I just helped give away $416,000 tonight! This is not exactly organizing-related, but I must share with my readers the amazing and invigorating experience I have had being involved for 2 years with Impact Austin, a women’s philanthropy group. Each member gives $1000 and every penny of that money goes toward our grants for local nonprofit groups.
We have an annual voting dinner, which was tonight, in which we vote for our grant applicant finalists to see who will receive our money. This year we had 416 members, so we gave away four grants of $104,000 each. Tonight our gifts brought us over the $1 million dollar mark of how much our group has contributed in the last 4 years to our community. These voting dinners are very touching because we hear speakers from the previous grant recipients who have had their lives changed by the funding we provided. I wish I could somehow convey how much this means to me and to everyone present. There are few dry eyes in the house.
If you are interested in starting a similar group, Impact Austin has a great resources page with some information that will help. There is so much people can do when they get organized and band together!
This is wonderful, bless you. We frequently travel to Houston (I am from Ohio) and we have enjoyed the hospitality of two different groups similar to this while my child was undergoing surgery there. I could never really put my gratitude into words, I was so thankful. Thank you for what you do.