#HelpingFromHome How To's

We have gained so many new volunteer families over the past few months (and quite a few just this week!) who are passionate about serving our community. Welcome, y’all!!

Since we have had to make the switch to hosting all of our volunteer activities remotely, we wanted to provide a quick primer for you newbies on how we're running our #HelpingFromHome program (and a reminder for our veteran volunteers):

1. Sign up for the activities you'd like to participate in with our SignUp Genius links (found in the weekly/monthly email and on our website calendar).

2. On Thursday afternoon or Friday morning each week, you'll receive an email with pick up instructions and detailed information about how to do the specific activity. This email is very important as it contains directions from our nonprofit partners about how they need us to complete the activity - please make sure to read the email carefully.

3. Material pick up occurs Friday afternoon - Sunday evening (these hours are changing a bit starting in January - stay tuned) from my garage in SW Austin. This is a contactless pickup.

4. All completed activities, unless otherwise noted, are due back by the following Sunday. Please make note of Erika’s phone # (there is a sign in the garage) and text when you’ve dropped off.

5. We want to see photos of your families hard at work! Take pics and send them to us! Email to erika@austinallies.org, post to our Facebook group, or post on your own social media and tag @austinallies!

Thank you all for hanging in there with us as we've made this enormous change to our volunteer model. We're so grateful that y'all have stuck around with us and continue to support our nonprofit partners by #HelpingFromHome. And we’re thrilled to welcome our new families - we can’t wait to get y’all started volunteering with us!

Request to join the Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustinAllies

Follow us on Instagram @austinallies and on FB @Austin Allies Volunteering

Join our weekly email list on our website - www.austinallies.org

Dear Austin Allies

Contributor: Amy McInnes, Austin Allies Intern (Final Post!)

Dear Austin Allies, 

Our Final Team Meeting with Amy, 12/4/20

First off, I want to say thank you. Thank you to the Austin Allies community for welcoming me with open arms. Thank you to Erika and Marjory for introducing me into the world of nonprofit organizations and allowing me to grow alongside the both of you. 

I knew that acquiring an internship would be the hardest part of fulfilling my requirements to graduate college. This summer I spent countless hours looking for internship opportunities that fit my interests while also working with the schedule of a part-time food service employee and full-time college student. I applied to many organizations, wrote and rewrote my resume, gently crafted personal statements, but none of the positions I applied for accepted me. I was losing steam and motivation as the fall semester of my senior year of college was approaching. Then my mom, Rachel McInnes (BookPeople representative to the Austin Allies bookclub), presented me with the opportunity to get in touch with Erika Nowlin, the co-creator of Austin Allies. They had talked about me potentially being an intern for Austin Allies, and I was over the moon about the idea. My major, Communication, with an emphasis in P.R. and Advertising, had prepared me enough to get a job in a for-profit company. I wasn’t prepared to work for a nonprofit organization, but I was ready to try. I cannot tell you how thankful I am that my internship worked out. Not only am I able to graduate college now, but I also got to work with the most amazing organization and have the time of my life doing it. 

When I first started out with Austin Allies I felt out of place, like I didn’t belong since I had no prior experience in working with nonprofits. Thankfully, I had two of the most amazing, powerful, and intelligent women to guide me through my time at Austin Allies. Erika and Marjory, my internship experience couldn’t have been any more enjoyable, and it’s thanks to both of you. Marjory, your ideas and love for your community inspire me to continue to do good everyday. If the world could have your positivity and creativity, the world would be a much brighter place. You’ve lit up every Zoom meeting I’ve attended and your laugh is infectious. Your eagerness to help is inspiring and I can only hope to be as incredible as you are. Erika, thank you so much for taking a chance on me. How much you love your job is how I hope to be when I enter the job force. You are one of the most kind and understanding people I’ve met, and your heart is bigger than the garage that is always filled to the brim with diapers. I could not have asked for a better mentor in my internship, you were everything I could’ve asked for and more. Thank you for teaching me and guiding me these past few months, I am a better person now because of what you’ve taught me. I wish nothing but the best to both Erika and Marjory, to see two impactful women succeed is life changing, and it can only get better. 

