Katie S. - Yvonne Learning Center (Miami, FL) $100

Statement - “YLC is an underfunded school in Little Haiti in Miami. It acts as a charter school but aims to produce private school minds. It is grades K-12 with a division devoted to special needs children and teens. The school does mean to educate in a Christian style, but they implement discipline in a complex way. In contrast to the reputation most people have regarding catholic school discipline, YLC fosters and exceedingly loving environment alongside rigidity. Their strict methods stem from a respect for self, respect for learning, and respect for those around you. The teachers at YLC are some of the most underpaid and overworked in Miami-Dade, but love working at YLC because of the difference they make. YLC isn't very big, so they divide larger rooms in two to make two separate classrooms. Just to give you an idea of just how needy this school is, they can't ask their students to buy their own supplies. They give students supplies in the classroom, but there aren't enough items to go around. All the students shared pencils and erasers in groups of two and even three. Let's give these kids some pencils, y'all.”

Sarah - H. - Lights for Life - $200

Statement - “This is a cause that I learned about last year while working on a US AID grant. One of the primary reasons that children in developing countries leave school is because children have little or no access to lighting at home to do their schoolwork. Lights for life provides school-aged children with rechargeable lights so that they can read after the sun goes down. It is an easy, cost-effective way to change the lives of many children. (Endorsed by the Greater Good Foundation).”

Monty E. - One Laptop Per Child - $250

Statement - “Anything that gives children and adults access to technology that will improve their lives.”

Jeremey S. - Chicago Public Library Foundation - $250

Charity Statement - “The Chicago Public Library Foundation supports collection development, programs and technology initiatives that connect library users to their community and to the world and ensure that all Chicagoans have the freedom to read, to learn and to discover at the Chicago Public Library.”

Anonymous - Albuquerque Academy Scholarship Fund - $500

Statement - “I believe that Austin would have wanted the money to go to helping other students achieve through education.”

Kevin, Judy, Christopher and Stephen W. - Children First Academy of Phoenix - $100

Charity Statement - “Sequoia Schools was founded in 1996 with the intent of working together WITH families in the education of their children in an environment where every child is known by all of the staff in a very positive environment with high academic expectations for all students. At Sequoia Schools we know that young people often do not feel accepted and may fall through the cracks in a large school typical of those found in our communities today. Our first core value is, “We know every child and we exist to meet their needs”. This commitment to each and every child regardless of their background sets Sequoia apart in the educational community. This core value is reflected in our family of schools which includes the most diverse representation of students of any charter school in the country.

Sequoia Schools has adopted four CORE Values that ensure we always place the needs of the child first, act in a kind and courteous manner to all, lead our schools by agreement, and continuously strive for excellence. These were established in 2011.”

Monty E. - Kiva.org - $250

Statement - “This empowers people to create a sustainable income and better life.  You can donate or lend, to date all of my loans have been repaid or are regularly paid!  It is also is fun to see your small businesses succeed.”

Marie Wu - Amnesty International - $400

Statement - “Amnesty International is an organization that is incredibly close to my heart.  It's an organization focused on human rights, that works independently of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. The topic of human rights is one that I feel very passionately about. I never did get around to discussing it with Austin, which is something I regret now. Nevertheless, knowing Austin's character, I believe it is something he would have cared about as well.”

Emily S. - Unicef - $333

Statement - “So basic survival is left and this is a tough one. Originally I thought to make a donation to the homeless or otherwise needy children of Chicago and am still very happy to do this, particularly if you know of an effective method of reaching them. But UNICEF was running a television advert the other day asking for £3.00 for bankets for the child refugees of the Syrian crisis. It struck me that the remaining third would buy quite a lot of blankets (or shoes, coats etc) I think that knowing that so many children are warmer because of the 12 days of Austin's Christmas would be a very positive thing. The UK government is matching uk donations pound for pound so I would ask you to do this via www.unicef.org.uk  unless the US site is doing similar and it is the Syria Winter Appeal”

Katie H. - The Gate Program (Miami, FL) - $300

Statement - “Gate is an intensive semester long program for juveniles with non-violent weapon crimes (possession of a weapon, pretty much). It was started by a RN unit coordinator, Mimi, from a trauma unit in a Miami hospital. Mimi hated seeing so many young males dying or becoming disabled for life as a result of gang related violence, and like any good RN, understood the important of treating a disease by prevention. Mimi has the young men fill out toe tags in a morgue with their information, self catheterization, and caregiving techniques taught to families of disabled gun-violence survivors. Those are just the reality scare tactics that Mimi likes to use in the beginning. What the program is REALLY based on is life skills. Gate classes focus on improving coping skills, teaching the importance of healthy friendships and relationships, and illustrates boundary-setting between the male participant and his friends and family members who pressure him into gang affiliation or other violence. Gates's values are centered on helping juveniles understand that they are worthy of a happy and safe life. Most of the peer mentors who teach in this program have gone through the program themselves, offering an incredibly understanding mentorship experience. I was so impressed by this program because it was everything that Sarah's and my camp, Workshop, was trying to be.”

that aims to improve student performance in the STEM subjects with outreach to teachers and schools. Encouraging increased math and science education, especially in low-income areas, is a cause that is true to Austin's love of science. (Charity Navigator: 4 Stars)”

Mark M. -  American Chemical Society's Project SEED - $500

Charity Statement - “The ACS Project SEED summer research program opens new doors for economically disadvantaged students to experience what it’s like to be a chemist. Students entering their junior or senior year in high school are given a rare chance to work alongside scientist-mentors on research projects in industrial, academic, and federal laboratories, discovering new career paths as they approach critical turning points in their lives.”

