Supporting Disadvantaged Austin ISD Students With Dignity & Care
In the heart of Austin ISD, there are many students that face daily challenges that go far beyond the classroom. Many arrive at school without basic necessities – clean clothes, clothes that fit, personal hygiene items or enough nourishment to take on the day. That is where our non-profit ATX Villages Helping One Another comes in – to help those students in need.
WHO WE ARE
We are a grassroots non-profit that started in late 2021 during the pandemic and is run by volunteers. Our mission is simple but powerful: to ensure students feel seen, supported and equipped to thrive – both academically and personally. When we started our charity we had one elementary school but now we have 3 elementary, 1 middle and 2 high schools. Education is one of the most powerful tools to help students rise from poverty and with our support they can focus on their education by having the necessary items to succeed.
WHAT WE DO
Through a partnership with a resourceful school district, we receive donations of unclaimed items at all their schools. Neighborhood communities also donate gently used clothing. We also partner with national non-profit I Support The Girls for menstrual items and bras. We are in discussions with middle and high schools to get their students to participate in philanthropy projects where students can help other students at our designated schools.
Through these partnerships we provide disadvantaged students in Austin ISD with basic necessities that many of us take for granted. We believe dignity starts with the basics and that no student should have to choose between hygiene andhomework.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
Thanks to generous donors and volunteers we offer the following:
- Clothing – distribute dresses, jackets, pants, shirts, shoes, socks and suits
- Toiletries – from shampoo to laundry detergent to toothpaste and more
- Sports Bra – critical need for high school female athletes
- Food Pantry – non-perishable items for students facing food insecurity
This past school year, we collected fifty large, black bags of clothing and with neighborhood donations we had a total 130 boxes of clothes. In addition to the boxes, we had jackets, pants and suits that we were distributed to students at our 6 schools.
A STORY THAT STAYS WITH US
We held our first clothing distribution outside at an elementary school last year and had mainly parents picking out clothes for their children. There were 2 students, a boy & a girl, who were probably in 4th or 5th grade who were selecting their own items. They would hold up an item and ask our volunteers if it looked like it fit. Even if it looked large, we told them to take it home since they would grow into it in the upcoming year. As they gathered their selections they put them in handled paper bags and they both had enough to fill 2 bags. As they began to leave, they both had big smiles on their faces and said thank you to the volunteers many times and said the event made their day. This simply said that our efforts had verified our mission had been accomplished!
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
The need is growing – and so is our commitment. With federal funding being reduced, it has filtered down to available state and city funding. As a young, small non-profit we are now competing with larger, established charities for grant funding. Last year a City of Austin department had $150,000 to award to 50 charities, of which we were one that was awarded a grant. This year, their funding was only $75,000. They had a record 145 submissions and were only able to award grants to 25 charities, of which ours was not one.
With your support, we can continue with our current programs and expand our reach, restock our supplies and continue showing up for the students who need us most. Your donation goes directly to laundering clothing, purchasing toiletries, maintaining our pantry and ensuring no student is left behind.
Together, we can make sure Austin ISD disadvantaged students have the essentials they need to feel confident, cared for and ready to learn.
Thank you for believing in our mission. We truly appreciate your support!
Greta
ATX Villages Helping One Another
Greta L. Irvin, Founder
www.onevillagetoanother.org