The work that Austin Allies does is incredible and unmatched. From every bra washed, to every book that was stickered and sorted, to even the bundling of diapers, every action is powerful. The kindness we show others reflects on our character, and the world needs kinder people to brighten the world a little more everyday. It might not seem like much in the moment but volunteering speaks volumes, and I am so proud to be a part of such a loving, accepting, and inspiring community. Working with Austin Allies helped narrow my decision of where I’d like to enter the job force, and I want to continue to work for nonprofit organizations. The work that is done by nonprofits is incredible and the feeling of gratitude is overwhelming. I enjoyed every second I worked with Austin Allies. From every late night spent writing a blog post, to every note I took during our Zoom meetings, to even the spreadsheets, every piece of my experience with Austin Allies was a dream come true. 

There is no way to express my gratitude towards Austin Allies, this organization is life changing. If I could take away anything from my experience, it would be that kindness is always the best option. In a world filled with uncertainties and disagreements, choosing to show kindness to people is one small way to make the community you live in a better place for everyone. When one person succeeds, we all succeed, and it all can stem from showing someone kindness. The time I’ve spent with Austin Allies are memories I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. So, thank you. 

#HelpingFromHome Recap

Contributor: Amy McInnes, Austin Allies Intern

As the year 2020 comes to a close we wanted to highlight the successes Austin Allies has had over the course of the year. Switching to at-home volunteering was not the easiest transition but was well worth it to ensure the safety of our volunteers, staff, nonprofit partners and those that they serve. We made a previous blog post in September spotlighting all the activities our volunteers participated in over the course of the summer, this post will be a recap of our summer volunteering and an update since September. 

Summer 2020

-In April, Austin Allies began to transition to at-home volunteering, consisting of at-home activities kits that allowed volunteers to still contribute to the Austin community from the safety of their own homes. 

-In June our volunteers counted, sorted, and stickered around 700 books to be returned to BookSpring, a nonprofit that is based on building the motivation to read and literacy skills in families in the central Texas area. 

-75 activity kits were donated to St. Louise House for the families experiencing homelessness when their planned camps and activities were cancelled due to COVID-19. 

-We donated new/gently used bras, new underwear, and new hygiene products to I Support the Girls and also sorted and washed 350 bras 

-If you’d like to read more about the Austin Allies summer of at-home volunteering, check out our blog post: https://austinallies.org/blog/2020/9/1/austin-allies-at-home-summer-recap 

September

-In order to help Girl Scout Troop #1990 to achieve their Bronze Award, Austin Allies asked our volunteers to paint and decorate rocks that would then be displayed in a rock garden at the YMCA on Town Lake. Over 250 rocks were donated and placed in the rock garden that was assembled by Girl Scout Troop #1990. 

-Austin Allies partnered with VIA313 Pizza for a delicious fundraiser! 5% of the money made from VIA313 on September 24th from 3 to 9 PM was donated to Austin Allies. We ended up with over $650 to put towards our at-home volunteering program! 

-A car load of baby related item donations and 37 inspirational posters were donated to the Austin Recovery Hicks Family Ranch, a community based rehabilitation center that helps rebuild the lives of families and individuals that are struggling with substance abuse. 

-We did another round of organizing, tagging, and pricing donations from Austin Creative Reuse. 

-We showed our appreciation for the hard working administration and staff members at Allison and Perez Elementary Schools by donating over 20 dozen baked goods. 

October

-Our volunteers bundled 7,040 diapers for the Austin Diaper Bank. 

-Around 600 bras were sorted, washed, and organized by our Austin Allies in addition to boxes of donated period supplies that were donated to I Support the Girls.

-For 30 years, Out Youth has offered a place for LGBTQIA+ youth to fearlessly be themselves. Austin Allies hosted a donation drive for the Out Youth Community Closet so LGBTQIA+ folks could get basic necessities during times of struggle. 

-We partnered with Julie G Homes for the third year in a row for a Food Drive benefiting Central Texas Food Bank. We had volunteers to help go door-to-door in the Circle C and Meridian neighborhoods leaving the collection bags on doorsteps. Thanks to our volunteers Julie G Homes was able to collect 3,400 pounds of food and $1,595 worth of donations. 

