AUSTIN (KXAN)—Thousands of students are experiencing homelessness in Austin, and thousands of families are struggling, according to the city of Austin. So, on Tuesday, it announced a new initiative.
It’s called “Amplify Home,” where the city will be working with nonprofits to raise money to help. But it comes as the state also takes some of its own measures to address homelessness.
“Family homelessness is one of the most urgent and one of the most solvable problems in our community,” city of Austin Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray said.
Amplify Home used Tuesday as a day of giving to help children and families, according to its website.
More than 2,500 students and 1,100 families are unhoused, according to Amplify Home.
“We need to learn to have empathy for one another,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.
These calls for empathy, come shortly after Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state was clearing out homeless encampments, that Watson said was done without giving any warning to the city.
“It’s not the way, government ought to be working, particularly when we’re talking about our most vulnerable Texans,” Watson said. “… All it does is if you send some group in just to clear some place is move. It just moves the problem…at a minimum, there ought to be coordination that goes on what we’re attempting to do.”
Abbott said he directed state agencies to address the risk to, “Make Austin safer and cleaner for residents and visitors to live, travel, and conduct business.”
Watson said he welcomes Abbott to work with them on helping get people off the streets.
As for the Amplify Home day of giving, the groups involved are hoping for continued community support.
The community can donate to a handful of nonprofits, which can be accessed on the Amplify Home website.
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