"Austin Interfaith leaders mobilized members to show up en masse to city budget hearings to plug these programs, meet with council members and bombard council offices with calls and emails in the days leading up to the final budget vote.

The nonprofit was elated that council members agreed to spend money on all of Austin Interfaith’s priorities, totaling $2.4 million.

Austin Interfaith and the parks coalition “were effective because they were very diverse, broad-based groups that had a clear message: that as a world-class city, we should be able to fund some of these critical needs better,” City Council Member Kathie Tovo said."

Organized Groups Won the Day in Austin Budget Vote, Austin American Statesman

"The Austin City Council has adopted its budget for the next fiscal year. For the first time in more than a decade, the council lowered Austin’s tax rate, [putting] the budget for next fiscal year just under $800 million. It is money that will bolster five initiatives Reverend Sandy Jones and Austin Interfaith advocated for. Jones is especially grateful for an additional $350,000 that will restart after-school programs... They're programs that were slashed during the recession and are just now being restored. "They do listen, and they do trust us with the ideas that we bring to them," Jones said. "It showed that they care about our youth. They care about the instruction of the youth in our community."

  For Immediate Release - September 10, 2013

Contact: Bob Batlan (512) 796 1533 - Jim O'Quinn (512) 589 2838

Austin Interfaith Recognizes Council Members for Investing in All Budget Priorities

Austin Interfaith commends council members for approving the reallocation of over a million dollars in the 2013-2014 budget to workforce development and youth programs at parks, schools and libraries while decreasing the tax rate. This is an investment in our children, youth and future skilled workforce.

"Today's decisions are a victory for Austin's future generation--because they're going to have more story times at the library, more hours at the pool and enriching classes after school. We want to see our future doctors, lawyers, and artists come from our own communities, families and education system," said Austin Interfaith leader Reverend Sandy Jones of Mt. Olive Baptist Church.

Austin Interfaith Budget Priorities:

- Primetime Afterschool - $350,000
Restore funding for AISD youth programs.

- Austin Public Libraries - $307,490
Support youth literacy by funding bilingual outreach and children's librarians.

- Capital IDEA - $200,000
Invest a total of $1.13 million in economic development that can end the cycle of poverty.

- Parks and Recreation - $1.455 Million
Provide equitable parks and park programming by investing in underserved parks and pools.

- Summer Youth Employment - $72,000
Restore funding for summer youth programs.

Thank you to council members Martinez, Morrison and Tovo for making the motions to fund these priorities.