Austin Community College District joins the Amplify Austin movement for the sixth consecutive year starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and continuing until 6 p.m. Thursday, March 2. This year’s goal is to raise $50,000 for the college’s Student Emergency Fund, which is available to all enrolled students who face unexpected expenses that can derail their education. 

“Students continue to feel the effects of the pandemic, inflation, and unanticipated events like the recent ice storm,” says Steven Christopher, ACC associate vice president for Student Accessibility & Social Support Resources (SASSR). “Follow-up data shows that students who use the Student Emergency Fund are more likely to complete the courses in the semester they received emergency funds and to reenroll the following semester.” 

You can get started today! Here are a couple of ways ACC faculty, staff, administrators, and affiliated leaders (e.g., Board of Trustee members and leadership in affiliated nonprofits and centers) can support ACC’s Amplify Austin campaign now:

ACC Leadership Match

All employees are eligible to create a Leadership Match program to motivate others to give by promising to match their contribution dollar-for-dollar up to a certain amount. For example, someone who gives $100 on Amplify Austin Day essentially doubles their contribution to $200 when there is a Leadership Match. Join the ACC Leadership Match in two easy steps: 

1) Pick an amount from the form.

2) Make a contribution to the ACC Foundation Student Advocacy Center SEF (currently set as the default). With this option, there are no fees, and the funds are available for students quicker than if they go through the Amplify site. 

Note: There is the option to contribute via ACC’s Amplify page and write in Leadership Match as well.

Fundraising Pages

Creating your own fundraising page to support the Student Emergency Fund. Click on the ACC Amplify Austin page and select the Fundraise button.

Once your page is set up, share it with your networks. We will send content for emails and social media, as well as student testimonials to anyone who sets up an ACC fundraising page. Reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions. 

How to Help on Amplify Austin Day 

Contribute: Visit ACC’s Amplify Austin fundraising page to make a direct donation.
Raise Runds: Recruit your friends to donate. Share the ACC link or the link to your personal fundraising page.
Share the Love: Take a selfie with an “I Amplify ACC because…” message to post on your social media. Join the conversation with #AmplifyACC and #AmplifyATX.

Last year’s ACC Amplify Austin campaign raised about $22,000 from more than 102 donors.

Hear from Dr. Shasta Buchanan on the importance of giving to ACC on Amplify Austin Day in the video below.