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Remembering Austin

The 9th Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

1/2/2016

Aidan

I would like to give $700 to NPR, and $300 to WNYC, which hosts Radiolab.

I think everyone who knew Austin knows that intellectual rigor was incredibly important to him. It is easy to slip into thinking that rigorous thought belongs only to academia or the sciences, but I know that Austin valued careful thinking in all areas of life. It shaped his interests, his priorities, and his relationships. It is a value that is important to me, as well, in large part because of him.

I am donating to NPR because its thoughtful coverage and wide variety of programming promotes careful and deliberate thought in its listeners, regardless of their interests.

I am donating to WNYC because they host Radiolab, which I have heard many people say was their first introduction to science as something fun and interesting. Though I'm sure Radiolab doesn't go into the level of detail Austin would have preferred, its narrative approach helps people who wouldn't have thought they were interested in science understand its importance. And I think he could get behind that.

The 8th Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

1/1/2016

John

I am happy and honored to contribute to organizations that embody Austin's spirit. I've split mine into three this year:

Museum of Science and Industry at hyde park, 270$
Austin introduced me to this museum- encouraged me to go and then joined me (a most wonderful tour-guide). The museum does an excellent job engaging the public in all things scientific. I remember playing this odd game with Austin where two players attach probes to their heads and try to "relax" a ball towards your opponent- something about brain waves that I didn't quite grasp. Austin lost miserably, probably because his mind was constantly racing around.

Chicago NPR WBEZ, 270$
Ever since I became indoctrinated to NPR while working in a fly lab at UoC (the only radio station all members could agree to listen to), I've continued to tune into NPR WBEZ while conducting research from Japan. I enjoy all their programs, even the mundane traffic reports covering areas Austin and I walked and biked and bused through. I think this station does a good job covering local and global news, as well as matters of science and technology. The segment "curious city" always reminds me of Austin's method of Chicago-exploration: ambling, day-long walks that wound through many an unexplored nook or cranny.

Spring Initiative, 460$
This organization aims to improve the education and overall wellbeing of children (and their families) in the impoverished town of Clarksdale, MS. My sister and brother are deeply involved with the organization and know that the money is going directly to the local kids the program assists. I'm hoping that the 490 will encompass "healthy and fresh foods" and "educational materials", two things that Austin approved of (food and education). I visited their program with my family and saw the impact that the instructors could have on children underexposed to so many things that brought joy to Austin, like reading, science, and even hiking around outdoors and eating delicious healthy foods- though I don't think they have New Mexico tortillas or green chiles!

Love and hugs to you all,
John

The 7th Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

12/31/2015

Katie - $500 to SARA Tucson (Saving At Risk Animals) - this non profit works closely with the Pima Animal Care Center to give sick, injured, orphaned kittens, and just misunderstood kitties a better chance at finding a furever home. There is no shelter, all the cats are fostered. Medical and socialization is all there in foster homes. Not only that, the foster family knows the cat's personality which helps when a potential furever family comes knocking! And they do a home visit before decided if a potential adopter will be a responsible pet owner. Follow them on Facebook, their posts are delightful! DJ and I hope to foster for SARA when we buy a house. http://savingatriskanimals.org/

DJ - $500 to Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) - The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. EFF advocates for user privacy, net neutrality, open source software, encryption and much more. I chose this foundation because an open internet is fundamental to allowing innovation and the free spread of knowledge. https://www.eff.org/

Anonymous

Today my daughter and I went to the Pixar exhibit at the Museum of Science. We both loved it and knowing how crazy Austin was about science, we thought a contribution to a science center in your area would be good. We looked it up and found the New mexico Museum of Natural History and Science $250 or the Explora Science Center and Children's Museum $250, but you probably know more about them than we do.

We also thought about the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation $500- a nationwide organization that helps kids excel by pairing them with a mentor. We thought half could go to each place.

Thanks for asking.
What a nice tribute to your beautiful young man

The 6th Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

12/30/2015

Emily

Winston's Wish

http://www.winstonswish.org.uk
This is a third donation for an organisation which supports bereaved children in the UK. I like to think that each year a group of children get to attend a workshop where they get to make memory boxes and process some difficult memories.
I have made the rest of my donations this year for humanitarian aid, stemming from thinking I would like to do something for the refugees who have come to Europe, particularly in Calais and Lesvos.
The camp at Calais is less than 90 miles from where I live and it really has no place in Europe as the conditions are terrible. I intend to go for a day or two of rubbish clearing. There are groups who go out regularly who I would join so would be quite safe. I would like to do something direct in Austin's name and this is something that short term volunteers can do to make a difference. I'll keep you posted on my trip!
However the various appeals for financial assistance in the European camps seem to be beset by controversy and politics, as the various groups have grown very quickly in reaction to the crisis. So I have stuck with large charities to ensure the money is used effectively.

