AUSTIN (KXAN) — Thousands of students are experiencing homelessness in Austin, and thousands of families are struggling, according to the City of Austin. So, on Tuesday, I announced a new initiative.
It’s called “Amplify the home page“, as the city will work with nonprofits to raise money to help. But it comes as the state is also taking some of its own measures to address homelessness.
“Family homelessness is one of the most pressing and one of the most solvable problems in our community,” said David Gray, Homeless Strategy Officer for the City of Austin.
Use Amplify Home Tuesday as a day of giving to help children and families, According to its website.
According to Amplify Home, more than 2,500 students and 1,100 families are left without housing.
“We need to learn to have compassion for each other,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.
These calls for compassion come shortly after Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state was eliminating homeless encampments. Which Watson said was done without giving any warning to the city.
“This is not the way government should work, especially when we’re talking about the most vulnerable Texans,” Watson said. “…All it does is if you send a group just to clear a place, that’s moving. That’s just moving the problem around…And at the very least, there has to be coordination that continues with what we’re trying to do.”
Abbott said he directed state agencies to address the risks in order to “make Austin safer and cleaner for residents and visitors to live, travel and do business.”
Watson said he welcomed Abbott working with them to help keep people off the streets.
As for Amplify Home’s Giving Day, participating groups hope for continued community support.
The community can donate to a few non-profit organizations, which can be accessed at Amplify the home site.