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- The guide to doing good in Austin
Filed under: About the magazine, Animal Welfare, Arts & Culture, Children's Services, Community Services, Creative fundraising, Disaster Relief, Education/Training, Environment, Events, Giving opportunities, Good Causes, Health Care, Homelessness/Housing, Interview, Learning opportunities, Legal Services, Literacy, Opportunities, Poverty/Basic Needs, Seniors' Services, State of Austin Philanthropy, The business of nonprofits, Victims' Services, Volunteering, Volunteering opportunities, What it's like ..., What it's like to give, What it's like to lead, What it's like to need, What it's like to volunteer
Hooray for Giving City! Congratulations on your first of many issues.
Congratulations! Way to champion the good work of nonprofits and volunteers!
Mando
Director, Hands On Central Texas
United Way Capital Area
Congratulations on your first issue! It looks great.
Needless to say your Daddy and I are very proud of you. Congratulations to you and Torquil for your insight and your desire to do what you want to do.
There are endless opportunites for people to do things and for free. The only cost is donating their time. How many people sit around the house not doing anything, complaining about being bored, sometimes shamelessly admitting “…I wish there was something to do” – when there are a thousand things to do. Once you get involved, you’ll find that it was easy, it was fun and it makes you want to do it again. One just has to want to do it.
I know of one lady, Gloria, who occasionally plays volleyball with our Thursday morning group, who is short on cash always. She’s tried to find work, but, because she is over 60 and not very educated book-wise, winds up volunteering. Right now, she volunteers for Meals on Wheels. That means providing her own vehicle (she has an old van – a gas guzzler!) She also volunteers every year as a food server for the Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner for homeless people and the elderly. That even attracts thousands of people so the hours are long and tiresome. All she gets out of it is a headache, tired feet, a sore back and A MEAL. One meal! You’d think she’d be able to take home leftovers at least for a week.
And you know what? She’s happy. She’s not concerned about her feet, her back – she’s concerned about making sure everyone that shows up gets a meal, gets their eating utensils. She’s concerned that there will be plenty of food for everyone. I wouldn’t be surprised if she gave up her own plate to someone who otherwise would not be celebrating Thanksgiving.
She somehow manages to meet her personal expenses. I know she is a trained clown, but she doesn’t get many “gigs” showing her skills of making balloon puppies and whatnots and making people laugh. ( I know of three ladies who don’t care for clowns.) She comes to our Christmas luncheon and makes her balloon thingees for us. At her expense! God love her. We all do – and the balloons, too.
She is not one to boast. She doesn’t have to. She knows what she feels after volunteering and she just keeps on doing it. When you care, nothing else matters, I’ve always said.
So why not volunteer at least just once? Why not go to a church function and put up chairs and tables, go to a school and offer to tutor a child who otherwise would not get any help outside the school? WHY NOT? You know what? You’d be surprised to find out who else is doing it. It’s probably someone from work, or one of your neighbors, or someone you see at the store but don’t know their name.
Volunteering is easy. Nothing you can’t do is required of you. You can stand and hand out water or leaflets, show someone to their seat, serve food, maybe even cook a little – volunteering doesn’t always involve donating money. Of course, if you’d rather, then by all means go ahead and give money. But to actually be there and do something physical as well, that is worth a lot!
Thank you for letting us know how many people have organized all these opportunites for the rest of us to come together.
Again, congratulations and keep up the good work. Needless to say on my behalf and Daddy’s, our college investment in you has paid off.
Love you – Momma
P.S. Loved the picture of our little granddaughter, Olivia. She makes a great model at her young age doesn’t she?
Bravo Monica and Torquil! This is brilliant! Thank you for lending your strong voices to make our world better.
Your fan,
Allegra Young
Special Assistant to the Dean
Duke Divinity School
Thanks, Mom. You’re exactly right, of course, as always. Love you!
Monica
Congratulations Monica! The magazine looks great.
Congratulations! So well done. Thank you for what you’re doing to help promote giving and to educate our community about what they can do to make a difference. And what a perfect person for your cover. Couldn’t have chosen anyone better.
Congratulations! The magazine looks beautiful! I love the design and the photography, stunning! Its wonderful that you are raising awareness and trying to get people out there to help!
Congratulations! The magazine looks fantastic. AND has such a great purpose. Great job, team.
Congratulations! The magazine is fantastic! It looks amazing!
Nice work Monica. Kudos to you for getting Giving City up and running, and more importantly providing a fresh new perspective on the work of all nonprofits. Congratulations again.
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