How to design a Project for Service Austin Days
  1. The projects that occur during Service Austin Days are designed and proposed by the organizations that partner with the Service Austin Days Committee.
  2. The Service Austin Days Committee supports those projects by doing the following:
    1. Listing the Project on the interactive website (www.serviceaustin.org) as part of the effort to find volunteers: As volunteers sign up for specific projects, informational emails automatically are sent to the Volunteer, the Project Supervisor, and the Service Austin Days Committee
    2. Using our Publicity Campaign to publicize Service Austin Days, the projects, and the involvement of the partnering organizations.
    3. Delivering breakfasts directly to the volunteers at the Project work sites.
    4. Providing Service Austin T-shirts to the Volunteers.
    5. Taking and sharing photographs with partnering organizations for use in future publicity campaigns.
  3. Project Ideas: Turn loose your imagination! If your project is of benefit to the City of Austin or its Citizens, we will support your efforts. Here are some ideas, categorized by the need for special skills, tools, or materials:
    1. Good old “Sweat Equity” Projects utilizing muscles and simple tools:
      1. Maintaining trails in the parks.
      2. Installing landscaping at the schools (plants must be donated).
      3. Painting classrooms or benches at the schools (paint must be donated or otherwise made available).
      4. Eliminating "invasive species" that threaten the native species in our parks.
      5. Planting trees and spreading mulch under landscaping in public places.
      6. Clearing and cleaning vacant lots identified by Neighborhood Associations.
    2. Projects requiring building materials, tools and relatively close supervision:
      1. Building wheelchair ramps for home-bound neighbors.
        1. ) The Texas Ramp Project supplies the building materials, the tools, and the supervisors!
      2. Working on a Habitat for Humanity house.
      3. Painting a mural on a wall (identified by the Owner!) to brighten up a neighborhood (A great idea for a High School Art Class!).
    3. Projects requiring minimal materials and minimal supervision.
      1. Distribution of helpful information in the neighborhoods, e.g. health information, notices of upcoming elections, Neighborhood Watch information.
      2. Provide "Appreciation Treats" for our First Responders, e.g. Cupcakes for Cops, Hot Tamales for Firemen,
      3. Removing graffiti from public places.
      4. Organizing a computer donation center and delivering computers to organizations needing them.
      5. Lady Bird Lake clean-up.
      6. Bowling with Patients with Down Syndrome.
      7. Organize a "Pro-Bono Panel" of Doctors or Lawyers to give advice to those with health or legal questions.
      8. Work at a food pantry, or collect food in the neighborhood for delivery to a food pantry.
      9. Shoal Creek clean-up.
      10. Groups visiting retirement centers and enjoying the company of the elderly, or visiting pediatric hospitals and brightening the day for the young patients (a great idea for a High School Dance Team!).
      11. Serving Pre-Thanksgiving Dinners.
      12. Collecting and sorting books for distribution to the schools or retirement centers.
      13. Organizing a door to door collection in support of Good Will or the Salvation Army.
      14. Organizing a Story Reading for Kids event at one of the neighborhood recreation centers.
    4. Service Projects to help others without compensation (ask folks to volunteer for Service Austin Days 2011).
      1. Car washes.
      2. Leaf-raking Teams.
      3. Carrying groceries for the elderly at local grocery stores.
  4. Don’t hesitate to propose your own favorite Service Projects. It’s all about Giving Thanks by Giving Back!
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