On Thursday, November 7, the Austin Chamber announced ATX Helps, a new coalition created to raise $14 million to provide immediate shelter and support services to Austinites experiencing homelessness.
ATX Helps will construct and operate the city’s first Sprung Shelter, a concept that’s proven successful in other cities, to provide immediate—and temporary—safe, and clean shelter as well as other necessities.
It will serve as a bridge connecting people to either permanent supportive housing or into private housing allowing them to find jobs and have a better quality of life.
We’re joining leaders from Austin’s business community and faith-based organizations in this coalition because we believe this is the right solution at the right time. We invite all Austinites—individuals and businesses—to step up and help fund the critical missing component of immediate temporary shelter to help people experiencing homelessness now. For more information and to donate, please visit ATXHelps.org.
Help Open the Rathgeber Center for Women & Families
ATX Helps is addressing the most immediate gap in Austin’s current efforts to help solve homelessness in our community. It supports a housing-first approach and complements other shelters and permanent housing solutions including the Rathgeber Center, Community First Village, and The Terrace at Oak Springs.
We are currently helping to raise funds to open the Rathgeber Center, a brand new 212-bed emergency shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness. The Rathgeber Center is ready to open but the Salvation Army needs to close a $500,000 fundraising gap in the $4.9 million needed for annual operations. The Downtown Alliance Foundation is contributing $100,000 and assisting in efforts to raise additional funds needed to open the shelter. Give now to help open the Rathgeber Center!
