Discover the Best Things to Do in Austin, Food & Drink deals and more!
The new Lakeline Station Apartments (Credit: Foundation Communities)
It may seem like every beautiful apartment complex in Austin is financially out of reach. With rent continuing to soar, how do we keep some sense of balance in our city? Even though working toward affordable housing solutions in Austin may feel impossibly weighty, Foundation Communities has been tackling this issue with unwavering persistence. [Read more…]
In 1992, a Latina baby girl had less than a one percent chance of acquiring a college education. It was a grim statistic, one Austin Latinas and fellow women took to heart. It was a statistic they set out to change. The result was Con Mi MADRE.
What began as a mother-daughter program in 1992 has become a thriving nonprofit that serves more than 600 young Latinas and their mothers in the greater Austin area. For the past 24 years, Con Mi MADRE has worked to change the expectations and stigmas for young Latina women.
Today, the organization works to open doors for members, exposing them to opportunities they never thought possible. [Read more…]
All ages can participate in Austin Empty Bowl Project (Credit: Studio Stence Photography)
As we move into the holiday season, I begin to reflect on all I have to be thankful for and consider how I can help those in my community who are less fortunate. If you’re also looking for a way to give back this holiday season, Austin Empty Bowl Project is a cause highly deserving of your support. Over the past 19 years, Austin Empty Bowl Project has raised over $900,000 to help feed hungry Central Texans. Now celebrating 20 years, the goal is the $1 million mark.
The family-friendly event will be held on Sunday, Nov. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Central Texas Food Bank, located at 6500 Metropolis Dr. For a donation of $20, guests are invited to choose their favorite from over 4,000 handmade ceramic bowls donated by local artists, which are then filled with soup and bread from some of Austin’s best restaurants. When it’s time to leave, have your bowl wrapped up to take home as a reminder of those whose bowls are empty. [Read more…]
Open discussion at The SEED class at Houston Elementary School in Austin (Credit: The SEED)
The SEED offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to adults in Austin, emphasizing participation and community building. Learners are engaged community members and participants in their own educational experience. They give input on various aspects of the classes, including what they want to learn, what type of outreach or fundraising they want to do, and how much time they want to spend on a given task. [Read more…]
Waller Creek Clean-up (Credit: Vincent Colvin)
Austin boasts a vibrant outdoor culture. This is part of our charm. The Waller Creek Conservancy is bringing us more park space in which to recreate and Generation Waller, known as GenWaller, offers a myriad of ways to get involved.
GenWaller provides young professionals a way to become involved in the Waller Creek Conservancy initiative. The Waller Creek Conservancy is creating a large, multipurpose green space in the heart of Austin. GenWaller holds events focused on networking, education, physical involvement and inspiration. Some recent events have included park clean-up, happy hours, kayak tours, concerts, kickball tournaments and removal of invasive plant species. The organization is recruiting new members from among Austin professionals. This is a great group to join! [Read more…]
Child feeding a native deer at Austin Zoo
Did you know Austin has a zoo? If you didn’t, you’re not alone! It isn’t your typical zoo, as it started as a rescue sanctuary in 1990 and remains a non-profit habitat for rescued animals today. The nature-loving individuals who work there are dedicated to rehabilitation and education.
If you fancy a day spent with amazing creatures other than humans, it’s worth the 25-30 minute drive southwest from downtown Austin. Here are a few key components that make it such a special place. [Read more…]
Help end hunger in Austin (Credit: MusicTechandFood.org)
There’s a new nonprofit in town that smartly combines three things Austin is known for: the music scene, the tech world and delicious food. Aptly called MusicTechandFood.org, this organization brings music lovers and tech gurus together to help fight hunger in Austin.
One in seven Americans must make tough choices everyday when it comes to food. They skip meals, eat cheap, non-nutritious foods and live with food insecurity. In the United States, it’s estimated that 15.3 million children feel the weight of food insecurity, as well. To find out how MusicTechandFood.org battles these appalling statistics, I spoke with co-founder, Jake Sussman. [Read more…]
Exterior of the new Central Texas Food Bank location, located at 6500 Metropolis Dr. (Credit: Jaclyn Hubersberger)
It is well known that Central Texas is one of the fastest growing regions in the nation thanks to an economic boom that has taken place in recent years. But you may not know that despite all of this growth and prosperity, tens of thousands of Central Texans are at risk of going hungry each week, including one in every four children.
Due to the rising cost of living, an increasing number of people in the Austin area are having to choose between food and other basic needs like housing, utilities, transportation and medicine.
Central Texas Food Bank (formerly Capital Area Food Bank of Texas) serves 46,000 of our fellow community members per week, from 21 counties across the region, and that number is on the rise. [Read more…]
Urban Roots interns taking pride in their peaches (Credit: Urban Roots)
Earlier this moth, Eat Out For Good teamed up with Buick to produce a lively charitable event at Parkside to benefit Urban Roots. Now that’s a whole lot of Austin goodness crammed into one sentence. Let’s break it down a bit to pay homage to these great contributors to Austin’s culture and community. [Read more…]
G3 members award their generous grant to Posada Esperanza (Credit: G3)
When I was in elementary school, I set up plenty lemonade and cupcake stands in my neighborhood. Ever the frugal child, I would stow away my hard earned–or squeezed–pennies until I had enough to buy the next Harry Potter book or Barbie that I wanted.
Many of us have these childhood memories in common, but Austin’s Girls Giving Grants program is turning that image up a notch. Leave it to Austin to encourage kids to not only be entrepreneurial, but philanthropic, as well.