideas — and the families behind it. Sil from Silva, K from Kaus.
Founders
Bryan Kaus & Monica Silva Kaus.
We started SilK Foundation of Texas to show up for families the way every family deserves — practically, respectfully, and for real.
Board leadership
Founding directors & officers.
Founder & Board Chair
Co-Founder & Secretary
Tiffany Pittman
Treasurer & Director
SilK Foundation operates under board oversight, officer accountability, conflict-of-interest controls, and board-approved charitable assistance policies. For corporate governance purposes, Bryan Kaus serves as President, Monica Silva Kaus serves as Secretary, and Tiffany Pittman serves as Treasurer.