-Over 130 t-shirt tote bags were made by our Allies and donated to the Travis County Food Pantries.

-Austin Allies dropped off 3,750 gift tags for Salvation Army Austin‘s Angel Tree Program that our amazing volunteers put together in just 3 days. 

-Around 90 Halloween costumes were donated to the Jeremiah Program to ensure a Happy Halloween to the kids and families experiencing poverty. 

-BookSpring asked Austin Allies to help sort and sticker hundreds of books so that kids across the Austin area will have quality reading materials leading them into the school year. 

-We created cards, posters, notes, drawings, etc. for our friends at The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area. This organization offers in-home, as well as facility, health and wellness support to our senior population, and making small tokens of love during the time of shelter-in-place makes a big difference. 

-An incredible Minecraft display was made by our volunteers for the annual Jeremiah Program’s Trunk or Treat event.

-Our volunteers created 70+ Halloween Trick-Or-Treat Goodie Bags for the kids at St. Louise House. Filled with Halloween-themed stickers, stamps, bubbles, and candy these goodie bags helped impoverished families enjoy the holiday. 

-We had an incredible fundraiser for Halloween - All Allies Eve hosted by the Get It Gals who put together an awesome trivia game for our families, that included amazing prizes from local businesses and artists. Overall Austin Allies was able to raise $1500; the money will be put towards keeping our at-home activities strong. 

November

-7,688 diapers were bundled by our volunteers and delivered to the Austin Diaper Bank. 

-To bring some positive energy to folks in recovery we asked our Allies to create cards, drawings, notes, etc. for people at the Austin Sobering Center.

-Our volunteers got to learn about The Trail Foundation and how to take care of the trails around Lady Bird Lake. There was a lesson over Zoom on making seedballs and fostering native plants - both of which will be added to our lovely downtown walking trails to keep Austin beautiful. 

-Women's Storybook Project Holiday Book Drive was an incredible way to help this holiday season. Volunteers picked out their favorite children’s book to donate to the Women’s Storybook Project, those books will then be read to kids by their mothers who are incarcerated. In person donations were accepted at the Barnes & Noble stores in Sunset Valley and in Round Rock. 

-Meals on Wheels is a national organization dedicated to delivering healthy meals to the elderly and those who cannot easily leave their homes. We asked our volunteers to decorate brown paper delivery bags provided by Meals on Wheels which will then be used to deliver meals to those in the MoW program.

-150 upcycled musical egg shakers, made from easter eggs and beans, were delivered to Leap of Joy, a local nonprofit that provides dance and music lessons for kids in need. These eggs will help kids start to develop listening and motor skills. 

-We partnered up with Bake a Wish and Operation Turkey to help provide pies for families in need for Thanksgiving this year. 

-We joined with St. Louise House again in order to provide new pajamas and books to kiddos whose families have experienced homelessness. Each individual child at St. Louise House got to pick a book of their choice to receive for the holidays and their sizes and age were noted to ensure they would get the perfect cozy pajamas. 

-Caritas of Austin "build[s] well-being by making sure that people have a safe home, access to healthy groceries, jobs that provide a reliable living wage, and educational opportunities to learn life skills." We asked our volunteers to think of creative recipes (and provide ingredients for) using food items that can be found in a pantry so that families that might be struggling can still have a quality meal at the end of the day. 

-The Chipotle on Slaughter Ln. partnered with Austin Allies to donate 33% of their proceeds on the 21st of November from 5-9 PM. We were able to raise funds that will benefit the continuation of our at-home volunteering activities. 

-Another round of BookSpring book sorting is happening right now! Hundreds of books are with our volunteers being sorted and quality-checked.

Did you know…  

Since July of this year, our volunteers have bundled over 34,000 diapers (and counting) for the Austin Diaper Bank. There will be another bundling session the first week of December!

Austin Allies has sorted and washed nearly 1,000 bras for I Support the Girls 

What’s to come: December 

-We’re wrapping gifts for Silver Santa and the children at Saint Louise House, and we’ll need your help! It will be a quick turn around, the pick up will be on Dec. 4th, and then must be returned by Dec. 6th. 

