Hoops for Hope

Sunday, May 20, 2012
Noon – 3:30 p.m.
The Long Center for the Performing Arts

Dust off that old hula hoop and get in the groove because we need your help to break the Guinness World Record for the largest hula hoop workout!  Join The Smile Never Fades and your fellow Austinites on Sunday, May 20 at The Long Center for the Performing Arts as we twirl, twist and roll our way into the history books. Out of practice? That’s okay. The only requirements are a hoop and a smile.

To appease the lovely folks at Guinness, advanced registration is encouraged. The next step is to learn the routine. From there, it’s all fun and games!

Blog written by: Amy Warren- boot camper!!

Hip-hip-hooray for Week 1 of Austin Angels Charity Boot Camp! What a blessing it has been to work-out with so many amazing people every morning! 5:30 AM came early for each particpant, but with so much positive energy and encouragement (and a little early-morning giggles), we are all a little closer to meeting our fitness goals, AND to helping Austin Angels meet their mission goals! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 states, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” This is exactly the attitude we have held at the boot camp and it goes hand and hand with the attitude of Austin Angels. Together we are better, and together we can make a difference!  

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO:

Trellis, Susan, Amber R, Tavia T, Lisa H, Patrick H, Rae L, Laurie H, Janice G, Heather R, Jason C, Lindsey C, Sarah H, Molly I, Kim C, Mike F, Amy W, Laura L, Sunne T, Amber Re, Katie M, Nicole B.

It’s our 2^nd annual charity boot camp. We are combining cross fit + weight training for a 4 week fundraiser.  

All funds go directly towards our mission trip to Haiti in September.   Its perfect timing- you will be ready just in time for your summer vacation!   The boot camp will be held at Garlic Creek in Buda.  

We don’t have a set time so if you are interested please email me the best time that works for you. The majority will win!

Time frame Options: 5:30-6:30 AM   6:30-7:30 AM   7:30-8:30 AM   8:00-9:00 AM   7:00 – 8:00 PM

4 weeks of intense cardio plus weight training. Cost: $100 (did I mention this goes towards building an orphan home and you get a tax write off)!!

Monday through Thursday. Starts Monday May 7^th through May 31^st  

What you need:: 3 sets of dumbbells (light, medium, heavy), one exercise mat, bottle of water, towel and a good attitude.

It is with the most unbelievable happy and humble heart to say…We won an award!

KVUE (ABC affiliate) is doing a story on us because we were nominated for “5 who care”. It’s an award based around people/non profits who are changing their community through the work they do in the City! How cool is that?!?!? They are even going to give us a glass plaque for all of our hard work!

We will be at the For the City Center http://forthecity.org/ next Thursday March 8^th at 1:00.

Address: 500 East St. Johns Ave., Ste. 105, Austin, TX 78752

I hope you can make it.. we need 20 volunteers to come and help put our Care Kit bags together. You will be on TV so please wear your AA shirt!

 If you are available and would like to participate please email me!

 Thank you for all that you have done for our City!

 PS- We need 60 more care kits!! If you can’t make a whole kit can you get any of the following items??

60 Paper Towels

60 Tall Kitchen size Trash bags

60 Lysol Disinfectant Spray

60 Laundry Soap- Liquid Only Please

60 Dishwasher Soap

60 Dawn liquid dish/hand Soap

60 Hand Sanitizer

60 Paper Plates

60 Dial bar Soap

Blessings,

Susan Brubaker

Susan.Brubaker@austinangels.net

No matter where you are in your journey of life- This is a once in a life time Seminar you won’t want to miss!!  

