Our Shared Kitchen, Senior Access and Yellow Bike Project named recipients of the fourth annual Q-mmunity Gives grant program
Austin FC and Q2 Announce the 2024 “Q-mmunity Gives” Grant Recipients; $150,000 Awarded to Local Nonprofits
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Cameron Koubek, Communications and Media Manager, Austin FC
C: 301.526.1542 / E: ckoubek@austinfc.com
Gwen Hernandez, Brand Communications Coordinator, Austin FC
C: 646.717.3196 / E: ghernandez@austinfc.com
Carly Baker, Marketing Communications Specialist, Q2
C: 210.391.1706 / E: carly.baker@q2.com
Austin FC and Q2 Holdings Inc. today announced the three recipients of the 2024 Q-mmunity Gives grant program. Local nonprofit organizations Our Shared Kitchen, Senior Access and Yellow Bike Project will each receive a $50,000 grant to focus on advancing underrepresented communities in Central Texas.
“We’d like to congratulate Senior Access, Yellow Bike Project and Our Shared Kitchen on their accomplishment,” said Austin FC President Andy Loughnane. “We are extremely proud to work alongside our partners at Q2 for a fourth consecutive year in an effort to support local organizations that remain committed to providing equal opportunities for all Texans.”
“At Q2, our mission is to build strong and diverse communities by strengthening their financial institutions,” said Q2 Chairman and CEO Matt Flake. “We are proud to partner with Austin FC to recognize Our Shared Kitchen, Senior Access and Yellow Bike Project for the impact they make in Central Texas. Through the Q-mmunity Gives grant program, we look forward to empowering these outstanding organizations to continue the great work they are doing to support and serve the needs of our community.”
Our Shared Kitchen’s mission is to increase access to nutritious food among individuals experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in Austin. The nonprofit prepares and delivers healthy and free meals to unhoused Austinites through its mobile delivery model, providing not just food but dignity and hope.
“Winning the Q-mmunity Gives grant has a major impact on our organization. The funds will cover the cost of over 12,000 of the meals that we will serve next year and feed thousands of unhoused and food insecure Austinites,” said Our Shared Kitchen Founder & President Ari Vinograd. “These meals are healthy, delicious and made from scratch in our commercial kitchen. This grant will allow us to provide not just food but dignity and hope to underrepresented members of our community.”
Senior Access provides free transportation and support services that enhance independence and quality of life for seniors in Central Texas. The nonprofit focuses on low-income areas, seniors who cannot afford transportation, and Austin’s aging neighbors who need a safe, reliable way to get around.
“Senior Access is extremely grateful for the support of the Q-mmunity Gives grant program. This community grant will not only help provide our older adults a safe, reliable and free ride to medical appointments, grocery stores and community events but will help spread awareness of the growing needs of our older adult community,” said Senior Access Executive Director Serita Lacasse. “Your support is making a difference and allowing more seniors Age in Place!”
Yellow Bike Project is a nonprofit community bike shop with grassroots origins focused on empowering individuals through life-changing transportation, educating people to learn about bicycles and reviving bicycles to put them back on the streets of Austin and make them available to all.
“Thanks to the generous Q-mmunity Gives grant, Yellow Bike Project will provide bicycles to hundreds of Austinites who otherwise would be without. For a new immigrant with no driver’s license or bus pass, this bicycle will allow them to get to a job interview, a new job, or language classes,” said Yellow Bike Project Board Member James Robertson. “For a student, this bike might be the difference between getting to school or not. For a young child, this bike might provide important exercise, the first taste of freedom, and perhaps even the ability to get to soccer practice. We absolutely will change peoples’ lives with this grant.”
The three (3) grants will contribute directly to aiding each organization in its respective mission related to promoting equity and inclusion in Central Texas. The Q-mmunity Gives grant program, funded and presented by Austin FC and Q2, will continue to award Q-mmunity Gives grants annually.
About Austin FC
Austin FC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the League’s 27th club in January 2019. Austin FC officially began competing in MLS in April 2021 and played its first match at home on June 19, 2021, in the new, 100% privately financed, state-of-the-art Q2 Stadium in Austin. In its second year, Austin FC finished the regular season 2nd in the Western Conference, while also making a run to the Western Conference Finals during the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Austin FC also operates Austin FC II, a professional-level development team competing in MLS NEXT Pro which won the league title during its inaugural season in 2023. In addition, Austin FC operates Austin FC Academy which is the fully funded developmental academy representing the highest level of competition for elite youth soccer players in Central Texas, while serving as the exclusive developmental pathway to MLS for the region’s most talented young players. Combined, Austin FC II and Austin FC Academy teams complete the pro player pathway between elite youth soccer (MLS NEXT) all the way to MLS, and allow for players to develop, improve, and move up to Austin FC or Austin FC II.
About Q2 Holdings, Inc.
Q2 is a leading provider of digital transformation solutions for financial services, serving banks, credit unions, alternative finance companies, and fintechs in the U.S. and internationally. Q2 enables its financial institution and fintech customers to provide comprehensive, data-driven digital engagement solutions for customers, small businesses and corporate clients. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Q2 has offices worldwide and is publicly traded on the NYSE under the stock symbol QTWO. To learn more, please visit Q2.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and X to stay up to date.
About Q2 Stadium
Q2 Stadium is the state-of-the art 20,738-seat, soccer-specific venue that features a natural grass playing surface and a signature canopy structure offering shade and coverage for all seats, while providing an unequaled event atmosphere. Approximately 30% of Q2 Stadium seats (6,000 seats) feature breathable mesh seating technology, making the stadium home to the most breathable mesh seats in a major league venue in the world. Q2 Stadium will host the Major League Soccer All-Star Game in 2025.
Q2 Stadium also features cutting-edge lighting capabilities as the first stadium in the world to install 100% of the field lighting system with tunable RGB LED lights. Q2 Stadium opened in June 2021, when Austin FC played its first MLS match at home on June 19 against the San Jose Earthquakes. Q2 Stadium received LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in November 2021, recognizing the commitment to sustainability undertaken in the stadium’s construction and design.
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