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Sooch Foundation Youth and Family Resource Center LifeWorks is excited to announce the completion of the Sooch Foundation Youth and Family Resource Center. Located in the heart of East Austin and adjacent to Austin Community College’s Eastview Campus, the 31,000 square foot center will expand LifeWorks service capacity by 25%. The Resource Center is Phase One of the development of LifeWorks’ East Austin Campus, which will also include The Works, a 45-unit affordable housing development for formerly homeless youth, young families, and youth aging out of foster care. The close proximity of The Works, the Resource Center, and Austin Community College will create a ground-breaking service model to help youth transition from the most challenging of circumstances to self-sufficiency. The Sooch Foundation Youth and Family Resource Center was made possible through the leadership of Capital Campaign co-chairs Bonnie Mills and Jim Sauer and the generosity of many supporters, including the Sooch Foundation, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, the Topfer Family Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, Bonnie K. Mills, Anonymous, and the Meadows Foundation. Special thanks also go to Miro Rivera Architects, American Campus Communities, Capital One and Spaw Glass. Please join us on March 28th for the Grand Opening of the Center. |
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Click Here for to view the Luncheon's Sponsorship Packet.
As LifeWorks celebrates the opening of its newest facility in the heart of East Austin, The
Sooch Foundation Youth and Family Resource Center, we invite you to be a part of our
inaugural luncheon: Laying the Groundwork.
This event replaces our annual Academy Awards Gala as our main fundraising event. But like our Gala, we will gather over 500 of Austin’s business, philanthropic and community leaders to raise the resources needed to provide critical services to our client population. We would be honored to add your business to our list of supporters for this event. Your sponsorship ensures that 100% of the donations we receive at the luncheon will go directly to advancing our mission of transitioning youth and families from crisis to safety and success.
May 25th, 2012, 8pm - Midnight at the Long Center City Terrace
Please visit http://www.whitepartyaustin.org/ to find out more about our annual White Party.
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| Through LifeWorks Home Improvement Challenge (HIC), corporate and community teams partner with a decorator to design the apartment of a LifeWorks client. LifeWorks clients live in our Supportive Housing – a program offering subsidized housing to youth who need a “getting on your feet" period. HIC is an exciting and competitive team building exercise with valuable marketing benefits for sponsors and designers. LifeWorks solicits corporate teams to compete as they invest one weekday upgrading one of the Supportive Housing apartments with local professional designers to ensure dramatic makeovers. To find out more information, contact Brett Barnes PAST PRESS News 8 Austin's cover story on last year's Home Improvement Challenge. myFOXAustin: LifeWorks Home Improvement Challenge
To see more photos of volunteers in action visit our Flickr page |
We need your help to make a difference in someone's life this holiday season. With over 400 youth and families requesting holiday assistance, LifeWorks has launched a sponsorship drive again this year to meet the needs of our clients over the holidays. Through Project Holiday Help, you have the opportunity to bring holiday cheer to a youth or family in your community.
How Can You Help?
Adopt-A-Youth
Sponsors will be matched with a LifeWorks youth (between 16 – 21 years) and will receive a client profile with information on his/her hopes and dreams and a list of gift wish items suggested by the youth. To maintain fairness within the programs, LifeWorks suggests that donors spend between $75 and $150 per youth. Donors should wrap and label the gifts and deliver them to LifeWorks on December 9, 10, or 11 (donor may choose one of these dates) during specified times.
Adopt-A-Family
Sponsors will be matched with a LifeWorks family and will receive a family profile with information on their hopes and dreams and a list of gift wish items suggested by the family. Sponsors may specify family size: small is 2-4 and large is 5 or more individuals per household. As a guideline, LifeWorks suggests that donors spend between $50 and $150 per individual in the family and provide a gift card for groceries. Donors should wrap and label the gifts and deliver them to LifeWorks on December 9, 10, or 11 (donor may choose one of these dates).
Sponsor-A-Holiday Party
Sponsoring a Holiday Party provides volunteers the opportunity to interact with LifeWorks clients while providing a meaningful holiday celebration. Sponsors provide food, drinks and decorations for the party (or can make a financial contribution to help pay for these items) and may participate in the festivities.
Participate in the Holiday Gift Card Drive
No time to shop? Consider donating a gift card to help LifeWorks youth in crisis. Just $25 from a store like HEB, Target or Wal-Mart will provide a youth with much needed food and clothing. If you are planning a holiday party, ask your guests to bring gift cards or to make a donation to LifeWorks instead of bringing gifts. Every little bit helps those in need!
