do More, giVe More
G I V I N G C I T Y A U s T i N
hoW to
Jan/Feb 2013
and get More FroM liFe
NANCY MALLORY OF 3M
This executive mom, marathoner and philanthropist shares her secrets for a more fulďŹ lling life. Page 18.
Sister Gertrude Levy, age 93, comforts patients and families every day at Seton Medical Center Austin where she has lovingly served as a community ambassador and fundraiser for more than 40 years.
Thank you, Sister Gertrude, and all the Daughters of Charity at Seton, for all that you do for our community! 2013 AFP Philanthropy Day - Special Recognition Award Recipient
Sister Gertrude Levy, Daughter of Charity Seton Healthcare Family
Inspiring donors • Building endowments • Engaging volunteers childrensaustin.org 2 givingCityaustin.com
setonhaysfoundation.org
setonwilliamsonfdn.org
setonfund.org
G I V I N G C O N T e N T s Jan/Feb 2013 Issue 14
CoVER StoRy
Editor-in-Chief Monica M. Williams Design DJ Stout Carla Delgado Pentagram Design Contributors Robert Godwin Cecily Johnson Rebecca Persons
Scott Van Osdol
18 sTep iT Up, AUsTiN
you do have time to get involved! hear how Mike shaw (above) and Nancy Mallory (cover) found time in their lives for philanthropy. Jamie Maldonado FEatuRES
DEPaRtmENtS
C O V e r s T O r y : s C O T T V A N O s D O L ; f e AT U r e : C e C i Ly J O h N s O N
5
eDiTOr’s LeTTer
7 briefs free glasses for kids, a new effort to end violence, COTA generosity and more. 10 hAppeNiNg NOW The social scene, new events and a win for Austin workers.
24 JOe’s JOUrNey
Austin native Joe Morales has spent a lifetime with big brothers big sisters. his story is a testament to the transformational power of love.
27 giVe beTTer What $100 can do, Microsooft gives back, and more.
GivingCity Austin is available online. To request print copies, please send an email to info@ givingcity.com. 2013 Copyright GivingCity Austin. No part of this document may be reproduced without permission. Support GivingCity Austin! GvingCity Austin is a fiscal sponsorship of the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations. To see membership and sponsor levels, please visit GivingCityAustin.org. Checks may be made to GivingCity/TANO, 8001 Center Park Dr, Austin, TX 78754. Dnations to GivingCity/TANO are tax-deductible.
38 giViNg WOrKs A gift from a stranger gives a mother hope.
Cover photo by Scott Van Osdol
Jan/Feb 2013 3
G I V I N G i T b A C K EDItoR’S LEttER
JOeL sALCiDO
a neW plan fOr giViNgCiTy
Did i mention that givingCity recently became a nonprofit on its own? for five years, we have covered nonprofits, To execute our plan and taking you behind the scenes and helping you publish the magazine understand more about the sector so you can concurrently is beyond our be more effective in your giving. but now i capabilities and not in the know better. That is to say, everybest interest of GivingCity. thing we’ve told you in the past still holds. The difference is now i can speak with more authority when i tell you this: Nonprofits are hard. My grammar might be off, but that is the truest way to express how difficult it can be to start, run and grow a nonprofit. it also expresses how difficult it can be to work with nonprofits.
They’re complicated and personal, bureaucratic and entrepreneurial all at the same time. for myself and the givingCity board, turning this magazine and brand from a community resource into a full-fledged nonprofit has been an adventure. There is not a single model to copy, which is to say we are in new territory here. people and organizations from across the country contact us to find out how we do it. And that is what we’re setting out to define now. for the last two years, we were funded solely by one organization, the Austin Community foundation. This support fueled our tremendous growth, but clearly it also put givingCity at risk. When ACf could no longer fund us we found ourselves scrambling to keep the magazine alive. Now we have the shared support of the Texas Association of Nonprofit professionals, seton foundations and st. David foundation, and we are inviting oth-
ers to build a coalition that can keep givingCity growing. but to execute this plan and publish the magazine concurrently is beyond our capabilities and not in the best interest of givingCity. Which means after this issue, we will launch a full-out fundraising and organization-building effort to support givingCity, and we will suspend publication of magazine until we’ve achieved our goals. it is absolutely vital that we take this time to reassess our place in the community and come up with a course of action that keeps givingCity sustainable. The givingCity board and i are so grateful for your support. stay tuned!
moNICa editor-in-Chief I’d love to hear from you. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or online at GivingCityAustin.org to comment. Or just send me an e-mail message at monica@ givingcity.com.
Jan/Feb 2013 5
Fayruz Benyousef Consulting
6 givingCityaustin.com
G I V I N G N E W S CHILDREN’S SERVICES
b r i e f s
By Rebecca Persons
seeing clearly for the first time A new program hopes to give Central Texas kids a better start in life by making sure
jam i e maldonado
they get the glasses they need — for free.
One in four American children has an uncorrected vision problem— and that number climbs in inner-city communities – yet research How You Can Help shows a large number At least 12 volunteers are of those children do not needed every day the clinic have the glasses they is on campus. Donations of need. If these vision $75 can help service 7 to 8 problems are not adkids. Fee includes $25 for the dressed, research sugcost of one pair of glasses gests that children may and $50 for the process and face lifelong struggles operation, which also covers with literacy, low selfup to two exams and up to esteem, unemployment, five screenings. poverty and crime.
