November is always a fantastic month to focus on ways to give back to the community. As the start of the holiday season, November is also packed with events that are focused on gratitude such as World Kindness Day (11/13), National Family Volunteer Day (11/23), Thanksgiving, of course (11/28), and Austin’s annual Chuy’s Children Giving to Children Parade (11/30). This November, we invite you to join us in kicking off a month of caring and giving, starting on Friday, Nov. 1!

We’re thrilled to partner with Generation Serve and Mobile Loaves and Fishes for a very special outdoor family night on Nov. 1! The Community First! Cinema will be screening The Lion King outside on the big screen. Before the film, Generation Serve will set up a hands-on volunteer activity for kids!

Come early for crafting! Arrive as early as 6:30 p.m. to set up blankets and low back chairs along the hillside theatre. You can chat with both Do512 Family staff as well as the Generation Serve team who will set up a feel good activity for all ages! You’ll find plenty of supplies to make cards for hospitalized children. These cards will help brighten the days of kids who have to spend some time in the hospital.

Did you know that Generation Serve is an organization that helps families get involved with age-appropriate volunteer opportunities around Austin? On Saturday, November 23, we join Generation SERVE in celebrating National Family Volunteer Day with a special event, the 3rd Annual Austin Families Give Back, a free, city-wide day of service to introduce children and families to volunteerism! This extra-large family service fair will be held at the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex and will support 30 local nonprofit organizations working in the areas of animal care, child welfare, education, environmentalism, health & wellness, poverty, and senior support. Click here to sign up to participate!

Tour the Village! Around 7 p.m. you can take a tour of Community! First Village. This one-of-a-kind, nationally-recognized, 27-acre master-planned community was designed for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. If this is your first time out there, we highly encourage the tour.  Read all about our first visit to this amazing community. 

Update: The food operation for the Community Cinema has unfortunately been temporarily halted due to an issue encountered in the commercial kitchen in Community First! Village. For this event, they will be giving away pizza and sodas and accepting free-will donations on a first come, first served basis beginning at 6:30pm. You can also bring your own snacks for this event.

Settle in for the screening. Take a seat at 7:30 p.m. to cuddle up and watch The Lion King! We’ll enjoy the 2019 version featuring young Simba’s quest to learn responsibility and bravery. (PG, 1 hour & 58 minutes).

Consider a donation. While all are welcome regardless of ability to make a contribution, a $5 donation would be highly appreciated by Community First! Village to help support their residents. To do so, you can make an easy electronic donation when RSVPing to this event on Facebook, or feel free to make a donation in person at the venue.

Take note that getting to the Community First! Village is pretty easy. It’s located on the far east side of Austin near the Travis County Expo Center. There is ample free parking, but there’s also a bus stop right in the community center (Cap Metro bus #237). Keep up with their Facebook page for all the latest news, and learn much more by visiting their website.

See you there!