Host a Backpack Drive for the Homeless Youth
LifeWorks Street Outreach Program works with homeless youth living on the streets. During the holidays, we provide them with backpacks filled with basic supplies to help keep them safe and warm. We need your help! A backpack drive is a great group project for more privileged youth to help those less fortunate. If you have a group interested in participating, contact us at holidayhelp@lifeworksaustin.org Below are the suggested items for each backpack, but you may provide backpacks with or without these items:
Adult-size backpacks in dark colors (black or blue), no mesh, netting or fancy logos
Adult-size sleeping bags with temperature range below freezing
Adult-size hoodies (sweatshirts) in dark colors
White crew socks, wool hat and gloves
Food items (non-perishable) – granola/protein bars, dried fruit, trail mix, etc.
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LifeWorks is a Dell Powering the Possible recipient in the United States. Dell Powering the Possible focuses on four areas of giving including learning, pediatric cancer research, disaster relief and social entrepreneurship. Dell Powering the Possible is designed to give others the power to do more through a combination of Dell donated technology & solutions, resources and know-how. In communities around the world, Dell is helping youth discover new possibilities by closing the gap for learning. LifeWorks is proud to have been a selected a recipient. By placing state-of-the-art Dell technology into underserved communities and working with global non-profit organizations to teach technology skills, Powering the Possible helps young people discover new possibilities and change their lives. LifeWorks Universe IT will help close the achievement gap for disadvantaged youth. Learning how to use a computer, gaining educational skills and solving problems quickly with the use of technology builds confidence and confidence gives youth the energy to explore, learn and face challenges in a more effective way. Increased access and proficiency in technology also opens worlds of opportunity that would otherwise seem out of reach. In essence, confidence is the key to “leveling the playing field” for the highest risk youth. This program will encompass a three-tiered approach: ACCESS to computers, the internet and basic support for 675+ youth will be available through three shelter/residences located in South and Central Austin, and the Youth Resource Center. EDUCATION to promote academic and workforce skills for 450 youth will be woven into the GED and Literacy Curriculum by incorporating new computer literacy classes, utilizing a GED Prep Online and laptops to complement daily classes. LifeSkills training, will incorporate netbooks into the 5-hr classes and provide opportunities to learn and search for resources while enhancing computer and problem solving skills. The WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT will also provide computer classes to build academic and workforce skills. Advanced TRAINING such as IT certification, will provide skills that will move 20 youth into the IT field and provide them with livable wages. Trisa Thompson, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Dell: “Every child should have an opportunity to develop his or her potential through technology access. Our investment of nearly $3 million through these 24 organizations reflects our belief that non-profit organizations can best identify and respond to the unique technology needs of their communities. We know that we can change the lives of children who participate.” To learn more about Dell’s giving program visit: www.dell.com/giving |
 | Brian “When Mr. Scurry gave me the key to my room, I felt he gave me the key to my future. I woke up so well rested after sleeping on a bed and not the floor. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, feeling so thankful that I finally had a place to call home.” |
 | Sebastian After moving to the U.S from Germany when he was just a child, Sebastian faced countless hardships. Not only did his stepfather and mother abuse him repeatedly, but his mother denied him the right to attend school. He was only 14. However, Sebastian’s passion for learning and endless determination prohibited him from taking no as an answer. He continued to enroll himself in high school, which is how he found out about LifeWorks through a school counselor. By the time he was 16, his stepfather had died, his mother had left him, and he didn’t have U.S citizenship. Unlike most teenagers, Sebastian was simply struggling to survive. He was going to make something of his life and prove his mother wrong. LifeWorks has helped him accomplish that goal. Through our Transitional Living Program, Sebastain was able to have a roof over his head, three nutritious meals a day, and attend school. The man working with us today is no longer a helpless boy living on the streets. Now, Sebastian is a high school graduate and an undergraduate at ACC pursuing a degree in Bioengineering. See SEBASTIAN'S STORY on our YouTube channel. |
 | Helena Fulfilling its mission of “Changing Lives One Room at a Time” Helena continues on a path towards self-sufficiency and success. After completing her stay at LifeWorks Supportive Housing Program, Helena moved into a duplex with a roommate and has been working at Artz Rib House since November of 2010 where she enjoys being able to meet interesting people and learning to be more outgoing. She is working toward her Associates degree at Austin Community College, taking a full course load and making good grades. She says this is what she is most proud of over the last year and aspires to pursue her Bachelors degree at The University of Texas and eventually get her PHD in Psychology. “Maybe I'll be the one to inspire someone in the future, which would be a good feeling.” For Helena, HIC was the opportunity to get to know herself better, her wants, her desires, and goals and realize that it may not always be easy but it is all worth working hard to achieve. |
