Success Stories

Region: Southwest

Gina and Marty Richardson: Funding the Next Generation in Austin, Texas

Five years ago Gina Richardson began looking for something meaningful to which she could dedicate her time.  Her children were grown and out of the house.  The business she and her husband started twenty years before had truly taken off, allowing them time and resources to focus on other things in life.  And so, Gina put her ‘ear to the ground’ and searched for a project worthy of her energy and enthusiasm.

 

Inspired by an article in Newsweek about a certified public accountant (CPA) in Chicago who was helping low-income people file their tax returns, Gina—an accountant herself—was intrigued by the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and its positive impact on low-income households.  Gina began thinking about helping low-income people file tax returns in her hometown of Austin, Texas.

 

Gina and her husband, Marty, immediately embarked on an ambitious project targeting vulnerable populations in East Austin.  “We didn’t know what we were doing at the time,” laughs Gina. “Marty and I created fliers and dropped them off at local churches, calling ministers to follow up when we could.”

Helping donors achieve impact

You have questions, when it comes to your community giving.  All over the country, your fellow donors have similar goals and face similar challenges. Learn how other donors are navigating their way to effective, satisfying community giving.

From the Trenches: A Philanthropic Experience Following Katrina

At 11 p.m. on September 7, 2005, just as I was shutting down my computer, an e-mail arrived asking whether I would be willing to go to Louisiana to help create a foundation to receive and distribute private funds for disaster relief. 

Nine days after Hurricane Katrina had hit, and with flood waters still inundating New Orleans, the Kennedy School of Government had been approached by the governor's office to send a team to join with philanthropic professionals from around the nation to plan the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation.  I jumped at the opportunity to be helpful. 

Over the next day and a half, I found it difficult enough to get confirmation of our participation, clear schedules, and coordinate flights with other Kennedy School members (Baton Rouge via Detroit), let alone gather good information from Louisiana about the particulars of our assignment and the situation on the ground. 

I packed a pillow in case I ended up sleeping on the floor of a shelter.  One of my peers brought iodine tablets for purifying non-potable water.

The Gulf Coast: Lessons on Community Building and Re-building

Hurricanes and subsequent levy breaks and flooding devastated the Gulf Coast in August 2005.  This natural and man-made disaster was particularly destructive in low-income communities.  Years later, communities continue to re-build and engage all residents in envisioning a new future for the region.  Donors like you, from the Gulf Coast region and around the country, have made a real difference in shaping a brighter, more equitable future for the Gulf Coast.  Along the way, lessons have been learned which can help instruct community building efforts all over the United States.

Butler Family Fund Brings Attention, Success to New Housing Strategy

In 1999, the Butler Family Fund awarded a $20,000 grant to the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (SCANPH) to help launch Housing L.A., an advocacy campaign to create an affordable housing trust fund in the city of Los Angeles. 

At the time, a housing trust fund was an untested idea in Los Angeles.