The 24-hour event begins March 2 at 6 p.m. and ends March 3 at 6 p.m. Donations to nonprofits can be made online at www.amplifyatx.org.
Amplify Austin Day, which is hosted by I Live Here I Give Here, has raised about $82 million through 500,000 gifts to local nonprofits since it began in 2013. In 2022, the event's goal is to reach 50,000 donors, which is a 30% increase from last year.
"It's only our community that is going to step up and support others in our community and keep Austin as that place that everyone loves to live in," ILHIGH CEO Courtney Manuel said. "But we have to keep showing up because as Austin grows, the giving must also grow. As Austin grows, the disparity is also growing, so the giving is more crucial."
Community members can donate to over 700 organizations across Central Texas including nonprofits in Travis, Hays, Williamson and four other counties. Donations can be made online to specific nonprofits, or donors can search for organizations by category such as racial equity, animals, civic engagement, the environment and other causes. Donations start at $5 so that giving is reachable and accessible to anyone, Manuel said.
New to the 2022 event is a partnership with the Black Leaders Collective and Meme Styles Consulting to amplify the voices of Black-led nonprofits in Central Texas and to improve equity across nonprofits. This includes a match for Black-led nonprofits through ILHIGH's Amplify Fund. A new website search function identifies Black-led, Asian/Pacific Islander-led, Latinx-led and Indigenous-led organizations for donors to give to.
The partnership with the Black Leaders Collective also worked to identify organizations that previously did not participate in Amplify Austin Day and to eliminate barriers that excluded their participation such as scholarships for membership fees and aid to receive 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, Manuel said.
Local businesses, restaurants and organizations are also partnering on Amplify Austin Day to donate proceeds and match donations to nonprofits. One example is JuiceLand, which is donating all sale proceeds on Amplify Austin Day to nonprofits that serve the LGBTQIA+ community.
The community can also watch a 24-hour livestream event called Amplify Live in which nonprofit community needs, celebrity guests, businesses and media leaders will be shared. Live music will be performed by Black Pumas, Durand Jones and The Indications, Band of Horses and other musicians. The event can be viewed online, on Austin Public Channel 10 and on ILHIGH's YouTube and Facebook pages.
Manuel said the nonprofit community is there to support the people who need it most and who have not bounced back yet. But nonprofits themselves are also working to return to pre-pandemic levels.
"The amount of need is so much greater than it's ever been before, and the amount of pressure on these organizations than it's ever been before," Manuel said. "This is the time that we really need to be showing up and giving back."
