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, two dogs, and four cats. These are animals she’s rescued because she just can’t bear the thought of their not having good homes. The problem is, she can only rescue so many dogs, and apparently San Antonio’s pet rescue network is nowhere near as strong as ours in Austin. Their no-kill shelter has a waiting list to get in, and there are only two animal cruelty officers for the whole city.

So what happens is she’ll come across a case of dog abuse and take it upon herself to help the animal, sometimes climbing a fence to give it water, fresh food, some attention, and a new blanket or some shade. It’s the kind of thing we all want to do when we see an animal who needs help, but we don’t do because we don’t want to get involved – or arrested.

She’s been doing this a while, but she’s totally overwhelmed by all the cases of abuse she comes across. And I’m not just talking about dogs with warm water, I’m talking about dogs who suffer disease, starvation, heat exhaustion… really horrible, preventable things.

I tried to talk to her last night about other ways she can act that will have an impact. She said, “The thing is, Monica, I don’t want that job. I don’t want to do it.”

And yet, it depresses her to witness the cruelty.

I think everyone needs to find that point of action where you start to feel a little more in-control, where you feel comfortable that you’re making a difference. For some people that satisfaction comes from helping just one, feeding one, rescuing one animal. But for my sister, that’s not enough. And yet, she doesn’t want to do more, not because she’s lazy – she is nowhere near lazy – but because she’s overwhelmed.

For three years, Shelley Seale would travel to the orphanages of India, bags loaded with treats and toys to share with the children who had made such an enormous impact on her. After all, these were the same children who inspired the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Each time she got to know the children’s stories a little more, which compelled this Austin writer to compose a new book called, “The Weight of Silence: The Invisible Children of India.”

“I hope that people will see that even though this topic is serious and the stories often heartbreaking, it is not a depressing book or subject!” says Seale. “The kids’ hope and resilience amazed me time and time again; the ability of their spirits to overcome crippling challenges inspired me. The issues are tough, what has happened to a lot of these kids makes you want to cry – but the bottom line of their stories is a very strong, hopeful voice.“

I interviewed Shlley to find out what compelled her to travel, return, and make the children of India such a big part of her life.

What prompted you to travel in India and get to know these children?

In early 2004, I read an article in Tribeza magazine about Caroline Boudreaux, who had visited India three years earlier. She had happened upon an orphanage full of children living in incomprehensible conditions and had returned  home and started The Miracle Foundation, a nonprofit which raises money and recruits sponsors to help support the home. I began volunteering for the organization and sponsored a child, and Caroline invited me to go to India with a volunteer group. My first visit was in March 2005.

Was the situation what you expected?

Yes and no. When I arrived that first time, I assumed all the kids there were orphans in the true sense of the word – their parents had died. Instead I was shocked by how many of them had been “orphaned” by poverty; their parents had left them at the Miracle Foundation home because they were too poor to feed them, which in some ways seemed an even greater tragedy. I wondered when each of them had stopped wanting to go back home, or if they ever had. Afterward, there was simply no way to go on with my life afterwards as if they did not exist.

I had gone expecting it to be a sad place, an emotionally wrenching experience with these parentless young people. But those expectations had been turned on their head. Yes, there were stories behind each one of these children – many of them painful and tragic. Yet the man who ran the orphanage, and the house mothers, had made the kids their own in a community of sharing and acceptance. They were poor in wealth but not in spirit; limited in resources but not in joy and laughter. They gave me a complete unconditional love, for nothing more than showing up.

This kind of journey isn’t for everybody… is it?

Probably not. The specific type of trip I took with The Miracle Foundation, the volunteer trip to the children’s homes, is not the same as a sight-seeing vacation.

India is definitely a complete culture shock for someone who’s never been there, especially if you haven’t traveled in a developing country before. The poverty and hardship is stark and in your face. At times, quite honestly, I just wanted to look away and say I’d had enough. But the suffering remains whether we choose to look or not. They do not go away simply because we decide that to be a witness to them, to say I care about your story, is too difficult for us.

