Austin is an amazing city full of love and generosity. Now that the holidays are here it is a great time to share some joy and give a little to the community we love so much.
Here are some wonderful local charities that you can donate gifts, money and/or time to. Don’t forget that you can help these and many other charities year round because there is so much we can do to make Austin an even more beautiful place to be.
Helping others is also a great thing to do with your little ones. It teaches them about being kind, having empathy, accepting differences, how to share, respect for others and the simple yet great power of bringing happiness to others.
Here are some ideas of what you can do with your little ones:
- Take them with you when you donate. Let them see where things are going and to whom. Kids are very visual, so being able to be at the charity of your choice or, even better, participate in some way, is a fantastic way to teach them about kindness.
- Have them go through their old toys and clothes to give to other kids. Depending on your kids, this may be harder than it sounds. At first, my kids were very reluctant to give away their prized possessions so we had to start small. Once they realized that they were going to make other kids so happy, they became very excited about the possibility. Especially if they knew they would be going with me.
- Have them pick the gifts you will donate at the store by explaining that they are going to go to children that don’t have them. Of course, they may want one for themselves. My work around is to allow them to pick whatever they want from the sale rack or dollar bin at Target.
- Have them make crafts to take to a nursing home or children’s hospital to distribute. I need to do this one with both of my sons. My older boy and I did this while I was pregnant with my second, and it was amazing. The people at the nursing home were so grateful and sweet. They just wanted to sit and talk to my son. It was beautiful.
Below is a short list of charities that were picked by other Austin Moms. I hope you find one that moves your heart. If you know of any other charities, please let us know and we can update our list. Also, there will be two links at the end of the list that take you to other lists for nonprofit organizations. Charity begins at home. Anything you can give someone else is more than they had before. Thank you, to all that work so hard to help others.
Any Baby Can
Mission: Any Baby Can improves the lives of children by strengthening them and their families through education, therapy and family support services. Most of our services are provided through home visitation programs, and we also offer community classes and support groups. At Any Baby Can, we believe that every child deserves a strong family, and it’s the foundation of everything we do.
To donate please go to https://www.anybabycan.org/donate
Austin Diaper Bank
Mission: Austin Diaper Bank is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing diapers to Austin families in need to strengthen the community as a whole. Click here for a charity spotlight.
To donate please go to http://diaperbanknetwork.org/
Buck’s Barn
Mission: We collect presents year-round, then set up shop at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin, Texas the 1st weekend in December each year and call it “Buck’s Barn”.
To donate please go to http://www.bucksbarn.org/index.html Buck’s Barn is very much a miracle for sick children. Even though the block party for Austin Moms Blog already took place, the charity was featured in an article about the event. You can learn more about Buck in this featured article by clicking here.
Caritas
Mission: Caritas provides a service continuum for those experiencing poverty that begins with a safety net and links them to resources to achieve self-sufficiency.
To donate please go to http://www.caritasofaustin.org/donate
Communities in Schools
Mission: Communities In Schools of Central Texas surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
To donate please go to http://www.ciscentraltexas.org/get-involved/donate-online/
Junior League of Austin
Mission: The Junior League of Austin is a diverse group of dedicated women working to make Austin a better place. The Junior League of Austin is a non-profit organization formed in 1934 committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving our community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
To donate please go to http://www.jlaustin.org/?nd=donate_summary
The Junior League of Austin has many opportunities for you to donate and participate in making Austin better. Here are a couple of them:
Coats for Kids
Mission: This annual community event collects and distributes new and gently worn, warm winter coats to the eligible youth of Central Texas, while also providing an opportunity for families to access local resources through an onsite community fair.
To donate please go to http://www.jlaustin.org/?nd=cfk_help
Food in Tummies
Mission: To educate children, parents and the community in order to promote nutritional health and maximize student potential and eliminate weekend hunger.
To donate please go to http://www.jlaustin.org/?nd=fit
Habitat for Humanity
Mission: The mission and vision of Austin Habitat for Humanity are anchored around our dedication to ending the cycle of poverty housing and the deeply held belief that everyone deserves a decent, affordable place to live.
To donate please go to https://www.austinhabitat.org/make-a-gift
Hill Country Community Ministries
Mission: We are people of faith cooperating in the love of Christ and neighbor to help those in need. HCCM operates a food pantry, clothes closet, and provides other assistance for approximately 400-500 families a month.
To donate please go to http://www.hccm.org/index.html
Lake Travis Thrift/Ladies of Charity
Mission: Profits support charities and the needy, primarily in the Lake Travis area:
To donate please go to http://www.laketravisthrift.com/
My Healing Place
Mission: Working with individuals and families who have experienced grief or trauma due to the death of a loved one from illness, accident, suicide or violence; or have experienced loss due to divorce or separation. Together we enable you to take steps forward; steps focused on life.
To donate please go to http://myhealingplace.org/donate.htm
Operation Blue Santa
Mission: Each year we provide each family we serve with a full holiday meal and wrapped Christmas gifts for each child under age 14. Click here for a charity spotlight.
To donate please go to:
http://www.bluesanta.org For Austin
http://www.lvbluesanta.org For Lago Vista
Partnership for Children
Mission: The mission of Partnerships for Children has always been to provide Child Protective Services’ caseworkers with the resources that they need to better serve the kids in our community.
To donate please go to http://partnershipsforchildren.org/donate/
Redeemed Ministries
Mission: To provide care for women rescued from domestic sex trafficking. “To bring Christ’s loving redemption and amazing liberation within our communities by providing environments conducive for holistic healing and guiding adult survivors of domestic sex trafficking to healthy, productive and independent living.”
To donate please go to http://redeemedministries.com/donate/
SafePlace
Mission: SafePlace helps women, children and men who have survived sexual or domestic violence. Through community contributions, individuals come together to make an impact on the lives of thousands of survivors. There are many ways you can give in support of the programs and services that are so vital to our continued success.
To donate please go to http://safeplace.org/get-involved/give/
The Settlement Home
Mission: Our mission is to promote healing and growth in children, young adults and families by providing a continuum of care, support and resources. We serve individuals with histories of severe trauma, abuse and neglect. https://www.settlementhome.org/donate
Wonders and Worries
Mission: Helping Children Cope When A Parent Faces a Serious or Life-threatening Illness
To donate please go to https://wondersandworries.wufoo.com/forms/make-a-gift-today/
Other Lists of Charities:
Great Nonprofits: http://greatnonprofits.org/city/Austin/TX
Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce: http://business.laketravischamber.com/list/category/non-profit-321
Thank you for taking the time to find a charity that you can get behind and support. We here at Austin Moms Blog want to wish you the happiest of holidays, along with love and good health all year long.
:: Do you have a favorite charity? Sound off! ::
Texas Advocacy Project is a wonderful non-profit organization here in Austin. I highly recommend donating to their Adopt-A-Family Program this year and checking out the other events throughout the year. https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=N32VVH7 https://www.facebook.com/TexasAdvocacyProject?sk=wall