Twelve: Thirty-One

04/08/2026

RE: Special Request.

One of my biggest regrets as a parent so far (as I am sure I will have many) is that they didn’t have the opportunity to do a lot of things when they were younger—we simply didn’t have the money.
Birthday parties. Family vacations. Shoot—we couldn’t even afford to take the kids to a movie or go bowling.
A few years ago, the community got together and got us a weekend at Kalahari that we were able to use for one of the boys' birthdays. The boys had so much fun that weekend, and that weekend has cemented itself as a core memory for them. It was something we had never been able to do before and haven’t been able to do since.

Now that they are older, the boys have to travel for baseball tournaments. Now… we aren’t in much better shape than we were then, but we can at least find a way to make it work now.

We’ve stayed in some pretty shady hotels, eaten our fair share of PB&J sandwiches on the road, and it takes every extra penny we have to make those trips happen—but we are thankful we get to make them happen. They have formed friendships and created memories that they will always have.

Which leads me to this.

When I was asked if we could help with this one, I just couldn’t say no. There’s just one catch— I can’t tell you anything about it (imagine whatever you need to about an abusive ex and you’re probably right.)

But this is what I can say—there is a student who has the opportunity to do something that is a very big deal, and they won’t get the opportunity to do it without our help.

That’s it. That’s the whole pitch.

A student needs help to be able to go with their team to an event that they qualified for, which is a very big deal— and we have the means to help them.

For us—it might just be $25, $50, or $100.

But for them?
It’s a core memory.
It’s being able to be included in something.
It’s an experience they will never forget.

Our goal is $2,600.
Let’s make sure they get to go.

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

P.S. If you ever had to miss out on something like this when you were growing up, you get it. Let’s make sure they don’t have to.

12:31 is a needs-based ministry that exists to relationally partner with the Lake Travis Community to provide proactive and response-oriented practical services. Our services range from disaster relief, to providing financial support in response to life’s tragedies, to combating food insecurity an...

04/07/2026

MORE EXCITING NEWS!

12:31 has earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, the highest possible rating an organization can receive.

Why is that important?

Charity Navigator is one of the largest and most trusted independent evaluators of nonprofits, assessing over 230,000 organizations nationwide and providing trusted insights to millions of donors each year. Their ratings are based on a comprehensive review of an organization’s financial health, accountability, leadership, and measurable impact.

A Four-Star Rating indicates that 12:31 is financially sound, effective, transparent, and committed to stewarding every dollar with purpose.

It’s a reflection of the trust you’ve placed in us—and our commitment to honoring that trust well.

04/02/2026

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

02/13/2026

RE: Urgent Initiative

I struggled for a long time with this one.

As I am sure you can imagine, we have to say no a lot. We get so many requests for help, and we simply can’t do it all.

And there are many reasons—sometimes we simply don’t have the bandwidth to take on anything else. Sometimes, having just come off a big case or another big fundraising initiative, I’m not confident that we’d be able to raise the funds we need for it. And sometimes it comes down to whether or not I think I am going to be able to tell their story well enough to get you to want to support it?
One thing I never want to do is say yes to a case and then not be able to follow through with it. I never want to have to make that call to say, “I’m sorry, we just weren’t able to get it done this time.”

And those decisions weigh heavily on me — it's never easy. Given the sheer scope of what we do, I know that in some cases, we are their only option— and I know that if we can’t do it, they will end up losing their house, or there will be a mom that has to stay in an abusive situation, or [fill in the blank].

In this case, having just wrapped up the bulk of the fire relief efforts, this one checked a couple of those boxes. I didn’t know if we would have the bandwidth to take this one on as we are still working on fire related stuff, and I didn’t know if you, as donors, would have the capacity to help with another one so soon after having just shown up huge for the fire victims.

But I feel drawn to this one.

I think partly because I know that we’re the only ones that can do it. We are the only ones that have the ability to band together, like we always do, to raise enough, fast enough, to stand in the gap for this kid and actually make a difference. At the end of the day, there’s a 9-year-old boy who needs us to show up, and I just don’t have it in me to say no.

Here’s what I mean–

2 weeks ago, Declan, a 4th-grade student at Serene Hills Elementary, tragically lost his father after he was fatally shot. It was Feb. 1st, 1:40 a.m., and Declan's whole world changed in an instant.

And now, what little bit of normalcy is left in his little shattered world is also being threatened, as he faces the real possibility that he may never get to go back to school to see his friends, he may never get to play out in the neighborhood with his friends again, or ride their bikes up and down the only streets he’s ever known— because he may have to move.