In fact, Essilor Vision Foundation found that 78 percent of the incarcerated youth in two of the Dallas County Juvenile Justice facilities had at least one vision problem. While school districts screen for vision problems, kids recognized as having impairment are simply told to go see a doctor. But according to Kids Vision for Life, “A large percentage of students
in Central Texas who fail their vision screening never get to an eye doctor and actually getting glasses they need,” says Christin Alvarado. Kids Vision for Life takes these school screenings a step further by actually providing a full eye exam and making sure every child who needs glasses get them at no cost. In March, Kids Vision will bring its mobile vision clinic to 12 school districts. The hope is that by identifying and correcting vision problems sooner, Kids Vision can give more children a chance at success. need kids’ glasses? The trailer will make its debut in 12 area school districts in March including Austin, Del Valle, Bastrop, and Taylor ISDs. Services will be accessible to students four days a week throughout the school year, along with weekend and summer events. To donate or learn more, visit kidsvisionctx.org
Jan/Feb 2013 7
G I V I N G N e W s CommuNIty
VICtIm’S SERVICES
The Violence Stops Here
A new nonprofit works to break the cycle of family violence.
thanks, COTA!
By Rebecca Persons
Did you know that the 2012 formula 1 grand prix helped raise more than $140,000 for local nonprofits in one weekend? ¶ As the grand prix facility in the United states, Circuit of The Americas partnered with sodexo, its catering and hospitality vendor, to make the grand prix a charitable event. Volunteers
More than 80 percent of the women in Safe Place’s supportive housing program for victims of domestic abuse had a background in the foster care system. That means it’s likely they have been in abusive relationships for much of their lives. And according to studies across the country, it’s likely that their children will suffer family violence, too. It’s this cycle of abuse and family violence that LIFT Alliance aims to end in Central Texas by creating a coordinated system to strengthen families and identify and address these situations sooner. The new organization was born of the ongoing relationship between the Austin Children’s Shelter and Safe Place, both of which serve to catch and protect victims more than prevent. Julia Null Smith of LIFT Alliance says it’s a call to action for everyone who is a part of a child’s life. “We’re going to push for that in every way that we can,” says Smith. “Let’s be sure everyone is on duty with this issue.”
8 givingCityaustin.com ivingCityaustin.com
“The experience for individuals dealing with these situations is overwhelmingly difficult. Helping people in the system, that’s a piece of it,” says Kelly White, longtime leader of the Austin Children’s Shelter. “But this is a new effort is to keep people out of the system. What if we could stop that cycle early, teach people how to stay safe and how to be strong, nurturing, protective parents?” Among other services, LIFT Alliance will offer shelter, parent coaching and support programs for mothers at high risk of losing their children. Smith says one effort that’s already working comes from training teachers is what is called trauma informed care. “In the past these gets would get absorbed in the system and just fade into being another kid in the hallway,” says Smith. “Now we have more teachers trained to help them.” Learn more at LIFTAlliance.org
from more than 30 nonprofits manned the consession stands at the grand prix so that a percentage of the sales would be donated to those nonprofits. Once the weekend was over, sodexo donated surplus food from its fine catering — more than 8,300 pounds of it — to the Capital Area food bank. ¶ Circuit of The Americas also partnered with hotels for hope, which generates a $2 donation for every room booked. The money raised was distributed equally between Austin partners in education and boys & girls Clubs. Other nonprofits that benefitted from the event include the Amala foundation, healthcare for the homeless, North Austin youth Association and Mr. Vip sports foundation. COTA found ways to work in local fundraising throughout F1 weekend.
aPPtIVIStS
green and giViNg bACK
Help Attack!, one of the pioneers among Austin’s online-giving tools, shut down in December 2012. But it wasn’t for lack of trying. In the end, all that work may have came down to one unavoidable factor. In a blog post, co-founder Ehren Foss describes what happened here: “What’s really going on is that nonprofits don’t seem to have time for anything
new. Small nonprofits are stretched extremely thin. Even if the executive director ‘gets’ the Internet and social media, how much time can they spend? “Medium and large nonprofits suffer from other maladies: The most common is that the communications team may do a fabulous job managing the website, blog, and social media, but the fundraising department is in another silo. “If nonprofits are going to grow overall, and gain more resources to fight the world’s ills, online fundraising has to grow faster. Social networks and social media seem like the most obvious place for that to occur.” Learn more HelpAttack.com
Local, eco-friendly laundry and dry cleaning service, ecoClean, leverages its customers’ causes to raise money for local nonprofits through its “prOps” program. ¶ every Wednesday, ecoClean gives away five percent of all sales to a designated local nonprofitof-the-month. To date, ecoClean has featured 15 nonprofits, totaling $4,700 in donations. past recipients include Movember, AiDs services of Austin and hill Country Conservancy. ¶ recipients are chosen by ecoClean or by customer recommendations, but
mENtaL HEaLtH
Rethinking the Shooting What role did Adam Lanza’s condition play in the shootings Jim Van Norman at Sandy Hook? Lanza, the gunman responsible for killing 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary in December, was revealed to have Asperger’s Syndrome. The condition is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is present from infancy or early childhood, and studies of children with the disorder suggest that their problems with socialization and communication continue into adulthood. Since the shooting, the Austin Travis County Integral Care has assisted local schools and families with their Mental Health First Aid program. “It is a training program for the public to help them learn to identify, and to a certain extent, provide first aid to people with psychiatric illnesses,” says Jim Van Norman, chief medical officer for Integral Care said. Van Norman says the fact that Asperger’s Syndrome is part of the national discussion around the shootings, “directs the national dialogue in a way that is not productive.” In fact, he says the behaviors exhibited by Lanza were not in conjunction with an individual who has Asperger’s Syndrome. It’s important to note, he says, that people with mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence rather than perpetrators. Learn more at IntegralCare.org
all beneficiaries have to be local. Learn more ecocleanaustin.com
Jan/Feb 2013 9
b r i e f s
Can Social Media Fundraising Work?
buSINESS
G I V I N G N E W S fundraisers
hot tickets Scenes from some of Austin’s brightest fundraising events. Photo by Robert Godwin
december 1
LBJ Library Foundation Gala Held at the LBJ Presidential Library, this event was a nod to the elegance and class of a White House State Dinner in the 60’s
Tim and Mary Herman; Jo Anne Christian with Bruce Todd and Elizabeth Christian; Lyndon and Nicole Nugent with Event CoChairs Nicole and Brent Covert 10 GivingCityAustin.com
december 7
Dancing with the Stars for Center for Child Protection This was the sixth year for this all-star event, featuring local celebrities strutting their stuff for charity.
