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Sammy’s House Is a Special Place for Special Children in Austin

October 18, 2017 by Irvianne Torremoro Leave a Comment

Sammy's House Therapy for Children in Austin

Employees of Sammy’s House have a range of skills such as occupational therapy, sign language, and speech therapy

When you step foot into Sammy’s House, the expansive building feels like an overly large daycare. But you’ll come to find that it’s much more than that. Isabel Huerta, founder and executive director, started the center as a family home child care center in November 1999. At the time, only four children were in her care.

Sammy is Huerta’s late son, who was developmentally delayed and needed plenty of help from his family. Huerta took it to heart when he passed, desiring to assist other families and their children. She developed the curriculum for what was soon to become Sammy’s House, “a special place for special children.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Et Cetera, Non-Profits

The Austin Center for Grief & Loss Marks 10 Years of Counseling and Support

September 28, 2017 by Dustin Vegas Leave a Comment

The Austin Center for Grief and Loss

Credit: The Austin Center for Grief & Loss

The Austin Center for Grief & Loss was created in 2007 by founder Khris Ford. Ford’s mission was, and still is, to help Austinites navigate the overwhelming experience of grief. After the death of her own son, she was called to help others experience the transformative power of grief. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Et Cetera, Non-Profits

Minis and Friends Celebrates Little Horses With Big Hearts

July 11, 2017 by Susan Meyer Leave a Comment

Minis and Friends Nonprofit in Austin, TX

Credit: Minis and Friends

A little over a month ago, I stumbled upon what might be the cutest nonprofit in Austin. Minis and Friends Austin is a group that loves miniature horses and wants to share their love with the Austin community.

Founded in 2007, the organization brings trained miniature horses, no taller than 32 inches, to visit facilities like children’s hospitals, retirement communities, and centers for at-risk youth or individuals in transition.

I’m excited to share a little about Minis and Friends because its volunteers are doing great work. Besides, who doesn’t want to see photos of adorable mini horses at work? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Et Cetera, Non-Profits

Farmgrass Raises Emergency Medical Funds for Central Texas Farmers

June 6, 2017 by Jaclyn Hubersberger Leave a Comment

Whiskey Shivers Performs at Farmgrass Fest

The main stage at Farmgrass Fest 2017, located at Simmons Family Farm in Lockhart, TX
(Credit: Jaclyn Hubersberger)

Organic farming is undoubtedly a labor of love and we’re lucky to live in a region where this love exists in abundance, in comparison to other parts of the country. Austinites have embraced the fact that local, organic fruits and vegetables, and grass-fed, pastured-raised meat, eggs, and dairy purchased from any of the city’s numerous farmers’ markets are superior to many of the products found on supermarket shelves.

Even so, of the 240,000 farms located in Texas, only 178 are certified organic. With the departure of a generation of retirement-age farmers and increasing barriers faced by a new generation, that number is unlikely to increase anytime soon. Economic challenges faced by organic farmers are greater than those faced by farmers of larger, conventional farms who receive government subsidies, and this often means going without access to adequate and affordable healthcare.

Farmgrass, a local Austin nonprofit organization, is raising funds to provide assistance to Central Texas organic farmers when they find their health, and the health of their farms, in a state of emergency. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Et Cetera, Non-Profits Tagged With: farm

Austin’s Gazelle Foundation Gives Clean Water to Thousands in Burundi

April 27, 2017 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

Gazelle Foundation Drinking Water for Burundi

Child in Burundi drinks clean water from a tap stand (Credit: Gazelle Foundation/Spencer Selvedge)

Gilbert Tuhabonye Gazelle Foundation

Gilbert Tuhabonye is Gazelle Foundation’s inspiration and strong, joyful leader

Water, air, food, shelter, clothing. These are basic needs all humans have. Austin-based Gazelle Foundation has a singular goal: provide clean water to people in Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world. Our city’s link to Burundi is a remarkable survivor, and proponent of joy and helping others, Gilbert Tuhabonye.

An Inspired Life

Gilbert Tuhabonye has survived horrors most of us cannot imagine. As a young child, he escaped a brutal attack by Hutu tribesman at his school, where the marauders beat the Tutsi children with machetes and set them on fire. Tuhabonye managed to escape through a window and literally run to freedom, despite being on fire. Today he exudes hope, and practices forgiveness and faith. He now works to save his people through Gazelle Foundation. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Et Cetera, Non-Profits

Austin Music Foundation Teaches Music’s Business Side With New Program

April 25, 2017 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Austin Music Foundation Front Sign

Austin Music Foundation seeks to elevate and educate Austin’s music community (Credit: Mathis Kennington)

Even in the Live Music Capital of the World, it’s tough to make a living as a musician. From poor pay to middling tips to late hours, succeeding in the Austin music scene requires patience, persistence, and a little luck. Unfortunately, the music isn’t always enough.