It’s a complicated case with a lot of different pieces to it, but here’s the part that matters — We need to help him and his mom get housing, we need to get him back at school (his school), and they both need to happen quickly.

He already had to move out of his house last week and is currently staying with his mom and grandparents in Waco while his mom tries to secure a new place for them here so to not uproot him. Luckily, she was able to find a really kind gentleman in Old Lakeway to work with them, in the same neighborhood they were in. She has already secured a job here, which she is able to start immediately once they get settled, but she needs our help with the place.

We need:

-Minimum 3-months of rent, plus security deposit, just to secure the place and get them moved in this week.
-A couple of days in a hotel here, so he can return to school immediately while we work on it.
-And we would need a few months' worth of utilities while she gets settled.
-Help getting her a car.

So, look…
I know we’ve done a lot these past few weeks, you and I, but there’s a 9-year-old boy that has already lost more than any child should, and I just don’t have it in me to let him lose his home, his friends, and his school too.

Our goal is $12,000.

Put “Declan” in the notes when you donate.

To donate: https://1231.kindful.com/?campaign=1199660

01/26/2026

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

01/11/2026

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 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 ...

01/01/2026

Give Responsibly. Party Freely.

Welp...here we are — about 5 hours to go until ball drop. One last adjustment in the mirror, one last eyebrow to pluck, and one more big ozone-killing spritz of Aqua Net as you rush out the door!

Soon you'll be surrounded by shrimp cocktail, cheap champagne, and glitter. So much glitter. The music's poppin’ from the Uber guy’s playlist — UNN-tss UNN-tss UNN-tss UNN-tss.

It’s 7:00 PM, your eyeliner is on point, and you don’t have a care in the world right now.

But look (as a friend), come 11:45 tonight, I don't want to see you six glasses deep into the champagne and think to yourself, "Shoot! I totally forgot to make my year-end donation! I should do that now!" Only to wake up tomorrow, hungover, missing a shoe, and realizing you accidentally added an extra zero to what you thought was a $1,000 donation.

So, before you hop in that Uber tonight, make sure to swing on over to twelvethirtyone.org/donate and make a reasonably sized donation before things escalate later.

Remember...
Drunk you makes bad decisions.
Give now and save yourself a couple of zeros.


Happy New Year, everyone!

12/31/2025

RE: End of Year Update

So here we are— end of the year. An opportunity to look back on everything God has done, and to look ahead to what we believe He’s inviting us into next.

2025 has been a year of growth, refinement, and impact for 12:31. And as we cast vision for 2026, I just want to take minute to highlight, not just what we’ve accomplished this year, but how and why it matters.

BEYOND THE NUMBERS
Before we talk about milestones and numbers, I want to talk about people.

What is it that makes 12:31 unique?
It’s simple—we take a people-first approach.

Not only are we passionate about what we do and the people we serve, we are deeply passionate about how we serve them. We are intentional about building relationships and making sure that people feel seen.

It’s so easy to feel like just another number or name on the list when you ask for help. But not with us. Relationships are at the core of everything we do.

The other day, I walked into HEB, and on my way past the checkout lines, between the bakery and floral, stood a family we serve. The four youngest kids, surrounding the cart…

“Mr. Mike!”
“Mom! Mr. Mike’s here!”

Yelling at the top of their lungs, in the middle of HEB– excited to see me. All four of them running across the aisle to give me fist bumps and hugs!

When we run into families at the grocery store or at a school event, they aren’t embarrassed or ashamed—they don’t shy away from us and try not to be seen. They run towards us, just to say hi.

That’s a powerful testament to how we serve.

2025 HIGHLIGHTS
This year brought several milestones and recognitions that we still feel honored to have received.

-12:31 was voted Nonprofit of the Year by the Bee Cave Chamber of Commerce.
-We were chosen as one of only eight nonprofits nationwide to receive the National Christian Foundation’s “Love Gives 5” grant.
-We officially surpassed $1 MILLION in total donations.
-And although we didn’t win, we were honored to be named a regional nominee for the 2026 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award®

2025 IN NUMBERS
Because impact should also be measurable:

-We are currently at $345,000 in cash donations year-to-date, and project to close the year around $435,000—consistent with 2024.
-Summer Meals saw a 22% increase—providing over 13,000 lbs of food to 33 families over the summer.
-We served 90% more children this Christmas than last year — providing over $70,000 worth of gifts.
-We expanded volunteer opportunities for students this Christmas with Kardivas, YMSL, the Girl Scouts, and the entire Men’s and Women’s High School basketball programs rolling up their sleeves to help this Christmas!
-Over $100,000 in in-kind donations — a 65% increase from 2024.
-Saw a 12% increase in our donor base with almost 1,900 donors.

