The Good Guide: Giving Back this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer this holiday season. As many of us can’t wait to stuff our faces with turkey and stuffing, thousands in Austin will struggle to just put food on the table. Good Party rounded up 6 different ways to give back this Thanksgiving:

Empty Bowl Project:

The Austin Empty Bowl Project is an effort by Austin area potters to fight hunger. On November 18, you’re invited to select your favorite locally crafted ceramic bowl, have it filled with gourmet soup and bread, and listen to live music while enjoying your lunch. Your $25 donation goes to Kids Cafe, a program of the Central Texas Food Bank, and Meals for Kids, a program of Meals on Wheels Central Texas. For more information on attending or volunteering at the event, click here.

HEB Feast of Sharing:

The annual Feast of Sharing on November 20 takes place at the Palmer Events Center and is the largest community Thanksgiving meal in Austin. H-E-B provides 14,000 meals to hungry Austinites with the help of 1,400 volunteers who plate and serve food, do crafts with children, and many other tasks. For information on how to volunteer, head to this link.

Operation Turkey:

Operation Turkey aims to bring communities together, across the nation, to feed and clothe the homeless and less fortunate on Thanksgiving Day. Sign up to volunteer the day before Thanksgiving at the Turkey Tailgate or the day of Thanksgiving by visiting their website. This year’s goal is to serve 75,000 meals, and if you wish to assist you can also make a donation online.

Central Texas Food Bank volunteer shifts:

The largest hunger relief organization could use your help to provide meals to families during this food-centered holiday. In the days before Thanksgiving, volunteer to sort food donations at the Food Bank to prepare for distribution through its partner agencies across Central Texas. Can’t find the time but want to give? Every $10 donated will provide 80 meals for those in need. Link to volunteer and donate.

Thundercloud’s Turkey Trot:

With almost 20,000 people participating on Thanksgiving Day, the Thundercloud five-mile race is one of the largest Turkey Trots in the country. ThunderCloud Subs donates all of the proceeds from the Turkey Trot directly to Caritas of Austin, a local nonprofit that’s dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness for people in Greater Austin. ThunderCloud has raised more than $2.5 million for Caritas since the event began in 1991. To register to run or volunteer at the event, click on this link.

Gobble Gobble Give:

Gobble Gobble Give is a nonprofit organization dedicated to feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving. A community of volunteers delivers food, clothing and toiletries to the homeless in eleven cities (including Austin) across the country on Thanksgiving morning. All meals are made possible by donations and volunteers before and on the day of Thanksgiving. For a list of items you can donate as well as the link to contribute financially, click here.

Written By: Madison Lammert

Art of the Gala 2018

Art of the Gala is back and it’s bigger (and better!) than ever.

The annual training day for do-gooders returns on October 23rd with an all-star cast of speakers, ready to inspire and equip nonprofit organizations and leaders.

This year’s Art of the Gala keynote speaker is Austin’s own Grammy nominee and ACM award-winning country music artist, Jack Ingram. Ingram is no stranger to giving back, having founded Mack, Jack & McConaughey (MJ&M) with Coach Mack Brown and actor (and Austin legend) Matthew McConaughey. MJ&M has raised nearly $10 million for local children’s charities over the years, and Ingram plans on continuing to invest and empower in philanthropic causes and leaders.

In addition to Jack Ingram, Art of the Gala will also feature a lineup of over 40 noteworthy speakers, including Michael Barnes, Society Editor at the Austin American-Statesman, Sunny Howard, Chief Development Officer for American Red Cross, and Sheena Wilde, Director of Philanthropy for Kendra Scott.

Over 150 attendees from over 100 nonprofit organizations across Texas are expected to attend the event hosted by GivingCity, and they come prepared to learn new fundraising techniques and strategies from the pros. Roundtable discussions and panel topics will include: Building and Managing Volunteer Base, Managing Vendor Relationships, Tips for a Successful Auction, and many more.

These folks #giveadamn, and we like it.

The 2018 Art of the Gala will be held on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, at the JW Marriott. Tickets are available here.

ACL Fest Gives Back

Austin City Limits Music Festival is finally here! Did you know that ACL partners with local nonprofits that help save and improve lives? Their mission is to support good causes and provide an opportunity for select organizations to gain support from thousands of enthusiastic, like-minded people. We can’t think of a better place for these nonprofits to gain exposure than at ACL.

Some of our favorite nonprofits including The Central Texas Food Bank, HAAM, SAFE, and The SIMS Foundation will be on-site at ACL so make sure to check them out between performances. For a full list of nonprofits that will be at the festival, click here.

ACL Fest is also introducing the ACL Cares Academy this year, where you can learn from and engage with organizations and causes through interactive panels, meet and greets, and fun activities including yoga. This academy will be hosted by local comedian Lisa Friedrich, and feature organizations such as PETA and the Austin Music Foundation. Check out the schedule for the ACL Cares Academy here.