Doctors Without Borders

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
For medical help where ever in the world it is needed. They are present in Calais and Lesvos, offering medical assistance, lifeboats and speaking out to international governments about the situation. They react quickly to humanitarian crisis wherever it is.

Unicef

Unicef- the uk site is fundraising specifically for child refugees in Syria. It says all donations will be matched by the UK government but not sure if this applies to donations from overseas. http://www.unicef.org.uk/landing-pages/donate-syria
The US site has a more general appeal and says donations are tax deductable. I give you the choice of which seems best/easiest. www.unicefusa.org

Cath

I experience such mixed emotions when I receive this email from you.

Admiration, sadness, guilt ....

I pick up my phone, or log onto the PC and I start to research charities so that I can hopefully make an informed decision about my nominations. I have a couple of regular charities that I personally donate on a regular basis, but the 12 days of Austin's Christmas makes me consider new and different causes.

The memories come flooding back whilst I am researching- my Austin was the smartest, brightest little boy.

Personal experience steers me to charities for children with special needs. My stepson has special needs and is unable to take part in many 'normal' activities- this could be due to his physical limitations or a need for specialist/adapted equipment or supervision.

All I know is that look on his face when he is able to join in and the animation in his voice when he tells you about his experiences.

He loves horse riding and climbing, archery and sailing - so I have chosen:

The Newman Holiday Trust to receive $500.00 - this is a specialist children's charity in the UK which arranges activity holidays for 4-16 year olds, giving the children the opportunity to experience a week away in a safe and supported environment

For my 2nd nominated charity, this year I wanted to choose something in Chicago. I love that city and I love to hear about how much Austin came to love it too.

I have found a charity called 'Growing Home' - here is an extract explaining their work:
"Growing Home is Chicago’s leading expert in farm-based training for people with employment barriers. By providing 25 hours per week of paid on-the-job experience and job-readiness training at our farms, plus the support to conquer issues like criminal records, medical needs, child-care, and housing, we have changed the lives of hundreds of workers, and thousands of their family members."

The ethos of this charity made an impact with me - I would like to donate $500.00 to help them continue this incredibly important work.

I would also like to pledge some of my time in 2016 - I am going to volunteer. Not sure what yet, but researching for this has made me think that I have the ability and the option to do more.

Thank you for inspiring me. I love you all.
Austin, I hope I can make you proud

The 5th Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

12/29/2015

If we may, Sarah and I would very much like to fulfill the plans of building and populating new beds at the Community Growing Garden, which Aunt Judy Walden was a founding member.

It is finally moving to its new location and we are sure they could use the infusing of $500 charitable funds - to help built the new garden bed structures.

I first remember seeing Austin, age 12, devouring Michael Pollan's first book Omnivore's Dilemma during one of our family's summer camping trips, to Lake George.

I knew that, since the age 4, Austin loved to endlessly read and interpret food labels - often to a good purpose.

When his sister Aidan was determined to be severely lactose -intolerant, Austin made it his prime mission to root out every lactose-laced product within 10 miles of her.

You would have been surprised at all he found with this sneaky substance.

But, he had that investigative eye and the determination to catalog/retain all that information.

And, he did with all foods he and, we, his family were thinking of ingesting.

Quality and purity of the food chain, it's responsible production and underwriting of those local growers dedicated to producing organic and/or free-range products was very important to Austin.

The idea of community gardening, CSA's and supporting locavore activities was very pleasing him.

That is my reason for wanting to create memorial garden beds in his inspiring, impactful memory

I would also like to have our family sponsor a young person, with the remainder, to attend a segment this coming summer's Workshops for Youth and Family.

Along with the ever-present love of a large family, I feel Workshop provided an amazing amount of insight and feedback to Austin's Cousins Sarah and Katie, as they navigated through the challenging teenage years.

To give that gift to another family, in Austin's memory, would be the best charitable gift I can imagine.

As long as Dr. Franny (Frances Mills-Yearger) is in charge of the program - I would like to support Workshop.

With humble love and deep appreciation,

️Aunt Leigh

The 4th Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

12/28/2015

David
In honor of Austin's love of music and it's role in shaping society, I would like split the donation to two separate charities.

