Photography by Lucas Purvis

Austinite Alexandra Winkelman (or Alex, as she is known to her friends and family) has been busy influencing and inspiring others to give back to the community.

For the past three years, her philanthropic work through CharityBash has resulted in the donation of a quarter-of-a-million dollars to Austin’s neediest nonprofits.

Erase the thought of a stuffy, traditional gala as the only way to raise money for local charities. CharityBash events mix fun and philanthropy to provide affordable and accessible ways for Austin’s younger generation of 25- to 45-year-olds to donate money.

Each month, a CharityBash event sponsoring a different nonprofit takes place at a creative Austin location. The entrance fee ranges from $10 to $75, and participants can learn about a local charity while enjoying a night on the town.

CharityBash’s launch party was held at Molotov in February 2009, benefitting I Live Here, I Give Here, an organization that inspires Central Texans to give back to their community.

“My goal was to raise $1,000,” Winkelman says. “We surpassed that goal, raising $2,750.”

Winkelman’s goal to raise $1,000 a month during CharityBash’s first year was blown out of the water, as CharityBash raised $86,000 for nonprofits during its first year and $125,000 in its second. As of June 2011, the organization has contributed $251,500 to 28 nonprofits.

The nonprofits that have benefitted from Winkelman’s determination include Hospice Austin, YMCA of Austin, the Paramount Theatre, Austin Pets Alive!, the Austin Children’s Museum and Boys and Girls Clubs.

One of the most memorable events was a bachelor and bachelorette auction, where local favorites such as former Austin mayor Will Wynn auctioned off a fun date package. The event raised $57,000 for SafePlace, an organization that helps end sexual and domestic violence.

Amy Temperley, chief development and communications officer for SafePlace, praises Winkelman’s work, saying, “The funds were much needed and couldn’t have come at a better time. We were one of their earlier beneficiaries, and I have been so impressed with how they have continued to make an impact in our community.

“[Winkelman] has a true passion for making a difference in Austin, and has found a way to engage younger donors, something that many of us in the nonprofit world find to be a challenge.”

Winkelman has a tough time selecting the beneficiaries each year, as so many are in need.

“We’ve worked with so many wonderful and deserving nonprofits,” she says. “We choose a beneficiary depending on their mission, how we can really make a difference and how our audience will respond to each. Our audience seems to respond best to organizations they can connect with such as those working with animals, children and disabilities.”

With a reputation from Michael Barnes of the Austin American Statesman as a “godling of Austin social giving,” Winkelman is not new to the philanthropic lifestyle. She grew up in a Jewish household in which the idea of giving back to the community was taught to her at an early age.

During vacations, she and her family spent time volunteering, as well as having fun, by helping at a food bank in Michigan, planting trees in Israel and volunteering at an animal shelter in the Virgin Islands.

Winkelman’s first big solo philanthropic project was in 2007 when she was 19 years old. At that time, her older sister created an organization that raised awareness and funds for the victims of genocide in Darfur. It was a subject close to Winkelman’s heart, as well.

While dining with her family at Hyde Park’s ASTI cafe, Winkelman noticed the restaurant was donating a percentage of its sales that evening to help employees of another local restaurant that had been temporarily shut down because of a fire. After speaking to her mother, she used that model to create Dining for Darfur.

“At the time, I was 19 and very shy,” she says. “My mom encouraged me to make a presentation to the Jewish Community Association of Austin about my idea.”

Despite the trepidation of public speaking, Winkelman eventually got 40 Austin restaurants to participate, and the evening raised about $28,000 for Darfur humanitarian aid.

After Winkelman’s success with Dining for Darfur, she served as the Austin coordinator for Tents of Hope, a one-year campaign focusing on the genocide in Darfur during which participants decorated canvas refugee tents and used the tents as places of fundraising and awareness.

It was at the heels of these two successful, yet temporary projects that Winkelman knew she wanted to continue her work in the philanthropy field.

“Instead of helping with a fundraiser, I wanted to build something sustainable – a brand that would help Austin as a whole,” she says. “At the time, I read that Austin was ranked 48th out of 50 of the largest cities in the nation in per capita giving. I knew to improve that we needed to provide the younger demographic, the 25- to 45-year-old young professionals, with an opportunity to give back.”

Thus, CharityBash was born.

Because of CharityBash’s amazing success, Winkelman has recently launched Citizen Generation, a nonprofit umbrella organization with a mission of creating the habit of giving. Citizen Generation is based on the belief that communities work best when large numbers of their citizens are involved in civic and charitable work.

Citizen Generation’s three programs include CharityBash and two new programs: CharityLunch, a monthly luncheon that provides people with an opportunity to learn about community needs, and CharityVolunteers, a program that gives individuals a hands-on experience intended to see an immediate difference in the community.

It’s an understatement to say that Winkelman’s passion for giving back is infectious. She has managed to create a reputable nonprofit by the young age of 23, and she shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.

Dana Epstein, director of special projects for the Jewish Community Association of Austin, is inspired by Winkelman.

“[Winkelman] takes on more than the lion’s share of every effort and sees it through to fruition,” Epstein says. “She possesses great maturity and leadership skills that will benefit Austin for years to come.”

Winkelman’s outgoing, relatable personality and savvy for what’s “in” in Austin have made this inventive philanthropist an example to follow.

For more information, visit www.thecitizengeneration.org.