GivingCity Austin Spring 2012

g i v i n g c i t y A U S T I N

want happy kids? find out how families in austin volunteer and grow together.

About 100 Austin Boy Scouts stepped up to help sort food at Capital Area Food Bank.

Spring 2012 1

The Seton Foundations congratulates Leadership Austin’s Brightest Party Ever 2012 Honorees for their outstanding leadership and generous commitment to Central Texas!

Exceptional Award for an Honorary Alumnus Charles Barnett President, Healthcare Operations and Chief Operating Officer, Ascension Health; Former CEO, Seton Healthcare Family

Polly Scallorn Community Trustee Sam Planta Essential Class of 1991 Chief Culture Officer, Touchstone Communities

Ascendant Award Courtney Clark Emerge Class of 2010 Founder, Austin Involved

Inspiring Donors • Building Endowments • Engaging Volunteers setonfoundations.org childrensaustin.org setonhaysfoundation.org setonwilliamsonfdn.org setonfund.org 2 GivingCityAustin.com

GIVING C O N T E N T S Spring 2012 Issue 11

cover story

Editor-in-Chief Monica M. Williams Design DJ Stout Carla Rogers Pentagram Design Advertising Director Angela Roark angela@givingcity.com Marketing Director Narissa Johnson narissa@givingcity.com

19 Volunteering as a family

We want our kids to be helpful, kind and civically engaged; the good news is, volunteering as a family can start them on the right path. Learn how.

FEATURES

28 making online giving work

P h o t o g r aphs by M att Lank e s an d b e th p e r kins

Developers are quick to roll out new online giving tools, but nonprofits say, “Show me the money.”

32 How to lead now

Charles Barnett of Seton tops Leadership Austin’s honorees.

Contributors Sun Connor Cody Hamilton Arlen Nydam Chantal Rice Jo Ann Santangelo Shelley Seale Melody Warnick

DEPARTMENTS

5 editor’s letter Matt Lankes

6 BRIEFS Highlights from last season: Zilker Kite Festival, Mardi Gras Madness, Family Support Conference and more

Beth Perkins

9 HAPPENING NOW Get involved with Goodwill, Con Mi MADRE, the Awesome Foundation and more

Joel Salcido

34 GIVE BETTER Fudraising events, NPO name change, affordable housing and more

GivingCity Austin is available online. To request print copies, please call 512-472-4483.

2012 Copyright GivingCity Austin.

No part of this document may be reproduced without permission.

45 DIRECTORY Austin businesses giving back

Cover photo by Matt Lankes Spring 2012 3

4 GivingCityAustin.com

GIVING I T B A C K EDITOR’S LETTER

trail blazers

Three of GivingCity’s 2011 New Philanthropists Narissa Johnson, Brock Sampson and Yvette Ruiz.

Don’t forget to nominate a 2012 New Philanthropist.

The first time we did “New Philanthropists” in 2009, we thought of it as a just complicated photo shoot. It took weeks to organize 30 people for the shoot, along with the photographer, the location and several bottles of wine to loosen everybody up.

We shot it at J. Black’s in the back lounge. The group included Dave Neff, Maggie Miller, Christine Moline, Brandi Clark, Dan Graham, Dave Shaw, Armando Rayo and a couple dozen others, all of whom are still actively pushing Austin forward.

(You can see that issue on GivingCityAustin.com/ themagazine)

We started at 6 p.m. and I had promised everyone we’d be done by 8 p.m. We didn’t leave until past 10. The photographer was late, but everyone seemed to roll with it. When he was done, he broke down the scrim and the lights, and people swarmed to the sofas, ordering more drinks and finishing conversations.

It was the first-ever GivingCity party, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.

For this year’s New Philanthropists, we’ll gather the new honorees for photographs, of course.

But I realize now there’s more to it than that. It’s an opportunity for these like-minded philanthropy entrepreneurs and trailblazers to connect.

To make things even more interesting, we’ll invite previous New Phils (as we call them) and we won’t let them leave until each person connects.

That’s been the goal of GivingCity since the beginning: Connect more people to local philanthropy. We’re glad to be a part of this growing community.

Monica Editor-in-Chief Don’t forget to nominate a New Philanthropist by April 30: GivingCityAustin.com/ newphilanthropists

Find copies of this issue at the following events and locations: KLRU Birthdawy Party Hill Country Ride for AIDS Leadership Austin Best Party Ever AFP Monthly Luncheons Chuy’s Hot to Trot 5K Whole Earth Provision Co. Capital Area Food Bank Ronald McDonald House United Way Capital Area Austin Community Foundation Spring 2012 5

GIVING N E W S Community

Mike ClarkMadison:

events

Gras love the ‘80s? Mardi Madness

On Austin’s Civic Religion

Every fundraising event is different, but Mardi Gras Madness by the Town Lake Chapter of The Links is one of the hottest March ticket in town. More than 350 people danced and dined at The Sheraton, raising $40,000 for scholarships, meals for children after-school programs and “Mardi Gras Madness lets us celebrate our programs and recognize our sponsors that have supported us during the year,” says Gerri Tucker, the organization’s president.

The public policy and research director for Hahn, Texas, is also the former city editor for the Austin Chronicle – and a three-time Jeopardy champion. He recently spoke to Leadership Austin about Austin’s notorious city process.

“All accountability, all the time. In other communities, the challenge is to get people to participate. In Austin, if you get 20 people to a forum, you’d be really disappointed.

“The challenge in Austin, then, is to make sure the group reflects the stakeholders of the projects in question.

The process needs to be resilient to the expectation that a lot of people have opinions and want to see those opinions reflected in the outcomes at every stage of the project.

New Wave Ball committee Austin Kaplan, Mark Strub (chair), Christy Thomas, Mia Washington, Ben Conrad, Saurabh Garg.

Mia Washington of the Austin Children’s Shelter tapped into the ‘80s for its February event, New Wave Ball. About 500 young professionals crowded the dance floor dressed in their Flashdance best.

“The goal is to throw a totally fun party to get the

“It is worth it to have an 18-month process to create a neighborhood plan? On balance, it is. Because you really do end up with a lot of commitment to the project on all sides, and it winds up being a better project.”

younger crowd in,” says Washington. The event net $32,000 but almost doubled the amount raised thanks to a matching grant of $30,000. Washington reports the cost of fundraiser-per-dollarraised was 18 cents. New Wave Ball was promoted through social media and word-of-mouth, with 62% of attendees saying they heard about it “through a friend.”

Family Support Conference “For the most part, AfricanAmericans do not seek services for mental health,” says Sireesha Rutter of Austin Travis County Integral Care. But the Central Texas African American Family Support Conference aims to change that.

More than 700 people attended this year’s conference on Feb. 14, now in its 12th year. The free event features workshops for individuals and families, as well as for mental health professionals from government and nonprofit organizations and school districts.

“There is no way someone can go home from this conference and not know about the resources available to them.”

Learn more at ctaafsc.org

6 GivingCityAustin.com

legal services

b r i e fs

Young Lawyers for Women Homeless and battered women have unique needs, but they also have challenges to meeting those needs. That’s what makes the Women’s Resource Fair so special: Almost all their needs met and supported in one place. ¶ For the fifth year in a row, the Austin Young Lawyers Association and its Foundation offered the comprehensive all-day program, which provides a variety of free resources, from legal assistance to health screenings and childcare. ¶ In four years, the event has helped over 1,500 women and children in our community.

Learn more at ayla.org

Austin Young Lawyers Association works with more than 50 social service agencies as well as lawyers, nurses, accountants and counselors to bring free services to homeless and battered women for this one-day event.

children’s services

The Kite Festival Grows Up To say that Bunnie and Dorsey Twidwell singlehandedly have organized the Zilker Kite Festival for the past 14 years would be an understatement.

They and other Exchange Club volunteers handle everything: vendors, sponsors, health permits, parking and shuttles, the kite contests….

They arrive at 4 a.m. to set up and don’t leave the park until 9 p.m. to break it down. They put up the road closure signs before the event and, on the day after, they are back at Zilker helping crews pick up the trash.

For its entire 83 years, the Zilker Park Kite Festival has been organized by the Exchange Club, a civic-oriented nonprofit whose members are generally empty-nesters like Bunnie and Dorsey. But it’s clear that the festival has outgrown the all-volunteer nonprofit, says Donna Emery of Corcoran & Company, consultants who have adopted the Kite Festival. Emery says it’s time to mature it to the event Austinite’s demand without losing the “feel” of the festival.

This year’s the City of Austin kicked in by making the festival an official city event, waiving $37,000 in fees.

And Bobby Jenkins and his company, ABC Home & Commercial Services, signed on as headline sponsors, bringing about 100 crew members to rise with the Twidwells at 4 a.m. and stay until the bitter end.

Getting this kind of support is the key to keeping the Kite Festival alive, without selling out. “We worry about it turning into another beer-fest,” says Emery. But the challenge is also to not let the Zilker Kite Festival go the way of the Trail of Lights.

Learn more at ZilkerKiteFestival.com

Spring 2012 7

8 GivingCityAustin.com

GIVING I N A C T I O N education/training

happ e ning

Story and photos by Sun Connor

The Real Goodwill Tour the Goodwill mission, which is to give clients “a hand up, not a hand out.”

“What we do here at Goodwill is help people find work,” says Mike Willard of Goodwill.

“Education is key.”