But still, like I said before, the moment you meet these kids, that all goes away. I have been on four different trips with all kinds of different people, some of whom love India and some who barely tolerate it, yet every single one of them fell in love with these kids and had the time of their life.  It’s amazing how this experience hooks you – I sometimes tease Caroline Boudreaux about putting something in the water. But the truth is, we go thinking about giving something back, and in the end it’s us who end up getting something amazing out of it. We are the ones who get rescued.

I guess sometimes it seems hopeless. There are so many children who need help. What do you think?

The truth is, each person can create incredible impact with even small actions. It’s a ripple effect, and I have seen it happen over and over, so many times I can’t even count them. Most of us could never sell all our belongings and go work in the trenches in India, but that doesn’t mean we should think, then, that we can’t do anything at all.

If you can change the course of the life of ONE person – still, that one person’s life is different and better because you impacted it.  I think that’s worth it. Don’t focus on the big picture, just focus on what you are passionate about, what you want to do. For me, I can’t constantly think about the 25 million kids in India who live in orphanages or on the streets – I can only think about the one who is in front of me at that moment.

What do you hope to accomplish with the book?

My sole purpose in writing the book was to give these millions of children a voice that could be heard by others in the world who, I was convinced, would be as moved by their plights as I was. And so, the main thing I hope to accomplish is awareness – followed by action. Some kind of action. I think the key is to discover what you are passionate about, what you have genuine feelings and caring about – and then do something about that issue. But just do something.

To learn more about the book, go to Seale’s website or purchase one from The Miracle Foundation. Note that for all books purchased through The Miracle Foundation, all proceeds are donated to them.

It’s a movement. It’s an opportunity. It’s an event.

It’s a lot of things. So to clarify, I talked to Armando Rayo of Hands On Central Texas (which is part of United Way Capital Area) about Vivir Unidos.

Q. So what is Vivir Unidos? 

Mando: It’s basically a volunteer fair for Hispanics. But it’s also a celebration of our culture and an opportunity for anyone to connect with the Hispanic/Latino culture in Austin.

There’ll be about 30 nonprofits there, reaching out to attendees to talk about volunteer opportunities. We’ll also have several local restaurants serving up food from all kinds of Hispanic cultures. There’ll be music and dance, of course, and Loteria. Plus we’re hear about the city’s Hispanic Quality of Life Initiative and our own report about Hispanic volunteering and community engagement.

Q. Wow, so there’s going to be plenty to do, but who’s it for?

We’re hoping to attract Hispanics and Latinos in Austin who are looking for ways to support their community. But it’s also a great opportunity for local nonprofits to get to know the culture and what drives Hispanics and Latinos to volunteer. Traditionally, I would say that Hispanics/Latinos are not asked to serve. Maybe it’s because so many of the people that are served are Hispanic/Latino, but I also think it’s because nonprofits need to gain a better understanding of the motivations and hurdles Hispanics and Latinos have for volunteering.

It’s absolutely essential to include Hispanics/Latinos in the service to that community. Not only do they understand the culture and language better, but they can be visible role models who demonstrate that Hispanics/Latinos in Ausitn need to be part of the change.

We definitely hope to see the Hispanic community represented, but anyone can attend. Families and children welcome!

Q. So what will attendees get out of it?

Mando: Well, they’ll have fun. It’s at the Mexican American Cultural Center, which is a few blocks south of the Convention Center and just off the west side of I-35.

And, really, the main goal is for people to learn what they can do to make a difference. They’ll come away with a list of resources for becoming more engaged, and they’ll learn a little bit more about the culture.