-For this upcoming holiday season we want to spread some joy to our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Through The Other Ones Foundation, we’re asking our volunteers to bake sweet treats that will be delivered to a camp in southeast Austin, set up by the city of Austin. Including notes or cards with drawings or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Please do not make anything crunchy or hard, stick to soft goodies, like cupcakes, brownies, donuts, etc. These treats will need to be delivered to Erika’s house by Dec. 13th or 14th. 

-We’ll be doing another round of decorating Meals on Wheels brown paper delivery bags which will then be used to deliver meals to those in the MoW program. The pick up date for the bags will be Dec. 4th - 6th, and must be returned by Dec. 13th. 

-Diaper bundling for December will be available for pick up on Dec. 11th - 13th and then must be returned by Dec. 20th. 

-We’re going to be making inspirational posters for the Central Texas Food Bank and their Mobile Pantries. This will be another great project for families to do together over the holiday break to help bring positivity to the city of Austin. Pick up for materials (if needed) Dec. 18th - 20th and can be returned the week of Jan. 2nd - 10th. 

-Austin Allies will be closed from Dec. 21st - Jan. 1st. To keep our volunteers spirits lifted we’ve decided to create Kindness Kits that will include materials to make community-supporting projects over the holiday break. They will be ready for pick up Dec. 18th - 20th and can be returned the week of Jan. 2nd - 10th. 

Giving Tuesday 

This coming holiday is going to be different from holidays in the past. Should you choose to participate in Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping we highly suggest you participate in Giving Tuesday! This December 1st is a global holiday known as Giving Tuesday, a day encouraging everyone everywhere to do good. However you choose to participate is up to you, but if you would like to further support the efforts of Austin Allies, our mission of volunteering and helping the community, and encourage our at-home volunteering activities, there is a link to our Amplify ATX page where you can donate or you can donate to us through our website. 

 https://www.amplifyatx.org/organizations/austin-allies

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BC8Q2FZX9UBLQ&source=url 

Thankful

Contributor: Erika Nowlin, Allies Founder and Executive Director

The nonprofit world is a tough one, even for someone like me who is really on the fringes rather than deep in the trenches.  I don’t have to look into the eyes of a mom who doesn’t have a crib for her baby, or a custodial grandparent trying to figure out where the holiday gifts are going to come from, or someone who has lost their home and just needs a tent to protect them from the elements and a little food to get through today. But, I do hear about their stories and learn about their needs, and it hits me deeply every single time.  And each time, it strikes me again that I am immensely grateful that we have this network of Allies that can, and does, step up to help, no matter the ask.

We have had to make a lot of changes to how our organization operates over the past 8 months. But we were determined to continue to support our nonprofit partners, and those that they serve, however that looked and with whatever needs they had, even if those needs were drastically different than they had been in the past.  And, wow, have our Allies volunteers stepped up to the task!  No sooner do we post a need than y’all step in to fill it - from small showings of kindness and encouragement in cards or drawings to bigger needs like Halloween costumes, baby cribs and car seats, or gifts to put under the tree. 

This Thanksgiving, in the midst of a world that is hard to recognize, I am immensely thankful for all of you.  We say it a lot, but THANK YOU for all that you do and all that you give - whether it’s your time, your hard-earned dollars, or items in your home that you know someone else could really use. YOU are the Allies this community needs and I am grateful everyday that you are up for the task.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful, happy and restful Thanksgiving.  

Erika

Spotlight: Missi Jay with Gigglebox

Contributor: Amy McInnes, Austin Allies Intern

I would like to take a minute to spotlight an important contributor to the Austin Allies community. Today we celebrate Missi Jay from Gigglebox Art by Missi Jay. Missi has been working with Austin Allies since the very beginning. She is the creator of the Austin Allies logo and if you attended our Halloween fundraiser, All Allies Eve, you received an original coloring page that was also designed by Missi. Once you visit her website (https://www.gigglebox.net ) you will clearly see that the work that she produces radiates positivity, the spirit of imagination, and encapsulates the heart of childlike wonder. 

