Public Notice

The Nature of Giving Slate online magazine (http://www.slate.com) offers some interesting insight regarding the nature of "giving" in America. The webzine compiles and maintains an updated list of the most generous charity donors (...use their webpage search engine and type in: "The Slate 60") and the nature of their public gifts.

While charity giving may be up, cash flow to most public service organizations is not. According to Slate, "Most (donors) choose to endow institutes, centers, faculty residences, and academic chairs to which their names, or those of loved ones, will be affixed in perpetuity. With few exceptions, the top givers of 1996 confined their largesse to colleges and universities [and hospitals].... Meanwhile, numerous less-glamorous public needs go unaddressed."

`Need' transcends politics. And many of our local public service organizations are in it desperately, still. Resolved: Give Yourself Local PSOs are in need of some able-bodied selfless types, like... maybe, you? Volunteer hours make for some great New Year's resolutions.

AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) A clearinghouse consortium of local AIDS services organizations. 406-6150 or 406-6107.

American Cancer Society Resource Center volunteers sought. 928-1144.

Any Baby Can Care for chronically ill babies and their families. 454-3743.

Arc of Austin Assistance for folks with developmental disabilities. 476-7044.

Austin Readers for School Libraries Seeking storytellers, shelvers, researchers, etc., to assist in AISD libraries. 467-7328 or 445-5364.

Austin Rape Crisis Center Hotline and assault-prevention education needed.445-5776, ext. 209.

Austin Travis County Mental Health & Mental Retardation Hotline 24-hour crisis counseling, suicide prevention, information, and referrals. 703-1330.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters Befriend a youngster and provide needed guidance and consistency in a child's life. 472-KIDS.

Brackenridge Hospital Brack has an ongoing need for gift shop, info desk, admitting & discharge, and ICU waiting room volunteers, and more. 324-7590.

Capital Area Food Bank Food distribution for 18 Central Texas counties. 448-2111.

Caritas This safety net for the working poor, homeless, and legal refugees needs you. 472-5269.

Casa Marianella Direct aid for refugees and immigrants. 385-5571.

Ceden Family Resource Center Prenatal educators are needed to provide resources to pregnant women and teens. 477-1130.

Community Mentoring Network Mentors for at-risk youth. Part of Austin Metropolitan Ministries. 472-7627.

DeWitty Job Training & Employment Center Instructors and employment counselors needed, as well as computer whizzes specializing in MS Word, Excel, and the Internet. 472-5718.

Foundation for the Homeless Area churches cooperate providing after-school programs and tutors. 452-4663.

Habitat for Humanity Building affordable, quality homes for those in need. 472-8788.

HEART Line/Parents' Anonymous Crisis line and support group personnel needed. 459-5490. n

Part Two of this list will run in the first issue of next year.

Thanks to Lisa Tozzi for assistance.

Happy New Year, y'all.