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.”

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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…]

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…]

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…]

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…]