Help Us Raise Money for Uplift Austin
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Hello, my name is Ethan Williams. I founded a non-profit organization, Uplift Austin with my good friend, Katy Karp, in February of this year. We are both juniors at the University of Texas at Austin. During the horrific winter storm this past February, Katie raised money via Go Fund Me to purchase blankets and other necessities to help me distribute these items to the homeless around Lady Bird Lake.
It was a surreal experience. Katie and I were able to speak and interact with many of these homeless Americans camped out in this area. During that winter storm most of us dealt with a lack of electricity or water, and admittedly that was bad. However, to not have basic shelter in those frigid temperatures was unimaginable for most Texans. So often we overlook the things we have and forget about those that don’t have anything. In the critically acclaimed 2019 movie, “Parasite”, there is a heavy rainstorm that causes a flood that displaces many of the cities’ marginalized low income population. While the marginalized view the storm as a destructive, disruptive force, the wealthy in the mostly elevated city continue with their lives and see the storm as an opportunity to celebrate Spring. There is no malice among the celebrants. Their viewpoint, however, clearly paints the vastly different perspective that humans across many different socio-economic groups have, including now stress-induced lack of empathy and emotional fatigue. During the snowstorm, most Austinites were excited to expect snow, however, to Austin’s homeless population the snow brought about trauma and a plethora of other problems. I started Uplift Austin because I wanted to energize and rejuvenate young people into doing work that could better help Austin’s most vulnerable population.
Uplift Austin has now partnered with two local Trader Joe’s in Austin, one Panera and in the future we hope to partner with more small businesses and groceries around the area. Uplift has plans to do a diaper drive in September, sock drive in October, a shoe and blanket drive in November and gift donations to an orphanage in December and other philanthropic events. Donations in any amount will truly help as it will give us the ability to offer Austin’s homeless population more resources.
Organizer
Ethan Williams
Organizer
Austin, TX