Twelve: Thirty-One

EXCITING NEWS!

12:31 is proud to be nominated for Community Outreach of the Year by the Bee Cave Chamber of Commerce—and voting is now open!

Click here to cast your vote!
https://beecavechamber.voterfly.com/category/11828/community-outreach-of-the-year

RE: Apartment Fire at Estates in Bee Cave

Ok guys... we're just going to get ahead of this one. We're already getting calls on some of the families with students in the district.

-One family has a 4th-grader and an 7th-grader
-One has a Sophomore at LTHS, and another has a Junior.
-There are 4 students that go to BCMS so far.
-Another 3 kids at LPE.

I'll post more info as we get it, but the needs are going to be immense with this. Loss of items, temporary placement, food, clothes, etc.

-20 units affected
-4 structural collapses
-at least 45 residents displaced

Let's start raising what we can so we can start addressing needs in real time as they come in. In situations like this-- families can't wait for solutions.

Put "Fire" in the notes when you donate.
https://1231.kindful.com/?campaign=1199660

RE: This Mom Needs Our Help.

A few weeks ago, I got a desperate message from a single mom. She didn’t want to ask for help; in fact, she almost didn’t. But cancer, courtrooms, and chemo have a funny way of changing your plans.

Yes. Cancer, courtrooms, and chemo. You read that right.

She is currently fighting stage 3 breast cancer– for about a year now. Aggressively.

She started her on chemo back in April and had a double mastectomy in October, where they removed 14 lymph nodules. A surgery that would ultimately end with nerve damage, lymphedema, and more.

Now, when you look at your calendar for the next few months, I’m not sure what yours looks like, but let me tell you what hers looks like.
-Chemo every three weeks in Houston.
-Regular PT and OT.
-Daily radiation treatments in San Antonio.
-Lymphedema therapy multiple times a week.

Between now and September, she will have almost 50 doctor's appointments. And then, in October, she is slated to have reconstructive surgery

And that’s just on the medical side.

At the same time she’s going through all that… she is also trying to navigate a messy divorce from her abusive ex. Opposing counsel is now pushing for mediation dates that land immediately after radiation.

And she’s tried.

She’s tried to advocate and fight for herself— and fight she has. But now she needs help. She can’t continue to do this on her own while she’s literally in the fight for her life right now.

She needs an attorney.

She told me earlier, “I feel like I should be donating to the families you post about. It’s hard to accept that I should probably be one of them.”

But isn’t that what we do?

When everything becomes too much, and you just need someone to help you carry the weight of it all— that’s why 12:31 exists.
It’s not about fixing everything. It’s about making sure that her and her daughter don’t fall through the cracks while she simply fights to stay alive.

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP

Our goal is $12,825. Very specific, I know.

We are hoping to raise enough to:
-Cover 3 months of rent and utilities while she undergoes treatment. $5,325
-Help offset some of the additional out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions and travel, averaging around $500/ month. $1,500
-Help her secure a lawyer by covering the cost of the retainer. $6,000

If you’ve ever wondered what your generosity does—
This is it.

We have a chance to be a lifeline for a mom who so desperately needs us right now. Because she’s fighting for her life, and she shouldn’t have to fight alone.

To see all our giving options: Visit twelvethirtyone.org/donate

Put “Lifeline” in the notes when you donate.

*12:31 is a local, registered, 501(c)(3), that serves the students and families within LTISD. EIN: 88-2279325.

Donate — twelve: thirty-one Donate via Credit Card Over $1.2 million given.All of it—every dollar—staying right here in our own community.That generosity has kept lights on, fridges full, and families stable. It’s helped single moms rebuild after crisis, provided after-school care so parents can work, and given children ...

WHY I GIVE.

There are a lot of good organizations doing meaningful work in and around Lake Travis, and you want your giving to matter. So, who do you choose?

One of the questions we find answering a lot is “Why 12:31?” Why us when there are so many other good options? So, instead of answering it ourselves this time, we decided to let some of our biggest donors and supporters do the talking.