$500 to the National Blues Museum (https://www.nationalbluesmuseum.org).
As an organization devoted to education about one of the greatest art forms created in America, the museum will open in 2016 in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The Blues has played a major role in both St. Louis and Chicago and I was lucky enough to spend time studying the cultural impact during my last quarter at UChicago. The museum has been built to help revitalize the downtown St. Louis area and will play a part in rebuilding a city with increasing segregation and racial tensions. In the past, the Blues has been an expression of the African American community and has played a small role bridging gaps between distant communities through music that laid the foundations for Rock and Roll among other genres.

$500 to the Musical Arts Institute in Chicago (http://www.musicalartsinstitute.org).
The Musical Arts Institute is an organization devoted to music education in the Chicago area. They provide private lessons to students interested in choir, band, orchestra, or music theory regardless of their ability to pay. Austin always loved music and its ability to change people's lives, and I know he would be proud to support an organization that helps students in need learn the beauty in the practice and appreciation of music.

Marie

This year, I'd like to split my donation equally between two organizations that hold special places in my heart: the Animal Rescue League of Boston and Last Hope K9 Rescue. These are the two organizations that Suchin and I adopted our four fuzzy friends from. They bring us so much joy each and every day, and I am so grateful to the organizations that helped bring them into our lives. I like to think that Austin is now reunited and cuddling with Misty, and I hope that this donation can help bring that love into more peoples and animals's lives. Love and hugs to all of you, and to Austin, always.

The 3rd Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

12/27/2015

Isaac
There are three organizations I’d like to suggest this year:
1. $500 for Science in Society, Northwestern’s science outreach center. I volunteer through SiS in Evanston’s high school, and it’s just a fantastic program for getting young kids of all ages and backgrounds excited about science. Donate here.
2. $250 for the Biobricks Foundation which is devoted to advancing and democratizing biotechnology, particularly synthetic biology. In addition to running the premier SynBio conference series, the Biobricks Foundation maintains the OpenWetware Wiki, an online resource that makes learning any bio-related protocol free and super easy. Donate here.
3. $250 for iGEM, the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition. I think Austin would quite enjoy this program, wherein student teams from high schools and colleges compete to produce a useful biological machine/tool/device. The students also perform an extensive analysis of the ethical implications of their device. Donate here.
Merry Christmas, love and hugs!
—Isaac

Nora
Hi Gregg, Laurie, and Aidan,
Thank you for once again inviting me to be part of this Christmas tradition. In Austin's memory, I would like to contribute $1,000 to Camp Phoenix, a summer program that aims to reduce the achievement gap between low and high-income youths. I first learned about this summer program form Daphne, a friend who has worked with the organization and who can attest to the great work Camp Phoenix is doing.
Camp Phoenix's website:
http://thecampphoenix.org
Daphne's Camp Phoenix fundraising page:
https://rally.org/CampPhoenix2016/c1KhOrAB60v/daphnemartschenko
Thanks again,
Nora

The 2nd Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

12/26/2015

Sarah

Thank you for providing me the opportunity to again support interests that Austin and I shared. This year, I am focusing on science education, music, and the outdoors. Once again, I have chosen to donate to organizations that meet a few criteria that I think Austin would have appreciated. First, I looked for organizations that specifically target participants who would otherwise not have access to these types of services (e.g., low-income, underrepresented minorities). Second, I wanted these organizations to be research-based, meaning that they use data to demonstrate their effectiveness and improve outcomes. Finally, I used Charity Navigator to demonstrate that these organizations are accountable, transparent, and that the majority of their funding goes directly to their cause (rather than to administration and fundraising). The exception here was SARSEF, which has an annual income of less than one million dollars and, thus, is not featured on Charity Navigator, but maintains a very strong reputation in Southern Arizona.

Southern Arizona Research, Science, and Engineering Foundation $500
Austin and I were both lucky to have exposure to high quality science education in our schools, which contributed to us both choosing to study science. However, science education faces funding shortages and suffers as a function of not being featured on annual tests, taking a backseat to english and math. The Southern Arizona Research, Science, and Engineering Foundation (SARSEF) is the only organization in Southern Arizona that does STEM outreach for schools that cannot afford lab equipment and science education, particularly rural schools on neighboring reservations, as well as schools in low-income areas. They provide professional development for teachers, do presentations and experiments for students who would not otherwise be exposed to the scientific method outside of a textbook, host “science nights” for parents and students, and host an annual science and engineering fair where students do hands-on STEM activities and interact with science professionals. Additionally, they are one of the few organizations that starts to work with students as young as kindergarten to start the love of science and embrace curiosity at a young age.

