Austin TX entertainment, events, food, movies, music

Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2008 > September > 17 > Entry

Richard Topfer and HAAM Benefit Day, Part 2

By Michael Barnes | Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 02:08 PM

Continued from post below…

Richard’s family, including stepmother Bobbi, already have made a huge impact on Austin. The Long Center for the Performing Arts is just one of their projects. Yet most of the family’s civic investments go to health care and related charitiets. (Another portion of the foundation’s magnanimity helps charities in the Chicago area, where Richard’s sisters live.)

The Topfers oversee their family foundation with a watchful eye (“We’re a very active family,” he jokes). Richard says HAAM is also run with exacting efficiency. More than 1,200 member musicians, most of them 35 or younger, have taken advantage of its programs. The Seton Family of Hospitals, St. David’s Community Health Foundation Leadership and the SIMS Foundation all contributed to the short three-year history of HAAM.

“We pay a lot of lip service to musicians, but we don’t do a lot to support them.” says Richard, who generally stays out of the spotlight himself. He’s delighted artists actually use the services. “They are so appreciative and so taken aback when we reach out to them. That’s huge for them. And for us. In fact, they pass along their slots to other musicians when they take jobs with benefits.”

HAAM Benefit Day, Oct. 7, includes Austin City Hall festivities, a concert at Antone’s with Gary Clark Jr. and other local bands. More than 90 bands have pledged to play at restaurants, clubs and retail outlets that day. Meanwhile, area businesses pledge 5 percent of their profits or make cash donations. The Cain Foundation, represented by entertainment attorney Wofford Denius, will make a $10,000 matching grant that day.

Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Charity, Music