It’s time for the next Giveaway on Sunday, May 23rd. We are meeting under the IH-35 bridge from 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. This is our first giveaway in over a year that will return to our previous configuration of tables, bins and partitions. This helps folks choose exactly what they need and eliminate waste! Volunteers and clients will be asked to mask up and sanitize their hands before working or acquiring items from the line. We are going to cap volunteers to 12-15 people to ensure there is no crowding, so please sign up on our FB events page or get in touch (info@austinhumanistsatwork.org) to volunteer. We need your help!
What will we be distributing? Here’s a list of what we need most right now. We accept in-person or porch-dropoff donations, gifts from our Amazon wishlist, and monetary donations. Thank you for your generous support!
- shelf-stable food: fruit snacks, snack bars, crackers, bottled water. Thanks to continued grant funding from Foundation Beyond Belief and the Beyond Belief Network, we can subsidize food for our clients in addition to donations.
- unscented baby wipes. Dollar Tree has the best price for these at $1 per pack.
- insect repellent. Check H-E-B for their annual $1 sale of Cutter Insect Repellant cans.
- hand sanitizer
- lip balm
- tissues & toilet paper
- sunscreen
- articles of clothing: belts, sports bras, men’s boxers, women’s underwear
- tents
- tarps
- sleeping mats
- sleeping bags
- reuseable HEB grocery bags
- condoms
- face masks
Why are we going back to tables?
- Distributing pre-packed bags of items leads to significant waste through unused and un-needed items.
- Tables with baskets allow our clients to choose exactly what they want and need with dignity and select an adequate quantity.
- A sizable share of regular volunteers have shared that they are fully vaccinated, lowering the overall risk of transmission to the clients we serve.
What could make the May 23, 2021 Giveaway even better? We will have a fresh, hot meal provided by local outreach group Better Together. These folks have been a great partner to Austin Humanists at Work and we’ve learned so much through working with the wonderful volunteers. We’re very thankful also for the fundraising champions and volunteers from Leander ISD who have raised $1,200 plus donations from our list of needed item. Thank you, Joshua and team for your amazing support!
Ahead of the Giveaway, we hope you’ll join the Gettin’ Knotty Guild for its meetup on Thursday, May 20 from 6-9 p.m. It’ll be outdoors at Pour House Pints and Pies on Jollyville Road. If it rains, the gathering will be indoors. Come bring your crafty self for some hands-on volunteering and socializing!
We are thankful for the scientists who created the vaccines that have allowed us to resume usual giveaways. And most of all we’re grateful for you — our donors, supporters and volunteers — who help us meet the needs of those living with limited means and unhoused in Austin. We can’t do this without you!