As an artist myself, it’s always a wonderful moment to see other artists succeed, but especially an independent female artist. Missi has always had a love for art, she has been drawing and creating her whole life. She found a love specifically in greeting cards, how they can say so much in such little text, the emotion they can present on a 5”x7” piece of paper. After working in several design firms, Missi decided she wanted to have her own studio and create greeting cards full time, thus GiggleBox Design was born. However, being an independent creator is not easy and Missi had to take on side jobs in illustration and design in order to make ends meet. In spite of the challenges she had to overcome, today we celebrate her success. Now, 22 years after starting GiggleBox Design, Missi is the sole creator of GiggleBox Art by Missi Jay, where she sells original pieces of art and also creates custom pieces for patrons. When asked about her career Missi said, “22 years later I do sell greeting cards, but on this journey I have gotten to work with some of the most creative people on some of the coolest projects.” I had the opportunity to chat with Missi about her career, her inspirations, her creative process, and more, and this is what she had to say: 

-Where did your love of art stem from?

“I have always loved to draw. I have drawn my whole life. Creating makes me happy. It exercises my mind and joy muscles. Inspiration is literally everywhere. I am inspired by music, song lyrics, poetry, fashion, hilarious things my friends say, other artist's work, pop culture, people watching, comedians, junk food, and LOTS OF COLORS. And glitter.”

-In terms of your creative process, how do you stay creative? What motivates you to continue to create, especially in times like these?

“Creating is like a physical work out—you need to keep exercising to get stronger and stay healthy. I look forward to creating every day. It elevates my mood, and it helps me focus on positivity.”

-Do you have a favorite project you've worked on in the past year?

Yes I do. I have worked with Girlstart for about 13 years. Girlstart has a HUGE summer camp program hosting about 8 different STEM education camps on their campus each summer. Due to Covid, the in-person summer camps were pivoted to “Summer Camp at Home.” I had the opportunity to work with Girlstart on their “Summer Camp in a box,” packed with a 60 page, full-color, illustrated journal of STEM experiments, gobs of supplies, t-shirt, stickers, and other Girlstart swag, and even an Ozobot for campers to program. It was a fast turn around and an exciting project. It was so satisfying to see photos of the smiling campers zooming the experiments at home. Girlstart does not disappoint—they inspire and empower!

-What would you say to a young aspiring artist who wants to go into the creative field?

“Go for it. Be yourself. Follow your heart. Don’t take “no” for an answer. Keep drawing, painting, dancing, singing, playing, practicing, moving forward, and never give up. Whatever medium you are creating in—KEEP DOING IT. Keep inspiring. The world needs your work. Art is powerful, essential, and a gift. Exercise it and share it freely. Never let your sparkle fade. Keep shining!”

-Do you have any special projects coming up for the holidays?

Yes, I have a new design called “Santa Baby,” available on ornaments, greeting cards, wall art and all the swag you can imagine. Just check my website for details!

Missi Jay is one of the most cheerful and imaginative people I have gotten the pleasure to interview. I highly recommend visiting her website if you’re in search of art to brighten up your home. When I asked her if her commissions were open she said: “Yes, always! I love to hear people's stories and create special pieces of artwork together. Every PERSON, every PROJECT, and every SOLUTION is unique. When you realize something you created made a connection with another person, you have true joy.”

She has some exciting pieces coming out for the holiday season and they would make perfect gifts for the art lover in your life! Check out her website: https://www.gigglebox.net/ or send her an email about commission inquiries at: missi@gigglebox.net 

'Tis the Season . . . to declutter!

Contributor: Amy McInnes, Austin Allies Intern

The holidays are slowly but steadily approaching, and that means there will be a significant decrease in all of our bank accounts. This year I want to make changes in my home in order to prepare for the giving season and I know there is one thing to put me in the holiday spirit. Giving, of course. I know a lot of us have random drawers or sections of the house like an attic or closet, that are full of miscellaneous items that will never be used again. The only thing stopping me from decluttering those areas is the motivation to clear out those parts of the house and then finding a new home for those items. 

Fear not, my friends, Austin Allies has a Donations Database that has accumulated a wide variety of nonprofit organizations and the items that they will accept! From crafting items to maternity clothes to pet items and even grocery bags, this database has an organization in the Austin area that will accept whatever you have, within reason (please don’t give them your junk). 