Passion to Action

Location: Austin New Church | 11530 Manchaca Rd Austin, TX 78748

Date: Thursday ~ January 26th

“If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually…” (Isaiah 58:6-7,10-11)

Let me start off by saying that I am PUMPED about this month’s service project! Not only because we get to serve the homeless but because we are teaming up with 2 of the coolest groups ever!! ANC + Passion to Action

Hunger doesn’t just happen on the other side of the world. If you will sacrifice and give up your Sunday afternoon to join us it will stretch you in empathy, make you aware of the hunger our neighbors have, and make you appreciate that when you get hungry, you simply walk to the fridge. Food for us is readily available but it is not this way for everyone. We have people in our own ‘backyard’ who are hungry. The pain felt by the hungry is not only in their stomach but in their hearts as well. So join me as we Love, feed and help to give some warmth to our brothers and sisters downtown!

Mission: Serving the Homeless (hamburger grill out + toiletry bags)

Location: East 7th Street and Neches, Austin, TX 78701 Downtown in the parking lot across the street from the ARCH

Date: Sunday, January 29th

Time: 3 to 5 PM

What we need:

400 tube sox

400 pair of gloves

400 Toiletry Bags

Please fill a Gallon Size Plastic Bag with one of each in Travel Sizes:

Toothbrush & Toothpaste

Shampoo/Conditioner

Lotion

Deodorant

Soap

Please have bags filled and ready to pass out when you arrive on the 29th. If you are not able to make it but would still like to contribute a toiletry bag or supplies please email me for drop off locations.

Please email me if you will be at the Service Project so I can keep a running Talley of how many volunteers/toiletry bags we have.

This is a perfect opportunity to get your office involved, school, friends, neighbors, small group etc.

Community is the key to change.

When we all come together…Miracles happen.

Do you remember the Mom we helped last year because of the relationship we established at the Grill Out? We ended up furnishing a whole apartment for a very deserving woman and her 2 kids; who by the way is really doing well in her new life and has been off the streets for almost a year!

Relationships change people. More than events, more than conferences, more than seminars, it is relationships that change us. It is relationships that start movements, that heal the hurting, etc…come and be present with us as we ‘break bread together’ and develop relationships.

Let me leave you with this question.

If not us…. then who and If not now…. then when?

A few facts about the homeless in Austin from www.frontsteps.org :

Last year, 168 homeless men and women died on the streets in Austin

As of 2008, the last documented homeless point-in-time count, it was estimated that there were over 3,400 homeless individuals in Austin/Travis County on any given night.

Over 1,500 children are affected by homelessness in the Austin Independent School District.

Women are a fast growing homeless population

Shalom,

Susan Brubaker

Susan.Brubaker@austinangels.net

Let’s get radical about our generosity of time and relationships shall we???

This is my favorite time of the year:

New Year’s Resolution Time!

I take these resolutions to extreme. I would say that I am a very disciplined person and love, love, love new challenges!

After a friend Mitch brought this to my attention it has continued to haunt me. He said “in America we are rich in monetary resources but are poor in time and therefore poor in relationships and in other parts of the world they are rich in time and rich in relationships.

So after much thought, I have decided to make a solemn vow that in 2012 I will be more aware of my time spent and relationships shared.

With that being said, one of my new year’s resolutions is: to simplify and not to be wasteful; in regards to time (mostly) and money that I find myself spending on things which are frivolous. Anyone else guilty of this? Anyone spend more time with electronics, face book, twitter, work email, personal email, youtube, and video games and less time on relationship building? Are you present in conversation or are you constantly looking at your phone?

I encourage you to be better in your relationships. Don’t be so busy that you might miss an opportunity to bless someone or block the blessings of someone else. Be intentional of your thanksgiving. Be intentional about listening- really listening to when someone speaks. Put your cell phone down and make eye contact with those whom you are talking too. Make this next year the best year of your life I mean…. the life of others!

Let this radical generosity of time and relationships catch like a wild fire among you! And may your treasure be found in not you alone!

Happy New Year!

Have a new year’s resolution?? I want to hear it… email me!

Susan.Brubaker@austinangels.net

When you serve others, life serves you.  

