Carrabba’s Italian Grill Gives $2K To Assistance League Of Austin

AUSTIN, TX — In honor of its 25th anniversary reached in August, the Austin Carrabba’s Italian Grill hosted a day of charity benefiting the Assistance League of Austin with a $2,000 donation, officials said on Tuesday.

Officials of the eatery located at 11590 Research Blvd. invited guests to dine with them in the restaurant, identify themselves as a supporter and Carrabba’s and then donating 25 percent of their total check back to ALA. The awarded $2,000 donation will be used to support ALA’s mission to improve the well-being of the local community — one child, one teen, one adult at a time, officials added.

Among those basking in the glow of such philanthropy was co-Founder Damian Mandola, who was also visiting the restaurant to celebrate and bring awareness to ALA.

Offering authentic Italian cuisine passed down from their founders' family recipes, Carrabba's Italian Grill uses only the best ingredients to prepare fresh and handmade dishes cooked to order in a lively exhibition kitchen, officials noted in a well-deserved plug on delivering the news of their good works.

About Assistance League Austin

Assistance League of Austin THRIFT HOUSE is a resale department store, staffed and administered entirely by member volunteers. The store is open year-round and serves as a major source of income for Assistance League of Austin’s philanthropic programs. The Austin community donates new and gently-used items — furniture, clothing, tools, office equipment, toys, household items, books, jewelry, antiques, collectibles, and much much more. THRIFT HOUSE revenues exceeded $900,000 last year. "We have received several Armadillo Awards from the Austin Independent Business Alliance for being Austin’s 'Best Kept Secret,' 'Community Champion' and best 'Austin Customer Experience.'

But the organization does much more than run a thrift store. During the fiscal year June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018, more than 70,000 service hours were volunteered by Assistance League of Austin members, currently numbering around 380. Assistance League of Austin returns to the Austin community 85 percent to 90 percent of the funds received. Last year, through its nine philanthropic programs, Assistance League of Austin served:

• 237 child and adolescent assault survivors through distribution of Assault Survivor Kits® (toiletries and clothing) as well as equipment for the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program at Dell Children’s Medical Center.
• 57 Austin students with Assistance League Scholarships to Austin Community College, covering tuition, books and fees.
• 40 foster youth by providing Life Kits and gift cards to those graduating and exiting the foster care system through Fresh Start. The organization also provided 62 laptop computers to participating youth.
• Nearly 7,000 students from Austin ISD schools and selected children’s shelters were provided with new school clothing, shoes, grooming kits, and books through the organization's signature program Operation School Bell®. This program includes a combination of in-house dressings for elementary students, school-based uniform closets and retail shopping experiences for middle and high school students.
• More than 1,000 children in Austin ISD by providing books to school libraries, summer reading programs and other special requests through Operation Wish List.
• 20,140 children and families at Dell Children’s Medical Center with toys and books from the Toy Cart.
• Immeasurable members of the community were helped through donations of excess and items not able to be sold to other 501(c)(3) organizations with Waste Not.
• Clients from various Family Resource Centers hand wrapped hundreds of Christmas gifts for foster children, a collaboration between Partnerships for Children and Outreach.

Top photo (left to right): Ray Braumuller, Carrabba’s joint venture partner; Damian Mandola, Carrabba’s founder; Teresa Hartman, Assistance League of Austin president and Isaac Lambert, Carrabba’s managing partner-Austin.