Q. GivingCity will be there. But now’s a good time to talk about details.

Mando: You’d better be there! Okay, here are the details…

VIVIR UNIDOS!
Thursday, June 18, 2009 
6:00 – 8:30 PM
Mexican American Cultural Center
600 River Street, Austin, Texas 78702

An event hosted by United Way Capital Area and Hands On Central Texas. Come learn about how you can get involved in the community, and enjoy activities for the whole family!
* Vivir Unidos Loteria (which is basically Mexican bingo)
* La Feria de los Voluntaries (the Volunteer Fair part)
* St. Edward’s Ballet Folklorico (dance performance)
* La Esquina de HEB (HEB Corner)
* Comida Latinoamericano (Nom, nom)
* Special presentation of “Making the Connection Volunteer Report” by
Hispanic Community Leaders.

PS: There’s still time to be a sponsor! Sponsorship levels from $200 to $5000. Get creative and email Mando Rayo with your sponsorship inquiries.

Check out how Austinite Linda Medina rolls with community engagement…

How I LIVE UNITED: Linda Medina from elmundodemando on Vimeo.

In thinking about povery today and what I might post for Blog Action Day, I wanted to focus on actions we could take to reverse the downward spiral occurring in Central Texas towards increasing poverty.

What I’m learning more about is this relationship between education and poverty. I think we all know high school graduates earn more over their lifetime than non-graudates, and the same holds true for college grads.

According to Communities in Schools:

“Dropouts make up nearly half the heads-of-households on welfare.”
“One in three Central Texas ninth graders is not enrolled in the twelfth grade three years later.”
“With this school year, 8,000 Austin ISD middle School students will be at risk of not graduating high school.” 
“The dropout statistics promise to grow worse each year as the demographics in Texas begin their dramatic shift.”

So if you want to effect Central Texas poverty going forward, one of the best ways to do that is to help some of these kids finish school. (And definitely make sure your kid finishes school.)

The relationship between a child and a mentor or tutor has proven to help keep that child in school and even do well in school.  Which is not a surprise.  Good news is, there are a lot of mentoring and tutoring opportunities out there. Here are a few to consider:
Any Baby Can, which has been helping Austin’s youngest, sickest and poorest children for 30 years

Volunteer at the Saturday Learning Center… or Family Literacy Program Tuesdays and Thursdays…
Help tutor children and parents in literacy, math and English.

The Arc of Capital Area, which helps adults and children with developmental disabilities attain self sufficiency.

Academic coaching – Volunteers are matched with a Special Education student to tutor on various subjects and help the student reach obtainable academic goals.
Parent matches – Parents of a child with a disability are paired to discuss various care-giving topics and for moral support.

Caritas of Austin, which fights hunger, homelessness, poverty and fear – a great mission

5 hours a week you can Work with low-income working parents making the transition to financial stability by talking about money management skills, job interview skills, etc.

Communities in Schools, whose sole purpose is to keep Austin kids in school.

Lots of tutoring opportunities here. You can sign up for 1 hour a week for the school year.
OR this one starts in January 2009 – be a Tech Tots Mentor, which is where you mentor low-income families in their homes on how to use computers, software, printers, the Internet.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters, which offers long and short-term opportunities for you to mentor a child.

From what I understand, these are serious commitments. There are applications to submit, background checks, maybe even some fingerprinting. But I also understand there are serious rewards. In our first issue we included a story by Eva Schone who told us about her experience as a Big Sister. She said, “It was awkward in the beginning. We had to find the rhythm that was appropriate for this relationship. It took us about half a year.” Later, though, she said,

“The most important part of building my relationship with Courtnie was to figure out how I could assist her – in the context of her life circumstances – most effectively. That takes a little bit of time and getting to know each other. In the beginning you have a set of expectations, but you just don’t know what each child’s situation is going to be. And you’re going to have to work with whatever it is.”

Does this sound like something you could do? To download the story and our first issue, click here.

Please feel free to send this link to a friend of colleague. Also, thanks for adding us to your media list – we’d love to hear more about your organization and cause.

To download your copy, just click on the cover or on the link below. Please let us know what you think. Feel free to send me any feedback or post a comment below.

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CLICK HERE TO OPEN

According to an AP story, more pet owners across the country are unable to afford pet food and, therefore, are lining up outside food pantries to feed their animals. This among other tough choices pet owners are having to make in the wake of the foreclosure crisis, looming recession, rising cost of fuel and other financial pressures.