(clockwise from top) Event Co-Chair Mary Tally, Dance Director Sabrina Barker-Truscott and Event Co-Chair Maria Groten; Dean and Andrea McWilliams; Jonathan Newton and Jordan Martin
b r i e f s
For more social photos visit KeepAustinGiving.org
november 29
Food For Thought for Communities in Schools CIS’s signature event, Food For Thought, took place at Circuit of the Americas, which added to the excitement of chef’s tastings from around Austin.
Sen. Kirk Watson, Laura Templeton, Evan Smith and Belinda Gayle; Ania Utterback, David Garrido, Magdalena Stefanowicz and Asia Gonczar; Maria Selde, Lisabeth Buelt and Felesia Rodriguez
december 4
Heart and Sole for Rise School A gorgeous, all-women’s luncheon featuring one-of-a-kind designer handbag, jewelry and shoes.
Nina Seely, Venus Strawn and Kristin Armstrong; Event Co-Chair Sherri Krause, Kendra Scott and Event Co-Chair Ellen Burt; Shelby Krause and Anita Perry Jan/Feb 2013 11
Crank up the giving. Crank up the giving.
You look like a philanthropist—perhaps it’s the heart? We’re donating easy for philanthropists like You making look like a philanthropist—perhaps it’s you the heart? on March 4–5, 2013, Austin’s easy first 24-hour giving day. We’re making donating for philanthropists like you Just go to ILiveHereIGiveHere.org and choose fromgiving day. on March 4–5, 2013, Austin’s first 24-hour over 300 Texas nonprofits to give to. and With choose your Just goCentral to ILiveHereIGiveHere.org from help, we can Central raise overTexas a million dollars, making it ato. With your over 300 nonprofits to give rocking good dayraise for your favorite charities. And, making your help, we can over a million dollars, it a gifts will be amplified 10%, thanks to a generous match rocking good day for your favorite charities. And, your from University Federal Credit Union. Encore gifts will be amplified 10%, thanks to aanyone? generous match 12 givingCityaustin.com
from University Federal Credit Union. Encore anyone?
#amplifyATX
G I V I N G i N A C T i O N VICtImS’ SERVICES
Workers Defense Project has held candlelight vigils for construction workers who have died on the job from heat exhaustion or unsafe working conditions.
Workers Defense project has recovered close to a million dollars for families in Austin, and successfully pushed for higher wages and safety standards for construction workers. Last fall, Workers Defense celebrated a landmark victory for the people they represent. Over the holidays,
to achieve their goals. “fifty-two percent of construction workers in Texas are below the poverty line even though they work full time,” says Christina Tzintzun of Workers Defense. “Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and we can do a lot better to take care of those that are working so hard for us. We have a unique opportunity to ensure that our growth is sustainable for the workforce, and to ensure that there’s prosperity for everyone.” Tzintzun says employers assume they can easily violate worker’s rights because most of their employees are immigrants. in addition, she says many of these construction jobs are the lowest paying and most dangerous in the country. the Travis County in the same day as the Commissioner’s Court county vote in Novemapproved a living wage ber, the City of Austin floor of $11 per hour for created the economics employees, including incentive Committee to construction workcontinue regulating the ers. The requirement living wage floor, safety affects all companies standards and other that receive county concerns for workers. tax incentives Workers The full city council is Defense joined with expected to take up the Austin interfaith, stumatter in in 2013. Learn more at WorkersDefense.org dent groups and unions Jan/Feb 2013 13
N O W
COUrTesy Of WOrKers DefeNse prOJeCT
Thanks to Austin nonprofits, construction workers will now earn a living wage.
h A p p e N i N g
a Victory For AUsTiN WOrKers
G I V I N G I N A C T I O N upcoming events
FEB 23
Cattle Baron’s Ball
We just do this differently in Austin, y’all. Yes, it’s a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. But while other cities do this as a black-tie affair, Austin invites you to come in your finest “Texas Chic.” Look for boots, jeans, turquoise and diamonds. The location is pure Texas Hill Country at the Star Hill Ranch out Hamilton Pool Road. The owners have re-created an old Western town complete with modern touches, gorgeous lighting and the perfect space for a party. The top-notch entertainment by our beloved Bob Schneider and The Texas Bluegrass Massacre is a crowd-pleaser guaranteed to fill the tables ‑– and the dance floor. The American Cancer Society funds cancer research and patient support, so if this terrible disease has ever affected you, you’ll want to attend. Because not only does it support ACS work, it supports every survivor out there. Buy a table and bring your friends. Learn more atFacebook.com/CBBAustin
14 GivingCityAustin.com
CALENDAR
February 9 Human Rights Campaign 17th Annual Austin Gala Dinner at 6pm. Benefiting The Human Rights Campaign. hrcaustin.org
9 Rodeo Austin Gala at 6pm. Benefiting Rodeo Austin. rodeoaustin.com.
FEB 14
Philanthropy Day
There’s no need to advertise this event – it sells out weeks in advance. Leave it to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Austin Chapter to host the mustattend awards event of the year. This year they’ll toast Sister Gertrude Levy, Brett Barnes, Mickey and Jeanne Klein and H-E-B among others. Learn more at AFPAustin.org.
