Maybe you already give back year-round, or maybe practicing thankfulness this holiday season has put you in the giving spirit. All we know is there are more than enough great causes in Austin to volunteer for.
Whether you’re an animal lover, a passionate environmentalist, or a mental health advocate, there’s a nearby volunteer opportunity for you. Here are 11 Austin organizations to show a little love to this Giving Tuesday:
🐶 If you’re an animal lover
Austin Animal Center | Help the center care for 18,000+ animals each year by finding adopters for pets, exercising and showing love to the pets, or taking some home to foster.
Austin Pets Alive! | This no-kill shelter is the largest in the country, and supports a wide range of pets.
Phife has spent more than 300 days at the shelter, despite being less than 2 years old. Help Phife and others like him find permanent homes at the Austin Animal Center. | Photo via @austinanimalcenter
🌳 If you’re an outdoorsy type
Keep Austin Beautiful | Regular events oriented toward cleaning and beautifying the community are hosted by this nonprofit organization
The Trail Foundation | Play a part in ecological restoration by removing invasive plants, collecting seeds, mulching, and more.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center | Volunteers can choose to work in the gardens, natural areas, with youth or as a docent at this center.
❤️ If you want to help those experiencing homelessness
Caritas of Austin | Get involved by putting together hygiene care kits, helping with deliveries and pick-ups, and serving lunch in the community kitchen.
Community First! | This organization providing affordable, permanent housing to those experiencing homelessness hosts several volunteer opportunities each month.
The Community First! Village supplies people experiencing homelessness with permanent homes. | Photo via @austinjosephmiller
🌈 If you’re passionate about supporting local minority groups
Casa Marianella | Serve displaced immigrants by driving residents, sorting donations, and delivering food.
Austin Gay and Lesbian Pride Foundation | Help organize the annual Austin PRIDE celebration.
💚 If you’re a mental health advocate
Austin Child Guidance Center | Put your skills toward helping families + children in need of mental health services.
Integral Care | Volunteers help with registration, presentations, and community outreach at this center focused on helping people suffering from mental illness + substance use disorder.
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Today
- 57th Annual Austin Trail of Lights | Sun., Nov. 28-Fri., Dec. 31 | Times vary | Zilker Park | $30+ | Kick off the holiday season with a standard Austin tradition, with a twist: Visitors will view the show from their vehicles this year. 🎄
Wednesday
- Texas Longhorns Women’s Basketball vs. Jackson State Tigers | Wed., Dec. 1 | 7 p.m. | Frank Erwin Center | $13+ | Put your horns up for this night of heated basketball. 🏀
- Austin Music Video Festival | Wed., Dec. 1-Sat., Dec. 4 | Times Vary | Virtual + Various Locations | Free+ | Watch music videos, panels, award ceremonies, and more at this event. 🎞
- Wynonna Judd | Wed., Dec. 1-Fri., Dec. 3 | 8 p.m. | Gruene Hall | $49.50 | Bring your boots for this night of music with this award-winning country singer — doors open at 7 p.m.
Thursday
Friday
- Luminations | Now-Sun., Jan. 30 | 6-9 p.m. | Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center | $10+ | Thousands of luminarias will be lit at this nighttime event. 🕯
- Capital City Black Film Festival | Fri., Dec. 3-Sun., Dec. 5 | Times vary | Virtual | Free+ | Learn from experts in film and celebrate the city’s Black independent filmmakers at this festival.
- Texas Longhorns vs. Texas-Rio Grande Valley | Fri., Dec. 3 | 6 p.m. | Frank Erwin Center | $12+ | Cheer on the UT basketball team as they face the UTRGV Vaqueros.
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Weather
- 75º | Partly cloudy | 7% chance of rain
Civic
- Some big changes might be coming to 6th Street. The Austin City Council’s “Safer 6th Street Initiative” could allow seating, dining, live music, and art on the street and sidewalks during nights when 6th Street is closed to traffic. A pilot program would allow businesses in the 200 and 500 blocks to try it out first. (KXAN)
Development
- Another set of condos is coming to the Mueller district’s north side. The mixed-use, multifamily development will have 39 units, including eight commercial spots and sit along 51st Street and Mueller Boulevard. Six condos will be set aside for residents who earn less than 80% of the median family income. (Austin Business Journal)
- The 4.28 million sqft Tesla factory under construction on the east side may be finished by the end of the year. State filing documents indicate that the space — a small portion of the 2,500 acres owned by the company and its CEO Elon Musk — will be used for stamping, casting and assembling. 🚗 (Austin Business Journal)
- A new 30,000 sqft office building is under construction on East Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The new building, near Bennu Coffee + Sour Duck Market, is expected to be completed mid-2023. 🏗 (Community Impact Austin)
Eat
- Tso Chinese Delivery just opened its third location on South Congress Avenue. If you’re looking for a sweet treat after munching on the spot’s signature drunken noodles, the Austin restaurant also partnered with gelato spot Dolce Neve to create a limited edition jasmine tea flavor in honor of the new location. 🥡 (Eater Austin)
Number
- $7.5 million. That’s how much former Torchy’s Tacos CEO GJ Hart is asking for his Bee Cave home. The mansion — called “Bridge Home” — sits on 1.3 acres, and includes ~9,000 sqft, five bedrooms, a rooftop solar system, media room + 1,200-bottle wine cellar. 🏡 (CultureMap Austin)
DYK
- Rapper T-Pain shops local — and he thinks you should too. The musical artist was featured in a mini-film with Atlanta singer Tanerélle highlighting Black-owned shops across the country, including Austin’s Black Pearl Books. “Black-owned Friday” may be over, but Black Pearl is still there for all your Christmas gift needs. 📚 (Austonia)
Holiday
- Grab your spoons — and car keys — because Blue Bell’s holiday ice cream flavors are back on the shelves. The Texas ice cream brand just released its eggnog, Christmas cookies, and peppermint flavors in grocery stores around the state. 🍨 (Austin American-Statesman)
- Good news for those of you living in Cedar Park: your holiday budget is likely much larger than residents in most other cities, a new WalletHub report claims. Based on analyses of income, expenses, and demographics, the report found Cedar Park residents rank in the top 50 highest budgets in the US. 🛍 (WalletHub)
Happy Hanukkah, Austin. If the holiday snuck up on you, you’re not alone — the eight day-celebration is based on the Gregorian calendar, and happened to begin earlier than usual this year.
You’ve got one more week to celebrate by eating + drinking the best Hanukkah-themed treats in town. Start with a latke punch or a Shabbos Spritz from Kitty Cohen’s pop-up bar — some proceeds will go toward Shalom Austin — or stock up on latkes from Rosen’s Bagel Co. or smoked fish + lox from Babka ATX.
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Editor's Pick: We hope y’all had a nice Thanksgiving. Now that I’m out of leftovers to munch on, I’ll be looking for local shops to (finally) get started on that long list of Christmas gifts to buy — and I’d love your recommendations. Send me your favorites.
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ATXtoday Team
Editorial: Vagney, London, Dayten, Josh
Sales: Rachel
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