In an effort to make the festival greener this year, Austin Parks Foundation is encouraging recycling and composting as well as educating fans about their Recycling in Parks initiative. You can even win a specially designed ACL Fest line-up tee by picking up a bag of recyclables from the grounds. To see all of the eco-friendly organizations that APF is partnering with, head to this link.

Lastly, there’s still time to sign up to be a volunteer for ACL Fest. Volunteers spread the word about APF’s greening programs and encourage fans to get involved. Plus, all volunteers get to enjoy the festival before or after their shift for free. Sign up to be a volunteer here.

Whether you’re attending Weekend One or Two, Good Party wish you a safe and fun ACL!

Written by: Madison Lammert

HAAM Day 2018

It's that time of year again! The annual HAAM Benefit Day will take place this Tuesday, September 11. Each year on HAAM Day, the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians hosts over 200 free concerts across Austin, beginning at 6:00 AM and continuing late into the night. Enjoy a cold beer (or coffee for morning concert-goers) while discovering new artists and helping to provide healthcare for Austin's musicians. We compiled a list of our top ten picks:

• Cale and the 45's: We Are Blood’s HAAM Day Showcase - Banger's Sausage House (6:00 PM)
• Sour Bridges: Bumble and ATX Music Office Present HAAM Day - Guero's Oak Garden (5:00 PM)
• Akina Adderley: Whole Foods Downtown (8:00 AM)
• Billy Broome: The Hole in the Wall (7:00 PM)
• Chido Machine: Austin Daily Press (12:00 PM)
• Shy Beast: FVF Law & SXSW Present HAAM Day - The ABGB (7:00 PM)
• Johnny Goudie: Antone's Record Shop (4:30 PM)
• Hannah Barakat: Wholly Cow Burgers (6:00 PM)
• Texas Music Office, Dubois Bryant & Campbell, and Sendero Health Plans Present: Marcia Ball - Threadgill’s World Headquarters (7:30 PM)
• Jackie Venison: The 3rd Annual RECA Showcase - Antone’s Nightclub (7:30 PM)

To view the full lineup, click here.

More about HAAM: 

HAAM provides access to affordable health care for Austin’s low-income working musicians, with a focus on prevention and wellness. By resolving challenges such as long-neglected teeth to hearing loss, heart problems and depression, HAAM and their partners improve and save musicians’ lives and enhance Austin’s economy and quality of life.

Written by: Madison Lammert

How to Get Involved This August & September

As summer comes to an end, the number of local volunteer opportunities continues to increase. Good Party reached out to 5 different nonprofit organizations in Austin to find out their volunteer needs for the next two months and how to get involved:

Central Texas Food Bank: 

• The CTFB always has a need for volunteers, but that’s especially true through the end of August when their summer feeding programs are going on. In their kitchen, they prepare thousands of meals and snacks to distribute to kids 18 and under at about 90 sites throughout the Austin area. Sign up for a volunteer shift here.
• August is filled with fun events that benefit the Central Texas Food Bank: Rock 'n' Restock on August 23,  Quesoff 2018 on August 25, The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival on August 26, and Austin Restaurants Weeks from August 16-September 3. 

The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM):

• HAAM Day is on September 11, and over 400 volunteers are needed to make the event possible. On this day, Austin businesses and music venues host over 200 performances from local musicians all over the city and donate a portion of their daily sales to support HAAM. Sign up to volunteer for HAAM Day here.
• HAAM also needs year-round volunteer help that involves taking donations at concerts, spreading the word about HAAM, and helping the small but mighty HAAM staff out in a variety of ways. Sign up to be a HAAMbassador here.

Austin Pets Alive!:

• Paddle for Puppies is on August 26 and benefits the Parvo Puppy Program at APA! Register here to paddle down Lady Bird Lake for a cause. If you're interested in volunteering at this event, contact Hannah at hannah.horstman@austinpetsalive.org for more details.
• As always, APA! is in need of volunteers to help keep Austin the largest no kill city in the country. For more information on how to get involved, click here.

Austin Animal Center:

• AAC is at capacity with over 450 animals and is in desperate need of short-term fosters. Spread the word to your family and friends and sign up to be a foster here.

SAFE:

• Families struggling to lead violence-free lives can feel extra strain when kids go back to school. SAFE is gratefully accepting school supply donations through the end of August. The list of donations can be found here.
• The inaugural SAFE & Sound music festival featuring Emily Wolfe is on August 23. Purchase tickets here to enjoy a night of celebrating Austin local music and raising funds to support SAFE.

As always, feel free to send over any August/September volunteer opportunities so that we can continue to update this post with more info!

Written by: Madison Lammert