Impact Austin Women Making a Difference: Embracing a New Community
Impact Austin won big when Katharina Farina joined our membership in the spring. We gained an enthusiastic new member with mad skills and a desire to participate and learn. The Austin community won in the same way, because when she joined our giving circle, Katharina also engaged with two local nonprofits as a volunteer. How did we all get so lucky?
In 2021, Katharina and her husband came from Brazil to the U.S. for his advanced degree. A job in Austin was the next step. Once in her new city and after a rotation of houseguests ebbed, Katharina was hungry to connect locally. She missed having a community of women friends in particular.
A fun fact about Katharina is that she loves Instagram ads. We should, too, because Instagram connected her to Amplify Austin, which in turn connected her to Impact Austin, Family Eldercare, and Austin Pets Alive. In the spring of 2026 Katharina engaged with all three!
Katharina was drawn to Impact Austin's mission, but.... She confessed that the original cost to join "was daunting, especially after being broke grad students for three years." Once Impact Austin announced our new membership model with three ways to give - along with the existing monthly payment option - Katharina saw that membership was accessible. She was very curious about making a bigger impact with her money through collective giving. As a bonus, she "loves getting to know women of various ages as a member." She appreciates the varied perspectives among different age groups.
Katharina joined Impact Austin's Marketing Committee and has raised her hand for multiple projects. Her enthusiasm and skills are warmly welcomed at a time when that committee has a big workload of new and recurring tasks. In particular, Katharina has handled various webpage updates and created designs in Canva for events. As Katharina embraces her Impact Austin community, you can find her at many of our events!
Family Eldercare is an Impact Austin 2020 Community Partner and a 2004 finalist for our very first grant. When Katharina discovered Family Eldercare through Amplify Austin, she was drawn to the opportunity to connect with seniors. She missed her grandparents in Brazil and decided, "If I can't be with my seniors, I'm going to be with someone else's seniors!" When companion opportunities were filled at Family Eldercare, Katharina was asked to support their 2026 Summer Fan Drive. In this role, Katharina processed intake forms, met clients, and distributed fans from the Family Eldercare warehouse. Now the nonprofit has asked Katharina to help with administrative paperwork, and her tech skills support their case management. She said, "It's a good feeling to help things flow."
And why was Katharina drawn to Austin Pets Alive? For one thing, they were a top fundraiser with Amplify Austin, raising $92,000 in 2026. This caught her attention. But she and her husband love animals, and volunteering with Austin Pets Alive as dog walkers is something they can do together. Katharina also volunteers in one of five thrift stores that support Austin Pets Alive. Katharina values a circular economy and avoiding waste. She derives satisfaction in helping donated merchandise find reuse in thrift shops. And she finds joy when donating her talents to good use with local nonprofits.
Women join Impact Austin for a range of reasons, and Katharina is not the first to choose membership as a means of building community in Central Texas. We're just so delighted she found us!