Katie H.  - The Adler Planetarium (Chicago, IL) - $200

Statement - “DJ helped me find this one. We were looking at the Museum of Science and Industry, but apparently they aren't as transparent and community oriented as the planetarium. Money that is donated to the Adler Planetarium does go to educational opportunities for intercity Chicago kids. They give out many vouchers to the community and have free admission days for children and adolescents for learning. They also have the STEM SMART scholarship- this scholarship is given to students from low income families who are pursuing an STEM undergraduate degree. They choose applicants from intercity Chicago schools. DJ chimed in "Yeah they wouldn't give it to someone from the suburbs who can pay for an out of state tuition." So it really does aim to break the cycle, allowing 3 students from poorer Chicago areas aid to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”

Elizabeth D - Spektral Quartet - $250

I'd like half the donation to go to the Spektral Quartet, whose cellist Russ Rolen played at Austin’s memorial in Chicago, http://spektralquartet.com. These four wonderful string players tackle the most imaginative of contemporary music, including music written by young composers. Their energy is evident from the way they phrase it on their donations page in relation to why to give to them: "Because at our concerts, there is no secret handshake or required uniform. Because our programs invariably include the paid commissions of world premieres by extraordinary young composers, creating new additions to the string quartet canon. Because we believe training and inspiring the next generation of chamber musicians and concertgoers is as vital as performing on stage. Because our projects propel music far beyond the concert hall.” As of Austin’s last year in Chicago, they are artists in residence at the University. We brought them here because we knew they would inspire students like Austin.

Stacey A, Don and Nellie R - Albuquerque Youth Symphony Orchestra - $500

We would love to support the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program in Austin's name. This program provides an opportunity for young people in the greater Albuquerque area to participate in music ensembles in an exciting and focused environment. Having played in large ensembles ourselves, we know that the exhilaration that comes with this opportunity is unlike any other experience. In Austin's memorial service, Aenea shared a story about Austin's decision to return to the cello: though he had quit because he felt he could not do the music justice, he realized that gaining enjoyment and understanding through playing was justice enough. We hope that students in youth orchestras can learn this same message: that honoring the music is not about hitting all the right notes, but about the enjoyment and understanding one gains in the process.

spring. I knew from Facebook that her daughters have received help from them, and that she took part in a half marathon to raise money for the charity. So when I asked a friend, who is a social worker, about charities and the first thing she said was “Winston's Wish is a great little charity.” it felt like serendipity. I don't need to tell you why this is a worthwhile and fitting cause.. In response to my email to them, they replied that they will use my donation for support and resources for four bereaved children at a residential weekend. They will work with difficult, everyday and special memories using clay and other things and create a memory box.  I would like to donate approximately a third to them.”

Mark M - Feed My Starving Children - $500

Charity Statement - “Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and we ship these meals to nearly 70 countries around the world.”

David G. - Project Exploration - $1000

Statement - "Science was never far from Austin's and my conversations, and both of us chose to pursue lives contributing to scientific understanding. Because of their devotion to science education in the Chicago Area, I would like to select Project Exploration to receive one of the 12 days' donation. Project Exploration is a nonprofit science education organisation that works with schools in the Chicago area to promote education in science. Many of their activities include fieldwork outings and labs that expose students to science firsthand, something that Austin believed was vital to scientific understanding. The organisation is reflective of Austin's life in several ways. Project Exploration, which has received numerous awards including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, was founded by paleontologist Paul Sereno and educator Gabrielle Lyon. Paul Sereno is a professor at the University of Chicago and his wife, Gabrielle Lyon, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and later attended the University of Chicago where she received her bachelor's and master's degrees in history. The organisation has helped thousands of students find inspiration in science through field trips to places like the Chicago Botanical Garden and also by bringing scientists and engineers to classrooms to meet with students and discuss future science-related careers. A study by the University of California–Berkeley found that 95 percent of its participants had graduated from high school, and 60 percent of those who went on to college are pursuing, or have earned, degrees related to science and math. I think Project Exploration is an amazing organisation that is pursuing values Austin believed in his entire life. 12 Days of Austin's Christmas will help this program continue to inspire students around the Chicago area."

