Austin's philanthropic spirit goes full throttle with the return of the annual charity marathon, Amplify Austin Day. Kicking off at 6 pm on March 6, the 24-hour giving spree ropes in over 700 local businesses, all set to funnel a portion of their profits into the heart of Central Texas' nonprofit community. Last year's haul brought the total to a whopping $102.7 million since 2013, and organizers are hopeful to add a hefty sum to that tally this year, according to CultureMap Austin.
Participating businesses vary, from Amy’s Ice Creams, which vows to donate 5% of net proceeds from each Austin location to The Dirdie Birdie, a North Austin golf course contributing 10% of net sales proceeds to The Safe Alliance. "We chose three charities and then the employees got to vote on which one they liked the most, and SAFE Austin came to be that one," Taite Pethick, a manager at Dirdie Birdie, told CBS Austin.
It's not just about raising money, it's about a community coming together to support the plethora of non-profits that, as Piper Stege Nelson, I Live Here's executive director put it, "We use nonprofits every day, and these nonprofits need our support." In that vein, Still, Austin Whiskey Co. will be donating proceeds from sales of its classic Cold Fashioned, and St. Elmo Brewing Co. is donating $1 for every draft beer sold to Mobile Loaves & Fishes on March 7, as per CultureMap Austin.
Every visit, every scoop, and every pint counts as Central Texans have the power to boost their favorite causes, no matter how big or small the donation. The heart of the matter, as Nelson states in an interview with CBS Austin, is "It's truly momentum. It's excitement that everyone can be involved..." With just 24 hours to make an impact, Austin's generosity is poised for another record-breaking year.
