Generosity Abounds In Austin Amid The Holidays

AUSTIN, TX — It's often been said that only the bad news grabs the headlines, with uplifting stories of goodwill illustrating the very best of the human spirit relegated to the inferior placement. And yet, this holiday season saw an outpouring of generosity throughout the Austin area, with abundant examples of charity benefiting the most disadvantaged among us.

Some of these efforts are worth mention and attendant praise. Here are some examples of the selflessness so dramatically illustrated throughout the region.

AMIGOS EN AZUL

Some two weeks before Christmas, police were out in full force. But the robust police presence wasn't in response to crimes, but as an act of impactful generosity. Members of Amigos en Azul (that's Spanish for "friends in blue") partook in their annual "Shop with a Cop" initiative as officers accompanied disadvantaged youth on shopping excursions while picking up the tab.

Each year ahead of Christmas, Amigos en Azul schedules a day of shopping with elementary school students. This year, kids from Jaime Padron and Allison elementary schools were the beneficiaries. Economically disadvantaged children paired up with an officer to pick out items on their wish list compliments of the police force.

It was at the Target store at the Capital Plaza shopping center, 5621 N. Interstate 35, where the beneficiaries of the goodwill excitedly walked through the aisles to pick their toys. "The Shop with a Cop program is an opportunity for elementary school students to socialize with officers in a positive atmosphere and reinforce the fact that police officers are friends in the community," organizers explain in a press advisory.

Before the shopping began, Santa Claus himself made an appearance in greeting participating students. After shopping, the kids joined officers for lunch at Cici's Pizza at the shopping center to cap off the day. Other organizations participating and assisting in this program include Target stores, Cops for Charities, Capital Metro, Capital Metro Security Team, St. Chubby Golf Classic and Cici's Pizza.

JULIET ITALIAN KITCHEN

As its chosen philanthropic effort, Juliet Italian Kitchen partnered with The Birthday Party Project, an organization dedicated to bringing birthday parties to children living in homeless and transitional living facilities. To that end, restaurant staff members have been collecting toys and party supplies in their original packaging through Jan. 1, 2020, during normal restaurant hours. With each donation,patrons will receive a complimentary glass of prosecco. Donation ideas include: Gender-neutral party supplies such as party hats and blowers along with birthday banners, gifts or toys for kids ages 1-21 (valued up to $30), solid-colored, plastic round and rectangular tablecloths, gift wrapping supplies and bags, gift cards, etc.

PARTNERSHIPS FOR CHILDREN

The local nonprofit provides critical resources to abused and neglected children. As part of its community outreach, PFC has been making holidays bright for Central Texas kids and teens in foster care through its Holiday Wishes program for more than a decade.

This year was no different. Through its Holiday Wishes program, foster children were able to submit three specific wishes that were fulfilled through the generosity and support of Austin businesses and individuals. Each gift was then wrapped and given to each child’s caseworker to be delivered by Christmas. Last year, PFC was able to provide gifts to more than 5,800 children in 2018.

This year, Holiday Wishes elves temporarily relocated PFC’s gift workshop on Saturday, Nov. 23, to allow for a three-month renovation of the warehouse located inside the local Child Protective Services office.

In a recent telephone interview with Patch, PFC Executive Director Kori Gough detailed the breadth of the holiday initiative. Suffice it to say, close to 6,400 wishes were fulfilled this year throughout Central Texas. Like overworked elves in Santa's workshop, volunteers tagged and sorted the gifts before delivering them to case workers overseeing foster children's needs throughout the region.

"Our goal is to provide a sense of normalcy," Gough said, noting the uncertainty and anxiety suffusing the life of children under foster care. "It's a big deal to have something to unwrap and share. It's about families and children, and making sure they have a wonderful Christmas."

The level of gift-giving this year exceeded last year's number by a significant amount, Gough said, attesting to the growth of the region. "Last year, we never thought we'd get higher than 5,400," she said. "It's closer to 6,400 this year, and could reach 6,500 to 6,800," she said at the time of the interview at the beginning of December.

It's the 16th year PFC has embarked on this mission, with the event growing exponentially since its initial launch. The first year for the undertaking, Gough noted, 250 children received gifts.

Although volunteers don't get to see the children's reactions — case workers are charged with delivering the gifts to ensure families' privacy — the requests themselves alert them to the kids' collective state of mind. While most children wish for toys, those under foster care desire more utilitarian items or less tangible wishes designed to uplift their spirits and build happy memories.