John V - $773.00 to SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)

Statement - "Considering how much I was enjoying Carl Sagan, and how much Carl Sagan’s awe for the universe and its phenomena reminded me of Austin, I wanted to donate to something Carl-Sagany. Through the Sagan Foundation I found SETI and its Carl Sagan Center (http://www.seti.org/carlsagancenter). Though SETI has been popularized in Sagan’s book Contact for probing the night sky with radio telescopes to detect signals from other civilizations, SETI researchers do much more than idly twiddle their thumbs and look for unnatural patterns in radio waves (such as strings of prime numbers). The Sagan Center is engaging multiple astrobiological/ astrochemical projects, including investigating the “Chemistry of Life”, which I thought would be up Austin’s alley.

One day, for whatever reason, I was telling Austin about a hypothesis I had read on Wikipedia called the “panspermia hypothesis”, which proposes that certain life-forms can survive the cold vacuum of space and travel on asteroids to seed life on new worlds (and that therefore life on Earth may have originated from elsewhere, or life could have spread from Earth to elsewhere). I couldn’t remember the name of the hypothesis at the time, and when I sent Austin the link to Wikipedia’s article he wrote:

“I had certainly heard of exogenesis, but panspermia is a novel concept to me. The idea that life (or at least the kind we're used to) originated in only one place has a definite appeal, considering what a low-probability event it seems to be. But there seems to be quite a bit of hand-waving involved in explaining in detail how it would get from one place to the other without being destroyed”. The typical Austin interest and warranted skepticism still makes me smile. It’s definitely one of the more interesting hypotheses for the spread of life that’s being actively investigated by the scientific community- recently a paper came out http://arxiv.org/pdf/1108.3375v1.pdf stating that when fragments of Earth are ejected into space following collisions with asteroids, these fragments can travel to not only Venus but even as far as Mars or Jupiter. Life on Mars has always been a possibility that fascinated astronomers/astrobiologists- how ironic if the Curiosity rover finds some lowly bacteria grazing on Mars to only later discover (DNA sequencing?) that these are Earth bacteria!!- but even that result would be exciting-!"

Aidan H. - $1,000 to GiveDirectly

Statement - "Austin always had an appreciation and desire for efficiency. GiveDirectly is a recently founded charity that provides assistance to poor families in Kenya and Uganda. However, since it was founded by economists, it takes a somewhat unusual approach; the donation is transferred directly to the selected family, the reasoning being that the recipients are the best ones to judge how the money should be used in order to confer the greatest benefit. I thought that this direct approach would appeal to Austin.

Austin loved unconventional ideas, so long as they were supported by evidence. I believe that this unrestricted cash transfer approach has the potential to shift the paradigm of how charitable giving is approached. It has strong preliminary evidence supporting its effectiveness, but it is only through gathering more data on how it affects the families that its full impact will become known. The only way to gather this data is to observe the approach in action, which requires donations. It is for this reason that I am allocating my full amount to GiveDirectly, since Good Ventures is currently matching all donations 1:1, maximizing its impact. (GiveWell's top-rated charity for this year)"

Sarah H. - $200 to National Math and Science Initiative

Statement - "NMSI is a prominent organization that aims to improve student performance in the STEM subjects with outreach to teachers and schools. Encouraging increased math and science education, especially in low-income areas, is a cause that is true to Austin's love of science. (Charity Navigator: 4 Stars)"

Monty E. - $250 - Khan Academy

Statement - "Khan Academy is very much inline with my dream that anyone from anywhere could learn how to become anything they desire to be at anytime in there life. It is one of the best places to learn about math and science without having to be matriculated or buy physical books."

Katie H. - $300 to Hey Mozart!

Statement - "Hey Mozart! New Mexico is a non profit that showcases the composing abilities of children in the southwest. Kids 12 and under submit either a recorded piece or a music notation. 16 pieces are chosen and each child is assigned a professional or university level arranger to collaborate on transforming the melody into an orchestral piece. A concert with around 600 people attending features these melodies. Apparently each child performs their melody. Then the child hears their melody played by an orchestra for the first time. I really like that that it doesn't focus on the musical talent of the child, but on the creativity of the child by maintaining a focus on the original melody. It builds confidence in young composers, invites a wide range of musical professionals to volunteer with the program, AND helps foster musical education for children who didn't make the cut."

Leigh H. - $200 to "Growing Together, a Giving Garden" in Phoenix, AZ

Statement - "Aunt Judy Walden asked me if we would be interested in gathering the family together to sponsor a 
"Remembering Austin" planting bed (or two) in the very large Community "Growing Together" Garden she helps manage, which helps supply such charities as the Phoenix Rescue Mission with fresh vegetables, etc.  
This is a perfect opportunity for us to make a donation to help sponsor the next planting season.  I know that Sarah and I would happily put in the labor to plant Austin's bed(s) - and help harvest the veggies, in his name and belief in pure, healthy foodstuffs for all."

Aenea R. - $500 to Summerbridge San Francisco

Statement - "This I a program which provides free enrichment classes and one on one tutoring for academically promising, low income students. The mainstay of the program is a six week summer enrichment school where college and high school teachers teach a variety of academic and non academic classes. I taught and tutored with them and know first hand the level of support they provide to lift students into the best high schools and to encourage potential teachers."

We've set aside the next "12 Days of Christmas" to make charitable donations in Austin's name each day.

Stay tuned for more....