Updates about Austin's philanthropic efforts
1. Through Dec. 1 submissions will be accepted for
Tiny Victories, an architectural design competition that aims to provide safe homes for the Central Texas homeless. The goal is to submit micro-home housing concepts to be part of Community First! Village, a 27-acre East Austin community created by Mobile Loaves & Fishes that is geared toward disabled and homeless Central Texans. Finalists will be announced Dec. 10, and homes will be built on-site beginning in mid-2015.
www.tinyvictories.org
2. A pink Austin Police Department patrol vehicle was unveiled Sept. 26 as part of October's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Austinites are encouraged to post photos with the APD vehicle to raise more awareness for breast cancer leading up to the Nov. 16 Race for the Cure event in downtown Austin, an annual fundraiser hosted by
Susan G. Komen Austin.
www.komenaustin.org
3. A new nonprofit group called
Partners in Parenting will hold its first fundraiser from 7–10 p.m. Nov. 15. The private event will raise money to help cover program and operational costs for the group. Partners in Parenting aims to provide neighborhood-based support for new Austin parents through 12-week education sessions hosted by trained facilitators.
www.pipaustin.org
4. Party For Good, a nonprofit excellence awards ceremony hosted by
Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, will take place from 6–9 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Greenlights, an organization that consults with local nonprofits, will honor nominees in various categories, including Community Leader of the Year, Nonprofit Executive of the Year and Nonprofit of the Year—with three winners announced from small, medium and large organizations. Seats cost $100 for nonprofit members and $150 for the general public.
www.greenlights.org
5.
Latinitas, a nonprofit group that seeks to empower Latina youth through technology, will host its first Code Chica Conference from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Austin Community College Eastview campus. The conference, geared toward girls ages 9–18, will include computer code workshops and other lessons in code languages. Registration costs $15 for non-Latinitas participants.
www.laslatinitas.com
6.
Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas on Oct. 19 held its annual Buddy Walk fundraiser, a 1-mile walk to promote Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October. The event aimed to raise $200,000 locally this year.
www.dsact.org
7. The ninth annual
Barkitecture fundraiser took place Oct. 19 in Triangle Park, showcasing uniquely designed doghouses created by Austin architects, designers and builders. The creations were auctioned with funds raised—the goal being $30,000 this year—going toward animal advocacy groups Austin Dog Rescue, Don't Bully Me Rescue Texas, Meals on Wheels and More PALS program, Lizzy's Hospice House, and Wags Hope & Healing.
www.austinbarkitecture.com
8. Austin-based PBS station
KLRU-TV announced Sept. 24 it was awarded a $200,000 American Graduate community service grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The grant aims to raise awareness and reduce poor high school graduation rates in Central Texas. Dropouts cost the area $435 million annually, according to estimates. Austin ISD is among the partners helping to develop long-term solutions to combating high dropout rates.
www.klru.org/americangraduate
9. More than 10,000 students and 117 Austin-area teachers benefited Sept. 9 from an $87,803.58 donation from
Google to www.donorschoose.org, a crowdfunding website that helps fund teacher classroom requests. In total, 133 projects were funded in Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell and Hays counties.
www.donorschoose.org
