Some of Caritas of Austin’s (Caritas) clients have lost everything – their homes, personal belongings, family – but through their hardships, one thing they all keep with them during their trying times is hope. The hope of being able to regain a place to call home and to have the space to rebuild their well-being.
At Caritas, we meet our clients where they are and share that hope to ensure they receive personalized care to rejoin our community as contributing members. But we know we can not do this alone – it takes a village. Due to our staff, along with donors, volunteers, and sponsors, we are able to provide various life-changing services and move closer to making homelessness rare and nonrecurring in Austin.
To show gratitude to the community for their support and provide another way for individuals to get involved, Caritas hosts an annual fundraising concert under the stars in downtown Austin – Songs of Hope.
Songs of Hope allows community members to give back while enjoying live music, dinner, dancing, a live and silent auction, a Fund the Mission opportunity, and more to raise funds to continue the fight toward ending homelessness. 100% of the funds from Songs of Hope stay local – the community is investing in itself for a better, more vibrant future.
Songs of Hope 2024 will be on April 18, 2024.
We spoke to Kyler Wesp, Events Coordinator, about how it was planning Songs of Hope and how the results are helping clients gain more hope for their futures.
What excites you about Songs of Hope?
Traditionally, non-profits or organizations would exclusively invite people to celebrate and fundraise by having a gala. Songs of Hope is a breath of fresh air where people can have a fun night listening to music and looking out on the Austin skyline, all while giving back. Being in Austin, the live music capital of the country, it only makes sense to implement an event that highlights the city’s soul. It also fills my heart to see our staff, donors, and supporters coming together to help with something that affects our community – Songs of Hope would not be possible without the enormous help we receive before, during, and after the event!
Why is Songs of Hope important?
Songs of Hope provides a significant portion of our fundraising budget, and with the funds raised, we are able to continue operations and provide personalized services to our clients. This event allows us to show our gratitude toward community members who have helped us grow and celebrate our progress throughout the years. Songs of Hope also enables us to educate people about the current state of homelessness in Austin and how they can get involved in helping Caritas reach the goal of everyone having a stable home.
What are you looking forward to for Songs of Hope 2024?
Next year, Caritas will be celebrating its 60th anniversary, which will be a big theme for Songs of Hope! We are also hosting Songs of Hope in April, bringing in much cooler temperatures than September in Texas and giving something to look forward to in the spring. As Songs of Hope grows, I am excited to welcome more volunteers, new donors, and musicians to join the cause of eliminating homelessness in Austin. Overall, I am excited to continue providing unique experiences for our supporters where they can have a good time, support a cause they care about, and positively impact our clients.
If you want to learn more information or how you can get involved with Songs of Hope, reach out to Kyler Wesp at KWesp@caritasofaustin.org.