9 Third Annual Charity Bash Masquerade Ball at 8pm. Benefiting Creative Action. creativeaction.org 10 The Nobelity Project Artist and Filmmakers Dinner honoring Kris Kristofferson at 6pm. Benefiting The Nobelity Project. nobelity.org
22 Austin Under 40 Awards Gala at 5:30 pm. Benefiting Austin Sunshine Camps and YWA Foundation. austinunder40.org 23 Cattle Baron’s Ball at 7pm. Benefiting American Cancer Society. cattlebaronsballaustin.org Feb 28 – March 1 The Central Texas African American Family Support Conference. Benefitting CTAAFSC. ctaafsc.org March 2 The Crystal Ball. Benefiting Helping Hand Home for Children. helpinghandhome.org 2 CASAblanca Gala at 6pm. Benefiting CASA of Travis County. casatravis.org 7 Put Kids 1st Annual Luncheon at 12pm. Benefiting Texan’s Care for Children.
14 Philanthropy Day at 10:45 am. Benefiting Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Austin. afpaustin.org
FEB 22
Austin Under 40
Surely whoever chooses the winners of Austin Under 40 awards can predict the future. Past honorees include some of Austin’s brightest stars today. So you’ll want tickets to this bash-slash-awards-slash-fundraiser. Hosted by the Young Women’s Alliance and the Young Men’s Business League presents its Annual Austin Under 40 Awards to honor young, successful for the 15th year in a row. Proceeds go to fund camp for at-risk youth and scholarships for young women. Learn more atAustinUnder40.org Learn more at AustinSocialPlanner.com
Jan/Feb 2013 15
now
9 JDRF Deal for a Cure at 6pm. Benefiting Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. jdrf-austin.ejoinme.org
16 The Hollywood & Casino Night Gala at 6pm. Benefiting The Capital Area Dental Foundation. capitalareadentalfoundation.org
h a p p e n i n g
January 26 Dell Children’s Gala 2013 at 6pm. Benefiting The Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. childrensaustin.org
At St. David’s Foundation, helping create a healthier Central Texas is our job. And we sure do love our job. It takes funding, hard work, and initiative to build a healthy community, and that’s the mission of St. David’s Foundation. As a joint owner of St. David’s HealthCare, the Foundation achieves its goals by investing the proceeds from the hospitals back into the Central Texas community. In 2013, the Foundation is projected to invest $46 million to the community through grants to numerous agencies, local safety net clinics, and the highly acclaimed St. David’s Dental Program. By funding initiatives in six key areas – Healthy Aging, Healthy Futures, Healthy Living, Healthy Minds, Healthy People and Healthy Smiles – St. David’s Foundation focuses on improving the health and health care of all Central Texans today and for years to come. Learn more at www.stdavidsfoundation.org.
Impact. Community. Health.
16 givingCityaustin.com
A Candid Look at Austin’s Nonprofit Scene Keep Austin Giving – an online social column by Austin photojournalist Robert Godwin – shares news and photos of the nonprofit events you attend. So whether you are in the photos or want to share them, Keep Austin Giving is your source.
Check out the latest happenings at keepaustingiving.org.
Jan/Feb 2013 17
By Monica M. Williams Photographs by scott van osdol
Step It
Up
Meet Nancy and Mike, two Austnites just like you who are taking their giving to the next level.
18 GivingCityAustin.com
get involved
She’s Cracked the Code There’s a secret to finding time to volunteer, and Nancy Mallory knows it.
Meet Nancy Mallory. Marketing manager, runner, mother, volunteer. Just another working mom, right? Well, Mallory is an electrical engineer and the marketing manager of the electrical markets division at 3M. Her favorite distance to run is the half marathon, but she has also run 15 marathons across the country. She has three children, ages 21, 19 and 15, and each of them speaks another language. She is active on the 3M Women’s Leadership Council, serves on the board of Hope Alliance for Williamson County and at her church she serves on the endowment com-
mittee, sings in the choir and helped open a commercial kitchen to make meals for Caritas. Oh, and she speaks French. This is not a contest. Mallory is not any busier than you are. She’s just decided that volunteering is important. “I don’t watch a lot of television,” says Mallory. “My house is lived in as opposed to clean. For me, it’s a matter of choices.” On the wall at her office at 3M, Mallory keeps a sign that says, in French, “Life is a series of decisions.” But Mallory has had other signs in her life that point her toward service. When she was growing up, money was tight. Jan/Feb 2013 19
There was even one year when her family needed food stamps to put dinner on the table. Still, every time they were on better footing, her parents found a way to share with others. As the secretary of the board for Hope Alliance, Mallory knows there are a number of women who are not as lucky as she is, women who face abuse and assault in their own homes. Last May the board launched a strategic plan to expand the capacity of the organization and find a larger space to accommodate the growing need in Williamson County, one of the fastest growing communities in the country. “The projected growth in that area is a big sign that we will have to grow to serve more families,” says Mallory. “And I’m excited to be a part of that growth.” The fact that her employer, 3M, produces one of the most popular half marathons in the country is another sign that Mallory’s choices are aligned. As a volunteer she has manned the water stops, stuffed the bags and helped with packet pick-up. This year, 3M is stepping it up, too. For years, the race has benefited Communities in Schools, with 3M committing to donating $30,000 of race proceeds. In 2013, 3M upped that donation to $40,000. “It helps to know that the company I’ve worked for 24 years is supportive of the community,” says Mallory. “There really is a culture of volunteerism and 20 GivingCityAustin.com
community at 3M.” Because Mallory’s schedule can get hectic, she doesn’t leave volunteerism to chance. “I put board meetings on my calendar as soon as I know the dates,” she says. “It’s about scheduling and acknowledging that I have to set aside that time, even if it means I have to leave work early one day and leave work late the next.” It’s also about finding something you’re passionate about. Working at 3M has been incredibly rewarding for Mallory and she finds running a great way to stay healthy and relieve stress. Despite her ambivalence for housekeeping, Mallory loves making plans and being organized, two interests that have served her well at Hope Alliance and on her church’s endowment committee. “You have to set a goal and you have to map out specific steps to get there,” she says. She even takes this approach to cooking together with the other volunteers at church. “I’m the one who makes the overall plan and gives each person a role,” she says. Her church colleagues call her “The General.” But Mallory’s planning works. She even set a goal for the 3M Half Marathon this year of 1:40, slower than her personal best but accounting for an altered course that included more hills. We checked the race results: She hit her goal. For Mallory, everything seems to be running according to schedule.
