Today, Austin Chronicle founders Louis Black and Nick Barbaro presented the SIMS Foundation with an oversized check for $22,785.
That figure represents all the cash brought in from ticket sales to the Austin Music Awards, which sold out the Austin Convention Center on March 18 during South by Southwest. It’s a donation the Chronicle makes every year to the local nonprofit that provides mental health and addiction recovery services for local musicians and their families. This year’s check boasted higher digits than ever before.
Between 2008 and 2014, the AMAs raised a total of $45,148 for SIMS, with the largest single-year installment being $8,038. That figure almost tripled this year. For that, there’s the music community to thank, from fans who bought tickets to the musicians who performed at the ceremony, plus our event partners and everyone who voted in the paper’s annual Austin Music Poll.
Taken all together, these entities help ensure the sustainability of an organization providing an elemental service to our famed music scene. The SIMS Foundation, now in its 20th year of service, looks to expand its outreach in 2015 to members of the EDM, Latin, country, and jazz scenes, according to managing director Heather Alden. Their network of providers continues to grow as well, now including over 70 therapists, psychiatrists, and partner organizations in Austin.
This article appears in April 10 • 2015.