#52Causes and Champagne Charity Chats: We Have Only Just Begun
At the end of 2015, we wrote about the need to support these organizations in our community not just on Giving Tuesday, but every day. At the start of 2016, we kicked off a social campaign to feature a new Houston cause every week for a year. We’ve been posting on Twitter about causes—old and new. Causes big and small. Causes we love and causes we think you need to know more about. By shouting about their work on our social platforms, we’re giving these local organizations some extra attention and getting our followers to become their supporters.
In case you have been slacking and missed a few of the fine folks we have spotlighted, we compiled a quick list to serve as an update on the #52Causes progress:
Child Advocates mobilizes court appointed volunteers to break the vicious cycle of child abuse. They train everyday people to advocate for the best interests of children in court so they can find safe environments where they can thrive.
Houston Food Bank believes in food access FOR ALL. In 2015, they distributed 74,000,000 meals to our neighbors in need.
Interfaith Ministries brings people of diverse faiths together for dialogue, collaboration and service. Interfaith Ministries also provides the city’s Meals on Wheels program and helps with refugee resettlement.
Star of Hope is dedicated to meeting the needs of homeless men, women and their children, offering emergency and transitional housing, employment, education and substance abuse recovery.
Neighborhood Centers believes that our neighborhoods are bridges to opportunity—that people can transform communities and that everyone everywhere has something to contribute.
Houston Zoo provides educational resources and opportunities for people of all ages to connect with and learn about the animal kingdom and the environment. They also partner with other organizations to save animals, implement conservation strategies and protect the wild.
WindSync isn’t just a revolutionary chamber group; they’re strongly committed to educational enrichment and promoting arts engagement for everyone, providing unconventional and approachable opportunities to experience classical music for all communities.
AIGA Houston advocates for design as a vital creative force and supports local designers looking for resources and education.
Plant it Forward Farms offers economically disadvantaged refugees an opportunity to become self-sufficient through growing, harvesting and selling produce from a sustainable urban farm within the city of Houston.
Friends For Life is Texas’ only LEED certified, no-kill shelter, which also provides spay and neuter services in low-income communities, fighting animal overpopulation. Since 2008, they’ve had a 508% increase in adoption rates.
The Community Cloth is a micro-enterprise initiative targeting the economic, educational and social needs of refugee women in Houston.
The League of Women Voters of the Houston Area is a nonpartisan organization encouraging informed participation in government and the resources to do so.
DiscoverU provides Fantastic Learning Opportunities and resources for at-risk youth, empowering them to take the next steps toward higher education.
Girls Inc. Houston Chapter works to break down social, educational, cultural and economic barriers preventing girls from reaching their full potential.
Dress for Success Houston aims to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work and life. To date, they’ve served over 32,000 women in the Houston area.
The Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston commissions and produces new works, presents public performances and exhibitions, offers curriculum and scholarships, and hosts residencies with renowned visiting artists from throughout the world.
Houston Community Toolbank is a nonprofit that provides fast and easy access to high-quality tools for other nonprofits and charitable organizations, increasing the impact of service projects and community revitalization efforts.
Children At Risk serves as a catalyst for change to improve the quality of life for children through strategic research, public policy analysis, education, collaboration and advocacy. They focus on four pillars: parenting, health and nutrition, human trafficking and public education.
Amazing, right? And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Many of these Houston organizations are fighting to improve the quality of life for ALL people. They’re increasing access to education, housing, healthcare and social services for underserved and vulnerable populations. They’re fighting for equity and equality. They’re doing the work for millions with limited resources in funding and people power. Some of these organizations have a great deal of overlap in the work they do, and some are the only ones addressing an important issue. But they all have a concern for our city. We can help these organizations do bigger and better things if we are in this together.
But where do you begin? We’re going to make this easy (well, relatively speaking). We have invited a few of these organizations to our office for a special Champagne Friday to hear from them in person—and we want you to be there.
Come share a glass of bubbly with DiscoverU, Boys & Girls Harbor, Amaanah Refugee Services, and the Houston Community ToolBank and get to know some of the fine folks who are working for you and our city. Learn something new. Ask those burning questions. Start a conversation with someone you don’t know about how we can work together to create change.
We can’t wait see you there!