We had 8 Million Reasons to Celebrate at our Annual Meeting! Of course, exceeding $8 million in total grants is worth a party on its own. But there were other highlights – big and small –to generate loud applause or quiet reflection. Here are just a few…
We gathered, shook hands, met new friends, hugged, and celebrated together again. Our last in-person Signature Event was 2020 Discovery Day. We’ve been cautiously caretaking one another for two years, and we were ready to celebrate! How delightful and right that we returned to Temple Beth Shalom; it felt like coming home to a warm embrace.
Welcome to our four new Community Partners! (Well, five, but the Girls Giving Grants award merits its own special mention below.) Congratulations to Austin Soundwaves, Explore Austin, The Dream Come True Foundation, and The Yellow Bike Project. What a thrill it was to share those BIG CHECKS with them in person! All four of these Partners deserve special attention; read more here.
Girls Giving Grants earned BIG applause. With their 2022 grant of $9,200, g3 surpassed $100,000 in total giving - $107,200, in fact. Their award went to Texas Family Initiative for Nicole’s House, and more detail is available on our blog. Congratulations to Girls Giving Grants for prevailing to grow their giving during two challenging pandemic years.
We have photos and video again! Virtual events didn’t do much to build up our photo albums (really - how many more Zoom screens do we need to see?) so we are delighted to add professional images from Casey Chapman Ross Photography and C2C Media. If you snapped selfies or candids at Annual Meeting, please share them to contact@impactaustin.org.
Our volunteers inspire us. Christina Gorczynski and Katherine Mudge named and thanked many hard-working Impact Austin volunteers. Special mention was given to the Board of Directors, including new member Denise Shannon and retiring members Susan Palombo, Sarah Harris, and Kimberly Klein. Special thanks goes to Deanna DeHaven, stepping into the role of Vice President (becoming President in FY2024).
Our Grants team deserves a standing ovation! Marla Whelan and Karen McLinden called out each tier of Grants leaders and volunteers, sharing how they contribute, and asking them to stand. By the time Community and Education GRC members stood, a great portion of the room was on its feet. THANK YOU to all.
Sweets and swag and merch, oh my! Those scrumptious daisy cookies at Annual Meeting - OMG! Thank you to Philanthropy Sponsor Sugar Dreams Cookie Studio for donating to us! And there's more: each member’s envelope had a special gift to help promote Impact Austin - the window cling is meant for your car. It’s not a sticker; it’s removable and cleanable, and it won’t leave residue. Display your membership proudly!
And what about those Impact Austin ball caps?!?! We ordered just a few to assess interest, and all the smiles we saw suggest that you might be ready for Impact Austin merch! But we’d like to hear from you first. Which products would you like most? Share your opinion here!
For Christina Gorczynski - 40,000 cheers! To honor Christina’s four years of inspirational leadership, we’re raising $40,000 for Impact Austin’s Annual Fund. In Susan Palombo’s words, “This campaign, 40,000 CHEERS for Christina, is a testament to Christina’s focus on operational excellence and organizational sustainability. Many generous members and friends of Impact Austin have already made pledges of support to this campaign and I am excited to announce we have raised over $20,000 to date. We are confident that, with your help by Christina's last day on June 30, we will meet this ambitious goal.”
Please consider making a donation in honor of Christina. Gifts of any size are welcome and appreciated. You can make a donation online or mail a check to: Impact Austin, P.O. Box 28148, Austin, TX 78755
The need for our collective impact continues. As Impact Austin members, we should celebrate our $8 million in giving, most definitely. But we do so with the understanding that the work goes on. Calls to action from speakers and Community Partners, from grant outcomes videos, and from DEIB and Discovery Day webinars – all make clear that women’s philanthropy is key funding for Central Texas' needs and opportunities. Thank you to our renewing members and to those who have joined us recently. Every membership is valued, and every member contributes to our collective impact. We go forward together, inviting others to join us, and we anticipate the next milestone ahead!