For example, the GED center offers clients an opportunity to acquire a high-school equivalency diploma. As an incentive, participants who obtain a GED within the first six months are given $1,000.

We also met with and heard personal stories from three clients like Shelton, who currently appears on the Goodwill website and vans around town. The community rehabilitation program has helped him overcome his learning disability, find a job and pursue higher education.

Using job search classes and on-the-job, and technology training, Goodwill serves people with barriers to employment, like mental, physical or emotional disabilities and conditions such as welfare dependency, a criminal history or homelessness, a history of substance abuse or advanced age.

That’s more than 100 years of social innovation that works for thousands of Central Texans every year.

Learn more austingodwill.org

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Goodwill’s Marion Martin leads the tour that starts in a retail store, through administrative offices and into the back rooms of the facility.

Attention social entrepreneurs: Here’s your new role model.

For 110 years, 54 years in Central Texas, Goodwill has been providing an innovative, effective solution to a pressing social problem — job training and employment. Now you can go behind the scenes to see how it’s done.

That’s what “The Real Goodwill” tour is all about. It takes a vast network of client services, cross-sector collaborations, stores and donations to accomplish

Did you know…?

Goodwill generates revenue through four major business divisions: Retail Services — Processes and resells donated goods Goodwill Staffing Services — A full-service staffing company Environmental Business Services — De-manufactures, recycles and resells donated computers Contract Services — Provides contract services to state, federal and local businesses Spring 2012 9

GIVING I N A C T I O N community services

arts and culture

ENVIRONMENT

happ e ning

Why Video Loves Nonprofits

Give 5% for Mother Earth

Local video marketing company offers nonprofits chance to win a pro video.

by Vicky Garza

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On June 4, UPG Video Marketing launches its video contest, “Video for Change” for the second year. Last year’s winner, Out Youth (above) called their video prize, “an amazing and moving gift.”

Here’s how the contest works: Nonprofits are invited to submit their own homemade, low-tech video for consideration, and the winning entry receives a professionally made, hightech video to use for their own marketing.

The goal for this contest is to help nonprofits bring in donor dollars and volunteers, even for those who don’t win. It’s uniquely constructed to drive views to all the homemade videos, thereby increasing awareness of those causes.

“Want to know the real reason why we do this?” asks Ben Cecil, a partner with UPG Video Marketing.

“We don’t care if we make a dime off of this. It just feels good to be able to use our work to help nonprofits.

This is a purely selfish act.”

Last year, submitted videos were played more than 2,000 times, with most videos coming from small nonprofits with less visibility. Cecil hopes for more entries this year.

Learn more at UPGvideo.com/vfc

50 Arts Events in 12 Days In the spring, Austin becomes Art City. To wit: Fusebox, which calls itself an “idea engine.” Yes, but what time does it start, you ask? ¶ Well, it doesn’t so much “start” as much as you start to notice it.

Because it will be everywhere. ¶ Take the perfor-

Learn more at AustinGive5.com

mance by Wunderbaum (above), a story about how one ends up at the South Pole, as told in 10 songs.

Or consider “An Evening with William Shatner Asterisk,” in which the audience can ask anything and an image of William Shatner will answer, in responses pieced together from sound bites uttered by Captain Kirk. ¶ Some events are free, others require Hill Country Conservancy uses

tickets. An all-access pass is $125. The festival runs funds to purchase conservation from April 25 to May 6, and on May 7 you will be in Fusebox withdrawals.

Learn more at FuseboxFestival.com

10 GivingCityAustin.com

Almost 100 Austin businesses are donating 5 percent of their sales on April 21 to six Central Texas environmental nonprofits.

While 5 percent may not seem like much, last year the campaign — called Give 5% to Mother Earth — raised nearly $25,000.

This year, the Earth Day campaign is already on track to raise more than $50,000, said Harper Scott, of Hill Country Conservancy, which is one of the nonprofit beneficiaries, a list that also includes Clean Water Fund, Friends of Barton Springs Pool, Sierra Club, Texas Land Conservancy and TreeFolks.

Isadora McKeon of Hotel San Jose and Jo’s Coffee agreed to participate this year. “If we can help create an opportunity for other people to get involved by simply buying a cup of coffee in the morning or a beer after work, we’re happy to do it.”

easements on land like this 497acre Ragland tract, a historically and environmentally sensitive tract on the banks of Onion Creek.

This is the surprising face of hunger.

The hungry in Central Texas today may surprise you. They are hidden in full view. They are our friends and neighbors, recently laid-off adults, the elderly couple on the next block living on a fixed income.

And, of the 48,000 clients we serve every week, more than 1 in 3 are children. Hunger is unacceptable, especially in our own backyard. We can end hunger, but we can’t do it alone.

You can help.

Advocate . Donate . Volunteer Spring 2012 11 austinfoodbank.org . HungerIsUNacceptable.com

GIVING I N A C T I O N upcoming events

The Austin Reggae Fest accepts food donations but also gives a portion of its proceeds to the local food bank.

april 20

Austin Reggae Fest Here’s how Austin does reggae: We make it one of the biggest fundraisers of the year.

Since its inception in 1994, Reggae Fest has served as both a food drive and fund raiser for the Capital Area Food Bank). Over time, it’s become CAFB’s largest annual fundraiser, reaching over $200,000 in each of the last three years, allowing the food bank to provide $1 million worth of food in Central Texas.

Last year, these funds helped provide approximately 500,000 nutritious meals for hungry families in our community.

Learn more at AustinReggaeFest.com

may 4

Man and Woman of the Year Fourteen fund raisers. Ten weeks.

There are no thermometers, no miles to run. For the 14 people competing in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man and Woman of the Year competition, it’s just a straight-out ask with lots of help from LLS. The money they raise is big: Last year 12 candidates collectively raised over $156,000.

The campaign culminates on May 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Driskill Hotel with the announcement of the winners, but the true winners are the blood cancer patients and their families.

The 2011 MWOYs, Brad McClure and Elaine Candelas.

12 GivingCityAustin.com

Learn more at MWOY.org

april 25

Caritas Speaker Series The New York Times called “Breaking Night,” “a whiteknuckle account of survival, marked by desperation, brutality and fear, set in the wilds of the Bronx.” It’s the story of a girl’s survival of drugged-out household, her parents spending welfare checks on cocaine while the author and her sisters subsisted on Happy Meals in front of the TV. But what makes Liz Murray’s book enjoyable is that she writes without a hint of bitterness. Despite her childhood, she found her way to Harvard.

You’ll want to hear her speak first-hand about her life then and now. Bring a friend.

Learn more at CaritasofAustin.org

CALENDAR

March 25-April 3 Austin Restaurant Week. Benefiting Meals on Wheels and More. At Various Locations. restaurantweekaustin.com 5 Girl Scouts of Central Texas: Women of Distinction Luncheon.

11 am at AT&T Conference Center. Benefiting Girl Scouts of Central Texas. gsctx.org

10 GivingCity Austin Spring Launch. Benefiting Con Mi MADRE. givigcityaustin.com 12 The City of Austin Presents: Getting Connected 2-7 pm at the Palmer Events Center austinsmallbiz.com 14 27th Annual Rare & Fine Wine Auction. 6 pm at Four Seasons Hotel. winefoodfoundation.org 14 St Michael’s Catholic Academy Gala. 6 pm at Austin Country Club. Benefiting St Michael’s Catholic Academy. smca.com 14 A Mad Celebration. 7 pm at Cover 3. Benefiting Partnerships for Children. partnershipsforchildren.org 14 Celebrando Austin. 7 pm at Hilton Austin. Benefiting Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber Foundation. www.gahcc.org 14 Spring Benefit Bash. 8 pm at Private Home. Benefiting Women & Their Work Gallery. womenandtheirwork.org 15 Bowl-a-thon. 1 pm. Benefitting The Lilith Fund. Bowlathon. nnaf.org 16 James Street/Mack Brown Golf Shootout and Live Auction 1 pm Benefiting Rise School of Austin 19 Hispanic Austin Leadership Graduation. 6 pm at Radisson Hotel. Benefitting Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber. gahcc.org

28 Hill Country Ride for AIDS. Benefiting Hill Country Ride for AIDS. hillcountryride.org

20 25 Year Anniversary Gala de Esperanza. 8 pm at El Buen Samaritano. Benefiting El Buen Samaritano. elbuen.org/galadeesperanza

28-29 Heart O’ Texas Orchid Society’s 41st Annual Show & Sale, “Orchid Heaven”. 5 pm at Zilker Botanical Gardens Center.

Benefiting Heart O’Texas Orchid Society. hotos.org

21 Elizabeth Ann Seton Board’s Evening Under the Stars. 6 pm at West Austin Youth Association.

Benefiting Seton Community Health Centers and Sister Gertrude Levy Endowment for the Poor. easbgala.org

28 Heart Ball of Austin. 6 pm at Hilton Austin. Benefiting Austin Heart Association. ahaaustin. ejoinme.org

21 Red, Hot & Soul. 6 pm at Hilton Austin. Benefiting ZACH Theatre. zachtheatre.org

28 Long Center 4th Anniversary Gala. 6 pm at Long Center for the Performing Arts. Benefiting Long Center for the Performing Arts. thelongcenter.org

21 A Day to Shine. 6 pm at Four Seasons Hotel. Benefiting National Dating Abuse Hotline. adaytoshine.org

29 KLRU Birthday Celebration Street Party. 12 pm at 2nd Street District. Benefiting KLRU, Austin’s PBS. klru.org/inspiringaustin

22 Spring into Summer Musical Bash. 2 pm at Maggie Maes.

Benefiting Dell Children’s Medical Foundation. soultosoulentertainment.com

29 Seton Southwest Gala. 6 pm at The Terrace Club. Benefiting The purchase of digital mammography equipment for Seton Southwest. setonfund.org

25 Caritas of Austin presents Liz Murray at the 5th Annual Speaker Series “Words of Hope”.

11:30 am at Austin Convention Center. Benefiting Caritas of Austin. caritasofaustin.org

May

25 Luncheon featuring Leonard Pitts Jr. 11:30 am at Hilton Austin. Benefitting Mainspring Schools. mainspringschools.org 26-27 33rd Annual Lone Star Tournament. Benefiting Lone Star Paralysis Foundation. lonestarparalysis.org 26 Umlauf Garden Party. 6:30 pm at Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum. Benefiting Umlauf. umlaufsculpture.org 27-29 Austin Food & Wine Festival. Various Locations.

