Austin Schools Demonstrate Legacy of Giving

Students at Akins High School and St. Ignatius, Martyr, Catholic School traveled to New York last month to be honored for their philanthropy.

For three weeks last year, 20 schools in Austin collected food for the Capitol Area Food Bank and coats for Austin Coats for Kids. The drive resulted in donations of more than 30,000 pounds of food and 2,000 coats. And of all the participating schools, Akins and St. Ignatius, Martyr came out on top — in fact, they were among the top 10 philanthropic schools in the nation! (Five other participating Austin schools ranked in the top 20 in the country.)

“We are so proud of the enthusiasm and tremendous work provided by the students, teachers and their communities to achieve these results,” said Linda Brucker, executive director for Austin’s A Legacy of Giving, in a press statement. “Our programs prove that students are embracing philanthropy as part of their curriculum and we’re excited to see how much they want to make a difference.”

Both Akins and St. Ignatius, Martyr participate in A Legacy of Giving, which is a local philanthropic program that encourages students to give their time, talent and treasure to make the world a better place. A Legacy of Giving then partners with The LEAGUE, a school-based system that combines state standards-based lesson plans with community service events to teach students the value of giving and recognizes them for their efforts.

For information on how to enroll your school in these philanthropic organizations, log on to www.ALegacyAGiving.org or www.TheLeague.org.