get involved
HIS NEWFOUND LOVE Watching a nonprofit behind the scenes helped Mike Shaw commit to doing more.
Whether he lived in Phoenix, Atlanta or now Austin, Mike Shaw, a mortgage broker with 360 Mortgage Group, has always made regular donations to support pet protection nonprofits. As the owners of two dogs and having no children, Shaw and his wife Stacy were happy to share their good fortune with local and national organizations. But when he moved to Cedar Park six months ago, something made Shaw decide to step it up. The difference for him was his realtor. Laurie Loew of Give Realty gives clients 25 percent of her commission to donate to the charity of
their choice. It’s part of her mission to get more people to get involved. But an important part of that strategy is getting her client to personally present a “big check” to the nonprofit. Shaw had chosen to make the donation from his home purchase, about $2,500, to the Humane Society of Williamson County (now called Texas Humane Heroes). “We were looking forward to making that donation as much as we were moving into our new house,” says Shaw. When they visited the shelter to present the check, the director graciously offered to show them around. That’s Jan/Feb 2013 21
when the light came on for shaw. “he spent a good hour with us and gave us a nice little tour,” shaw remembers. “i hadn’t spent a lot of time at shelters. My wife and i love to support them, but we’d always imagined they would be a little depressing, that we’d want to bring all the dogs home. but this shelter was really nice. The facility itself is great. And it’s a no-kill shelter, which means you can look a dog or cat in the eye and know they’re not going to be euthanized.” shaw also came to understand the value of the staff. “They work all day long to maintain the facilities, raise money, put on special events. it’s not easy work,” he says. Those insights lead shaw to decide to give beyond his initial check. he has since signed up to make monthly donations, volunteer at the shelter and serve on the committee for the golf tournament fundraiser. “We’ve always donated money,” says shaw, “but getting out to that shelter got us talking to people — and talking to each other about helping more.” Taking that step to visit the facility changed shaw’s perspective on giving. “i tell people now, ‘Don’t do what we did for so many years,’” he says. “you’ve got to give yourself the opportunity to get hands-on.” he adds, “it’s so much easier than people realize.” 22 givingCityaustin.com
5 WAys to Work it in Finding the time to volunteer isn’t about eliminating the things you love or the things you need to do. It’s about finding clever ways to combine the two. Consider these: 1. CaN’t gIVE uP FamILy tImE? Volunteering with your family is one of the best ways to be together. Children learn to share, parents get to be role models and everyone gets to enjoy the feeling of helping others. Learn more at LittleHelpingHands.org
FACT The most recent data about volunteering in America shows that WORKING MOTHERS are the population group most likely to volunteer.
$21.91 per hour That’s the value of a volunteer hour in Texas, according to Independent Sector’s annual assessment. For most volunteer work, the value is not based on the volunteer’s earning power. It doesn’t matter if you’re a waiter or a lawyer. Both of your volunteer time is worth the same amount. Learn more at IndependentSector.org
2. RatHER HaNg WItH youR FRIENDS? Austin has dozens of professional groups that support local nonprofits, from the young Women’s Alliance to habitat young professionals and LeAp for Lifeworks to impact Austin and L3. each of them offers a mix of volunteering, fundraising and leadership opportunities with plenty of happy hours mixed in.
4. too buSy WItH HouSEWoRk? have a “give it away” mindset for chores. Keep a give-away pile near the front door and take it all to goodwill, salvation Army or another charitable thrift store. (Not all our charitable, so read the bin before you throw it in.) Towels and bedding can go to an animal shelter, travel toiletries can go to safeplace or front steps, books can go to inside books project... just about everything still usable can go to a good cause. See Give It Away at GivingCityAustin.org
5. buSy ... but Not SuRE WItH WHat? first, reassess your priorities. yes, Downton See Inside Austin Philanthropy at Abbey is important, but GivingCityAustin.org you will never get back those hours spent on 3. CaN’t gEt aWay the sofa. Volunteering, FRom WoRk? however, adds more if your employer doesn’t time to the day. offer paid time off for According to a 2012 volunteering like 3M, study conducted Amplify Credit Union and Wharton, harvard and others, then bring the yale, “giving time gives volunteering to the office. you time.” Organize a food drive, And i quote: “in short, a blood drive or a fundwe propose that spendraiser. Or take advantage ing time on others of a holiday to volunteer makes people feel like with a large group. On they have done a lot Martin Luther King Day, with their time — and for example, hands On the more they feel they Central Texas organizes have done with their community volunteer time, the more time projects all over town. they feel they will have.” Learn more at HandsOnCentralTexas.org
See Get Involved at GivingCityAustin.org
M a M a M a M a M
Make aUstin a giVing city Make aUstin a giVing city Make aUstin a giVing city Make aUstin a giVing city Make aUstin yoUr donations can sUpport oUr Mission to Make aUstin a giViNg CiTy.