Benefiting Austin Food & Wine Foundation. austinfoodandwinefestival.com 27 Links and Lyrics Songwriters Showcase Gala and Golf. 11:45 am at Barton Creek Country Club. Benefiting AWARE. linksandlyrics.com

3 10th Annual Ethics in Business Awards. 11 am at Hyatt Regency Austin. Benefiting The Samaritan Counsel Center. samaritan-center.org 5 Austin Central Tour de Cure at Travis County Expo Center.

Benefiting American Diabetes Association. facebook.com/AustinCentralTexasTourdeCure 5 Perfectly Pink Party. 7 pm at Shoal Crossing. Benefiting Austin Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. komenaustin.org 6 Corazon Award Party. 10:30 am at Radisson Hotel. Benefiting Con Mi MADRE. conmimadre.org

11 5th Annual Beyond the Lights Celebrity Golf Classic and Dinner Gala. 10:00 am at Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa. Benefiting The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis and the Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Foundation. beyondthelights.org 12 5th Annual Austin Children’s Museum at Browning Hangar. At Mueller. Benefiting The Austin Children’s Museum. austinkids.org 12 Corazon Paramount Theatre’s 96th & Stateside’s 76th Anniversary Gala. At the Paramount Theatre. Benefiting Paramount & Stateside Theatres. austintheatre.org 12 Hope Ball. 5:30 pm at the Renaissance Austin Hotel.

Benefiting Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. jdrf.org 14 Emancipet 13th Anniversary Free Love Luncheon. 11:30 am at the Four Seasons Hotel. Benefiting Emancipet. emancipet.org 15 Brightest Party Ever. 7 pm at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. Benefiting Leadership Austin. leadershipaustin.org 19 Ride for the Cure. The Rusty’s Walnut Creek Ranch. Benefiting Austin Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. komenaustin.org 19 Art Bra Austin. 7 pm at the Austin Music Hall. Benefiting Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin. bcrc.org/home/art-bra-austin/ 21 “Swing Fore The Arc with Ed Clements” Golf Tournament. 12 pm at the Onion Creek Golf Club.

Benefiting The Arc of the Capital Area. thearcofthecapitalarea.org 25 Lifeworks White Party.

8 pm at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. Benefiting Lifeworks. lifeworksaustin.org

11 2012 NFL Alumni Golf Classic.

8:30 am at Lakeway Resort and Spa Hills Country Club. Benefiting Center for Child Protection. centerforchildprotection.org

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10 University Medical Center Brackenridge Luncheon. 11 am at Four Seasons Hotel. Benefitting the Level I Trauma, Graduate Medical Education, Research. setonfund.org

20-22 Reggae Fest. Benefitting Capital Area Food Bank. austinreggaefest.com

happ e ning

April

GIVING I N A C T I O N businesses giving back

14 GivingCityAustin.com

happ e ning

by narissa johnson

give back jack This April, Jack Jones’ Whole Earth Provision Co. will raise money to rescue Texas state parks.

ph o t o g r aph by b e th p e r kins

store, and his customers, are doing their part to help.

Throughout the month of April, anyone who donates $20 or more to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at the store will receive a $5 gift card for admission, camping fees, or purchases at state parks from Whole Earth.

This incentive inspires customers to both visit and give back to the parks they love.

Also in April, Whole Earth will sponsor the Banff Mountain Film Festival, which featuers adrenaline-pumping adventures in some of the most sublime settings on earth.

As festival sponsor, Whole Earth Provision Co. will donate proceeds to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department again.

Says Jones, “The outdoors are important to our company culture and all Texans. We’re just doing our part to take care of them.”

Learn more at WholeEarthProvision.com

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For more than 40 years Whole Earth Provision Co. has offered products that inspire outdoor adventures. This April, it aims to inspire a return to parks, just when they need visitors the most.

But giving back isn’t new to Jack Jones, Whole Earth founder.

Through his store, he’s long known that a strong community can support thriving businesses; he’s also realized a business can support what their customers care about through charitable giving.

While Jones allows local store managers to determine how best to support organizations important to their customers, the larger company-wide team determines allocation of the philanthropy budget — most often in support of Texas parks.

“I want my grandchildren to be proud that their family plays a part in preserving the parks where we hike, climb and camp,” says Jones.

Last year, state parks suffered from state budget cuts, drought and wildfires, all of which contributed to a drop in attendance.

Jones says both his

APRIL 14-15

Banff Mountain Film Festival The trailer alone for this film festival will blow your mind.

The films feature adventurers and athletes performing some thrilling acrobatics, stunts and feats in some of the most incredible scenery.

It’s just… wow.

Banff Mountain Film Festival Paramount Theatre Radical Reels – Saturday, April 14 at 8 pm World Tour – Sunday, April 15 at 6 pm For tickets visit AustinTheatre.org, Whole Earth Provision stores or Paramount Box office.

Spring 2012 15

16 GivingCityAustin.com

GIVING I N A C T I O N anniversaries

community services

Con Mi MADRE and others mark anniversaries.

Small Grants for Awesome Projects

by Vicky Garza

Con Mi MADRE serves over 700 6th-12th grade girls and their mothers 100 years each year. Its mission Boy Scouts of America is to increase the repCapitol Area Council resentation of Hispanic 60 years girls in post-secondary Austin Humane Society education through a focus on social support 40 years services and education Meals on Wheels and More to girls and their moth35 years ers. Christine Kutnick Austin Community tells us more.

Foundation

How We Started:

30 years It started as a project

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

30 years

Family Eldercare

20 years

Austin Parks Foundation

20 years

El Buen Samaritano

of The Junior League’s research committee, chaired that year by Cookie Ruiz. She found out from AISD that Hispanic girl students had less than a 1 percent chance of going to college. Less than 1

How It Was Developed: The Junior League researched models across the country and borrowed from various programs to create their own. Then they went to the UT School of Social Work and found a partner in thendean Barbara White.

Proof it works: Today one of our girls is a science teacher at McCallum High School in AISD, one is a legislative aid, a couple of them are medical students. It’s been interesting to see where they are and what they’ve become.

How They Celebrate: At our Corazon Awards on May 6, we’ll honor four women including Sylvia Martinez, one of our mothers. Sylvia has two daughters in the program and has enrolled at Austin Community College herself.

In 2009, a group of fans of all things awesome in Boston decided to pool their money to make small grants for local projects they found to be, well, awesome. Led by founder Tim Hwang, the group believed that too many awesome projects don’t get funded because funding sources like foundations and nonprofits don’t think they could give enough to make the giving worthwhile.

So Hwang and friends created The Awesome Foundation, a kind of giving circle that pools $100 from each member to give a $1,000 grant to an awesome project each month. Today there are at least 35 chapters of The Awesome Foundation across the world, with one of the newest chapters right here in Austin.

In March, the 15-member Austin chapter awarded its first monthly gift to the Pay Phone Revival Project, which repurposes unused pay phone shells. “We sat around a table at Threadgill’s and looked over some pretty great applications,” says Austin chapter co-founder Joel Bush, “but the pay phone project was viewed as the most awesome.”

The Revival Project commissions artists to turn the structures into works of art.

“It was an easy pick for me,” says member Jacqueline Hughes.

Bush hopes the Austin chapter will start to receive hundreds of applications, like more established chapters, to encourage more awesome projects.

Learn more at atxawesome.tumblr.com

Learn more at ConMiMADRE.org

Spring 2012 17

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percent! At the same time, the committee heard from the state demographer that Hispanics would be the largest population in Central Texas by 2020.

So Cookie put two and two together and said, “This is unacceptable.”

happ e ning

milestones

APRIL is TEXAS STATE PARKS MONTH at

Make a donation during the month of April at any Whole Earth Provision Co. store and help keep Texas State Parks open and maintained.

Whole Earth Provision Co. Outfitting Texas for Travel, Adventure, and FUN Since 1970!

Benefitting TEXAS STATE PARKS

Texas State Parks Gift Card

WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

For every $20 donated, you'll receive a $5 Texas State Parks Gift Card, good toward fees or purchases at any Texas State Park.

For more information, visit WholeEarthProvision.com

As lovers of travel and adventure, we strive to offer products for those who share our enthusiasm for learning, experiencing, and preserving our Whole Earth. Come share the spirit of adventure!

