Does it matter which United Way you give to?

Speaking of United Way….
There are 69 United Ways in Texas, each with a different service areas, some of which overlap. It’s confusing. But it’s important to clear up because when you give to the United Way, you want that money to go to the United Way that serves the area where you live…right?
For example, the [...]

What Austin kids should know by kindergarten – and almost half don’t

On the I Live Here, I Give Here site this month, the highlight is education. Here’s a disturbing number:
The sad truth is that a whopping 40 percent of children entering kindergarten in our community – the majority of whom live in poverty – are 12 to 18 months behind developmentally.
I have a preschooler (and an [...]

Sept 3:Tweet-Up hits Food Bank next!

Those same crazy folks who brought you the Tweet-up Blood Drive are now taking aim at the Capital Area Food Bank.
They’re calling it the HAM-Up Tweet-Up, which actually does mean something. Wait for it… September is Hunger Action Month… HAM… Tweet-up is a meeting of Twitter followers and followees… so HAM-Up Tweet-Up.
Okay, don’t try to [...]

Remember getting new sneakers?

Give $20 to Shoes for Austin and a disadvantaged child gets a brand new pair of sneakers? How cool is that?
When I was little, the first thing I wanted to do when I got new sneakers was run, run, run. Remember that feeling? I knew they were dorky and super-white, but they felt great.
That’s why Shoes for [...]

AUG 29: Your fun, new after school project

Theatre Action Project is looking for volunteers!
The nonprofit runs an after-school program, a dynamic program which explores social themes through theatre, art, music, movement and more. I’ve seen this group in action - getting more than 100 strangers to make little teepees and walk in circles – so think what they can do with a classroom of kids.
Here’s [...]

OMG: Goodwill’s cool idea

I’m okay with used clothes. I had to share a wardrobe my whole life with two sisters, the three of us one year apart, so I’ve actually taken a shirt off someone else’s back and put it on mine. Did we ever fight about who was going to wear what? You’d be surprised… by my big [...]

HEM Jeans: Your old jeans = Help for SafePlace

I love when local businesses find a cool way to help local nonprofits.
I don’t know why it’s different from what Macy’s does… wait! Yes, I do!
It’s different because it’s local and because, again, Macy’s “Shop for a Cause” event is yucky.
Macy’s asks nonprofits to sell $5 shopping passes to customers that would give customers an extra [...]

Working moms volunteer more!

I just find this data on national volunteering rates so interesting. From the Corporation for National & Community Service report, Volunteering in America 2007:

About 29% of women volunteered last year, compared with about 23% of men.
Women with children have a higher rate of volunteering than those without.
Women who work have the highest volunteer rate.
Volunteers watch [...]

Michael wants to give away $78 million

A series of very worthwhile posts going on in the Freakonomics blog at nytimes.com…. a philanthropy consultant is trying to teach Michael, a born-and-raised multi-millionaire, what poverty is.
In this post, Michael is paired with Curtis, a very low-income man living on the South Side of Chicago. The consultant has given both Michael and Curtis $20 to live [...]

The Olympics sure makes me talk tough

This has nothing to do with Austin or philanthropy, but I just can’t get over how the Olympics just gets me every single time. This morning I happened to be awake at 6 a.m. (Thanks, Olivia.), and was able to catch some women’s field hockey. Holy smokes.
The first thing that happened is that I realized [...]