Austin has plenty of great festivals, but there’s one this week that is unique and much different from your typical fest. Amplify Austin is a 24-hour “festival of giving” that encourages locals to give to participating non-profit organizations during a specified 24 hour time period. The “I Live Here, I Give Here” campaign promotes a sense of community pride and philanthropy.
Of course, giving is encouraged year round, but this campaign strives to make a huge impact over a one-day period. It works. Last year, in its debut year, Amplify Austin raised over $2.8 million going to over 320 nonprofits of all sizes. This year, there are nearly 400 nonprofits participating, with a total goal to reach $4 million.
This year’s Amplify Austin runs from 6pm March 20 to 6pm March 21
One of the things I love about Amplify Austin is that it’s truly for everyone. With so many local organizations there is bound to be one (or more) that speaks to everyone. Whatever your passion—whether it’s animals, education, environment, health, youth services, etc. you choose where your dollars go. You also choose the donation amount. The suggested minimum donation is $25, but you can start at just $10. It’s something that no matter your budget—whether you give $25 or $25,000, you can feel a sense of community pride by knowing you helped.
How Does Amplify Austin Work?
You give online, and this year you can even pay in advance and schedule your donation to occur within the time window. When you go to the website, you can choose from the almost 500 participating nonprofits. You can search by category or county to find the perfect match. It’s tax deductible and easy to do, even from your phone.
You can also make it a family thing, where each family member picks an organization that speaks to him or her. It’s a great way to open a dialogue about the importance of community involvement.
Throughout the 24 hour period there will be live updates on dollars raised and who donated to which nonprofits. At the end of the 24-hour period there are prizes for nonprofits that raised the most money in certain categories.
Let’s rally together to Amplify Austin, and help reach the goal of $4 million. The money stays local and goes to organizations that have a major impact on Central Texas.