Whole Earth Provision Co. AUSTIN LOCATIONS 2410 San Antonio Street • 512-478-1577 1014 North Lamar • 512-476-1414 South Lamar @ Westgate • 512-899-0992 WholeEarthProvision.com

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

PROCEEDS GO TO

Learn how you can help keep Texas State Parks open and maintained at WholeEarthProvision.com

th Prov ar

ion Co. is

Whole E

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

18 GivingCityAustin.com

TICKETS PER NIGHT

$18

Purchase Tickets at:

Austintheatre.org

or 512-474-1221 Austin Whole Earth Stores Paramount Box Office

PARAMOUNT THEATRE

713 Congress Avenue, Austin TX

April 14

April 15

RADICAL

BANFF MOUNTAIN

REELS TOUR

FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR

for film information, go to WholeEarthProvision.com

youth volunteering

we ALL want our kids to make good choices and be good stewards of the community. what better way to model social responsibility than to get out and volunteer as a family?

Spring 2012 19

by melody warnick Photographs by matt lankes

how kids can pitch in With the help of Little Helping Hands, now more Austin families can volunteer together.

Here’s what makes a great experience that will keep kids giving back for life.

The corner of 7th and Neches in downtown Austin, where I emerge from my Mazda minivan with my 3- and 9-yearold daughters in tow, doesn’t exactly scream “kid-friendly.”

Across the street from our parking spot, the steps of the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless are buzzing with folks killing time till the shelter doors open.

The scene is a bit… grizzled. “What are all those people doing over there?” asks my older daughter, Ella.

“Do you know what that place is?” I ask.

“A library?” she responds, eyes wide.

In other words, my white-bread, suburbanite daughters don’t get to this part of town much.

But that’s precisely why I’ve signed us up for this nitty-gritty downtown 20 GivingCityAustin.com

service project organized by Little Helping Hands, an Austin nonprofit that connects families to kid-friendly volunteer opportunities.

This morning’s activity: assembling bags of rice for Caritas, a nonprofit that offers food and other services to the poor and homeless. I usher my girls inside, and suddenly the vibe changes.

Here, it’s as bright and chipper as a preschool.

A half-dozen parents make small talk while their rambunctious kids, one in a karate uniform, peek into the food pantry next door. A table in the back holds granola bars, fruit leather and organic juice boxes. On top of the other tables are huge bins of rice, ready to be decanted into quart-size Ziploc bags with plastic cups and cat-handled scoops.

While I’m surprised by

youth volunteering

how quickly my kids take to the rice scooping and how eagerly they tour Caritas’ food pantry afterward, Marissa Vogel, the 42-year-old founder of Little Helping Hands who’s there orchestrating the event, is not. “The kids are always very excited,” she says. “I think most of the time parents are pleasantly surprised at the reaction their kids have. They’re happy to see their kids happy.”

Making kids happy by volunteering didn’t used to be so easy. It was around the holidays in 2007 that Vogel, whose older daughter was then 4 started hunting for ways to volunteer together in Austin. “I wanted to introduce her to giving back, to help her see the important role volunteering plays in communities.

So I picked up the phone and started calling.” And she promptly hit a brick

wall. Either nonprofits wouldn’t take a 4-yearold volunteer, or they didn’t fit into the family’s packed schedule. A year later, Vogel tried again.

No dice. By 2009, her failure to find a place to volunteer as a family was deeply troubling.

What seemed like the world’s most simple, joyous idea — letting little children learn charity by actually practicing it — was turning out to be a

In February, almost 100 Boy Scouts volunteered to inspect and sort food donation from the Texas Souper Bowl of Caring food drive, hosted by Capital Area Food Bank.

Spring 2012 21

22 GivingCityAustin.com

bizarrely tough sell, and as Vogel saw, a problem begging to be solved.

“I remember when it really dawned on me. I was driving home from work around Christmas, and I thought, ‘This is ridiculous. What this community needs is a place to go where I can just find these volunteer opportunities, sign up and go.’ It was a lightbulb moment.”

At the time, Vogel worked as a corporate marketing strategist for a Fortune 500 company, but she had toyed with the idea of leaving for something new. Starting an organization to connect needy Austin nonprofits with families eager to volunteer together struck her as the big idea she’d been waiting for. Prudently, she market-tested the concept. When 74 percent of parents she surveyed said they’d love an online resource that helped connect them to family volunteer opportunities, she plunged in, writing a business plan, registering Little Helping Hands as a 501(c)(3) and meeting with potential nonprofit partners.

It turned out that most nonprofits weren’t inherently opposed to kid volunteers; they just didn’t know how to use them, or didn’t have the manpower to supervise them. Vogel promised to suck the hassle out of the situation by engineering mini-events perfect for pint-size participants, by requiring parent participation, Even the youngest children can help the environment by marking storm darins to prevent pollution of our waterways.

Spring 2012 23

24 GivingCityAustin.com

youth volunteering

At Elderhaven, an adult day center whose elderly clients often have dementia or Alzheimer’s, child volunteers were welcome, but tough to schedule. Once Little Helping Hands began coordinating craft projects and game sessions, more families “It allowed little kids volunteered than ever, with less hassle for the to volunteer, which nonprofit. Even better, “it allowed little kids to was something we volunteer, which was something we didn’t get didn’t get enough of enough of,” says Nicole Sarkar, the group’s deWe had plenty of teen- velopment and outreach director. “We had plenty agers, but it’s really of teenagers, but it’s really fun to see a 6-yearfun to see a 6-year-old old at a table playing a memory game with an at a table playing a elderly person.”

Vogel sees the work memory game with of Little Helping Hands almost as an eventan elderly person.” planning service, her job being to design activities that are both One of the first nonuseful to nonprofits, and profits on board was meaningful and do-able the Micah 6 food pantry, for little volunteers. That in the basement of the can be disassembling University Presbyterian computers for Goodwill Church. Their rule was GreenWorks Recycling, “No one under 16 in the prepping dinner for pantry,” but Vogel had residents at the Ronald volunteered there, and McDonald House, weedshe suggested to Linda ing a garden plot at Williams, the director, Mayfield Park or playing that kids could help bag with therapy animalsfood for pantry clients. in-training at Austin Dog “I knew anything she Alliance. While Vogel suggested would work,” jettisons activities that says Williams. “She’s don’t leave both kids very organized, very and nonprofits happy, thorough. I said, ‘We’ll there’s still plenty of give this a try.’” Clients work to be done. Last ended up loving the year, LHH worked with children’s beaming 48 nonprofits, some for faces (and the bags one-off activities like of candy they sprinkle Lemonade Day, others in with the groceries); as often as biweekly. now Micah 6 brings in Her own two kids, now LHH volunteers twice a almost 7 and 9, give her month. Says Williams, a good intuitive sense of “We’ve been so blessed whether an activity will by having them there.” fly with kid volunteers. and by overseeing the whole thing herself, from prepwork to cleanup. “I’d tell them, ‘We’re not expecting you to manage it, we’ll be there to manage it for you. This is meant to save you time, not create a problem for you.’”

They’ve also helped her measure just how successful Little Helping Hands is at creating a new generation of empathetic, philanthropic Austinites. “One benefit of being around for almost three years is I can see what’s happening with Austin kids,” says Vogel. “That’s exactly why we’re doing what we’re doing, to get [the idea of helping others] ingrained.” Not long ago, Vogel was listening as her 6-year-old daughter played with dolls, “and I heard her mention the word ‘volunteer.’” Meanwhile, her older daughter built a game for a school project and then asked, “Do you think the folks at Elderhaven would like to play with this game?”

“It’s having an impact,” says Vogel.

Not that Vogel’s kids— or anyone else’s—are perfect. They’re still children with an overwhelming fondness for video games and new toys, and a short attention span for effort. But serving others counterbalances those “gimme gimme” tendencies, opening kids’ eyes to the needs of their community, building empathy, and helping kids appreciate what they have. If LHH does its job right, Vogel says, kids will graduate into teens who tutor a classmate or work with Keep Austin Beautiful, then adults who pitch in at Caritas or mentor with Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

The goal is that LHH’s littlest participants become volunteers for life.

“If my daughters grow up and think, ‘I’m doing so well, I should give back,’ that’s what I hope for my kids.”

12 More Ways to Volunteer with Your Kids in Austin Little Helping Hands isn’t the only way to get a family volunteer gig in this town.

Some families who originally volunteered with Elderhaven, Micah 6 and other organizations loved it enough to go back on their own. Others have simply made helping out — like picking up trash along a walking trail — part of the daily routine.

Nikki Krueger, director of volunteer engagement with Hands on Central Texas, recommends working to “find a match for the child’s interest or passion. It doesn’t matter if you’re 4 or 40, enjoying what you do is the best way to ensure retention and to keep volunteers engaged.”

Some activities to consider: Weed and mulch a park or nature trail with Keep Austin Beautiful.

Create birthday cards for a nearby senior center.

Shelve books at an elementary school library.

Distribute info packets for Colin’s Hope, an organization that promotes water safety awareness.

Set up a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to a favorite organization.

Participate in a family night at the Capital Area Food Bank (for kids 8 and up).

Help clean up the landscape at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden.

Plant a vegetable garden and share the food with others.

Surprise a neighbor with treats.

Collect books for BookSpring, which distributes them to underserved children.

Sign up for a meal delivery route with Meals on Wheels.

Subscribe to DoingGoodTogether online for more ideas on simple ways to serve.

Spring 2012 25

Always ready, the Capitol Area Council of Boy Scouts of American responded to the food bank’s urgent call for volunteers to help sort more than 32,000 pounds of food donated from the Souper Bowl of Caring.

