From Conduits of Change, this month's Get Involved spotlight organization:
About Conduits of Change
Conduits of Change began in 2010 when founder Jedadiah Baker (Jay) used his own money to buy food and clothes for the homeless community outside of the Salvation Army and Arch in downtown Austin. As word spread of his Sunday meals, Jay began connecting with other community members who donated money and food. The service grew to four days a week, and Conduits of Change was born. In 2015, the nonprofit evolved from serving food downtown to multi-faceted support and program for community members. The organization’s mission is to help homeless and low-income individuals become self-sufficient and provide them with necessary tools to navigate the waters of life. The vision is to transform communities and neighborhoods into places where everyone knows their dignity and worth.
Current programs include the Dignity Bags Initiative that provides toiletries and other necessities to individuals and families in need or experiencing homelessness, and the Proximity Program that provides resources, support services, and events and activities for low-income apartment settings and individuals under foster care. Conduits also provides care packages, clothing, annual Thanksgiving meals, toy and school supply drives, and more for local individuals and families. Through partnerships with and support of other organizations, such as The Source for Women, The Settlement Home for Children, Flo Code, Mission Accomplished, and the Jeremiah Program, Conduits of Change is able to meet the diverse needs of local communities in creative and efficient ways.
Since the organization’s founding, Jay has expanded his understanding of the community’s needs and has plans to begin new programs under the Conduits of Change banner. These include Carl’s Project, a neighborhood beautification and sustainability training program for local, under-resourced neighborhoods, and Restore-A-Person Program (RAP Program) that provides life skills, empowerment, and other tools to currently incarcerated or recently released individuals.
Get Involved
There are many ways for you to help impact Conduits of Change’s mission and vision for the Austin community. Monetary donations and in-kind donations are always welcome and critical to our continued work.
Just as vital are our volunteers. If you are interested and able to give your time and skills, we are currently looking for a number of volunteers to help build out Jay’s long-term vision for the growth of Conduits of Change outreach and impact. Please see the volunteer position descriptions below and reach out to Sarah Rush (sarush24@gmail.com) for more information:
And of course, we always want to build our community. Check out our website and social media channels to reach out, learn more about us, and share our work with your family and friends.