become a member now and get your givingCity T-shirt. givingCityaustin.org
Jan/Feb 2013 23
24 GivingCityAustin.com
CHILDREN’S SERVICES by moNICa m. WILLIamS phOTOgrAphs by CECILy JoHNSoN
JOe’s JOUrNey Being a “Little” helped Joe become a man. Being a “Big” helped Joe become a leader. How one man embodies the success of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas
“my dad was an alcoholic, a womanizer. He never had a job for more than six months,” remembers Joe morales. “but to me he was everything, you know? He was my dad.” ¶ “When he left, I remember him in his room packing while my mother was crying. I kept saying,
Joe Morales Today Today, Joe works in global sales at Dell. He has been a volunteer and board member for BBBS, and is anxious to have another Little again.
‘Dad, where are you going? Let me come with you. Let me get packed.’ but he just kept telling me, ‘No, mijo, stay here.’ i just wouldn’t let him go.’” Then Joe’s father did what Joe remembers as the worst thing. “finally my dad said, ‘Look, mijo. i’ll come back later with some ice cream and we can
talk about it.’ so after a while i let him go.” That night, Joe fell asleep waiting for his dad and his ice cream. he woke up the next morning and asked where his father was. his mother just kept saying, “he’s not coming back. he’s gone.” All that remained was Joe, his two-year-old sister and his mother.
Joe’s father had left with his mother’s best friend. Over the years, he never paid child support. he never even remembered Joe’s birthday. “When i was about 11, i started to get a little chirpy,” remembers Joe. “Talking back to my mother, getting out of line. she was a strong woman, she did everything for us.” having volunteered with other local nonprofits, Joe’s mother had heard about big brothers, which at the time had only been around about Jan/Feb 2013 25
a year, and got Joe signed up. “That’s when Dave came into my life.” “Dave lived in northeast Austin, he was an engineer at ibM,” Joe remembers. “And i’m 11, so you know, i thought, ‘he’s a nerd. he’s a dork. i don’t want this guy.’” “but i came to love that guy with all my heart,” remembers Joe. “i knew he was going to call me every week. i knew he was going to be there.” Dave exposed Joe to a different way of life. he was married, he owned a home. he’d graduated from Notre Dame, was enrolled in graduate school at the University of Texas. he had a dog. “This guy had a boat!” remembers Joe. “i remember he taught me to water ski, and i went back to school and told my friends. They just looked at me like, ‘What are you talking about, water ski, man? What’s that?’ it was cool.” tHE LESSoN tHat SaVED HIS LIFE On sundays Dave and his wife would invite Joe to dinner. One night Dave was outside grilling while Joe played ReuniteNow.org with his dog in the This year, Big Brothers Big grass. “i said, ‘Man, you Sisters launched a campaign got a nice house. i’m to register alumni of BBBS never going to have a to reconnect them to the house like this.’ organization. “Our former “And Dave said to me, Bigs and Littles had some ‘i tell you three things life-changing experiences you can do and you can because of our organization,” have a house like this. says Melanie Chasteen of in fact, you can have BBBS of Central Texas. “This more than this. One, campaign helps us learn get an education. Two, more about their stories.” In always strive to do your its more than 40 years, the best at whatever you nonprofit has hosted thou- do. And three, stay out sands of Bigs and Littles. of trouble.” 26 givingCityaustin.com
Joe and Dave her together for seven years, until Joe outgrew the program when he was 18 years old. “My life would have been totally different if it weren’t for my big brother Dave.” After high school, Joe didn’t think he was ready for college, so he got a job. soon he met a young woman, fell in love and eventually got married. she had a degree from UT-Austin, so Joe decided it was time he enrolled. Around the same time, he realized that he wanted to repay Dave for what he did for him. so Joe decided to become a big brother himself. JoE’S NEXt bIg StEP “When i think back on becoming a big, what a transformation that was for me,” says Joe. “having that responsibility helped me become a man. it forced me to grow up and live the life that Dave expected of me.” his own Little, David, was a quiet eight-yearold from a family of six children and a single mother. They lived in public housing. The kid had never known a father. “i’d call and tell him i was going to be there at 9 am, and David would be on his front steps at 8:45, waiting for me.” Joe met with David every week, taking him on his first trip to the mall, bringing him over to his the house for sunday-night burgers. “At one point David says to me, ‘Man, you got a nice house. i’m never going to have
a house like this,” remembers Joe. “i knew just what to say.” JoE SHaRES HIS SuCCESS When he was 29 years old, after seven years of working and going to UT-Austin, Joe got his degree. At his graduation were his wife, his mother and Dave. “Dave deserved to be there.” As Joe’s own Little grew, he realized he wouldn’t need him much longer. When David became 17 years old, Joe could tell he wasn’t interested in having a big brother anymore. “he didn’t know at the time how much that broke my heart,” remembers Joe. “but now he’s married, he has two kids, works at AMD. he had brothers that were in and out of jail. i gotta believe i made a difference in his life.” Today Joe has a job he loves at Dell, a daughter in her first year of college, a home and a sense of family. he’s volunteered for big brothers big sisters for years, even serving on the board. he stayed in touch with Dave for years, until Dave moved to the Dallas area to be with his grandchildren. And he knows David is still doing well in south Austin. More than anything, he wants people to know the power of that one-on-one mentoring. “i’m just talking from the heart,” he says, “but i’m a living example that this agency works. And the process of matching and supporting the follow-ups works.”