This was after donating 28,000 pounds of food themselves.

26 GivingCityAustin.com

youth volunteering

Growing Little Helping Hands Little Helping Hand’s main challenge these days: managing its success. Its slate of monthly activities is so popular that slots for volunteer opportunities posted on the LHH website fill almost instantly. Because each activity costs approximately $325 in materials, supplies, in-kind donations and manpower, the organization needs more funding to coordinate more activities — and to branch out to new communities, Vogel’s next item of business. To contribute, visit LittleHelpingHands. org and click “Donate now.”

Protecting our waterways. Little Helping Hands’ regular opportunity to help mark storm drains is a hit with even the littlest helpers. The tags help remind people that rain and irrigation water can wash soil, yard waste, fertilizer, motor oil and other pollutants directly into our creeks.

Spring 2012 27

CAN P P S AVE H I L N T H O P Y

A S P A R ?

Online Giving Gut Check: Do all these cool apps really work?

28 GivingCityAustin.com

The Business of nonprofits

By Monica M. Williams

If apps and online giving platforms are going to make a dent in nonprofit fundraising, it’s clear that the developers need the nonprofits to adopt these tools— and nonprofits need developers to create them. ¶ So how can we help get these partnerships moving along? Because while nonprofits have long done a fine job of raising money for a cause, there may be some real money out there that they’re missing online.

THE A PPTIVISTS

John Ludlow of Snoball, an online giving platform that allows users to pledge a donation based on a recurring situation and then invite friends to participate with them. Launched December 2011 as a for-profit.

The idea behind Snoball is to allow anyone to create their own cause-marketing campaign. There are a lot of end-users who want to give in new ways that match their personalities, and there’s nothing out there for them yet.

Snoball uses APIs (application programming interface) all over the Internet to tie in to Facebook, FourSquare and other tools. We want to help nonprfits recognize long-term cash flow by giving their supporters the creative opportunity to help market their cause. Nonprofits can also “claim their page” and link their Snoballs to other supporters.

We think it transforms the supporters because nonprofits then get a real sense of who their donors are.

We share contact information with nonprofits as well as the way that particular Snoball was created.

What we want nonprofits to understand is that Snoball is not trying to replace a person or an event; we’re trying to help make it better. We’re not trying to take somebody’s job; humans are always going to be better at this. I don’t think people need to be afraid of a new tool.

Also, because the Internet changes so fast, we’re trying to take some of the burden off of nonprofits and make things better. This is about taking things to another level. It’s about automating what nonprofits are currently doing. I don’t necessarily need to target people who are not tech savvy. The conversations go better with people who get that computers can do the work for you.

I think we’ve created something simple and playful; a way to give in a very creative way. If nonprofits use us and love us, that’s when we’re going to win.

Spring 2012 29

THE A PPTIVISTS

Ehren Foss of HelpAttack!, which uses APIs from Twitter, Facebook and blogs to let you pledge for each Tweet, post and update.

Launched April 2010 as a for-profit.

HelpAttack! is a platform that causes can use to build support. At first we tried to go after individual users, thinking they were the key to making it grow. We assumed that people are good and want to do good things, but what we discovered was that people don’t go out of their way to donate – someone has to ask them to do it. Our goal is to find them at the right moment and ask them.

We also realized we were a third party and that we were in the way of a supporter’s relationship with their cause. We reached out to nonprofits to find out what they thought of social media fundraising and figured out where we fit in. We very slowly learned what the average nonprofit was like.

We learned that the nonprofits interested in HelpAttack! were not those with lots of resources and a fully formed development staff, rather they were smaller causes with a couple thousand online members.

Now we see that we have to make HelpAttack! work, not only in the general sense, but also for specific nonprofits, especially those that are struggling with the divide between communications and development.

We’ve told them, “Look, your goal isn’t to be charity:water or LiveSTRONG. Your goal with social media fundraising is to create 5 to 10 recurring donors in 6 months.”

We ask them to think about the first time they linked to their online donation form. Maybe three people filled that out. “But if you hadn’t started then,” we ask, “where would you be now?”

Social media is the same way — you’re building for the future. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll develop this acumen to fundraise on social media, the sooner you’ll be successful.

30 GivingCityAustin.com

Mark Courtney of Affinity IG, an interactive marketing agency specializing in nonprofits.

The numbers around social fundraising are so small. Even with a platform as powerful as Facebook, it still hasn’t made a huge dent in helping nonprofits gain a tremendous amount of fundraising. But that makes sense. Just because I care about it and I want you to give to something I care about, doesn’t mean it’s what you care about.

The opportunity for long-term engagement has been left behind with apps because the relationship becomes highly transactional.

The experience of giving has been lost in this online space. DonorsChoose is a good example of an online giving platform. The tangibility is by far the best aspect of the organization. They’re not only creating a platform, they’re creating a service, and that opens a connection.

The marketing and development teams inside a nonprofit are going to have to start to really collaborate and decide which is going to focus on the online donor population.

If it is owned by both groups, then you have to set goals for each space, and that incents the team to get aggressive about the tools they use, because right now there’s no incentive inside the organization to pick up one of them.

You have to start somewhere. There’s no excuse not to. Look at how much time you spend online. It’s obvious that there are lots of people there, too, and you need to meet people where they are. And that means being creative in how you approach them long term. Are you spending time really thinking about where your target audience is and which is the best tools? Can you create a strategy that’s consistent and fosters a one-to-one relationship that’s sincere? You have to stay with it long term just like you did with your email lists.

People online are more savvy than you can imagine. You have to be careful of how you use tools because more people are saying, “My dollars’ worth more than that.”

The Business of nonprofits

THE n on-profits

Lisa Goddard of Capital Area Foodbank.

Goddard is responsible for digital communications, social media, managing third-party relationships, infographics, marketing, blogging, writing, SEO and SEM. I haven’t been a huge fan of too many apps, but there are different types of apps that target different nonprofits. I put them into four categories.

One category includes apps that let nonprofits raise more money by taking advantage of what people are going to do anyway. These are what I call “low friction” apps, and they can give us a bigger exposure for our cause.

A second type of app includes those that take advantage of decentralized communities. They use crowdsourced information and take advantage of user-generated content, which is much more sustainable.

A third category includes those apps that target vulnerable populations. I’ve seen one for SNAP (the food-stamp program) that can tell users about their next appointment, offer recipes, and give tips on how to manage their rights as a SNAP consumer. A lot of this data is already available, so it’s just a matter of putting into an application that’s accessible.

A fourth category would be apps that create something that allows users to feel connected to the communities. There are real solutions that apps can provide that benefit the community.

In general, developers need to think of the nonprofit and their fundraising structures. So many nonprofits are not necessarily driven by large quantities of donors. For those nonprofits, an app is not going to work because seeking lots of small donations is not the business model.

It’s hard for nonprofits to promote an app because, frankly, as a nonprofit, it’s not necessarily to your advantage to promote a third-party app because you’re creating an extra barrier between you and your money. You’re giving up that relationship.

We’re looking for a relationship we can build so we can control the message and communicate the value of what their donation actually provided.

Alan Graham, president, Mobile Loaves & Fishes. Graham has experimented with several forms of online giving, including a famous campaign that used mobile giving to purchase an RV for a homeless man living on a billboard.

It’s simple: Show me an app that works.

Just one. Show me one app anywhere that has raised money for a nonprofit. If you can’t, then convince me that your app is that one.

If they’re selling me on an app that’s going to drive revenue, I’m all over it. But the best thing out there right now is mobile giving, and the closest to getting it right is the mobile text-to-give. And even that’s not big enough. It’s great for the Red Cross and the Haiti disaster, but for the run-of-the-mill nonprofit, it just doesn’t work.

I love the folks who are out there trying, but the bottom line is this: At the top of the pyramid is a personal ask. I take you to lunch and say, “Monica, I need your help. Can you give me $100?” And you look across the table and say, “Alan, I can’t. But I can give you $50.” And way down the list from a personal relationship, you have direct mail, which goes like this: I send 100,000 pieces of direct mail and we consider it a homerun if we get a 1.5 percent response rate. It’s old-school, but it works.

These apps are asking people to donate pennies, and what ends up happening is you’re stepping over dollars to collect pennies. And some people kind of get into it, but it gets no real legs because there’s nothing personal about it.

All I want is for people to show me the money. The personal ask, direct mail and our email campaigns, when we ask people for help supplying socks or water... none of it is a homerun. If our fundraising is going to work, we have to mix it up.

Spring 2012 31

By Monica M. Williams

How to Lead Today What kind of leader do we need to take Central Texas to the next level? Leadership Austin identifies and honors three local leaders at its May 5 “Brightest Party Ever.”

The president and CEO of Seton Healthcare Family has taken a leave of absence from his duties to accept his current role at Ascension Health as president of healthcare operations and chief operating officer.

”What I learned in my career is that you need to have enough introspection to understand what kinds of organizations resonate with you,” says Barnett. “What gives you the energy to wake up every day and go to work?”

32 GivingCityAustin.com

In the past four years, patient visits to Dell Children’s Medical Center have risen 67 percent, with 141,000 visits in 2011 alone. Charles Barnett keeps this growth in mind while observing the construction site outside his office window, where a third patient tower will

add 72 more beds to a hospital that already serves a geographic area the size of Ohio.

He points to the beams, the concrete forms, the cranes lifting rebar to the top floor. Clearly, Barnett is amazed by the growth of the facility. Amazed, but not surprised.