▶️ Check out our new video, “Why I Give.”

You’ll notice something when you watch it.
I saw this video for the first time yesterday, and the first thing I noticed was that they all say “we” when they talk about 12:31– we do this, we serve this demographic, we meet these needs.

That “we” part matters.
It means that they don’t just support the work we do—they feel like we’ve invited them into it. They feel a sense of agency and partnership in what we do.

And what I mean by agency is that they feel like their gifts matter in a real, and tangible way. They feel they’re a part of what we do and not just watching from the sidelines.

So, if it resonates with you, and if you want your end-of-year giving to feel like something you’re a part of, and not just something you support, then we invite you to join them and give to 12:31 this season.

Simply go to twelvethirtyone.org/donate and be a part of the story.

Video: https://vimeo.com/1146460565/d65acabb6f?fl=pl&fe=sh

1231: Why I Give This is "1231: Why I Give" by We Launch Rockets on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

RE: Double Your Impact This Year!

As we head into End-of-Year Giving Season and work toward our fundraising goal for 2026, I want to take a second to highlight one of the most overlooked ways to double your impact without giving a single extra dollar out of pocket:

EMPLOYER MATCHING.

It’s simple, it’s powerful, and for organizations like ours, it can be a game-changer.

WHY EMPLOYER MATCHING MATTERS:
Every year, billions of dollars in corporate matching funds go unclaimed—not because people don’t want to give, but because they simply don’t know their employer offers it.

For nonprofits like us, these matching gifts:
-Multiply every donation (sometimes 2x or 3x)
-Provide predictable revenue for long-term planning
-Help us grow capacity, hire staff, and expand our care models
-Make every dollar go further—often significantly

For 12:31 specifically, employer matches help fuel everything from proactive, relational care to crisis response, to helping families stabilize long-term. It will help us respond more effectively to crisis, and expand our reach to be able to help more people. It’s impact that compounds.

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR EMPLOYER ABOUT MATCHING:
Most HR teams actually want employees to use matching programs—they’re designed to strengthen community impact and support the causes their employees care about.

Here’s how to start the conversation:

1. Check your employee portal (if you have one).
Search terms like “matching gifts,” “corporate giving,” “community impact,” or “employee philanthropy.”

2. Ask HR or your employer directly.
A simple line works:
“Does our company offer donation matching for qualified nonprofits?”

3. Get the basics.
If they do offer matching, ask:

-What’s the match ratio? (1:1, 2:1, etc.)
-Is there a minimum or maximum gift?
-How do I submit proof of my donation?
-Do they need anything from 12:31? (Most only need a receipt.)

4. Submit your match request.
It usually takes 2–5 minutes and can instantly double your impact.

5. Let us know if we can help!
We can help provide documentation, receipts, or verification if your company needs it.

EXAMPLES OF COMPANIES THAT OFFER MATCHING:
There are thousands of companies that match employee donations. Here are some recognizable ones, in case it helps spark a conversation:
Apple
Google
Microsoft Corporation
IBM
Dell Technologies
Oracle
Intel
AMD
Indeed
Meta
Charles Schwab
Bank of America
Home Depot
State Farm
Salesforce
ExxonMobil (one of the most generous match programs in the US)

And many smaller companies match as well — including local businesses, tech firms, medical groups, and regional banks right here in Austin.

If you’re not sure whether your employer offers matching, odds are… they might.

WHY IT MATTERS NOW:
As we look to grow our team, expand our reach, amplify our impact, and fund our 2026 operations, employer matching could be one of the most impactful tools we have at our disposal.

Did you know that nationwide, billions of dollars in matching funds go unclaimed every year—money that nonprofits like us qualify for but never receive simply because donors don’t know the option exists?

Companies want to give back.
They want to support their local communities.
And they want you to take advantage of the matching programs they already have in place– don’t leave money on the table this year.