Jan/Feb 2013 27
Thursday april 4 2013 // 7–10 p m The Jones Center // 700 Congress Avenue Ticketsapril $150 at amoa-arthouse.org/fivexseven Thursday 4 2013 // 7–10 p m
All Five x Seven proceeds support AMOA-Arthouse
The JonesExhibitions Center //and 700 Congress Avenue Public Programs
Tickets $150 at amoa-arthouse.org/fivexseven a sponsors: All Five x Medi Seven proceeds support AMOA-Arthouse Exhibitions and Public Programs
28 GivingCityAustin.com
Medi a sponsors:
G I V I N G i D e A s gREat EVENtS
events for the Austin Children’s shelter. Think fore the Children, fashion for Compassion, this past fall’s gorgeous “putting on the ritz” gala and this spring’s New Wave ball. Today she’s one of the city’s leading experts on
event fundraising and owner of Mia the event Diva, an event production and personal concierge business, and The gift bag, a personal shopping and gift-wrapping business. Take a look at her do’s and don’ts below.
oN PLaNNINg
oN PREPaRatIoN
oN EVENt NIgHt
DO create a timeline for every event. Do have goals, objectives and measurable outcomes for the event. DO create and communicate clear roles for the staff, committee and board. DO realize that details make the difference. Remember the five senses: smell, touch, hearing, sight and taste.
DO know that budget drives your event — and you must manage the budget. DO use good vendors. Work with the best and you will have the best events. Do ask vendors for what you want. There is always room for negotiation. DO realize that volunteer committees are essential, but they must be managed well. DON’T forget to track the cost of raising $1. Great events raise money.
DO take the time to create a smooth check-in process. The way the event starts sets the tone for the evening. DO stay calm in a crisis. Staff and attendees feed off your energy. DON’T ever let them see you sweat. DO keep speakers on track; too many speeches are boring! DON’T be surprised when something goes wrong. It will. Be prepared.
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Take it from Mia Washington: successful fundraising events don’t happen by accident. for more than 10 years, Washington, a cerfied meeting professional, created some of Austin’s biggest, most successful fundraising
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yoUr neXt-eVent CheCKLisT
Mia Washington
oN bEINg CREatIVE DON’T forget the fun factor. DON’T overlook the smallest details. They make the difference. DON’T forget that the basic event format is the same. Your job is to bring the flavor of your organization to the event. DO make your event memorable.
Jan/Feb 2013 29
G I V I N G I D E A S businesses giving back
30 GivingCityAustin.com
C E C I LY J O H N S O N
the community to share its resources and knowledge. In less than a year, the Microsoft Store at The Domain in Austin has donated over $1 million dollars in software, employee volunteerism and monetary and in-kind gifts to dozens of local nonprofits and community organizations. Giving to the community has and will continue to be a big part of its mission. That’s because supporting the community aligns perfectly with the corporation’s overall mission. “Our goal is to help people and businesses around the world realize their full potential by giving them the technology tools they need to succeed,” says Brynn Biddle, community development specialist at the Microsoft at The Domain store. Before the store even opened, employees were out in the community doing days of service, donating software and hardware to local nonprofits and spreading the word about its free in-store workshops and educational events. The workshops continue to grow in popular-
ity; Microsoft associates lead workshops on everything from organizing and editing photos to analyzing data in Excel. Workshops are available to anyone in the community; senior citizens, businesses professionals, and even toddlers — the adorable and popular TechTots program lets little kids get hands-on with tablets, laptops and more. All workshops are held in the store’s meeting space, a resource for nonprofits to host events like team meetings and work sessions. “It’s our responsibility to provide community members with these opportunities to learn more about technology,” Biddle said. Outside the store, Biddle organizes two service projects each month for employees, with activities taking place across community gardens, food pantries, nonprofit fundraisers and more. The Austin store has also sponsored nonprofit events, including Easter Seals, The Susan G. Komen Austin Affiliate, the Autism Society of Greater Austin.
Your event here! The Microsoft Store at the Domain invites nonprofits to get creative with its space. Last year, Komen Austin handed out pink boas and other nonprofits brought in senior clients for tech trainings. To learn more contact Brynn Biddle at brynn.biddle@microsoft.com
Jan/Feb 2013 31
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So much more than a store. How Microsoft at The Domain invites
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open for non-profit business
Pentagram is a multidisciplinary design consultancy with offices in London, New York, Berlin and Austin. Pentagram Austin handles a variety of projects for a broad range of local, national and international clients. 512.476.3076 pentagram.com 32 GivingCityAustin.com
G I V I N G i D e A s DoNatIoNS at WoRk
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What can yoUr $100 do?
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A lot more than you think! Here are a few ways your $100 gets put to work in the community.
“$100 donation to emancipet helps provide one spay/neuter surgery and a round a vaccinations – yay!”
“$100 pays for 40 hot, healthy, tasty meals delivered right to the doors of some of Austin’s most vulnerable homebound residents. Often times, these meals are the only nutritious food our clients will eat all day.”