WHAT'S NEXT & HOW DO WE GET THERE: OUR VISION FOR 2026
We believe two things to be true at the same time:
We can reach more people in our community.
We can serve them better than we currently do.

When we have to turn people away, it’s typically because we are short on funds or bandwidth. Oftentimes both.

Simply put, if we want to say yes more, we need more funding and more staffing.

Let’s Start with Staffing:

We are prayerfully working towards hiring:
A full-time Care Coordinator — a social-worker-type role whose focus will be on the development and management of individualized service plans for our clients.

A Grant Writer -– to diversify funding, build stability, and re-enforce our foundation for the future.

Then… more space.

Because we simply can’t accommodate any more people in our current space. And because my wife would really like to use her garage again someday.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH + IMPACT OF 12:31
Did you know that nearly the entirety of our operational funding for the coming year is raised in December? Each year, it’s a handful of people that give generously these through end-of- year gifts, or by setting up a monthly recurring donations to help cover our operating expenses.

Monthly Giving:

Monthly partners are the backbone of 12:31.

We currently have 51 recurring monthly donors, giving anywhere from $25/ month to $2,000/ month, and they are the driving force behind 12:31’s impact in our community.

Employer Matching:

If you would like to donate personally, a quick check with HR or your employer could double or even triple your gift.

Don’t leave money on the table.

Stocks & Cryptocurrency:

You can now support 12:31 through donations of cryptocurrency, stocks, and mutual funds.

Donated assets often carry greater value than cash gifts. That means your gift goes further—to the mission instead of the IRS.
Whichever method you choose — wouldn't it be nice to have a large tax deduction at the end of the year to reduce your tax liability? End-of-year giving can be a meaningful way to steward your resources wisely.

OUR FUNDRAISING GOALS
To meet:
-Our Current Operational Needs:
$16,000 for the year (or $1,300/ month in recurring).
-Operations + full-time Care Coordinator:
$78,000 for the year (or $6,500/ month in recurring).
-Operations + Care Coordinator + Dedicated Office Space:
$103,000 for the year (or $8,600/ month in recurring).

CAN YOU LAND THE DAMN PLANE ALREADY?
I know you have a lot of places you could give to this year, I just ask that you prayerfully consider giving to 12:31.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity and the privilege to serve the community we love. Without you, 12:31 wouldn’t exist.

Donate 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 the confidence a...

12/29/2025

RE: 12:31 exists because of you

Last week, on the eve of Christmas Eve, I stood at the front door of an RV that we helped secure for a mom who, at 11:00 at night, we met bloodied and beaten in a gas station parking lot, surrounded by sheriff’s deputies.

Her twin boys ran outside to greet us, and while Ang held one of them, the other, full of energy, ran around smiling and laughing on the deck that we built for them. The boys, much bigger than the last time we saw them were happy, healthy, and full of life.

Mom— she’s working now; able to support herself and the kids, her English… getting better and better each time we see her, and she’s making it. This single mom, who just a year and half ago, was driven to a lake, and beaten and left for dead—with no money, no job, and two twin toddlers to care for, is now thriving because of you.

Last week I stood at the end of a driveway talking with another mom who I got a text from, in the middle of the night one night that said “Mike, I need help.”

She was upstairs, locked in a room with her kids, and the police were outside her home. She had no money, no job, and nowhere to go… but she needed a way out.
We helped her move out, helped her secure her new place, helped cover them for a few months to find their footing, helped find her a job, helped her get an attorney to fight, and helped give her the room she needed to breathe. She was able to escape because of you.

Watch her story here: https://vimeo.com/1102616398

Stories like this exist because we’re here to answer the call—and we’re only here because of you. These are your stories. Your generosity and your heart for the people in your community is what allows to answer that text at 3 am or drive to that gas station at 11 pm.
Every day, families all across our community get to worry a little less and breathe a little more because you heard their stories and you chose to say yes.

Help us continue to show up.

In the middle of the night, when no one else answers.
In the midst of a crisis, when there’s nowhere else to turn.
When everything is falling apart, and someone just needs to hear someone say, “Yes. I got you.”

Help us reach our end-of-year fundraising goal so that we can yes more often next year.

To Donate: Go to twelvethirtyone.org/donate or simply click on the link in the comments. Put “EOY” in the notes when you donate.

This is "12:31 Impact" by Ridge Stories on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

12/29/2025

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

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

12/16/2025

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 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.

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

https://vimeo.com/1146460565/d65acabb6f?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

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

11/18/2025

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.