Get shopping, save Christmas. An Austin family needs you.

PROBLEM:
More than 2,000 Austin families will consider “canceling Christmas” this year because they can’t afford the toys, gifts or even food to celebrate.
SOLUTION:
You or your company can adopt a family and save Christmas.
 
It’s simple. Just visit Foundation Communities to download a family sponsorship form, fill it in to let them know what size family you’d like to [...]

Real progress! East Austin doing something about drop-outs

Imagine having no middle school for your child. That’s the situation for many East Austin families. A new middle school not only fills that void, it creates an innovative learning environment that prepares these kids for college – not just high school but college.
Tomorrow night (November 5), Southwest Key will host an open house for the East Austin [...]

Win a FREE Wish List Jersey!

In 1999, Alissa Magrum and Tammy Stanley met while training for a Texas AIDS ride. Both had HIV-positive family and friends and both were avid “ride for the cure” participants.
“The riders are incredible, and their stories are just so moving,” says Magrum. “We all just bond.”
Wanting to tell their story, Magrum and Stanley reached out to Brian Andreas, a writer [...]

Just another Alan Graham story from another Alan Graham fan

I’m telling you, someday someone is going to write a book about Alan Graham, founder of Mobile Loaves and Fishes. No, a book isn’t right. Too flat.
They’re going to make a movie about him. He’s just that charismatic of a guy. But it’s beyond charisma; it’s the way he uses his brain.
Alan Graham has [...]

What’s the #1 reason why Central Texas women are dying of breast cancer?

Today the Austin Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure revealed some alarming breast cancer statistics for Central Texas.
The stats are the results of the 2009 Community Profile report, comprised of breast cancer data and survey information compiled over a two year period from Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties. Komen conducts the study every [...]

“Happiness Is” not found in a solid-surface countertop

It’s hard to write a thoughtful reaction to a film that left me so emotional. And I wasn’t the only one. There were quite a few beefy guys walking out of the theater with puffy, watery eyes last night, too.
But “Happiness Is” by Austin’s Andrew Shapter will do that to you. It’s not that it’s a [...]

Teaching philanthropy in (all) Austin schools

You could almost stop worrying about the future of Austin philanthropy thanks to Linda Brucker and the team that created A Legacy of Giving.
Since 2007, the program has exposed almost 6,000 students in the Austin, Eanes, and Round Rock school districts, plus a couple of private schools, to the concept of philanthropy. The program is [...]

A smart, easy way to double your donation

This is genius.
We’re obviously fans of GiveRealty’s business model; the real estate broker donates 25 percent of its commission to the charity of the seller/buyer’s choice, in their name. But using the new website RecognizeGood- also born and raised in Austin – GiveRealty was able to double that donation.
A recent home sale through GiveRealty resulted [...]

My sister is overwhelmed

My sister’s the introspective type. She’s also the type who just puts down her purse and gets things done, which is part of what I love about her. She doesn’t work but she keeps herself busy with a number of projects, and right now, she’s rescuing dogs.
My sister lives in San Antonio with her husband, [...]

For Sale: Elliot Smith’s Passat, with money to be donated to SIMS Foundation

The legacy of singer Elliot Smith  lives on, this time in his car, a 1999 Passat GLX, listed on the Austin Craigslist for $4000. Smith’s brother has listed the car, with the entire amount being donated to the Austin-based SIMS Foundation, which provides access to and financial support for mental health and addiction recovery services [...]