The story reports that many pet owners are choosing to abandon their pets or dump them on a friend of relative because they can no longer afford to care for them.

In looking to find out if more people in Austin are turning to pet food banks, I learned a little about the web of individuals and groups that help keep Austin animals fed every day and – let me tell you – it’s complicated.

For example, my first thought was to contact Town Lake Animal Shelter. Turns out they do accept donations, but I learned from its Web site that they prefer only canned pet food and they don’t hand out pet food to individuals. (Why only canned? It stores better than dry.)

If you do give dry pet food, that gets picked up from a woman named Liz who operates a massive pet food bank out of her garage. She distributes mostly to animal rescue groups in Austin rather than individuals, though she has helped Katrina victims and their pets. She also operates a greyhound rescue group, by the way.

Liz picks up from the shelter but also receives donations from barrels placed around pet stores, Wal-marts and Targets around the city. Notice that broken 100-pound bag of dog food spilling into the aisle? That’s probably going to wind up in Liz’s garage.

Apparently if you’re an individual who needs help feeding your pet, you turn to Animal Trustees of Austin. I haven’t heard back from them yet to confirm this, but when I do I will update this site. I also hope to learn if more people are seeking free pet food.

How is it that we don’t know more about this huge network of groups helping Austin animals? Well, as Liz put it: “There are people out there who do some of these things… we don’t make a big deal out of it. Maybe it’s because, for one thing, we can’t do much more than we’re doing.”

In her 10 years of running this pet food bank out of her garage, Liz also adds, “I have met some people I never would have met and done some things I never would have done.” Does she have plans for slowing down? “Well, I have noticed that since I turned 70 a few years ago, I can’t lift those 50-pound bags like I used to.”

The Young Mens’ Business Alliance … it’s a long story.

Butler Pitch ‘n Putt was the site of the second annual Head Honcho Invitational yesterday, a golf tournament kind of thing among several Austin under-40 organizations. I was there for a little while, and I actually saw lots of people playing golf.

Why not? It was a gorgeous day, and the tournament kicked off at 3 p.m., which is a little earlier than happy hour but not so early you’d be cutting into your lunch time. Stephanie Fisher, president of Young Execs of Austin, kicked things off, thanking sponsors and explaining the rules of the tourney. I’m not sure how many of the attendees were golfers. A couple of teams from the United Way Young Leaders Society looked like yacht captains and skippers (Durel Bernard had an explanation for the costumes, but it seemed like a stretch), and the Young Men’s Business League showed up as Elvis… or rather, Elvi. Did Elvis golf?

Kim Jowers and Durel Bernard lead Young Leaders’ Society

Kim Jowers, executive chair of Young Leaders Society, was there to golf despite the fact she has a five-month-old baby at home. (Good for her! We new moms need our time on the green, too.) I also got to meet Traci Fisher of Young Women’s Alliance. They have a Member Appreciation Party this Tuesday night with a really cute theme: “Red Carpet.” This is a members-only, cocktail dress event… on a Tuesday night, no less. They do it right.

The fact that each of these groups makes philanthropy part of their mission demonstrates how important our community’s needs are to young Austin. It would be interesting to poll each group and quantify the financial impact they have on the community. In total, about a dozen young professionals groups were represented, including Catalyst 8, Habitat Young Professionals, Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, Young Hispanic Professionals of Austin, and Helping Austin.

That last group, Helping Austin, is interesting. According to Amy Stanley, this new-ish group works through Austin Community Foundation to raise money for at-risk youth. Most of their donations have gone to Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and just about anyone can join – young or old, professional or … what’s the opposite of professional?

We’ll learn more about each of these groups in a series of Q&As coming soon to this blog/magazine.

In the meantime, heads up around Butler Pitch n Putt. The Elvi are pulling down broken tree limbs, and they’ve got a Bobcat.

