AUSTIN, TX — I Live Here I Give Here officials revealed this year's community philanthropic drive raised was its most successful to date — with more than $12.3 million collected to benefit 760-plus nonprofits.
The eighth annual Amplify Austin Day took place in a 24-hour period that started on Thursday, March 5, at 6 p.m.
“Today, I am especially proud to call Central Texas home," Courtney Manuel, executive director of I Live Here I Give Here., said in a prepared statement. "Once again, our community met the ambitious Amplify Austin Day challenge. I will never underestimate the power of collective giving around a common cause. Today’s success exemplifies that impact. I am proud to report that the average gift size also increased!”
Related story: Amplify Austin Day 2020 Launched In Central Texas
While thanking residents for their generosity, Manuel urged donors to engage further with their favored nonprofits year-round: “Thank you for making today a success and for supporting the critical missions of more than 760 charities. As a next step, I challenge each of you to get to know the nonprofits that you donated to this year and consider getting involved year-round. It’s this generous spirit that makes Central Texas one of the best places to live 365 days a year.”
Officials said more than 28,000 individual donors contributed to this year’s successful campaign. Additionally, local families, individuals, and groups advocated for the causes important to them by serving as peer-to-peer fundraisers for participating nonprofits. More than 2,250 community members led their own fundraisers, resulting in more than $1.7 million for over 400 nonprofit organizations, officials said.
Local businesses Cirrus Logic, Charles Schwab & Co. Inc, Silicon Labs, Solar Winds, Netspend, and Enverus, were among more than 100 business fundraisers this year that encouraged their employees to give local and supported the causes they love by matching employee donations, officials noted. As a group, these six companies raised more than $700,000 during this year’s Amplify Austin Day, officials added.
“Amplify Austin Day is truly a community-wide movement, and we couldn’t reach our ambitious goals without the support of our generous partners,” Kathy Smith-Willman, I Live Here I Give Here board chair, said in a prepared statement. “St. David’s Foundation once again championed Amplify Austin Day with an incredible $1.3 million matching gift for its nonprofit grant partners which incentivized more than $350,000 in additional donations to the I Live Here I Give Here Amplify Fund, inspiring numerous gifts from the community."
She singled out the major sponsors of this year's event, among them Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Austin Community Foundation, Enverus, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Cirrus Logic, NXP Semiconductors, Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Netspend, Topfer Family Foundation, and others.
I Live Here I Give Here also secured category-dedicated match dollars to award all participating nonprofit organizations working in animal care services, basic needs, foster care, and cancer issues with extra matching dollars, officials said. Category stretch funds were sponsored by foundations and companies including Livestrong, Reissa Foundation, and Shield-Ayres Foundation.
Grand prizes ($5,000 each) were given to nonprofits for the most early bird donations and funds raised before midnight, the most funds raised by a large nonprofit in 24 hours, the most funds raised by a medium nonprofit in 24 hours, and most funds raised by a small nonprofit in 24 hours. These top prizes went to Hospice Austin, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area, Shadow Cats, and Austin Dog Rescue, respectively.
Hourly prizes ($1,000 each) were also given to the organizations with the most dollars raised within the hour from 6 p.m. on March 5 through 5 a.m. on March 6, as well as the organizations with the most donors from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 6. Twenty-four donors received Alamo Drafthouse golden tickets in the form of $100 to donate to their charity of choice. The full list of prize winners can be found at AmplifyATX.org.
Funds raised during Amplify Austin Day will benefit the 760+ nonprofit organizations across seven Central Texas counties, including Travis, Hays, Williamson, Burnet, Bastrop, Caldwell and Blanco. Since the inaugural Amplify Austin Day in 2013, the community-wide day of giving has raised over $69 million for local organizations.
To learn more about Amplify Austin Day, including sponsorship opportunities and participating organizations, visit AmplifyATX.org. Those interested in learning more about I Live Here I Give Here and the nonprofit’s year-round programming, visit ILiveHereIGiveHere.org. Stay up to date on all the latest happenings for both ILHIGH and Amplify Austin Day by following along on Facebook and Instagram at @ilivehereigivehere and on Twitter @ILH_IGH.
ABOUT I LIVE HERE I GIVE HERE
I Live Here I Give Here’s mission is to make Central Texas the most generous community in the nation. Programs like Amplify Austin Day, See Us Give (formerly See Jane Give and Give Back Jack), Giving Tuesday, the Austin Involved Board Internship Program, and the I Live Here I Give Here Awards are designed to help locals find the issues they care about and take action to be part of the solution. By inspiring new and young givers, volunteers, and activists to make an impact on the community where they live, I Live Here I Give Here is ensuring that philanthropy in Central Texas grows for decades to come. For more information, visit ILiveHereIGiveHere.org.
Top photo: St. David's Foundation Executive Director Edward B. Burger, Ph. D., ILHIGH's Executive Director Courtney Manuel and ILHIGH Board Chair Kathy Smith-Willman celebrate the gains made during this year's Amplify Austin event.
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