Volunteering

Today is World Kindness Day, and this non-profit organization from Dripping Springs shows why kindness is so important – today and every day.

The Peyton Heart Project was created in June of 2015 after being inspired by several stories, including that of a 13-year-old boy named Peyton James who died by suicide in 2014. Peyton was a  middle school student from Georgetown, Texas.

This is his and his family's story. See how you can make a difference.

Ready for a magical night of music, food, and surprises? Join Backpack Friends on Tuesday, February 13 for their Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball! 

Enjoy a delicious Cajun dinner, live music, a raffle with exquisite prizes, a silent auction, and more.

With 100% of proceeds benefit children living in food insecurity in Central Texas.

A longtime CASA tradition, the 14th annual Superhero Run will be held at Circuit of the Americas on September 17th with a Kids' Fun Run, 5k, and festival that brings out the superhero in all of us. Your support will help CASA be able to continue providing powerful advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Take a step for good! Join CASA for the 2023 CASA Superhero Run and help them raise $220,000 to support advocacy for children in foster care!

The average costs for school supplies every year is $35 which creates an extra burden for already challenged families as well as for teachers, who often spend their own money buying missing supplies for their classrooms and students.

In order to ease the burden of both families and teachers, school districts that are continuously facing tighter budgets, are trying to outsource the financial obligation by requesting that parents help provide  these supplies. 

Here is a list of Back-to-School Programs and School-Supply Drives in and around Austin.

May is National Foster Care Month.

In Texas, over 10,000 children, often abused and neglected, are waiting for a foster family or an adoptive home. When neither is not found, these children are having to stay at Child Protective Services (CPS) offices on cots, siblings are being split up and placed in separate foster homes or in residential treatment centers (RTC's).

“Foster care is a challenging journey that takes a lot of a family’s resources. Not all of us are called to take on that responsibility at any point in time. But if we can provide care to the caregivers, we can become part of a meaningful network that is essential for a functioning foster care system. Here are 5 ways you can support a Foster Family.

Amplify Austin Day (March 2-3) is a Central Texas tradition. Since 2013, I Live Here I Give Here has been organizing this annual giving event. Amplify Austin Day has raised over $82 million for hundreds of local nonprofits across our 7-county region thanks to the power of collective giving. 

Through the platform AmplifyATX.org, people can discover new local nonprofits to support. With over 700 participating nonpofits, we know it’s not always easy to decide where to give. Luckily, AmplifyATX.org makes finding organizations simple! Each nonprofit is organized by a “cause category.” You can search different causes from animal care and the environment to education and children. Once you select the causes that mean most to your family, you’ll be given a list of matching nonprofits. 

November Is National Adoption Month.

Every year over 600 children in Central Texas wait for a forever family, a place to call home. The Heart Gallery is a portrait exhibit and community education/outreach initiative that brings to life the beautiful personalities of children who are waiting to be adopted. Many of these are older children, sibling groups, and children with special needs—often referred to as forgotten children.

Read on and learn about the stories of these beautiful children.

Live Here I Give Here’s Actions for Good campaign is happening November 1st – December 1st as part of the global GivingTuesday generosity movement. It’s a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to share their values around philanthropy and get the kiddos involved in doing some good right here in Central Texas — the place we love to call home.

Giving back makes kids feel empowered and instilling the value of generosity can have lifelong benefits, including: enhancing your mood, fostering optimism, reducing depression, and creating healthy relationships. Generosity has even been linked to higher rates of happiness. Here's how to get your kids involved in Social Good.

Volunteering fosters many desirable traits that all parents want their children to possess. However, many children wonder what’s going to be in it for them. How will it directly affect them and their well-being? Many organizations in and around Austin are at the forefront of answering this question and are giving children an incentive to participate in creating a culture of generosity in their community while also encouraging their entire family to join in. 

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