The database is easy to use to find the category of items you want to part with, and to find an organization that will accept your donation. Then just go to their website or give them a call and see how you can drop off your donation in a safe way. I know I’ll be using this database for all of the clothes I have sitting in my closet that I won’t be wearing anytime soon. The best way to prepare for the holidays in my opinion is a clear mind, and I personally can’t have a clear mind while also having a cluttered closet. So take advantage of this database and donate your used or unused items to an organization that will appreciate it, instead of keeping your clutter locked away until next holiday season. 

Austin Allies Donations Database

Nonprofit Spotlight: The Other Ones Foundation

Contributor: Amy McInnes, Austin Allies Intern

As tensions rise and as we hold our breath to see what becomes of the aftermath of Election Day, allow this post to be a form of distraction for a minute. This week we wanted to highlight a nonprofit organization here in Austin that does some incredible work and deserves more attention. Allow me to introduce you to The Other Ones Foundation, or TOOF. The Other Ones Foundation, in their own words, is “a nonprofit that provides extremely low-barrier employment, case management, and humanitarian aid to people experiencing homelessness in Austin, TX.” As a person born and raised in Austin, Texas, I’ve seen a lot of changes happen in my hometown. From local businesses shutting down, to skyscrapers over populating downtown, to the massive increase of visitors that turn into residents, but nothing compares to the drastic increase of the population of people experiencing homelessness. What The Other Ones Foundation does is invest in individuals, offering opportunities to work and earn an income during the day while shelters aren’t operating. They ended up creating the Workforce First Program, “an alternative employment program, where individuals are offered the opportunity to work in service of the community as an alternative to panhandling ... The Workforce First Program has paid out over $380,000 in earned income to individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty, and 67 of our clients have moved into stable housing!” 

Personally one of my favorite programs that The Other Ones Foundation hosts is the Box of Rain. Box of Rain is a mobile hygiene service that delivers essentials like showering facilities, toilets, food, clothing, and first aid supplies, to individuals experiencing homelessness all over Austin. The Box of Rain was created in response to COVID-19, the mobility of the Box of Rain encourages social distancing and reduces the amount of traveling done by people experiencing homelessness. Another incredible thing is that the Box of Rain and Workforce First Program work together, the people operating the Box of Rain are people experiencing homelessness and are paid hourly to oversee and execute the operations of the Box.

I highly recommend reading on their website (https://toofound.org) about their programs, especially their Esperanza Community. 

What I haven’t mentioned yet is our partnership with The Other Ones Foundation. Together we are launching the At Home Advocacy Campaign, aimed at amplifying the voices of people experiencing homelessness while also giving people who aren’t experiencing homelessness the chance to be educated and lend a hand to our friends who need help. Through the At Home Advocacy Campaign, volunteers are able to donate resources through their Resiliency Kits or donate monthly through their Community Builders. An important thing to remember about helping people experiencing homelessness is not to assume anything; we know nothing about what they are going through and we do not know what is best for them. What we should be doing is listening to our friends and helping in any way that we can. 

Max Moscoe, The Other Ones Foundation’s Community Engagement Coordinator said, “Every time we see someone break through into a fulfilled, safe, and dignified life, it brings so much joy into all our hearts. It makes the rest of the work, which can be extremely draining, completely worth it.

The Other Ones Foundation is always looking for extra support through donations and volunteers. To donate a Resiliency Kit (or individual items), visit: https://cocobundle.co/toof

For more information about the incredible work TOOF is doing and how you can help, visit their website - https://toofound.org.

Top Ten Reasons to Attend All Allies Eve

Contributor: Erika Nowlin, Executive Director (and lover of puns)

Why should you attend this super-fun, family-friendly, prizes-out-the-wazoo event?  We have 10 reasons for you that'll have you "dying" to have fun with us on Halloween afternoon! (Sorry about that one.)

1. Zoom costume parade! You know you want to show off that Hamilton/Tiger King/CATS costume (or at least the top half of it).

2. Something to keep the kids from asking "NOW is it time to go?" for at least an hour.  You're welcome!

3. A super sweet goodie bag dropped right at your door the day before! Call it reverse trick-or-treating.

4. Zoom BINGO with prizes and so much CANDY CORN.

5. Phenomenal Door Prizes given away throughout the event including gift cards from your favorite restaurants, gorgeous framed photographs, art pieces from local artists, and so much more!

