Newsletter – February 2017
February 2017
In This Issue
Rathgeber Event
In the News
Hero Spotlight
Integral Care hosted the Rathgeber Challenge Event on Wednesday, February 22 at St. David’s Episcopal Church. Over 60 people came together to hear about the Rathgeber Challenge and kick off the final stretch of fundraising for Housing First Oak Springs, an innovative housing strategy for people experiencing homelessness in Travis County.

 
Mr. Dick Rathgeber

Named in honor of local philanthropist and entrepreneur, Mr. Dick Rathgeber, the event’s goal was to raise awareness about the challenge as well as Housing First. Once $2 million is raised, Mr. Rathgeber will donate an additional $1 million to support Housing First Oak Springs.

 

Mr. Rathgeber is a successful businessman who has applied 50 years of entrepreneurship principles to good many causes in Central Texas. At the event, Mr. Rathgeber explained that he invests in organizations that have proven results and projects that forecast a significant return on investment for the entire community. His motto is “That it has to be a good deal for everybody or it’s no good for anybody.”
 
Paul Hilgers and Ellen Richards

Andy Keller, PhD is the President and CEO at The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.  He served as the event’s keynote speaker and shared his expertise on how to stop the revolving door of jails, hospitals and homelessness by using housing is a health care intervention.

 

During the event, Paul Hilgers announced a generous $250,000 donation from the Lola Wright Foundation. Based on commitments during the event and other funds previously raised, we are now in the home stretch with $497,445 remaining of our $2 million challenge.

 

Integral Care thanks Mr. Rathgeber, Dr. Keller, Clarke Heidrick and everyone who attended the Challenge Event for their participation, vision and generosity. A big thank you also goes out to the Host Committee for their invaluable help in making this event a success!

 

In the News
Integral Care’s Chief Strategy Officer, Ellen Richards, spoke to KVUE News about Housing First Oak Springs and why housing is the foundation for recovery from homelessness, mental illness and substance use disorder. You can watch her interview here.

Hero Spotlight
 
Clarke Heidrick is an attorney with Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody where he has practiced law since 1977. He is currently serving his fourth four-year term on the Board of Managers for Central Health. Mr. Heidrick has supported many community organizations including the Shivers Cancer Foundation, Rebekah Baines Johnson Center, United Way Capital Area, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and many more worthwhile organizations.

 

Mr. Heidrick is a longtime advocate for affordable housing solutions in Austin and supports the opportunities for recovery that Housing First Oak Springs will provide for its residents. Mr. Heidrick hopes that many more units like Oak Springs will be built to end chronic homelessness for people who are living with mental illness and substance use disorder in Travis County. We sincerely thank Mr. Heidrick for his financial pledge and for his help rallying support for the Rathgeber Challenge Event.
We know that housing is more than four walls – it’s the basic foundation for mental health and well-being. I invite you to be a part of the solution at housingfirstatx.org.

Sincerely,


Ellen Richards
Chief Strategy Officer
Austin Travis County Integral Care
Housing First Oak Springs is a project of Integral Care
 
Integral Care, P.O. Box 3548, Austin, TX 78764
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