Emancipet.org
ADrieNNe LONgeNeCKer, Cfre Emancipet
MealsOnWheelsandMore.org
“The food bank can take $100 and turn it into $500 worth of nutritious food. With almost 1 in 5 Central Texans living in households at risk of hunger, that puts a lot of meals on hungry families tables.” AustinFoodBank.org
JOhN TUrNer Capital Area Food Bank
DAN prUeTT
Meals on Wheels
“$100 will give a child one week of summer camp, creating life-changing experiences and memories. $100 will give a new swimmer a session of swimming lessons. $100 will give one cancer survivor five weeks of the yMCA’s LiVesTrONg program, helping rebuild strength and well-being. We can make your money go a long way!” AustinYMCA.org
ron perry
Health & Wellness Director at Northwest Family YMCA
Jan/Feb 2013 33
benefiting Creative action Saturday March 23
(
per TICKETS: ( $75 person
18300 FM 1826 Driftwood, Texas 78619
CARNIVAL AL GAMES
CHAPARRAL On the spot
Cake walk
Live Animals Live Auction
34 givingCityaustin.com
G I V I N G i D e A s HomELESSNESS
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the Untold story oF hOMeLess yOUTh
COUrTesy Of JANNA MCMAhAN
all pay attention to. Now she asks, what can we do to help?
she was someone Janna McMahan would never forget: a teenage girl on the street, her face covered with intricate tattoos. “it was shocking,” says McMahan, a journalist turned novelist, “i carried her image in my mind for years.” McMahan set out to learn more about the millions of teens like this girl who live on the streets. What she discovered was a story of survival, hope and hu-
manity. her novel “Anonymity” tells the story of Lorelei, a homeless teen who finds herself in Austin with no food and no place to go. in her research McMahan turned to LifeWorks, a youth homeless shelter. “i started in Austin two years ago where a wonderful outreach professional, steve bewsey, showed me the role LifeWorks plays in helping homeless kids become more selfsufficient and hopeful.
i quickly learned that i had an ill-informed profile of homeless youth,” says McMahan. “The most stunning aspect of this issue was that the majority of kids on the streets aged out of foster care. They truly have nowhere to call home. This is wrong on so many levels.” As the foster system turns our more unprepared youth on the streets, McMahan says it’s a shame and a waste that we aren’t helping them see their full potential. “isn’t it best for all of us if we help them become self-sufficient, contributing citizens?” Koehler books will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Anonymity to LifeWorks. “We are pleased to contribute to LifeWorks,” said publisher John Koehler. “They do vital outreach and help America’s young homeless transition to a better, self-sufficient life.” Learn more at JannaMcMahan.com.
Jan/Feb 2013 35
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A novelist’s research with LifeWorks becomes a gritty novel about a subculture we should
36 GivingCityAustin.com
G I V I N G i D e A s EDuCatIoN
captUring A MOTher’s LOVe
Meet Scott Van Osdol often shoots pro bono and he leads the marketing team behind Hill Country Ride for AIDS. About this shoot, he says, “We had such rich subject matter.”
This february, Con Mi MADre will celebrate 20 years of success at its 2013 Annual Corazon Awards with a special gallery displaying the hard work and dedication of girls in their program. “by looking at those photos you should get some sense of what these young women did and what it was that’s so moving,” says sandy Alcala, executive director of Con Mi MADre says.
The nonprofit grooms young hispanic women for success in college by taking a unique approach: making sure their mothers are part of that plan. Most girls in the program are the first from their families to go to college. Local photographer, scott Van Osdol, donated his time and talent to the Con Mi MADre gallery, saying he was easily convinced
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Photographer Scott Van Osdol finds inspiration in a nonprofit’s mission.
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by REbECCa PERSoNS
that this was a project worth supporting. “Working with Con Mi MADre turned out to be a splendid pro-bono project. We had such rich subject matter; mothers and daughters working to get the girls into college,” says Van Osdol. “Our subjects are strong supporters of Con Mi MADre and were very proud to be chosen; you can see it in their faces.” Learn more at ConMiMADRE.org
Jan/Feb 2013 37
G I V I N G I D E A S children’s services
BEARS BRING HOPE TO FAMILIES
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With a child in a coma, a mother receives a gift from a stranger she will never forget.
Two years ago, when Kennedy Chilton (pictured above) was just five years old, a terrible illness forced her into a coma. While Kennedy fought for her life in a bed at Dell Children’s Medical Center, her parents never left her side. Finally exhausted and risking their own health, her parents took a break at the Ronald McDonald House. While they were there, Karen and Rob Matuszeski, long-time RMHC supporters, came to the House with a 38 GivingCityAustin.com
delivery of 50 Build-aBear stuffed animals. Karen handed one to Kennedy’s mother, Anna. “I was stunned,” remembers Anna. “It made me realize how she was living now, but also helped me picture how excited she would be when she woke up.” Anna clutched the little stuffed beagle and sobbed. When Kennedy came out of the coma a month later, she fell in love with the beagle, promptly naming it Andrea, after
her favorite ICU nurse. Anna and her family have not forgotten that generosity. This year Kennedy and her mother are teaming up with the Matuszewskis in what has become an annual donation of Build-aBears on Valentine’s Day. On Facebook, Karen Matuszewski said, “A lot of great people come together each year to make this event happen for Ronald McDonald House families — Rob and I
are honored to have such great friends!” Kennedy has been collecting money to purchase stuffed animals and intends to deliver them to the Ronald McDonald House herself. Says Kennedy’s mother, “I want Karen and Bob to see that their generosity is not in vain. It’s healing and therapeutic to families. I can hardly wait to hand a stuffed animal to a mom and see the look on her face.” Learn more at RMHC-Austin.org
cou r t e s y o f r onald mcdonald h ou s e c h a r i t i e s
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by monica m. williams
Jan/Feb 2013 39
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Take advantage of our Friends and Family Discount today. Microsoft The Domain 3309 Esperanza Crossing, Suite 104 Austin, TX 78758 *Bring this card ad to any participating Microsoft retail store to redeem. Offer not valid online. May not be combined with other offers or applied to prior purchases. Excludes gift cards, pre-ordered products, Office 365, Volume Licensing, Surface, and Microsoft Surface accessories. Limited to stock on hand. Discount applies before taxes, shipping, and other fees. Limit 1 coupon per person. Not for resellers. Quantity limits may apply. See a store associate for details. Valid from 1/13/13 to 3/31/13. Apps from Windows Store; vary by market. Promo code: friends01 40 GivingCityAustin.com