Take the $7,500 Challenge!
A Message from AAIM's CEO, Tom Spencer:
As the end of the year approaches, AAIM has an amazing
opportunity to transform the lives of six families through our Hands on
Housing program. A Glimmer of Hope Foundation has issued a $7,500 challenge grant to AAIM in support of Hands on Housing, but in order for us to receive this money we need you to make a generous tax-deductible matching contribution now.
$7,500 donations + $7,500 matching grant = $15,000 = 6 renovated homes!
How do we fix an entire home for under $2,500?
I know it almost sounds miraculous, but it happens all the time thanks
to the shared compassion of AAIM's dedicated volunteers. Allow me to
share one of my warmest memories of 2009...
This past spring our
Hands on Housing Director, Kathy Weiner, was driving through East
Austin not far from the AAIM offices when she spotted a small house in
critical condition. She stopped to slip an application under the front
door. The next day, the owner of the home, a single-mother, arrived at
our offices with her two small children. I greeted her as she came
through the door, but was taken aback by the tears that were streaming
down her face. Her voice shook as she confided that she believed our
application was literally the answer to her prayers.
 
Later
that day, when we went back to visit her home, we realized how
desperate their situation was; the back half of the house had
collapsed, completely ruining the kitchen, the one tiny bedroom, and
almost all of their furniture. The electricity had been turned off
because they had not been able to pay their bills, and there was no
running water. The family was sleeping on the floor in the one corner
of the house that still had a roof -- an 8' x 10' room draped with
plastic to keep out the rain and animals.
Within weeks, our Hands on Housing teams had completely transformed the home.
 
Our
volunteers -- which included an outstanding crew of young adults from Youthworks -- rebuilt the walls and roof and replaced all of the windows
and doors. Working with the city we were able to get the family
enrolled in a utility assistance program. The plumbing was fixed,
floors were repaired, and insulation and ceiling fans were installed.
Seeing the plight of the family, our volunteers dug deep and raised
enough money to purchase real beds for the children, a refrigerator, a
kitchen table and more.
All of this was done using volunteer labor, donated materials, and the tremendous energy and good will of the Austin community.
Because of this overflowing compassion, AAIM was able to transform the lives of this family for under $2,500!
It
is hard for most of us to imagine people living in such degrading
circumstances in our beautiful city, but many are. Your generous
contribution to AAIM now will help lift six more Austin families out of
these deplorable conditions. Please help AAIM's Hands on Housing program end a remarkable year with your matching contribution.
Please take a moment to send in a year-end contribution by making an online donation or submitting a pledge email
through our AAIM website. If you cannot send in a payment immediately,
the pledge form will do. But we do need you to act as quickly as
possible to secure this generous matching offer from A Glimmer of Hope
Foundation.
Blessings of the season to you all,
Tom Spencer
CEO of AAIM
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