It’s Seton’s mission of service that fuels the growth of Dell Children’s and all of Seton’s initiatives, and it’s what lured Barnett to Seton in 1993.

Before coming to Austin, the Barnetts were very happy in Fairfax, Va., where he was vice president and COO of Fairfax Hospital. He only agreed to interview with the Daughters of Charity in Austin as a favor to a friend.

But what the interview committee asked of him that day changed his life.

They told Barnett that Seton had been underserving the poor and vulnerable, and they wanted to know if he could return the hospital system to the

mission formed in 1633 by the original Daughters of Charity.

“The interview was very different than any I’d been on,” he remembers. “I was struck by the clarity of the leadership.

It had a very profound effect on me.”

Barnett’s career has been a journey that started serendipitously when he was a history student working on a doctoral degree in Cincinnati.

An emergency medical procedure left him with a hospital bill he couldn’t pay on a teacher’s assistant’s salary. For more income, he took a job in a hospital as a technician in the operating rooms.

He loved the environment, and thrived.

He considered going to medical school, but by that time he was married and had started a family. Instead, he pursued a master’s degree in hospital administration, and went on to work in hospital systems in Chicago, Detroit and Fairfax.

“I learned a lot about how to come into a hospital and be an effective leader,” he says.

The key, he says, is service leadership. “Understand it’s your role to see a future and articulate

ph o t o g r aph by j o e l sa l ci d o

C h arles B arnett

leadership austin

it clearly enough so that people can collectively move it from where it is to where it needs to be.”

Second, he says, is fostering a sense of purpose. “You need to create an environment in which people can experience a sense of purpose and meaning in what they do every day.”

Along with the new tower at Dell Children’s, Seton is also expanding its footprint in medical education. In fact, Seton has hosted medical education programs since 1998, and Barnett is part of the medical school organizing committee.

Not knowing what the end result will look like takes courage, he says, but more importantly it takes commitment to the mission. It’s a lesson that has served Barnett well, and that he has passed on to his sons: One leads combat search-andrescue teams in Iraq and Afghanistan; the other is an emergency room nurse at Dell Children’s.

“The ability to engage in a collective effort like forming a medical school requires collaboration,” says Barnett.

“The ‘heroic leader’ doesn’t exist anymore.”

“For me, leadership is this path you get on. It’s not a position you’re in.”

Courtney Clark, event honoree

C o urtne y C lark

S am P lanta

The founder of Austin Involved recently joined I Live Here, I Give Here as consulting director of community engagement.

The chief culture officer of Touchstone Communities, a long-term care organization in San Antonio. He is also a volunteer with Leadership Austin.

It was in a Leadership Austin “Emerge” class that Courtney Clark realized her leadership style.

“I’m an evangelist,” says Clark. Evangelists see the big picture, she says, and try to get others excited about the big idea. Now that she’s 30 with some success under her belt, Clark realizes her leadership style is just as valid as any other. “I don’t need to apologize for it,” she says, “but it also comes with all the things I’m weaker at. The trick is to surround myself with other personalities to get stuff done.”

In her new role at I Live Here, I Give Here, Clark’s job is to tie together all of the outreach efforts toward early philanthropists. “The thing that drives me every day is not being too worried if I face plant. So I just start walking and pretend as if this is a great idea and that it’s completely possible. When other people realize that it’s so, I’m a leader of something.”

Each Leadership Austin “Essential” class begins with a retreat, and for the past 20 years, that retreat has begun with Sam Planta.

“My role is to get everyone to a place where they can feel safe and be ready to move forward as a group,” says Planta.

Most of the 55 class members at the retreat are strangers, and as talented as they are at networking, it takes Planta to create the bond that will help the class enter meaningful conversations about community and leadership throughout the year.

“For me, it’s about believing in the process.

Leadership is about empathy, leading by vulnerability, by humility.

“We have this notion that a good leader is supposed to say, ‘Okay, everyone this way!’ But to me, a leader is just a herder showing people how to get there.”

Spring 2012 33

GIVING I DE A S collaborations

b e tt e r

caregiver University St. David’s Foundation supports collaboration of 18 Austin agencies.

The classes offer caregivers a chance to get out and socialize with others. “Many of the attendees continue to meet as a group once the course is over.”

Faith Unger understands the challenges of being a caregiver.

“There’s a heavy feeling of responsibility, that 24/7 it is up to you to make sure this person is safe, well fed, cared for, has the medications they need, the doctor visits they need…. It’s a huge responsibility,” she adds.

“And if you’re dealing with someone who has dementia, many times the care recipient is 34 GivingCityAustin.com

not able to appreciate what’s being done for him or her.”

Unfortunately, being a caregiver is also isolating; you may not even realize what you’re going through.

That’s why a new collaboration among 18 Austin agencies is so important. Now in its second year, Caregiver U offers free classes to family caregivers of older adults. The project is funded by St. David’s Foundation and is led by Unger of Austin Groups for the Elderly (AGE). St. David’s funding provides for course materials as

well as a stipend for each class to offer things like respite care, which would allow someone to take over the caregiver’s role while they’re in the class.

The foundation course, “Powerful Tools for Caregiving,” is an evidencedbased course offered in other parts of the country Austin CaregiverU to great success. Last year, they offered Power- Collaborators ful Tools in 10 classes to ALS Association as many as 20 people per Alzheimer’s Association, class in four counties.

Capital of Texas Chapter This year, they’ve also Austin Groups for added a course called the Elderly “Fall Prevention,” which Bastrop Emergency will host up to 10 people Food Pantry per class.

Bethany United AGE acts as host with Methodist Church Unger training the trainCapital Area Parkinson’s ers, then sending them Society out to spread the word, Faith in Action Caregiversinvite participants and North Central host the class. “We all Faith in Action Caregiverswork together, so someSenior Access one may find out about it Faith in Action Caregiversthrough Meals on Wheels South Austin but end up taking the Faith in Action Caregiverscourse from the YMCA.” Southwest Austin Once enrolled, particiFamily Eldercare pants realize it’s imporFirst Baptist Church tant to step away from of San Marcos their roles to take time to Lakeway Church learn how to be a better caregiver and how to take Meals on Wheels and More St. Catherine of Sienna care of themselves.

“Yes, this is heavy stuff, Catholic Church St. James Episcopal Church says Unger, “but we’re Travis County Health and also teaching them to Human Services laugh. And that laughter YMCA of Austin is wonderful.”

ph o t o g r aph by j o ann santang e l o

giv e

By Monica M. Williams

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2921 E. 17th St. Bldg D, Suite 4, Austin, TX 78702 | © 2011 Center61 all rights reserved | center61.com Spring 2012 35

GIVING I DE A S great events

By Shelley Seale

6 factors for event success Take it from an expert, Larry Kille: Fundraising events are an art.

Take a look at The Barn now. That restaurant icon of the 1960s “North Austin” is now a flexible, beautiful event center for up to 700 people, featuring more drama, flair, lighting options and A/V prowess than most hotel ballrooms — and a lot more personality.

Sterling Affairs renovated this space with nonprofit fundraisers in mind.

It’s obvious that Larry Kille and his partners put everything they had into making Shoal Crossing. “I’m not sure I have another one of these in me,” says Kille. “But we’re really proud of it.”

– Monica Williams Learn more ShoalCrossing.com

36 GivingCityAustin.com

ph o t o g r aph by b e th p e r kins

Barn-Burner Shoal Crossing Event Center looks to be the next fundraising party hot spot.

A known nonprofit leans on volunteer experience to execute its inaugural gala.

giv e

Starting from Scratch

By Chantal Rice

Location A great site for your event is perhaps the most crucial element.

Date Make sure your date doesn’t conflict with holidays or other major known events around town.

Committee Your event planning team or board of directors is important; make sure you have a hospitality expert on board.

Budget Having a solid budget, and sticking to it, is imperative.

Artistic creativity This isn’t a corporate meeting, it’s a party; make sure there is some artistic leadership and creativity in the planning.

Cohesive direction from year to year If you are organizing an ongoing event such as an annual fundraiser, it’s important to have a constant leadership from year to year.

“Occasionally the leadership, artistic direction and financial leadership can come from the same person, but usually these are different roles,” Kille adds. “Hospitality expertise should be in the picture from the beginning, not added midway through the creative process.”

GC: How did you start planning for the gala? How did you define the theme and locate the venue?

Deb Davis Groves: I have done events for a long time, so they are my thing. I’ve been volunteering for Komen since February 2010, and when they were talking about this event, I asked to be involved. We did a lot of brainstorming. Finding the venue was pretty easy because I had worked with Larry Kille of Sterling Affairs, which does catering for Shoal Crossing. He’s very nonprofit-friendly. I give him a budget, he adheres to it and puts on a fabulous party. Figuring out the theme was fun. After you get through cancer to the other side, you never really walk away from it; you start celebrating life. I had been throwing a celebration for myself that was similarly themed, and a Perfectly Pink Party seemed like a good fit for this event.

GC: How do you set a goal for fundraising and attendance?

DDG: We wanted to reach out to a new group of people, in addition to those who are already Komen supporters, and spread awareness about the Austin affiliate. We’re shooting for 300 to 400 attendees. We wanted to diversify who we’re reaching, but it’s also important that we meet our financial needs in the community. I’m cautious about talking numbers, but we certainly want to give back to the cause in our community. Seventy-five percent of what we make will serve the five-county area and 25 percent will go to research.

