St. David's Foundation Announces $1 Million Matching Donation to Amplify Austin For Partners
Several Corporations & Foundations Also Pledge 2018 Matching Donations to Encourage Local Residents and Businesses to “Give Back”During Amplify Austin Day on March 1-2
AUSTIN, TX (February 6, 2018) – Following the incredible success of Amplify Austin Day 2017, which raised over $9.8 million for 700 nonprofits in Central Texas, I Live Here I Give Here (ILHIGH) announces that St. David’s Foundation has once again pledged to donate $1 million in matching funds during Amplify Austin’s sixth annual event which is slated to take place March 1 through March 2, 2018.
In addition to this sizable contribution, St. David's Foundation has also committed to matching donations (up to $300K total) to the Amplify Stretch Fund which rewards all participating nonprofits with incentive dollars. The Stretch Fund, which has already reached $140,000 and growing for the 2018 event, is distributed on a prorated basis to all nonprofits participating in Amplify Austin Day. Donors will have the option to add a dollar to the overall stretch fund in their checkout cart to support all 700 nonprofits and have that dollar matched by St. David’s Foundation (up to $300k total).
Amplify Austin is an initiative designed to increase philanthropy in Central Texas through online giving for hundreds of Central Texas nonprofits during a single 24-hour period. This year, Amplify Austin aims to raise over $10 million in one day for 700 nonprofits across seven Central Texas counties—Travis, Hays, Williamson, Burnet, Bastrop, Caldwell, and Blanco.
“Austin’s economy is thriving by any measure, yet many of our neighbors and friends across Central Texas do not have access to good healthcare. At St. David’s Foundation, our mission is to make Central Texas the healthiest community in the world, and our support for Amplify Austin helps us to achieve this important milestone. We understand that the challenges we face can only be solved through everyone’s involvement and efforts. Amplify Austin embodies the essence of community and of pulling together to improve the lives of all Central Texans. We are thankful for the invaluable work they are doing to make our community a healthy place for all of us to live, and we are proud to join with them in Amplify Austin Day,” said Earl Maxwell, chief executive officer of St. David’s Foundation.
This year’s commitment brings the total matching contributions by St. David’s Foundation to more than $5.3 million over the past six years, since Amplify Austin’s inception in 2013. The new funds will be distributed on a prorated basis to over 60 St. David’s Foundation nonprofit grant partners that participate in Amplify Austin.
“Our community could not be more grateful for the impact our friends at St. David’s Foundation have made over the past six years,” says Celeste Flores, executive director at I Live Here I Give Here, the producers of Amplify Austin Day. “They continue to be very instrumental in the success of this annual giving day, helping shape this important campaign for the benefit of the entire community. We hope the Foundation’s generous gift will encourage everyone in the greater Central Texas area to give more during this campaign, knowing their dollars will go further, creating more good and sustaining important programs and services.”
The sixth annual Amplify Austin event is scheduled to run from 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, through 6 p.m. on Friday, March 2, 2018. Givers can plan ahead for Amplify Austin Day and schedule donations to their favorite nonprofits. This year, givers are also able to search for nonprofits that have additional match dollars available, like St. David’s Foundation. It’s easier than ever for those interested in giving to find nonprofits located in specific counties or areas, or search by a cause important to them on AmplifyATX.org.
New this year, Amplify Austin Day has secured category-dedicated match dollars to reward all participating nonprofit organizations of a certain cause with extra matching dollars. Category stretch funds are being sponsored by various foundations and companies. Sponsored categories currently include the following: Animal Care & Services sponsored by an anonymous donor; Education sponsored by Google Fiber; and Environment sponsored by the Shield-Ayres Foundation. Any Central Texas businesses, companies, or organizations interested in sponsoring a category of nonprofits are encouraged to reach out to Catherine Lucchesi at I Live Here I Give Here, Catherine@ILiveHereIGiveHere.org, to inquire about sponsorship opportunities.
ILHIGH would like to thank all of the corporate and media sponsors who are helping to make this year’s Amplify Austin event possible, including major sponsors University Federal Credit Union, supporting Amplify Austin for the sixth consecutive year, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Heritage Title, Bazaarvoice, Mercedes-Benz of Austin, Silicon Labs, NXP Semiconductors, Lee and Roger Kintzel, Drillinginfo, Charity Charge, Charles Schwab, and Austin Community Foundation.
Local businesses Cirrus Logic, SolarWinds, Charles Schwab, Drillinginfo, and Bazaarvoice have planned major Amplify Austin Day campaigns and have stepped up their efforts with exciting plans and matching dollars to encourage their employees to give local and support the causes they love. Last year as a group these companies raised one third of the $914,000 raised by 68 local businesses.
To learn more about Amplify Austin 2018, including sponsorship opportunities and participating organizations, visit AmplifyATX.org. If interested in staying up to date on ILHIGH and Amplify Austin happenings, be sure to also follow along on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmplifyATX, as well as on Twitter @ILH_IGH and on Instagram at @AmplifyATX.