How you'd give away $1 billion
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
After news last week that Michael and Susan Dell's donations to the University of Texas had topped $1 billion, we asked how you'd distribute that kind of cash.
Suzee B. says she'd like to direct money to Anthropos Arts. "They employ Austin musicians to do one-on-one music mentoring with underserved school kids."
Chelsey S. would like to shore up Austin public schools. "Our kids deserve quality education and my heart aches for all the trade offs being made and the struggling teachers."
"I'm glad the Dell family is investing some money in medical research," writes Rachel. "I have a daughter with a rare disease called neurofibromatosis (NF). I would definitely be throwing a ton of money toward the Children's tumor foundation or any other private group doing research to find a cure for NF.
"Dollar for dollar, I'd say nothing can beat donating to the central Texas food bank, though I also can't avoid calling out KUT/KUTX and our very own Axios Austin!" writes Eric B.
Nicole O. endorses the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin to help save babies lives.
- "Donated human milk has helped decrease necrotizing enterocolitis a gastrointestinal life-threatening condition in newborns."
"If I had a billion dollars, I would build a facility to house the severely mentally ill (specifically schizophrenia)," writes Terri M., "where they would have constant care and treatment."
Stacy N. would support inclusive scouting by donating most of it to Outdoor Service Guides (OSG).
- Her husband's OSG-registered group, The 7th Trailblazers in Austin, "firmly supports the mission that scouting should be for anyone who wants to be involved, no matter their pronouns, disabilities, or family structure."
Kandice S. "would give chunk to my friend Pastor John Monger's Bhutanese/Nepali church in Northeast Austin…they help SO many people (of any race, gender, socio status)."
As an employee of the American Diabetes Association, Dawn S. says "I know the impact of our research, I would definitely use part of that billion for diabetes research."
- "I'm also a big believer in World Central Kitchen and St Jude."
Evelyn M. would steer money to support foster kids and Richard O. would support nonprofit fact-checking and educating people on how to spot disinformation.
- "It's an epidemic, and we need to fight back," he writes.