Austin Hope Squad Helps Individuals To Start A New Life

Do you remember when you moved into your first home and all the things that you needed in order to start a new life on your own? It's a big step and it isn't always easy, especially for youth and young families with little money and resources. Today, we'd like to introduce you to a new nonprofit that aims to provide those individuals with as much assistance as possible.

Austin Hope Squad

Austin Hope Squad started with the idea of re-homing items that are sitting around in your storage or garage and putting them into the homes of individuals that are starting a new life. In addition, we hope that gifting these items will give us an opportunity to create a friendship and mentorship with these individuals.

Mission

Austin Hope Squad aims to hit two groups: 

1. Children that are timing out of the nation’s foster care system and
2. Immigrant and refugee women and children that are escaping domestic violence.

The reason Austin Hope Squad decided on choosing these two groups is because of the lack of assistance they currently receive. 

Foster Children

A foster child that has spent a majority of his or her life in shelters, foster homes or transitional housing, have little to no family willing to support them as they exit or time out of the program. 
There is national funding to help these children with possibly a few items to furnish an apartment and if they are lucky, some help with a deposit or first month’s rent. The biggest challenge we see for these children is to enter the world with very little money, no family to rely on and a few resources. 

We aim to put your pre-owned items into their apartments upon move out, in an effort to make them feel more at home. In addition, we want to personally deliver these items and a hot meal to our new friends and offer them a resource for mentoring, guidance, assistance and even a listening ear in tough situations. We hope that offering them friendship along with your items of hope that you have passed along we are able to keep them away from homelessness and on a path to success. This, in return, will ensure they are contributing positively to our communities.

Immigrants and Refugee Women

For our group of women and children that are fleeing domestic violence there is very little assistance for this vulnerable group of individuals; which includes a big population of innocent children. These women seek assistance to leave a dangerous situation and are usually leaving their homes, friends and anything they have worked for in an attempt to give their children a safe and stable environment. This process usually takes time, resources and high spirits. Many of these women can be broken not only physically but mentally and emotionally, making this process even more difficult.

Our idea is twofold as we aim to create relationships with not only these women but their children as well. We hope our friendships with them will grow and encourage their children to dream and reach for a life much different than what they are currently presented with. Your items will give them comfort in feeling at home in a new environment as they build their lives again.

Donations

Your kind gifts will change the lives and circumstances of both groups not just today but possibly for the rest of their lifetime. It takes one act of kindness to start a ripple of change. This is our small act to end homelessness by keeping potential women and children off the street and giving them a hopeful start to a better life.

Items needed:

• Kitchenware
• Dishes and pans
• Newer & gently used linens
• Smaller electronics
• Furniture
• Other items needed when moving into your first home

We ask that any items that you are looking to donate be in clean, working condition. Our goal is to give these individuals not only hope but dignity with the items we give them.

You can also email us at austinhopesquad@gmail.com to arrange a donation pick-up or if you would like to drop off any items.

Any monetary donations made will be used for hot meals for the families receiving items on the day of delivery, fuel for pick-ups and drop-offs as well as storage space costs. 

Fundraiser

Our first fundraiser will be on July 14th, 2018 from 9am-11:30am at Saint John Neuman Catholic Church at 5455 Bee Cave Road, Austin.

Join us for a fun morning with breakfast, yard games and music as we get gather to fundraise items for two groups in Austin. We are partnering with their commissary for Mobile Loaves and Fishes to collect items you would like to re-home. Mobile Loaves and Fishes is an organization that goes out into our community every night of the year and feeds homeless individuals.

Your donations of food, water bottles, clothing and sanitary items will go directly to them to redistribute to our homeless friends. Any other items you wish to donate such as kitchenware, dishes and pans, newer & gently used linens, smaller electronics and furniture will be re-homed by Austin Hope Squad. If you have any bigger furniture items please email us at austinhopesquad@gmail.com prior to the event in order for us to clear storage space. 

Please feel free to join us even if you currently do not have a donation but wish to enjoy breakfast with us and learn more about how you can help. Please make sure to follow us on Instagram so that we are able to spread our mission. 

Spread The Word