Amplify Austin Day Makes Some Noise for Local Nonprofits

Good news, do-gooders: This Thursday marks the sixth annual Amplify Austin event. The 24-hour give-a-thon is organized by I Live Here I Give Here and aims to raise money for nonprofit organizations working within the community to help make our city great. The fundraiser runs February 28-March 1 only.

Salvage Vanguard Theater is hosting their 25th Birthday Pizza Party at Home Slice Pizza on Feb. 28. (Photo by John Anderson)

If last year is any indication, this year promises to be a smashing success. In 2018 alone, Austinites raised over $10 million for 700 Central Texas nonprofits, helping them continue their missions of support and assistance for communities throughout our great state.

Amplify Austin supporters are encouraged to set up monthly donations toward a favorite cause or set a fundraising goal to be met by their family and friends. To boost the power of each individual donation, I Live Here I Give Here has organized many different fundraising strategies: matching funds, social media incentives to boost donor impact by connecting individuals with corporate partners (use #LoveTitos on Twitter, for example, and the vodka company will boost your donation by an extra $5), and prizes handed out to organizations at key points throughout the 24-hour period to encourage donations and award them for leading the way. Favor will donate $1 to the ILHIGH fund for every delivery completed during the 24-hour period, and an additional $1 for every Austin-based customer that tags @Favor and uses the hashtag #ILiveHereIGiveHere in a tweet about their delivery. Additionally, there is a $5,000 prize on the line for one lucky organization.

Of course, there are literally hundreds of worthy causes for you to send your money to, but come on, we’re the Food section – our biases are obvious. This year, we’re keeping our eyes on the food-based organizations that make Austin so awesome, like the food insecurity juggernaut that is the Central Texas Food Bank, whose ambitious goal is to raise $400,000 to completely close the meal gap in Central Texas for the next three months, bringing healthy ingredients to the 30% of Central Texas families who do not have access to their services. We’re also big fans of the Sustainable Food Center, which is raising $32,000 to support their network of community, school, and backyard gardens, as well as their open-to-the-community food and nutrition classes, ensuring stronger food systems and more accessible healthy meals for Texans throughout the state.

Oskar Blues Brewery is hosting a concert on Feb. 28, with the assistance of HAAM and Transient Mic. (Photo by John Anderson)

There are plenty of snack-centric ways to participate in person as well. Oskar Blues Brewery is hosting a concert on Feb. 28, with the assistance of Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) and Transient Mic, and Salvage Vanguard Theater is hosting their 25th Birthday Pizza Party at Home Slice Pizza that evening to raise funds to pay their artists a “Giving Wage.” Over at Shake Shack, they’re hosting a special donation day where diners can chose to contribute 25% of the cost of their meal to the Austin Humane Society, their Amplify partner. Check the full list for hundreds more great organizations, like CASA of Travis County, Out Youth, and We Are Blood.

Twenty-four hours might not seem like a long time. A small monthly donation might not seem like it could make a world-changing difference to the most vulnerable members of our community. But the truth is, Austin, we are stronger together. And together, we can work to ensure a thriving network of community organizations to provide help and support to those who need it most. The pizza party and hamburgers are just a bonus!

For more information and a full list of participating nonprofits, please check out www.amplifyatx.org.