Diane Kearns is a working mom with three children – Beck, four-months-old; and twins Dean and Vivian, both five years old. Diane is also an active volunteer at Sammy’s House, an Austin nonprofit child development center for children with special needs. I’ve always considered full-time working mothers who volunteer to be extraordinary people.  “I’ve been involved with Sammy’s House since the twins were about one, and volunteering for them is definitely a labor of love,” says Diane.

What makes Diane even more special, though, is her complete acceptance  of and peace with her son Dean’s condition. Dean was born with cerebral palsy, and Diane has had to be extra resourceful in finding support. ”My son has a disability and that’s just the way it is,” she says. “It doesn’t define him. It’s just a challenge that we together have to help him overcome.”

Early on, Diane and her family found a lot of support through Sammy’s House. The organization seems to have found a place in Diane’s heart, and she somehow finds the time to give back to Sammy’s House, volunteering for the past four years and, most recently, chairing the annual fundraiser.

I was fascinated with Diane’s story because, despite the fact that she deals with much more than I can imagine, she seems extremely energetic and positive. She let me ask her a few questions. I think her story can inspire others to find the time to volunteer – especially when they find the right organization.

1. In 2002, you had twins, Dean and Vivian. Dean was born with cerebral palsy and a visual impairment but Vivian was not. At what point did you reach out for help? 

We were fortunate in that because the twins were born premature, and in the NICU, standard operating procedure was that babies get cranial ultrasounds before they’re discharged. The doctor noticed brain damage on his final ultrasound, so she referred us to a pediatric neurologist (who gave us the diagnosis of CP), and wrote a prescription for physical therapy, and referred us to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), who sent out a case worker who evaluated Dean, which led to additional therapy services paid through Travis County (that’s since changed — now payment is based in income…on a sliding scale). That snowballed into Dean getting evaluated for vision services, which are paid through the school district (AISD). So, we were fortunate that the services came to us in the early years. 

2. What was your involvement in the beginning and how has it changed? 

We got involved with Sammy’s House when our nanny quit (the twins were about 11 months old) and I didn’t have childcare for the twins. I was referred by one of our therapists to Sammy’s House…one of their primary services is a childcare center for children with special needs. I called the center and spoke to their director, Isabel Huerta, who spent roughly an hour talking to me. There were no spots in the classes (at the time, they could only handle 12 children due to space limitations), but she put me on the waiting list.

A few months later, I called Isabel again when Dean needed a wheelchair and our insurance company refused to pay for one (it took 9 months to get approved). She loaned us the exact version of what we eventually got, and my husband and I were so grateful, we started volunteering at respite care, and then on the fundraisers. I joined the board in January of 2007, and am now the committee chair on fundraising. 

3. When you heard about Sammy’s House, what made you want to be a part of it beyond being one of their clients? 

There are so many reasons! First, it was because their executive director is such a dynamic, caring person. She reached out to me when I first met her, spent time with me (apparently she could see that I needed it!). Later on, it was because they were the underdogs. The school was in a tiny house in Hyde Park, and could only serve 12 kids. Several neighbors had an issue with special needs kids being “in their neighborhood”.

They operate on such a shoe string budget, I knew that I could generate exposure and raise funds. Now, I do it because I know I can make a difference in the community…for all the special needs kids & their families, and everyone else…to promote inclusion, acceptance, and diversity. 

4. What are some of the ways Sammy’s House has helped Dean more than if he were not enrolled? 

Sammy’s House operates a “reverse-inclusion” model. In the daycare and pre-K program, there are more special needs kids than there are typical kids. Dean got to spend his days with kids of varying abilities and I think it helps him see that there are a lot of other kids just like him. That he’s not so different.

Want to know more about Sammy’s House? Visit the site and let them know you support their work.

Ignacio Cruz, Shannon Sandrea, and Kristin West at the MLK Day of Service

Who knew Austin looked like this? I’m specifically speaking about the attendees of this past weekend’s MLK Day of Service event, produced by the United Way. I’d heard about this event before, so I decided it was time to finally check it out. “This is actually one of our smallest events,” Mando Rayo told me. He’s the director of Hands on Central Texas… I’ve mentioned him before.

