700 local nonprofits take part in Amplify Austin Day
AUSTIN, Texas - 700 local nonprofits are taking part in the 10th year of Amplify Austin. The event may be virtual, but the impact is very real.
"For all of us it’s critical funding to be able to live out our mission said Carolyn Schwarz, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas.
The Ronald McDonald House gives families of sick kids a home away from home, right next door to Dell Children’s.
"The last thing you’re thinking about is where am I going to eat, am I going to get a good night’s rest. And Ronald McDonald house comes around families and provides that support," said Schwarz.
Waterloo Greenway, I Live Here I Give Here talk about Amplify Austin Day
24 hours of giving in Central Texas kicks off at 6 p.m. tonight. FOX 7 Austin's Tierra Neubaum gets more details about the 10th annual Amplify Austin Day where community members across seven county regions raise money for non-profits.
Schwarz says their 30 guest rooms are always full, so donations are more important than ever.
"$500 helps us provide meals to over 30 families. Every little bit helps, so again a $5-10 donation is just as important to us as those bigger gifts," said Schwarz.
Nonprofits taking part in Amplify range from food banks to LGBTQ advocates to groups that help struggling students—like Communities in Schools of Central Texas.
"CIS Central Texas surrounds students with a community of support, and we empower them to stay in school and achieve in life. We do that by placing social work professionals in the schools, kindergarten through 12th grade," said Carmine Salvucci, Chief Development Officer of Communities in Schools of Central Texas.
Black Leaders Collective, I Live Here I Give Here talk about Amplify Austin Day
24 hours of giving in Central Texas kicks off at 6 p.m. tonight. FOX 7 Austin's Tierra Neubaum gets more details about the 10th annual Amplify Austin Day where community members across seven county regions raise money for non-profits.
They help more than 700 students every year, across 100 Central Texas schools, and Salvucci says you might be surprised what your money can do.
"Gifts from as low as $25 can help us to provide school supplies for a student who arrives at school without them, or a backpack all the way up to gifts in the thousands of dollars, which might be able to help families financially out of a crisis."
Since it began in 2013, Amplify Austin has raised more than $82 million, helping people and nonprofits lift each other up, and maybe changing a little misperception along the way.
"It started because people in Austin had a reputation for not being very generous, and I guess we’ve shown those people wrong," said Salvucci.
The livestream and concert runs through 6 p.m. Thursday at amplifyatx.org. On that site you can also search different categories of nonprofits that you might be interested in.
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Amplify Austin Day: 24 hours of giving to raise money for nonprofits
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