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 [...]

“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 [...]

SAT MARCH 21: New book launch party at Pentagram to raise money for homeless

See the full story and a potrait of DJ Stout inside GivingCity Austin Issue #3. Download now.
DJ Stout is one of Austin’s best designers. Don’t know the name? Magazine lovers – and Texans – do. He put Texas Monthly on the design map (where it firmly remains thanks to a stream of talent out [...]

Every little bit helps…. sounds lame but it’s true.

“Every little bit helps.” I know you hear people saying that all the time when they want you to donate money or things, and it sounds suspicious. If you do only give $1 or $5, you think they’re thinking to themselves, “I didn’t actually mean that, you cheap bastard.”
Remember that “little bit” is relative. And so [...]

A simple guide to what happened with the housing market and the big bailout

“Everyone thought someone else was checking that the underlying mortgages were good loans.”
The nonprofit public policy research institute, The Century Foundation, makes it a big part of its mission to explain issues and challenges in the United States in plain language. One of their most recent discussion papers was about the housing market and the [...]

BLOG ACTION DAY: Mando’s videos bring new voices to the conversation about poverty

There are people who talk about poverty every day in Central Texas, and there are people who live in poverty every day in Central Texas, and for the most part they are not the same people. They don’t even look like the same people.
All that is to say what I think lots of people don’t [...]

Mando won’t sleep until you know more about poverty

Mando Rayo at Hands On Central Texas and United Way Capital Area is going to stay up for 24 hours and post once every hour to the Unted Way blog.
Now, I’ve stayed up late before. I mean, like, sick-late until 3, 4, 5 in the morning. But then I try to get some sleep, and [...]

A beautiful night to be thankful and consider how you can help

The ground is wet but the air is warm and the moon is full and bright. And I’m thinking about the folks sleeping on the streets tonight to raise awareness about poverty and homelessness.
@mikechapman, cofounder of Austin Social Media Club, and @sarah703, president of NetImpact Austin, are with Alan Graham of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, taking [...]

Congratulations to Mobile Loaves and Fishes on its 10-year anniversary – Today!

About a year ago, I blogged about MLF’s Street Retreats, in which they invite aspiring deacons – and anyone else really – to spend two nights on the streets to experience a little taste of that life. I did an e-mail interivew with Alan Graham, one of MLF’s founders. Here’s one question from that interview:
Q. [...]

Sat Oct 11: Help raise money to “green” low-income homes

The nonprofit formerly known as 1 House at a Time, now Rays of Hope, is having its first-ever fundraiser this Saturday, from 6 to 10 pm. Here’s why you need to pay attention to this organization and consider attending.
1. Rays of Hope helps low-income and elderly homeowners reduce their energy bills, sometimes by 50%. It [...]