Do Something

Hi! Ashley here, to encourage us all to do something. 'Tis the season for a lot (Happy Allthedays!). A lot of people, lines, parties, ugly sweaters, traditions, good memories, bad memories, elves, snoops, or mensches causing a ruckus, and all of the other things. With being so busy ourselves, it's hard to know where to do something, who to do something with or for, when to go do the thing, what is the thing to do, and how to do it. Today I will share a few options, that I know of, for you to consider. If you click on the name that is underlined, it will take you to their website!

Austin has some pretty lights over the holidays!

Lifeworks here in Austin is a non profit that advocates for the youth and young adults in Austin with their goal being to end youth homelessness. When we drive in our day to day we see unhoused people all over ATX, most of the time we see adults. The statistic given by Lifeworks on their website is that there are more than 1,600 homeless youth annually in our city. When it comes to working in spaces with kids, there are often tighter boundaries. If you want to volunteer with Lifeworks, you need to e-mail them and get connected. You can also donate financially, in-kind items, or host a gift card drive.

Casa Marianella offers three types of housing for displaced immigrants. They have an adult specific house, a house for mother's and children, and a house for families that are together. I was able to go play soccer with some of the kiddos at one of the houses earlier this year. One of the mornings as we were playing soccer, a family from Brazil arrived. The first thing those kids did was come and play! It was awesome. Soccer is the language that the world speaks. The few times I was there volunteering, there were other groups helping clean the houses and welcoming new residents. They have a list of their volunteer needs HERE!

preparing the groceries for families at Hungry Souls

Hungry Souls combats food insecurity that kids suffer from throughout Austin. You can get involved a few different ways with them. My wife and I volunteered one night in their food pantry and then the team I worked with in the OR volunteered as a team outing. Both times were organized, full of other friendly volunteers, and led well. It's a couple of hours that translated to helping them in massive ways. You also have an opportunity to briefly interact with the families that Hungry Souls serve. There are a few different ways to spend your time with Hungry Souls and of course, you can make a monetary donation. Click HERE to get involved.

If working with animals is more your speed, I encourage you to consider the Austin Animal Center. They are reported to be the longest standing no kill shelter in Austin. They have volunteers that work with the kittens and cats, puppies and dogs, and some other animals. They also have volunteers that are greeters and help answer general questions. You can choose to volunteer time there working in the various different areas or you could sign up to be a foster pet parent. Click HERE for more information on volunteer opportunities.

pour some love out into the community as you go

Sometimes a scheduled time to volunteer is challenging. But, there are countless ways to get involved and be a part of The Do Good movement. To wrap this week's post up, here are a few ideas I have seen pop up across my social media that will hopefully inspire you: A guy in our neighborhood is putting up Christmas lights for a donation and all of the proceeds will be going to the Big Brother Big Sister program for Christmas gifts. A lady organized a coat drive, set up the box, set an end date, and took them all to a location for disbursement.

Look in your area to find where you could sponsor a kid or family for the holiday. Often, grocery markets have meal bags you can simply pay for on your way out. Your $30 will be a tremendous support for a family to be able to have a warm meal this holiday season. Staple options throughout the year you could consider: Hand out socks, gloves, water bottles, packaged snacks, or coffee shop gift cards out as you go about your life. These are items that seem to always be appreciated.

enjoy your coffee and share some love by giving a gift card to your favorite spot

With some specific places listed this week and a few options that offer fluidity, I believe if every reader chooses one thing to do, we will create an epic wave of love and kindness. If you do something, whether it's listed or not, please let me know! I would love to learn about your experience and potentially share it here through The Do Good.

I will leave you with a song that I find inspiring:

Thank you for. your time reading this week!

-Ashley =)