Austin Gives : Awards Three Businesses for Outstanding Philanthropic Efforts at Third Annual GeneroCity Awards

Austin Gives, a community program committed to recognizing and encouraging business philanthropy, today recognized three local businesses – one small, one medium and one large – for outstanding efforts in business philanthropy at the third annual GeneroCity Awards. This year’s award recipients are South Texas Money Management, Yellow Cab Austin and Silicon Labs.

The awards ceremony took place at the Hilton Austin Hotel at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8., and united community leaders, local businesses and the nonprofits they support to celebrate and encourage citywide business philanthropy. This year’s keynote speaker was accomplished musician and local philanthropist, Ray Benson. During the ceremony, Benson was interviewed by Austin Gives’ luncheon chair, Olga Campos-Benz, about his extensive involvement in various nonprofits, including the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, the SIMS Foundation, the Texas chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) and the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians. Hema Mullur and Walt Maciborski, KEYE-TV news anchors, served as the event's emcees.

“In just three years, Austin Gives has reached nearly 300 members, representing businesses of various sizes across Austin that generously contribute to making the city a better place to live and work,” said Bobby Jenkins, president of ABC Home & Commercial Services and founding chair of Austin Gives. “This year we witnessed an increasingly impressive group of Austin companies submitting to win the GeneroCity Award. It was a tough selection process, and we are honored to award these three businesses, each of which has served as exemplary corporate philanthropists in the Austin community.”

About the Winners

Charitable Champion (fewer than 26 employees): South Texas Money Management, Ltd.

South Texas Money Management (STMM) is a major financial sponsor of many Austin-area nonprofits, including the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the Long Center for the Performing Arts and Impact Austin. They frequently provide expert speakers on money management, investment options, and the economic outlook to local and statewide nonprofit organizations. In February, STMM will sponsor an educational event for Austin nonprofit leaders in partnership with Greenlights for Nonprofits.

Big Heart (26 to 150 employees): Yellow Cab Austin

Over the last year, Yellow Cab Austin has donated cash and in-kind support to local nonprofits, schools, after-school programs and police/firefighter/military and charitable organizations throughout Central Texas. They focus on serving the needs of the entire Austin community, providing 24/7/365, on-demand service to all community members, with its Access-A-Ride program allowing Capital Metro Access customers, many of whom are disabled, extended service. Their community involvement for this year includes partnering with Dress for Success and E3 Alliance, providing free delivery service for Meals on Wheels and monthly participation at charitable events around the city.

Bold Giver (large businesses of 150 plus employees): Silicon Labs

Silicon Labs has donated more than a half million dollars in Central Texas and has supported more than 30 nonprofit organizations each year for the past six years. The company’s passion for education has led them to sponsor KLRU-TV for eight years to promote family science programs. They have also sponsored special events in the community, including the Zilker Kite Festival, the Austin Trail of Lights, Save our Springs Festival and many more. Their support for the wellbeing of the Austin community extends to the funding of programs like Habitat for Humanity, Safe Place and Lifeworks.

“A more active business philanthropy community contributes to a better Austin overall,” said newly elected Mayor Steve Adler. “This year’s GeneroCity Awards recipients displayed generous and creative ways to give back, and I anticipate that their efforts will encourage other businesses to participate in improving the welfare of our city.”

In addition to recognizing the winners of the GeneroCity Awards during the ceremony, Austin Gives also highlighted the impactful contributions made by this year’s finalists: 3M, Sabre Commercial, Wells Fargo, Cushman & Wakefield | Oxford Commercial, Vintage IT Services and Agents for Change Real Estate.

Sponsors that made the 2015 GeneroCity Awards possible include:

• Presenting luncheon sponsor: St. David’s Healthcare and St. David’s Foundation
• Presenting awards sponsor: Yellow Cab Austin
• Sustaining sponsors: ABC Home and Commercial Services, H-E-B, Wells Fargo and Workplace Resource
• Luncheon media sponsor: Austin Business Journal
• Partner sponsors: 3M, Austin American-Statesman, EZCorp and Vintage IT Services
• Supporting sponsors: Austin Visitors Bureau, Get the Picture, Sherwin Field Photography, PSAV, Hilton Austin and Tyrex Group, Ltd.
• Friend sponsors: Austin Community Foundation; Bazaarvoice; Brown Distributing; Cushman & Wakefield | Oxford Commercial; Deloitte; Entrepreneurs Foundation Of Central Texas; Emmis Austin Radio; Gracy Title/Give Realty; Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody; Greater Austin Chamber Of Commerce; GSD&M Heldenfels Enterprises, Inc.; Heritage Title and Higginbotham; Howdy Honda; I Live Here, I Give Here; KEYE-TV; Maxwell Locke & Ritter LLP; Red Fan Communications; Rose Dental Group; Sabre Commercial; Silicon Labs; The Steam Team; Thomas Graphics; TyRex Group, Ltd.; Truluck’s; United Way for Greater Austin and White Construction

Establishing a benchmark for Austin’s corporate giving habits, Austin Gives formally launched the first-ever survey on corporate giving in Austin in partnership with philanthropic advisors, Rodman & Associates, the day of the awards luncheon.

“The GeneroCity Awards is a fantastic way for us to learn how businesses are going above and beyond in their philanthropic efforts,” said Beth Krueger, director of Austin Gives. “In addition to the GeneroCity Awards, Austin Gives can also learn about Austin’s business philanthropy landscape through this inaugural survey. We encourage businesses to participate and share their expertise so we can continue developing strategies that strengthen the education and growth of business philanthropy in the Austin community.”

Austin Gives encourages businesses to complete the five-minute online survey, which closes Jan. 31, by visiting http://bitly.com/CorpGivingATX.

To learn more information about Austin Gives or to join the organization at no charge, visit www.austingives.net.

About Austin Gives

Austin Gives is a community program committed to encouraging and recognizing business philanthropy in Austin, Texas. In addition to hosting year-round education workshops to encourage participation in local philanthropic giving among business leaders, Austin Gives recognizes its members at its annual awards ceremony, the GeneroCity Awards. Member recognition also takes place throughout the year through traditional and social media. Businesses of all sizes that commit to giving one or more percent of pre-tax earnings toward annual financial contributions, donated products or services or volunteering, are invited to join Austin Gives at no charge. The organization’s founding members include the Austin Chamber of Commerce, Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas and United Way for Greater Austin.