Big City Mountaineers $250
Some of my favorite memories with Austin are hiking with him. We were lucky to come from a family that had the capability and love of nature to take us outside on these outings from an early age. However, some young people, especially those in urban environments, may not have these experiences without help from outside organizations. Big City Mountaineers serves underrepresented youth from urban environments with wilderness mentoring expeditions that instill life skills, as well as exposure to the natural world. Additionally, I appreciate the Big City Mountaineers research the effectiveness of their programs, and that those programs demonstrably increase participants’ likelihood of retention in school and reduce the rates of violence and drug use.

The Harmony Project $250
Austin and I were both able to learn instruments through our schools, which helped us developmentally as well as instilled an appreciation for the arts. However, as school budgets get ever tighter, the first programs to be cut are in music and the arts, especially in low-income schools. Organizations like The Harmony Project in Los Angeles work to reach out to underrepresented and low-income youth to provide them music lessons and ensemble participation. Additionally, they are a research-based non-profit organization that targets individual students, their families, and their communities by teaching, practicing, and performing music for diverse communities.

The 1st Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2015

12/25/2015

Mark and Susan

For sure, we want to give $250 to OPB/PBS. They put so much quality broadcasting out there, I don't know what our society would do without them. Of course we love Downton Abbey and similar classics, but find their programs on nature, ancestry, American history, science, and critical issues like climate change increasingly important.

Also send $250 to the Goodplanet Foundation.

Mark Maskeri

Thank you for again inviting me to be a part of this; it's a wonderful project, and I'm touched to be able to contribute.

After giving it some thought, I would like to direct $500 towards the Alzheimer's Association and $500 towards the American Chemical Society's Project SEED. Both charities, scientific humanitarian efforts, embody a deep curiosity and passion for chemistry and chemical biology that I think embody Austin well.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family now and always,
Mark

Jeremy Schofield

Thank you for once again letting me participate in Austin's 12 Days of Christmas. This means so much to me and though it's difficult, I'm honored to be a part of it.

I've chosen two charities to split the donation.

First, I'd like to give $500 to the Wikimedia Foundation. I feel that the spirit of the Wikimedia Foundation is to make knowledge accessible to everyone. I think Austin embodies this same spirit with his love of learning and sharing knowledge.

The second charity is Earthplace Nature Center in Connecticut. This one is more local for me and does a lot of good conservation work and provides outdoor education for children. I picked this because of Austin's love for nature and spreads his passion for science to a new generation of scholar.

- Jeremy

The 7th Day of the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas, 2014

12/31/2014

Cath G.

I have been looking at the photographs which Leigh has put on Facebook showing you all on Christmas Day opening your presents. It looked like a really fun day - and obviously the obligatory silly face photo had to be included!

The photos aren't quite right of course - because there is still that one person who should be there too. I don't really know what I believe about what happens after we die, all I know is that Austin would have been happy that all of his family were together and that the silliness continues. I miss him.

After I received your email about our charitable donations this year I could not help thinking about children. And after doing some research into the plethora of charities out there I have decided to pledge $750 to UNICEF.

"We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease

and discrimination place in a child’s path. We believe that we can, together, advance the cause of humanity.

We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future.

We promote girls’ education – ensuring that they complete primary education as a minimum – because it benefits all children, both girls and boys. Girls who are educated grow up to become better thinkers, better citizens, and better parents to their own children.

We act so that all children are immunized against common childhood diseases, and are well nourished, because it is wrong for a child to suffer or die from a preventable illness.

We work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people because it is right to keep them from harm and enable them to protect others. We help children and families affected by HIV/AIDS to live their lives with dignity.

We involve everyone in creating protective environments for children. We are present to relieve suffering during emergencies, and wherever children are threatened, because no child should be exposed to violence, abuse or exploitation.

UNICEF upholds the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We work to assure equality for those who are discriminated against, girls and women in particular. We work for the Millennium Development Goals and for the progress promised in the United Nations Charter. We strive for peace and security. We work to hold everyone accountable to the promises made for children.

We are part of the Global Movement for Children – a broad coalition dedicated to improving the life of every child. Through this movement, and events such as the United Nations Special Session on Children, we encourage young people to speak out and participate in the decisions that affect their lives.

We are active in more than 190 countries and territories through country programmes and National Committees. We are UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund."

I very much look forward to reading the 12 Days of Austin's Christmas - and I know that Austin would be proud of all of the charity work which is done in his name and memory.