GC: This is not your first time planning a fundraiser. How do you make it uniquely Komen?

DDG: We start with all the pink! It’s about celebrating life and remembering those who aren’t with us anymore. It’s about those stories and creating awareness. All those things will be part of the event. We’re going to have Pink & Pizzazz giveaways, pink Champagne and our VIPink cocktail reception. The whole evening is going to be filled with tremendous celebration.

Learn more at KomenAustin.org/PerfectlyPinkParty.

Spring 2012 37

b e tt e r

Larry Kille knows how to throw a party. As the president of Sterling Affairs Catering & Event Planning, Kille has had plenty of experience planning and producing hundreds of events over the years.

In the 1980s he opened several restaurants including Toulouse on 6 th Street.

“During these years I began to help nonprofits throw events during the midweek because of the exposure and the great locations that we had,” Kille says.

“Over the years we hosted hundreds of events, and made many relationships that last to this day.”

Kille eventually rolled that valuable insight into starting Sterling Affairs with partners Jan Brainard and Scott Hillen.

“I have always enjoyed working in the nonprofit world because when you are able to add to a noble cause while doing the things you love the most, you get the best of both worlds.”

He shares his list of the most important factors for a great event with GivingCity Austin:

On Saturday, May 5, the Austin affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure will host its first-ever gala fundraiser, a celebratory affair dubbed the Perfectly Pink Party.

Hosted at Shoal Crossing, the event will include catering

by Sterling Affairs, live music from Ruby Jane and Collide, dancing, special surprises, a live auction and, of course, plenty of pink.

Event co-chair Deb Davis Groves, a two-year breast cancer survivor and Komen volunteer, was tickled pink to provide GivingCity some insight into planning Komen Austin’s inaugural Perfectly Pink Party.

g i v i n g c i t y A U S T I N

New Philanthropists

2012

We’re looking for philanthropy innovators: Austinites applying new tools and strategies to raise money, address social issues, promote giving and make Central Texas a better place to live.

Nominations close April 30

We’ll feature the 2012 New Philanthropists in our Summer 2012 issue, available in July. Sign up on the website to be notified of the honorees.

N O M INAT E A N E W P H I L A NT H RO P I S T : GIVINGCITYAU S TIN. C O M

38 GivingCityAustin.com

GIVING I DE A S education

“A significant number of people say this will make public education more efficient.

Others say it will kill public education.”

ROBERT SANBORN, president and CEO of Children at Risk

In 2011, the State of Texas faced a multibillion dollar shortfall, and as education takes up most of the state’s budget, that sector took the hardest hit: $5.4 billion in cuts.

Earlier this year, the Texas Education Agency reported that Texas school districts had about 25,000 fewer employees this school year compared to the previous one, a reduction of 3.8 percent that includes teachers, staff and administrators.

But how do these budget cuts play out in the classroom?

Later this year, Children at Risk, a nonprofit research organization, will announce the findings of an intensive data study seeking just that information. The study is funded by Austin’s KDK-Harman Foundation and the Katherine & Beau Ross Foundation.

Spring 2012 39

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A first-of-its-kind study aims to find out.

programs and drop-out prevention programs and others?

“We’re looking for the big picture for the whole state,” says Sanborn.

“The audience for this data is really the policymakers, who sometimes want the hard data and sometimes don’t.” But it’s also the general public, people with influence and people who care about public education.

“It’s for anyone who has “We don’t know of any an interest in the future study in Texas,” says of our children.”

Sanborn. “And I don’t Sanborn expects think there’s ever been they’ll also find efa study like this is in ficiencies that could Texas because studies serve as models for like this are not inexother districts. “I pensive.” think superintendents While the cuts from want the public to see last session were what’s really happendramatic, many at the ing in their schools and Capitol and around the understand that they’re state believe they may worrying as well.” have had a positive Sanborn says it’s a effect. “A significant good bet that the legisnumber of people say lature will make further this will make public cuts in the next session, education more efbut nonpartisan data ficient,” says Robert can help remove the Sanborn, president and politics of the issue to CEO of Children at Risk. tell the real story about “Others say it will kill what’s happening to public education.”

Texas children.

For this study, Children “There are two very at Risk has created different foundations a stratified, random supporting this, coming sampling of the school from different points system in Texas to of view,” says Sanborn. examine the “hardcore “What we’re after is the issues”: What is the truth, so this is a very impact of larger class good partnership.”

Learn more about funding of public education sizes, of the elimination of pre-kindergarten funding at KDK-Harman.org.w

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How does a $5.4 Billion Budget Cut Affect Public Education

GIVING I DE A S leadership

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By monica williams

give till it Feels good

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Laurie Loew’s philanthropy has changed her life.

“You have the power to be the change you want to see in the world. It doesn’t take the next great business model, or the cool new iPhone app, or your next raise to do it. It just takes you.”

Loew’s mother, Shirley Whiteside, at her daughter’s side just before she accepted the 2012 Philanthropy Day award.

40 GivingCityAustin.com

Some social entrepreneurs get caught up in what they think is the secret to philanthropy: If everyone donated some painless amount, we could make the world a better place.

But how much of a difference can you expect to make if you give so little an amount that you don’t even feel it?

After all, the whole reason we give is to feel

something. When I first met Laurie Loew, she told me she didn’t want to “give till it hurt,” rather she wanted to “give till it felt good.” The real estate agent had been successful in the past and she and her husband had acquired all the trappings of that success. But after her divorce she looked around at everything she had and realized she didn’t need it. She didn’t even want it.

She changed her business model and started Give Realty, allowing her clients to give 25 percent of her commission to the charity of their choice. Her money, their cause. The mission has changed her life.

In February, Loew was recognized at the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Philanthropy Day as “Outstanding Small Corporation,” the first

time they’ve ever given that award, which may have been created just for Give Realty.

In accepting the award, Loew talked about how even just a quarter can make a difference in someone’s life. But that’s not true.

Making a difference takes giving much, much more.

Since July 2008, Loew has donated more than $150,000. She’s won many awards, appeared in the New York Times, crafted a speaking career and has more friends, fans and clients than she ever expected.

Says Loew, “You have the power to be the change you want to see in the world. It doesn’t take the next great business model, or the cool new iPhone app, or your next raise to do it.

It just takes you.”

Learn more GiveRealty.com

Spring 2012 41

GIVING I DE A S housing

By narissa johnson

how to support affordable housing After rent and utilities, there’s not much left for families who want to live in the city near work. Who’s addressing this issue?

• HUD states that housing is considered “affordable” if no more than 30% of a household’s monthly income is needed for rent, mortgage payments and utilities.

• The ECHO Coalition’s “point in time” count of homeless individuals in shelters and on the streets of Travis County on Jan. 22, 2012, was 2,244, down from 2,357 at the same time in 2011.

La Vista, a 22-unit multi-family project near the French Legation Museum, opened in 2008 by the Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation.

42 GivingCityAustin.com

“Affordable housing often refers to housing with subsidies to reduce the monthly rent but it’s really broader than that,” says Ann Howard of the ECHO Coalition. “It means that a continuum of housing is available to meet the needs of individuals and families regardless of their income level.”

• Today, the average rent in Austin is $913 a month (and $2,031 a month downtown), as reported by Austin American-Statesman in Feb. 2012 • Today, there are only 25 city-subsidized, low-rent apartments downtown, with another 164 federally subsidized low-income apartments for seniors and disabled people downtown.

Learn more about Affordable Housing: austinecho.org/home/community-resources

2006

1990

Foundation Communities 1990

Austin Habitat for Humanity 1985

Notable Program

Learn more

Get involved

Unites local leadership around the values that home affordability is central to the success of Austin families, employers, schools and neighborhoods.

They advocate for a wide range of housing options so all Austinites can afford a home, whether it is an apartment or a house.Â

Advocacy and education around the issue of home affordability.

Education related to affordable housing bonds, their impact, and the need for additional investment in affordable housing bonds in 2012; the Leadership Tour of affordable homes each June; and the Fall Forum which is a facilitated conversation with outside experts on issues affecting affordable housing.

housingworks austin.org

Volunteers needed for help with the June tour and reception, as well as various education and outreach events throughout the year.

Creates and manages affordable, safe, quality housing for people in need. They offer a broad spectrum of housing, including transitional, permanent supportive, and affordable rental housing to people who are struggling with or at risk of homelessness: veterans, people with disabilities, singleparent households and the working poor.

Believes that everyone regardless of age, race, gender, or ability should have access to stable housing. In addition, they connect the most vulnerable members of the community to supportive services to ensure they can achieve selfsufficiency.

greendoors.org A housing program focused on creating different types of housing tailored to the needs of residents; supportive services that allow individuals and families to prioritize their limited income to meet housing needs; and an advocacy and education program designed to encourage the public to take constructive, positive action on the issue of homelessness.

Help landscape a home, distribute food at the food pantry, assist with fundraising activities or plan a donation drive in the local community.

Provides affordable homes and support services for thousands of lowincome families and individuals, empowering them with the tools they need to succeed.

Has built or renovated 13 Austin properties into low-rent apartments. Creates supportive housing with case managers to help clients find resources, adult education, and counseling; learning centers that offer school tutoring and enrichment for children and adult education classes; and a community financial center to help low income residents get out of debt and build wealth.

foundcom.org Has proposed a four-story tower called Capitol Terrace that will bring an additional 135 low- to mid-income units to downtown using state and city subsidies in 2013. Units will rent from between $400 and $650 a month.

