Transcript Slide 1

What Does the Lord Require –
Atlanta Sacred Chorale
He has told you, O Man, what is good:
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, and to love kindness
And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8 NASB
What is Micah 6 of Austin?
 A coalition of 11 Austin congregations collaborating in
ministry to the homeless and impoverished in the
University of Texas area and surrounding communities
 A 501(c)3 nonprofit, incorporated in July 2004
 We work to answer the call of Micah 6:8 to
 Do justice through education, dialogue and advocacy
 Love kindness by compassionately serving those who
come to us for assistance
 Walk humbly with God by providing opportunities for
spiritual growth of those we serve, our congregations,
and other community partners
Our Member Congregations
All Saint’s Episcopal Church*
Congregational Church of Austin, UCC*
First English Lutheran Church*
Highland Park Baptist Church
Hyde Park Presbyterian Church
St. Austin Catholic Parish*
*denotes Founding Congregation
University Avenue Church of Christ*
University Baptist Church*
University Christian Church*
University Presbyterian Church*
University United Methodist Church*
Our neighbors are struggling
 A family of 4 making $45,622
is considered low income
 36% of Travis County
residents are low income
 More than 373,000 people may
not have enough money to
make ends meet
 Nearly one fourth of all
children in Travis County are
food insecure
 A third of all food insecure
individuals are not eligible for
nutrition programs
45%
City of Austin
40%
Travis County
35%
Austin-RR MSA
30%
Texas
25%
United States
20%
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
% of Individuals Living Below 200%
of the Federal Poverty Threshold
Source: Community Action Network 2013 Community Dashboard
Homelessness takes a tremendous toll
3000
 Travis County homeless people
concentrate along the I-35
corridor, which includes the
University of Texas area
 Austin’s emergency shelters
serve between 2,650 and 2,750
people each week
 One of every five people
receiving services for the
homeless in 2012 was a child
 Nearly 2,000 AISD students
were homeless in 2011-2012
2000
Travis
County
1000
0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Number of Homeless People,
Annual Point in Time Count
Source: Community Action Network 2013 Community Dashboard
Micah 6 responds: Food Pantry
 Serves 350-400
households per week
 Guests receive about 30
pounds of food each
 Each shopper feeds an
average of 2.94 people
50000
45000
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
Households
(Capital Area Food Bank estimate)
10000
 Volunteers receive, stock
and distribute between
6,000 and 10,000 pounds
of food each week
5000
Total Family
Members
0
2004 2006 2008 2010 2012
Households served through Micah 6
2004-2012
Kids on the street are most vulnerable
 There are at least 900 homeless
youth in Austin under 25 years old
 Homeless youth are concentrated
in the University area
 40% were in foster care
 Two thirds have untreated
substance abuse issues
 One third have emerging, untreated
mental health issues
 A quarter are girls, at risk for
unwanted pregnancies
 90% have experienced abuse –
at home, in care, or on the street
Source: ECHO census, Street Youth Ministry
Street kids find rest where they can
fotosearch.com
Micah 6 responds:
Street Youth Drop-in Center
 Well-staffed, friendly, comfortable
place for people just to “be” on
Sunday afternoons
 Snacks and a full nutritious meal,
plus coffee and tea
 Computers with internet access
 Games and art supplies
 Comfortable couches and chairs
 Referral to other services available
from Member churches and the
community
A favorite spot is the computer corner
Join us at the Food Pantry!
 Location:
 University Presbyterian Church
2203 San Antonio Street
 Hours of Operation:
 Thursdays 6-7 pm
 Saturdays 10:30-11:30 am
 Volunteers can




Shop for produce and bread
Unload the delivery truck
Stock pantry shelves
Assist shoppers with registration,
food selection, packing
 Clean up!
 Visit
www.micah6austin.org/programs/pantry/
to find out more
The Early Bird Team unloads trucks at
6:30 AM each Thursday morning
Join us at the Drop-in Center!
 Location:

University Baptist Church Atrium
2130 Guadalupe Street
 Hours of Operation:


Sundays 2-6 pm
Volunteers needed from 1:40-6:15
 Volunteers can





Prepare for Center opening
Set up the kennels
Greet the kids as they enter
Assist with computer rotation
Clean up!
 We also need groups to prepare and serve a
complete meal, with enough for seconds
 Visit
www.micah6austin.org/programs/youth/
to find out more
Pets owned by street youth are
welcome at the Drop-in Center
For more information, visit
www.micah6austin.org