It is with absolute joy and excitement to report that 672 toys were brought in on Friday morning to Odom elementary. After unloading all of the toys we realized that we were just 4 toys away from allowing every single child to have one. So I made one call to a friend to tell her we were at 672 and she graciously said she would donate the last 4 toys! I’m happy to report that we are at 676 toys… so every Child will have a TOY! Oh my goodness is that the best news you’ve heard all day or what?!?!  

You continue to inspire me and I am hopeful that together we can continue to serve our city in 2012! Thank you for an amazing year; to recap here is the list of services you helped with in 2011:

January- Grill Out for 400 Homeless people down town Austin.

Feb, March- Extreme Makeover for a very deserving family in Kyle, TX

April- Helped with Donations to the Wild Fire victims, West Austin area

May- foster parent appreciate month- 54 foster families enjoyed a fun day in the park complete with yummy food, jump houses, music, raffle give-a-ways, and appreciation basket for each foster family.

August- Supplied 281 foster children with all their backpack and school supplies needs.

November-  Donated 50- $50 gift cards for 50 foster families to help with Thanksgiving dinner costs.

December- Toy Drive- 676 toys for Odom Elementary  

Barchot ve Tefillot,

Blessings and Prayers,

Susan Brubaker

The word “charity” comes from the Latin word “caritas,” or love. In Hebrew: Tzedakah, The Greek word ‘agape’ is translated both as ‘charity’ and ‘love’. No Matter what you call it- Please join us in LOVE, Caritas, Tzedakah or Charity for our Children’s Toy Drive!

We need your help in our quest for 500 TOYS! 

Instead of hosting the toy drive outside under the pavilion we decided to move it inside to the Model Home! Please make note of the address change.

Date: This Wednesday 12-7-11

Venue: Centex Model Home in Sunfield -126 Stella Gold-  Buda, TX 78610 (Across the highway from Cabelas on IH 35) 

Time: 6:00 to 9:00 pm

Who is invited: The whole community!

What you need to bring: unwrapped toys

Food and non-alcohols beverages will be provided. We are honored to have the Lamar Stockton Band play for us.The kids will be entertained with: A bouncy house, face painter, balloon maker, popcorn and cotton candy machine and much more…

We ask that you be mindful when buying presents that the gift be appropriate for children between the ages of 5 to 10 years old.

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!  ~Author Unknown

Peace be to you,

Susan Brubaker

Susan.Brubaker@austinangels.net

 Please join us for: A night of Giving  

Most people this time of the year indulge themselves, their family members and loved ones during the Christmas holiday. However, those who are less fortunate are not as excited this time of the year. For the orphan, it’s a reminder that they have no family to share Christmas with, for the widow- they have no husband, for the poor they have no presents and so this December we ask for your help collecting toys for the single mother who can’t buy presents, the father who lost his job, the foster kids, the financially broken and defeated as we sponsor one of the poorest elementary schools in Austin. Our hope is that every child in school will have at least one gift to open.   We ask that you be mindful when buying presents that the gift be appropriate for children between the ages of 5 to 10 years old.   Please get your office, church, neighborhood involved! If you need us to come and pick up the presents we would be honored!

Big THANKS to Centex Homes for sponsoring our “Night of Giving”.  

Venue: Sunfield Amenity Center Sunbright Blvd Buda, TX 78610 (Across the highway from Cabelas on IH 35)  

Date: Wednesday- December 7th

Time: 6:00 to 9:00 pm  

Who is invited: The whole community!  

What you need to bring: one unwrapped toy  

Food and non-alcohols beverages will be provided. We are honored to have the Lamar Stockton Band play for us. The kids will be entertained with: A bouncy house, face painter, balloon maker, glitter tattoos, popcorn and cotton candy machine and much more…   As you know we always have a goal- This year we need to collect 500 toys.   Please RSVP if you are coming!    If you are unable to attend but would still like to donate please email me.  

We also have a list of families who are looking for sponsorship during the holidays. Email me if your family is interested.  

Today I was inspired by this scripture; I encourage you to read it: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15   

May your thirst for life be quenched by charity!

Susan Brubaker

Susan.Brubaker@austinangels.net

512.577.0465