Special Purpose

Austin Neighborhoods Council
P.O. Box 301975
Austin, TX 78703
Justin Irving (512) 510-3199
E-Mail: president@ancweb.org
Net: atxanc.org
Purpose: The Austin Neighborhoods Council (ANC) is Austin’s only comprehensive representative of the City’s neighborhood associations. More than 40 years old, ANC consists of nearly 100 member neighborhood associations representing hundreds of thousands individual residents all across Austin. ANC leads and promotes a culture of civic engagement by connecting, supporting and protecting Austin neighborhoods through education and advocacy.
Projects/Activities: Monthly meetings with presentations from elected officials, city government, and other speakers of neighborhood interest. Assesses existing and proposed policy and acts as a clearinghouse, providing information to members, and promoting neighborhood interests to city officials. Holds a forum for vetting City Council candidates, and hosts educational sessions for its members.
Meetings: 4th Wednesday of the month at 7 PM (except November and December) at Town Lake Center (Austin Energy headquarters), 721 Barton Springs Road, 1st Floor Assembly Room.
Newsletters/Publications: E-mail updates and discussions on the ANC listserv – ANCTalk.
Dues: $50/year. Membership is open to all neighborhood groups in the Austin area.

Austin Permaculture Guild
Taelor Monroe (214) 448-6428
E-Mail: taelor@austinperm.com
Net: austinperm.com
Facebook: facebook.com/AustinPermacultureGuild
Purpose: The Austin Permaculture Guild is an organization that serves the greater Central Texas community by connecting people to courses, events, resources and professionals. We strive to facilitate a space where marginalized communities, people of color, all genders, & orientations feel empowered to regenerate ecosystems, restructure existing societal frameworks, and create cultural abundance.
Projects/Activities: 6 Weekends’ Permaculture Design Course: September – February, Monthly Potlucks: Sunday, 10AM – 12PM.
Volunteer Opportunities: Every Friday at the Whole Life Learning Center (10801 Old San Antonio Road, 78748). Check our MeetUp calendar for up-to-date information.
Newsletters/Publications: Register for our newsletter on our Web site. We also have the forum: Austinperm@yahoogroups.com.

CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas
P.O. Box 29295
Austin, TX 78755
Brett Davis (512) 431-0781
E-mail: staff@cleanairforce.org
Net: cleanairforce.org
Facebook: facebook.com/CLEAN-AIR-Force-of-Central-Texas-60700478852
Twitter: twitter.com/cleanairforcetx?lang=en
Purpose: We help manage air quality improvement programs in Central Texas. We are focused on motivating citizens, businesses and governments of this region to take actions to reduce air pollution to protect public health and the health of our economy. This includes: (1) being a liaison among stakeholders; (2) coordinating air quality planning of the private sector; (3) providing a forum for public discussion; and (4) educating the public on air quality issues.
Projects/Activities:
“Clean Air Partners Program” – secures commitments from businesses and governments to voluntarily reduce their emissions by 10% or more;
“Clean School Bus Program” – secures funding to retrofit or replace older school buses with new, cleaner technologies and encourages anti-idling policies;
“Ozone Alert Program” – informs the public via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and 512-343-SMOG on days when air pollution is unhealthy so citizens can take actions to protect themselves and reduce emissions;
“High School Public Service Announcement Contest” – encourages local students to create air quality PSAs and the winning entry runs on local TV stations.
Volunteer Opportunities: E-mail for details.

Earth Day Austin
4804 Grover Avenue, Suite B
Austin, TX 78756
Janis Bookout (512) 535-7558
E-Mail: info@earthdayaustin.com
Net: earthdayaustin.com
Facebook: facebook.com/EarthDayATX
Purpose: Our purpose is to educate the public on environmental issues and create opportunities for environmentally focused organizations and businesses to expand their presence in the Austin area.
Projects/Activities: Annually, we host the Earth Day Festival on or around April 22. Throughout the year, we have smaller events at our Green Room offices (address listed), including panels and workshops.
Meetings: Monthly.
Volunteer Opportunities: Students can receive intern credit. Internships available throughout the year, as well as 200 volunteer positions for the Earth Day Festival in April.

Hill Country Alliance
P.O. Box 151675
Austin, TX 78715-1675
Katherine Romans (512) 894-2214
E-mail: info@hillcountryalliance.org
Net: hillcountryalliance.org
Purpose: The Hill Country is irreplaceable. There is not an endless supply of clean water in our springs, creeks and lakes, nor endless hill country vistas, wide open spaces, rural landscapes, or scenic roadways. Population of our region is expected to double in the next 30 years, creating intense development pressure outside Austin and San Antonio.
HCA is a conservation and social movement that crosses boundaries and traditional barriers. We believe a strong economic future depends on the long-term protection of our natural resources and the promotion of sustainable development and economic enterprises.
Projects/Activities: Advocacy; relationship building with opinion leaders and policy makers; a public awareness/marketing campaign; educational programs; sessions for local elected officials to embrace solutions together; diverse stakeholder focus groups; mapping; research projects; newsletter; radio segments; film; photography; and an ever expanding Web site. We work on land, water, sky, and community issues from the rural ranches to the bustling cities of the I-35 corridor.
Volunteer Opportunities: Events such as the “Rainwater Revival,” “Water Symposium,” and “Night Sky” educational programs. HCA also seeks help with social media outreach and welcomes university interns.
Newsletters: Electronic, published 2 – 4 times/month.

Texas Interfaith Center
for Public Policy
200 E. 30th Street
Austin, TX 78705
Bee Moorhead (512) 472-3903
E-Mail: bee@texasinterfaith.org
Net: texasimpact.org
Purpose: The Texas Interfaith Center for Public Policy is a faith-based, nonprofit organization, providing theologically grounded public policy analysis to people of faith and other Texans. “Texas Interfaith Power & Light” (TXIPL) is the environmental program of the Center, and is the Texas affiliate of the national Interfaith Power & Light movement. TXIPL helps congregations take action to reduce global warming and air pollution through energy conservation and renewable energy strategies.
Projects/Activities: Environmental stewardship resources for congregations, legislative information, teaching, preaching, and grassroots advocacy—including local IPL chapters around the state. In Austin, the Interfaith Environmental Network is our local IPL chapter.
Volunteer Opportunities: Events, research, legislative contacts, and organizing. Paid and non-paid internships available, and student interns can receive credit.
Newsletters/Publications: E-newsletter; Justice Frameworks on environmental stewardship and faith & food; blog; “Faith in Texas” citizenship how-to series.
Dues: Donations of all sizes are gratefully accepted.

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