As such, those wish lists yield a sense of palpable poignancy. "We've had heartbreaking ones," Gough conceded. "We had one kiddo who wanted a toothbrush because he never had one. One wanted a tuxedo for a photo shoot."

But children never cease to be children, and some of the little beneficiaries went for broke. One example that came to mind was the child who wanted the original Stretch Armstrong doll — something of a tall order given that the stretchable action hero is no longer in production. A trip to eBay proved fruitful, and volunteers secured the unique gift for the child. Another memorable request came from a fan of the novels of author Stephen King, who got a first-edition copy of one of his celebrated novels.

PFC doesn't limit its outreach solely during the holidays, offering a pair of programs as safeguard for families in need. Its 24/7 resource dubbed the "Rainbow Room" is continually stoced with basic necessities —diapers, clothes, hygiene products, cleaning supplies and the like. Also offered are larger items such as beds and car seats, Gough added. Gift cards are distributed too, primarily given to teenagers so they can pick out their own wardrobes to express their unique fashion sense.

PFC's YES mentoring program matches mentors with at-risk youth poised to exit foster care. These are youth without families statistically 425 times more prone to be incarcerated.

"It’s always amazing," Gough said of the holiday initiative. "We have case workers, when they come in on Monday, just bawling." But these are happy tears: "They cry when they see how much the community cares."

TECH COMPANY AFFINIPAY GIVES BACK

Among those serving as elves for PFC's "Holiday Wishes" effort were workers from Affinipay. The company's founder and executive chairman, Amy Porter, spoke to Patch over the telephone to describe the rewards derived from her firm's rank-and-file who eagerly signed up to secure items on the children's wish lists.

"We've been fortunate enough to be very successful in technology," the businesswoman said. "This is a way for us to give back, and do good work in and out of the office."

Thus, the company was tasked with providing gifts for 100 of the foster kids. From among the financial technology company's staff of 180, 60 workers — among them parents, aunts and uncles themselves — chose to participate, Porter said. "It's so much more than just writing a check," she said of the goodwill. "That's the easy part."

One of those workers, Amy Mann, described the intrinsic rewards derived from her volunteerism: "It really hits home when thinking about these kids who maybe don't have their families involved," she said. "It's getting to do something that directly impacts the holiday of a child, and it's very emotional and rewarding. It's a chance to give these kids something magical and normal during the hardest part of their lives."

Added Porter: "The act of giving is our love language."

Founded in 2005, Affinipay offers industry-specific online tools for legal, accounting, and association professionals — CPACharge, LawPay, Affinipay for Associations among its products —to help industries accept payments quickly and securely. The company is located at 3700 N. Capital of Texas Highway.

RESTORE HYPER WELLNESS + CRYOTHERAPY

Headquartered in Austin, Restore Hyper Wellness + Cryotherapy is running a Blue Santa promotion at its Arbor Trails location. For every kids' toy donated, customers will receive one free session of cryotherapy, Photobiomodulation (PBM) Therapy, infrared sauna or compression therapy. The Shops at Arbor Trails location is at 4301 West William Cannon Dr., #146. The telephone number is (512) 614-2151. Visit restore.com for more information.

VITAL FARMS

With a considerable assist from Central Texas Food Bank, Vital Farms gave the gift of pasture-raised eggs — totaling more than half a million meals for families in need — over the holiday season. The gift of food doubled as nourishment for the soul as the donation made it possible for families to prepare their holiday dishes with the key staple.

Derrick Chubbs, president and CEO of the Central Texas Food Bank, said it best: "The Central Texas Food Bank is very grateful to our friends at Vital Farms for this generous supply of fresh eggs, a recipe staple we would normally have to purchase," he said at the time. "These eggs will be an excellent source of protein for our neighbors in need and provide thousands of Central Texas families with a key ingredient for preparing holiday meals."

The most eggsellent donation was made on Dec. 17. To learn more about Vital Farms, cluck...er, click here.

Vital Farms employees from its Austin headquarters staffed Central Texas Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry to distribute pantry items and eggs on Dec. 17. Photo courtesy of Central Texas Food Bank.

As Patch learned of these efforts, its hardened and dispassionate newshound veneer was cracked in alerting to the goodness that abounds in the communities it covers. Residents of the capital city often repeat the unofficial municipal mantra to "Keep Austin Weird." Let's keep that ideal going, be sure, but we say "Keep Austin Generous."

Happy New Year in advance to our readers!

Editor's note: Do you know of a local nonprofit or business deserving mention here for its good works? Email antonio.cantu@patch.com so we can spread the word!