Volunteer at after school learning centers as a tutor or to read to children, help with financial coaching or tax preparation (training is provided). Groups can host a supper club, serving and eating a meal with residents at one of the communities.

Focusing on eliminating poverty housing through the power of home ownership.

Partnering with families and the community to build and repair homes together.

New home construction allows families below the median income level make a down payment, take homebuyer education courses, and volunteer building homes before helping to build their own; home repair programs reach out to the elderly and disadvantaged home owners to provide upgrades and repairs needed to their homes; and housing counseling works closely with Austin residents about protecting and keeping their asset.

austinhabitat.org

Be a community partner and donate, advocate about eliminating poverty housing, and volunteer to build houses side-by-side with the future homeowners.

Spring 2012 43

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Green Doors

Focus

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Housing Works

About

GIVING I DE A S education/training

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By Chantal Rice

nonprofit name change

b e tt e r

Knowing when – and how – to change a nonprofit’s name.

Amy Loar of Ascend Austin accepts a proclamation from City Councilman Mike Martinez at the event announcing Ascend’s new name.

44 GivingCityAustin.com

What’s in a name?

For one local education-based nonprofit, not enough. After 17 years, the organization fell flat in terms of identity recognition within the community.

So in late 2011, The Austin Academy began the transition of changing its name — a somewhat laborious process for any nonprofit.

Austin Academy’s mission is to provide educa-

tional and professionaladvancement programs that empower adults in need of economic, academic and personal assistance. But community feedback found the group’s name didn’t convey the services provided.

“We were looking for a way to tweak the name to represent more of what we do, and to move away from that confusion,” says executive director Amy Loar.

Several brainstorming sessions with the nonprofit’s board and staff fleshed out a new name that was positive and forward-looking, one that stayed true to the organization’s vision and mission.

In the last week of February 2012, Ascend Center for Learning was born. Known throughout the organization as Ascend Austin, for brevity’s sake, the newly named nonprofit will be co-branded for the remainder of the year in order to further instill the name change in the community.

While Loar and director of development Angelica Reyes describe the name-change process as lengthy and still a work in progress, they’ve

heard positive responses from the board, staff and community; the transition has gone more smoothly than they anticipated.

Much of the logistics involved in a Texasbased 501(c)3 nonprofit making a legal name change — meticulously completing stacks of paperwork for the IRS and the Secretary of State, compiling a strategic marketing plan, developing a new logo and style guidelines — were aided by expertise on Ascend’s board of directors. Additionally, graphic designer Daniella Floeter donated her marketing skills.

“Almost everything was either done in-house or donated, which was truly amazing,” Loar says. “It was a low-cost transition for us.”

In terms of advice for other nonprofits considering a name change, Loar and Reyes say it is crucial to have both the board and staff involved from the beginning.

“We kept everyone in the loop at every stage of the name-change process,” Reyes says.

“We met regularly on it and, even with the time delway, we kept building momentum toward it.”

Learn more at AscendAustin.org.

listings

directory A short directory of businesses that give back. Below is our growing list of communityminded, for-profit and nonprofit businesses that support GivingCity.

APPTIVISTS GiveAsYouGet.com GiveAsYouGet.com has aligned with the most popular online shopping sites to offer users a way to give a portion of the sales to the charities of their choice.

HelpAttack Help Attack offers you a chance to pledge a certain amount to your chosen charity every time you tweet.

HelpAttack.com Hotels for Hope Every time you book a room with Hotels for Hope, $2 is given to local charities.

HotelsforHope.org Kimbia Creates online fundraising and event management tools for nonprofits. Kimbia.com MiniDonations Empower your spare change to help out the community in many different ways through your Mini Donations account.

MiniDonations.org SPONSORS/VENUES Center 61 A new coworking community for social entrepreneurs and nonprofits. Center61.com Chuy’s Authentically Austin, offering Tex-Mex food since 1982, and giving back with the Chuy’s Hotto-Trot 5K and Children Giving to Children Parade.

Chuys.com Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf brings its diverse se-

lection of specialty coffees and whole leaf teas to Austin, giving back to a local charity every month.

CoffeeBeanAustin.com Four Seasons Hotel One of Austin’s few premiere venues for grand events and galas.

FourSeasons.com/Austin Hat Creek Burgers This Austin business make feeding the homeless its business, too. Watch for their Mobile Loaves & Fishes truck around town. HatCreekBurgers.com Molotov Located conveniently on West 6th, Molotov welcomes your fundraising event.

MolotovLounge.com NONPROFIT SERVICES Apex Auctions Victoria Gutierrez offers invaluable input on running an auction, and hiring her will do wonders for your nonprofit event. ApexAuction.com Affinity Interactive Group A boutique interactive marketing agency based out of Austin, Texas specialized in online advocacy, content strategy and cause-related marketing. AffinityIG.com Cultural Strategies Cultural Strategies is a marketing and advertising consulting firm that will give your business or organization an advantage in an increasingly multicultural America.

Cultural-Strategies.com

Greenlights for Nonprofit Success Greenlights strengthens nonprofits for extraordinary performance and impact.

Greenlights.org Knox-Woollard Professional Management KWPM employs their expertise in the management field and team of skilled professionals to provide a cost-effective and efficient opportunity for organizations to meet their goals. KWProfessionalManagement.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Alt Creative Alt Creative donates 10% of the profits from all custom web design projects to charity.

Alt-Creative.com INNU Salon Innu is a community-minded salon offering the full-range of services. Innu.net

GiveRealty By donating 25% of their commission to the nonprofit of your choice, Give Reality makes a huge impact on the community while Purple Dot Events Event still providing you with planning for nonprofits exceptional service. that creates memorable, GiveRealtyAustin.com impactful expressions of your mission.

RETAILERS PurpleDotEvents.com Touch of Sass An accessory store specializing in Qtego Helping nonprofit jewelry, bags, and giving silent auctions raise back. TouchofSass.net more money - and keep raising money - via cellGenerousArt.com phone texting. Qtego.com When you purchase art from GenerousArt.com, Ridgewood Ingeyou select a nonprofit nious Communication organization to support Strategies Working with from a list of beneficiacommunity-minded ries or supply an alterclients, Ridgewood is a nate nonprofit. public relations firm that enables organizations to Whole Earth Provision Co. reach out to the public in A specialty retailer offereffective. RidgewoodPR.com ing a broad array of products that engage those who seek to learn about, Seeds for Change experience and preserve Whether you’re planour home planet. WholeEning a gala, stirring up arthProvision.com donors, or establishing a budget, Seeds of Change If you’d like to be considered for the Giving City Austin Directory, please contact Monica will work with you to boost your nonprofit with Williams at advertise@givingcity.com or 512-472-4483 their impressive staff of professionals. SeedsforChangeConsulting.com Spring 2012 45

GIVING I DE A S profile

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creative support Scott Van Osdol rides, but his real contribution may be organizing the talent that keeps the Hill Country Ride for AIDS growing.

“I do a lot of organized rides, but HCRA is absolutely unique. The riders and volunteers create a community of kindness that lasts through the ride and all year round.”

46 GivingCityAustin.com

Raising money from a ride is all about two things: Attracting a lot of riders and keeping the costs low.

So when Scott Van Osdol took up the role of volunteer marketing chair for Hill Country Ride for AIDS in 2004, it was a nonprofit’s dream come true. The photographer and long-time board member of the Austin Advertising Federation gathered some of Austin’s most talented marketing and advertising professionals in the city, thereby launch-

ing one of the most celebrated and effective pro bono campaigns in Austin history.

“Our very first team included Larry McIntosh, Wendy and Sean Carnegie, Jeff Neely and Steve Chandler,” he remembers. The initial logo design went on to appear in the pages of the industry’s prestigious Communications Arts.

Neely went on to become creative director at nFusion, and the agency took it from there for the next six to seven years. “They won

beuacoup awards for their work on the campaign,” says Van Osdol.

Hill Country Ride has become the “cause célèbre” of the Austin design community, not only because of the creative opportunity, but also because the marketing links directly to the ride’s success: In 2004, before Austin Ad Fed took on the ride as a public service client, there were 179 riders who raise $186,000. In 2011, the ride had grown to 500 riders who raised more than $600,000. The ride is the second most successful AIDS ride in the country.

This year, EnviroMedia takes over the design helm. “The response has been very strong within the core group of supporters,” say Van Osdol, “and I think the metric indicates that it’s effective.”

“I lost a couple of very close friends to AIDS,” says Van Osdol. The ride is a way to bring those who have past to present memory. “There’s this notion that you never really die as long as you’re remembered by loved ones. So the ride lets their memory live on.”

ph o t o g r aph by c o d y hami lt o n

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by monica williams

“KLRU has raised over $1 Million online using Kimbia. It just works.�

Shane Guiter Director of Development KLRU-TV, Austin PBS

Flexible Fundraising and Event Management Solutions

Shane Guiter, KLRU-TV, Austin PBS Loyal Kimbia Customer

If you've participated in a KLRU pledge drive, given a gift to I Live Here, I Give Here or the Austin American Statesman's Season for Caring, or ran in an Austin Turkey Trot you've experienced a Kimbia powered fundraising campaign.

Austin's best kept secret for nonprofit fundraising, Kimbia provides flexible and easy-to-use fundraising and event management solutions. Call us today to learn more about our fundraising tools for local Austin nonprofits. 512.474.4447

Spring 2012 47