Category: Austin Community

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Backpacks for Hope! Happening Now!

It’s time for the 8th annual Backpacks for Hope backpack drive!  The Texas Advocacy Project collects 2,000 NEW backpacks and school supplies to distribute to children in domestic violence shelters across Texas.

If you haven’t heard of this organization, just know that the Texas Advocacy Project provides free legal services to help escape and end domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.  *Nearly 200,000 Texans were beaten by their intimate partners in 2017.  74% of all Texans either know someone who has been a victim of domestic violence or have been victims themselves.*

2017: Allstaters stuffing backpacks with school supplies.

These statistics are heartbreaking.  It is truly heartbreaking to know there are so many that live in fear and in abusive households, and it’s even more heartbreaking to know that so many of the victims are children. No child deserves to be abused or to live a childhood of fear.  Backpacks for Hope gives children and their mothers hope as they start a new school year with a new backpack full of new school supplies!  Please consider donating and GIVE HOPE!

Backpacks and school supplies can be dropped off at our office starting today, June 12th through July 27th.

*Texas Advocacy Project, https://www.texasadvocacyproject.org/

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Earth Day 2018

I vividly remember the first time I acknowledged and celebrated Earth Day. It was 8th grade Science class. I won’t age myself by mentioning the year, but let’s just say Earth Day had already been around for a few years. April 22, 1970, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson created the very first Earth Day. His motivation for raising awareness about our environment was spurred by a number of events, and later lead to national legislation of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

So, back to 8th grade Science class, we had to commit to a single act that we were willing to do on a daily basis to help save the Earth. Then, we had to take that idea, put it on a t-shirt to wear on Earth Day to show our fellow classmates our commitment to save Mother Earth, in hopes of encouraging them to do the same. Back in the ‘80’s, the Ozone Depletion was a big environmental topic. So, here it is the 1980’s (yes, I realize I just dated myself), the decade of big hair and aerosol hairspray. Such irony. Even more ironic, I was a big-haired, teased out, over-hairsprayed teenager, but my commitment was to save the ozone by eliminating the use of aerosol cans. I had painted the planet Earth and a flame-spraying aerosol can on my t-shirt with the words, “Learn not to Burn.” Despite my large amount of aerosol-coated, teased hair, I was trying to promote education on burning up our ozone layer. I later ditched the hairspray, got “the perm,” and switched to mousse.

Since then, I have been more aware of plastic water bottles, coffee pods, and other modern world conveniences that are extremely harmful to our marine life, overfilling our landfills, and polluting the planet. The overuse of plastic and lack of recycling became so real to me while on a summer vacation one year. We were finally making a dream come true by visiting a place on our bucket list. We couldn’t be more excited or ready to get to the beach. Walking barefoot through the sand, we reached the shore only to find a beach littered with plastic. So much plastic everywhere! Water bottles, bottle caps, juice bottles, plastic grocery bags. I couldn’t believe how much of our waste had ended up in our ocean. It was disheartening, disappointing, and disgusting all at the same time. It became very real that a bottle of water purchased at the local corner store would eventually end up in our ocean or landfill, oozing harmful chemicals, and endangering wildlife and human life.

So, this Earth Day, put down your aerosol hairspray, invest in a reusable water bottle, and go plant a tree. Don’t forget to pick up the trash around you, too.

Our Cub Scout planting trees after the Bastrop fires.
Picture of beach littered with plastic.
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Keep Philanthropic Day Going by Helping The Blue Santa Project

A few days ago we celebrated National Philanthropy Day, but then we thought ‘why stop at just one day’? National Philanthropy Day is celebrated around the world on November 15th to recognize individuals and organizations that volunteer their time and resources to help others.

NPD

Philanthropy makes change for the better possible. It connects people and inspires others to do more. At Biscoe Insurance Group, Inc. we’re on a mission to do even more than we have before. And the holiday season is the perfect time to focus on giving instead of receiving, of taking a little energy from our own endeavors and putting it towards others.

Though the holidays are a joyous time for most people, for the less fortunate it can be a trying ordeal. Simply staying warm can be a challenge for some people. Children from low-income families are just as mesmerized and hopeful as all the other kids, but they don’t have presents under a tree or stockings by a fireplace.

One deserving organization we plan to work with this holiday season is the Operation Blue Santa Program.

About Operation Blue Santa

Numerous Austin organizations have joined forces to create Operation Blue Santa, a local non-profit that helps families in need during the Christmas holiday. Operation Blue Santa began in 1972 when the organization helped 20 families by providing full holiday meals along with presents for all the kids under 14 years old. Today, their work has grown substantially with over 3,500 families being included in the festivities last year.

At the heart of Operation Blue Santa is the Austin Police Department, which is supported by the Austin Fire Department, Texas National Guard, Austin Energy and Austin Water. But nothing that they do would be possible without donations and volunteerism from locals, businesses and sponsors.

Get Involved with the Operation Blue Santa Program

There are lots of ways that you can support Operation Blue Santa this holiday season.

Donations

Monetary donations can be made either online or by mail if you plan to pay by check. You can choose to make a donation in whatever amount you like or choose one of the selections that start at $25. It costs roughly $125,000 in food, wrapping supplies, gifts and more for Operation Blue Santa to operate each year so every dollar counts.

You can also donate toys to the organization. Take a look at the Toy Donations page to find toy drop off sites.

Volunteer

Giving your time is just as valuable to the organization. In the weeks leading up to Delivery Day on December 14th there are a number of fundraising events and a lot of preparation is needed. Volunteers will help with sorting donations, wrapping presents, boxing everything up for delivery and more. Even kids can come out to help, so make it a family philanthropic affair!

Sponsor

Business sponsors play a pivotal role in helping Operation Blue Santa make sure they can help all the families that are in need this year. In addition to providing much needed support sponsors are crucial to putting on fundraising events for the charity.

Through the years people have been very vocal about their love for this organization and its work. The joy people get by helping Operation Blue Santa is worth all the presents under their own tree. Keep National Philanthropy Day going all the way through Christmas by supporting Operation Blue Santa.

Image Source: http://afpgreaterlouisville.org/content.php?page=AFP_National_Philanthropy_Day

Original Source: http://www.mybiginsurance.com/austin-community/keep-philanthropic-day-going-helping-blue-santa-project