A cross-country move can seem daunting, but luckily for Alison Alter and Jeremi Suri the couple was introduced to Laurie Loew, of Give Realty, as they prepared their shift from Madison, Wisconsin to Austin, Texas. The philanthropic experience, combined with Laurie’s expertise and desire to go above and beyond made the move more satisfying than either of them ever imagined.
“We purchased a home from Wisconsin and did not move in for a month after closing,” said the Alter-Suris. “Laurie graciously helped us navigate the purchase of appliances and other necessary items needed so we could hit the ground running when school started for our kids, just one week after we moved in.”
Once the transition was complete, the family had to determine where to direct Laurie’s donation of $5,062.50 made on behalf of the Alter-Suris. They were hesitant to commit such a large sum to a single charity in a town they didn’t yet know, and they wanted to use the opportunity to teach their children, Natalie and Zachary, about giving to the community as a whole. Laurie proposed the Alter-Suris create a fund with Austin Community Foundation (ACF).
The ACF provides stewardship for hundreds of charitable funds and works to make each fund flourish and enter back into the community. Alison had worked with the Madison Community Foundation on a large park building project in Wisconsin, and was struck by the strong contributions a community fund could have on its city.
“Creating an ACF fund was a great idea,” say the Alter-Suris. “Each year we will work with our kids to identify and deliver a donation to one or more charities that they choose. We also can add to the fund over time and allocate our donations as we know Austin better.”
The family puts the lesson they learned by working with Give Realty like this: “You can do well while doing good!” The Alter-Suris loved seeing a socially-conscious business model thriving and leading to both charitable donations and successful and happy home purchases.
Three Ways to Help Austin Community Fund
1. Donate to ACF Directly. You can make support the organization directly to help them make a greater impact in Central Texas.
2. Support Art From the Streets. A gift to this fund creates a nurturing environment for homeless persons to create, exhibit and sell works of art.
3. Support The Will Sarosdy Swim for Life Fund. This organization works to provide opportunities for underprivileged youth to participate in the sport of swimming.