Small or not, this was a lively group of about 150 who showed up despite the cold, drizzly weather. They gathered in a big hall on the campus of Huston-Tillotson University – “Texas’ first institution of higher education, by the way,” said State Rep Dawna Dukes, a speaker at the event. I didn’t know that. In fact, I was surprised by a lot of things that day. Admittedly, I don’t get out as much as I should. But I’d never seen such a mix of people! White-haired white men, dreadlocked and Afro’d African-Americans, white women, Hispanic men, teenagers, small children, people of every color, gender, size, and age that I’ve ever seen in Austin, all in one big room.

I live on the West Side. Not west of Mopac, I mean west of I-35. We west-of-I-35′ers don’t get to see many different kinds of people. Now, I’m from San Antonio and have lived on the South Side of Chicago and the Lower East Side of Manhattan, so I’m used to getting a mix. Can I just tell you how nice it was so see this mix again? And here in Austin? Oh, it was nice.

Other nice surprises:

1. I didn’t realize just how willing these people would be to participate. A group called Theater Action Project (yet another nonprofit I’d never heard of – and I’m looking for these NPOs, folks!) got the entire 100+ group to walk around, jump, yell out their names, touch each other, laugh, and work together. I know this sounds strange to point out, but the fact is that hardly any of these people knew each other. All strangers, making little houses over other strangers. Wow. You can’t get that level of participation at a wedding.

2. I didn’t know anything about The Cipher. And you must check these young men and women out. They are all self-expression, hurt, and hopefulness: “Tell me what would you say if you had the whole world paying attention.” This group of about nine young people, led by a young man named Gator, perform original beats and rhymes one after the other, each reflecting on the message of “I have a dream.” These are Austinites, folks, and you should hear what they have t say.

3. As a child, Pastor Joe Parker knew Dr. Martin Luther King. His father was a pastor and a friend of MLK. And MLK has had a profound effect on Pastor Parker’s life. Joe Parker was an attorney – and a successful one at that – but he left it all for the Baptist ministry. He was called to service and, more importantly, he answered that call. Pastor Parker spoke at the MLK event on Saturday, and he was captivating. Who knew one of Austin’s best leaders had been directly inspired by one of the world’s greatest leaders?

For more about the event, visit the UWCA blog.

Last week I blogged about a volunteer opportunity with Special Olympics Texas that I thought … well, that I thought would be hard to find volunteers for. To prepare for the Winter Games in San Antonio next month, Special Olympics Texas is enlisting volunteers to perform … yawn … data entry.

Erika Corbell, the director of volunteer services for Special Olympics Texas, wrote me back and let me know that, ahem!, actually lots of people like to turn up and enter data. See our little Q&A below:

1. Okay, so you DO get people who volunteer to do data entry. Is is hard to enlist them?

We do a data entry project three times a year – prior to each of our three state-wide competitions. The summer and fall  data entry opportunities are not as hard to recruit for as the winter one, since it begins right after the holidays.

2. What kind of people are they? Corporate teams? Retired? First-timers?

Yes, all of the above – Dell teams, retired, college students, high school students.  We have a crew from Whole Foods that volunteers for at least two of the evening shifts for all three data entry projects each year.

3. Do you think they feel the same satisfaction as they would in other volunteer opportunities? What do they get out of it?

Absolutely – it is definitely not an “edge-of-your-seat” opportunity, but volunteers quickly see that they are contributing to an important and necessary part of the process.  Overall, we usually get varied reactions – lots of amazement about seeing behind-the-scenes at what it takes to put on one of our events.

So there you go!

This makes me think I’m going to have to get a hold of these volunteer coordinators at these Austin corporations to find out how they choose where to invest their employees’ time. What a rewarding job! Is there any downside to coordinating tons of man power and applying it toward a good cause? I’ll find out,