Enter Austin Music Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to bolstering our creative community through artist-empowering programs, education, and economic opportunities. With the organization’s newest venture, the Artist Development Program, Austin Music Foundation aims to educate Austin artists on how to navigate the tricky world of the music industry. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Et Cetera, Music, Non-Profits Tagged With: austin music foundation

Grounded In Music Celebrates 10 Years of Musical Mentorship

April 12, 2017 by Dustin Vegas Leave a Comment

Grounded in Music Students in Austin

Credit: Grounded in Music

Want to hear a sad song? Over the past decade, schools in the U.S., including Texas, have seen a decline in arts education. It’s getting harder to compete for funding in an era of shrinking budgets, test-based curriculum and growth in STEM fields.

To add an even sadder note, the problem is even worse in low-income schools. If an affluent school has its arts budget slashed, the students still have opportunities to be creative outside of the classroom. There are private lessons, after-school programs, and more.

That is not the case for low-income students. If we believe the arts are valuable to individuals and our society, then stripping art education from low-income kids should be unacceptable. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Et Cetera, Non-Profits

Breaking Ground on 37 Acres of Connected Green Space in Downtown Austin

March 30, 2017 by Jaclyn Hubersberger Leave a Comment

Palm Park Revitalization Austin

A historically important park with strong connections to East Austin communities, Palm Park will be revitalized as a major entrance to the creek trail and a central gathering place. The redesigned park will host a variety of community programs including movie nights, open-air markets and outdoor exhibitions. (Rendering courtesy of Waller Creek Conservancy)

The city of Austin is home to more than 300 parks, but there’s always room for more, especially when we’re talking about accessible green space in the highly urbanized and rapidly growing downtown area. Waller Creek is a one and a half mile riparian ecosystem that begins at Waterloo Park and travels south along the eastern edge of downtown Austin to converge with Lady Bird Lake.

In partnership with the City of Austin and thanks to a $15 million grant from the Moody Foundation–the largest amount for parks and public open space ever gifted in the city of Austin–Waller Creek Conservancy will break ground on Phase 1 of its revitalization project later this year, beginning with Waterloo Park. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Austinot Loves, Discoveries, Et Cetera, Non-Profits Tagged With: downtown, waller creek

Amplify Austin Celebrates 5 Years and Over $25M Raised for Local Nonprofits

February 28, 2017 by Jaclyn Hubersberger Leave a Comment

Amplify Austin 2016 at I Live Here, I Give Here

During Amplify Austin Day 2016 at the offices of I Live Here, I Give Here

On March 2 starting at 6 p.m., Amplify Austin Day will be in full swing with a goal of raising $9 million in 24 hours. Last year $8.5 million was raised, with 40 percent of donations attributed to first-time donors and 31 percent of site users being millennials.

Editor’s Note: Amplify Austin ended up raising over $9.8 million in 2017! This was their most successful fundraising event to date. There were more than 64,500 individual donations supporting about 700 nonprofits in Central Texas. Thank you to all of our neighbors who contributed!

The nonprofit organization I Live Here, I Give Here created Amplify Austin Day in 2012. Five years later, Amplify Austin has raised over $25 million for more than 600 local nonprofits. Austinites can now visit one place to support 700 mission-driven organizations of their choice that are providing real, tangible solutions within our community. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Et Cetera, Non-Profits Tagged With: amplify austin

Embrace Your Inner Kid at Austin Toy Museum

February 20, 2017 by Ashley Alkek 2 Comments

Austin Toy Museum

Welcome to Austin Toy Museum (Credit: Wright Sulek)

It seems appropriate that Austin would have a museum of toys, mostly due to how serious we are about playfulness. When it comes to fostering a playful spirit as a way of life, Austin Toy Museum has it down!

Imagination and nostalgia line the walls of Austin Toy Museum, which has over 40,000 rotating items for display. While visitors certainly get a glimpse into past childhood joy, Austin Toy Museum serves the community in surprising ways. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Culture, Et Cetera, Museums, Non-Profits Tagged With: eastside

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