6. Awesome live Zoom trivia with the hilarious hosts from Get It Gals featuring a custom-made list of questions for this event! And the prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place - y'all.  Are you sitting down? A family photography session (with images!), tickets to a Zilker Theater performance in 2021, and free passes to a virtual Escape Room for the whole family!

7. Special guests from your favorite sports teams and more!

8. The perfect prefunc for Halloween. (Don't tell my teenagers I used that word.) One $35 ticket gets you and your whole family an afternoon of safe, virtual fun leading up to the big night!

9. So many Halloween puns. Puns that will lift your spirits.  Puns that will make you Mummy of the Year. Puns that will even have you crowned the Hallow-Queen (or King).  Oh my gourd, we're going to have a good time!

10. A great way to celebrate from home, and help your community at the same time. Your family's $35 ticket helps us continue to bring your family fun and meaningful volunteer activities you can do right at home.

Get your tickets here: All Allies Eve FUNdraiser!

Can't attend the event but still want to donate to help Allies keep doing great stuff for the community? We got you covered: Austin Allies Donation.

Thanks for your support, as always, Allies.  We couldn't do any of this without you! See you at our Fa-boo-lous (I couldn't resist) Halloween party this weekend!

Erika & The Allies Team

P.S. GO BUY YOUR TICKET!

Goodie Bag delivered right to your porch!

Online BINGO with prizes!

Interactive Trivia with Get It Gals!

Special Guest Trivia Questioners!

So Many Amazing Prizes!

Kindness Rocks!!

Contributor: Jenny Holkan, Girl Scout Troop Leader/Allies Volunteer & Scout Troop #1990

In mid-September, Austin Allies received a call from one of our long-time volunteers, Jenny Holkan.  Jenny is the leader of Girl Scout Troop #1990 whose scouts are in pursuit of their Bronze Award. In order to complete their award, they came up with a fabulous idea - to create a Kindness Rock Garden and share it with a local organization! In order to complete their desired rock garden, phase two of their Bronze Award process, they needed our volunteers' help to paint and decorate rocks. In the end, over 250 decorated rocks from 30 families and Girl Scout Troops were placed in a rock garden at the Town Lake YMCA. A special thank you to Girl Scout Troop #1990 for including Austin Allies in such a fantastic activity and proving that Kindness Rocks! 

We asked Jenny and Girl Scout Troop #1990 about their experience with the Bronze Award and the Kindness Rock Garden: 

Our Girl Scout troop started working on our Bronze Award project when we were still in 5th grade, right around the same time that schools closed in the spring and everyone had to stay at home.

We wanted to do something that would bring happiness to our community and spread kindness, so we thought, “What could we do that would help kids, and have a lasting impact?”

In order to earn a Girl Scout Bronze Award, there is a requirement that each girl has to do at least 20 hours of work. We had meetings on zoom and talked about different ideas, and finally voted on what we wanted to do - writing a "Boredom Busters" activity/puzzles/recipe book was our first choice, and making a painted rock garden was a close second. So we decided to do both! 

We wanted to make a book that would entertain kids who were stuck at home and bored, just like us. We worked together to contribute recipes, puzzles, crafts, and stories, and then we had a design contest for the book's cover. We used the money that our troop had earned from selling cookies to have 250 copies of our book printed, so we can donate them to various children's organizations, foster care groups, and charities.

For the Kindness Rock Garden, we started out by painting our own rocks at home. Each girl painted about 3-10 rocks each. We also partnered with and had tons of help from a non-profit organization called Austin Allies. Their volunteers, along with other local Girl Scout troops, helped donate over 250 beautiful rocks! Austin Allies also helped us find a great location to install the rock garden - The Town Lake YMCA. We had a lot of fun placing the colorful rocks all over the entry pathway and garden area of the YMCA.

Putting the rock garden together was a fun and rewarding part of the journey.  It was nice to finally see our hard work on display and people already enjoying the garden as they walked by.  We hope it will continue to bring smiles to people everyday!

