AUSTIN, Texas — On Thursday, the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new permanent home in Central Austin.
Last February, HAAM announced it had purchased a 7,134-square-foot office building at 3606 S. First Street.
Present at the ribbon-cutting event Thursday were Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, HAAM CEO Paul Scott, HAAM Board Chair Emmett Beliveau and the organization's very first member, Troy Campbell, among others.
"We are so excited about the completion of HAAM’s new building, which could not have been possible without the generosity and support of our wonderful community," Scott said. "Our new home is a welcoming and collaborative space for musicians to receive HAAM’s care and services. We look forward to welcoming the community, especially our musicians, into the building!"
According to HAAM, it has helped more than 6,000 members access more than $123 million in health care services since 2005, ranging from primary and specialty care, dental, vision, hearing, mental health and more. Since 2015, HAAM membership has increased by 61%.
"Music – in all its diverse forms – is truly the soul of our city and I’m grateful as both a private citizen and elected leader that we have a nonprofit like HAAM in our community to protect this precious resource," Watson said. "Austin would not be Austin without live music and I am grateful for HAAM to have a permanent home here in Austin."
HAAM's new building will provide current members access to medical care in a community hub and will also allow the organization to add additional program staff so that it can enroll new clients. With the new building, HAAM will be able to provide additional resources such as a musicians resource hub to address food insecurity, access to computers and Wi-Fi and a hearing screening room, as well as wellness training and musician education.
HAAM said a gift of nearly $1.7 million from Robin and Bud Shivers helped fund the purchase of the building. Robin Shivers founded HAAM in 2005.
The St. David’s Foundation also approved funding $1.25 million as a capital gift as well as a challenge grant, according to HAAM. Lynne Dobson and Greg Wooldridge with the Tejemos Foundation closed phase one of the campaign with a grant of $1 million, the largest individual gift in HAAM's history.
The organization also received donations from C3 Presents, Patrick and Judy Cantilo, Cayetano Development, FVF Law and the Topfer Family Foundation to ensure it could open the doors to its new building with phase one of the capital campaign fully funded.
With $5 million secured to date, HAAM now enters phase two of the campaign and is seeking to raise an additional $1 million to establish a building contingency fund and finish out performance spaces for local musicians.
Thursday's ribbon-cutting event marks HAAM's new building being fully operational.
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