- Daphne, Eesha, Elena, Izzy, Julia, Libby, Pragya, Sara, Sophia, and Zoya

Nonprofit Spotlight: Austin Diaper Bank

Contributor: Amy McInnes, Austin Allies Intern

Diapers aren’t the most glamorous thing to talk about. Depending on what age your child is you could be going through over 300 diapers in a month, that adds up to 1,200 in a year, and that’s a lot of diapers. As a person who has never had their own child I don’t understand the struggles of being a parent or needing to be financially stable enough to afford the necessities for a child let alone diapers. But I'm sure that most of our Austin Allies families know what I mean when I say diapers are necessary but also expensive. That’s why we want to highlight one of our nonprofit partners, The Austin Diaper Bank or ADB. Austin Diaper Bank and Austin Allies have been partners for the past three years, where (pre COVID-19) our Austin Allies families would go to their facility, help organize the warehouse and bundle diapers that were purchased by ABD in bulk at a discounted price from brands like Huggies and Medline. After diapers are sorted and bundled, ABD distributes them to over 40 partner agencies across Central Texas, and these partner agencies will help families get access to diapers, food, wipes, period supplies and many other essential items and services. The Austin Diaper Bank is committed to “providing diapers to Central Texas families who need a clean, reliable supply of diapers for a healthy and comfortable quality of life.” 

I got the chance to ask Heather Trent, the Program Coordinator for ADB, some questions in order to gain a better understanding of what ADB does and how Austin Allies helps them when we volunteer for them!

-How did you get started with ADB and how long have you been working with them? 

I was a volunteer at ADB first. I loved how many people ADB helped and wanted to be a part of the organization. When a job became available, I applied and was hired! I have been with ADB since 2018.

-What's your favorite part about working with ADB?  

I love helping families connect with our partner agencies. Families will reach out to ADB with specific needs and I can point them in the right direction toward our partner agencies that specialize in their particular needs.

-How has Austin Allies helped ADB in the past year (Jan. 2020 - present)?  

Before COVID changed our volunteer activities, Austin Allies came in regularly to volunteer on the weekends. They always did a great job wrapping diapers and organizing the warehouse. After the pandemic, Austin Allies didn’t miss a beat and we began to wrap diapers from home. YTD, Austin Allies members have wrapped over 15,000 diapers from home!

-Since the start of COVID-19 what have been some of ADB's biggest struggles? How did y'all combat them? 

We first struggled to get diapers into the community as some of our partner agencies were forced to close their doors temporarily. We were able to combat this struggle by hosting nine Diaper Drive-Thru for Family events. During these nine drive-thru events, we distributed over 326,000 diapers to thousands of families. Once our partners opened their doors again, we were able to resume our regular diaper distribution to all of our partner agencies.

-If a family is in need of diapers and cannot afford them, how would they contact you? 

Families can call the Diaper Bank directly or visit our website to see the list of all our partner agencies that help with diapers. We help families locate a partner agency close to their home to get help with diapers, wipes, and period supplies among other items and services. Austin Diaper Bank is not a direct social services agency, rather we are a support agency. This means, we provide over one million diapers to over 40 partner agencies that help over 15,000 families annually.

-What does the future hold for ADB? Any projects coming up?  

The Austin Diaper Bank continues to grow to meet the needs of the community we serve. At this point, we have outgrown our current warehouse space and are looking to expand!

-If you could give a message to the people of Austin about ADB and its importance to the community, what would it be?  

As we continue to see the need for basic need items like diapers increase, we need support from the community to continue to serve more families who need our help.  Learn more about our work and how you can help by visiting: https://www.austindiapers.org/

Typically when the Austin Diaper Bank gives us diapers to bundle and sort, we receive around 7,000, and those diapers are then given back to Austin Diaper Bank and dispersed around the Central Texas community through their partners. When sorting diapers it can seem like a tedious or minimal task but the impact it has on the community is astounding. If you’d like to reach out to a friend or family member and tell them about Austin Diaper Bank, Heather Trent had this to say, “The more people who know about us, the more people we can help.”

You can sign up to help with this month’s diaper bundling for Austin Diaper Bank here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050f49adaa2ba7fe3-austin6

And be on the lookout for how you can help as we continue to wrap thousands of diapers for ADB every month!