This week, school is starting back up after the long summer break. Whether it’s going to Kindergarten for the first time or that final year of school, the transition from the lazy days of summer back into a strict routine can be a challenge for parents and children – so our experts are sharing their top tips for making the process as smooth as possible. Talk to your child about going back to school: Tell them what a typical day might look like starting with getting up in the morning and ending with going to bed at night. Ask them if they have any questions and ask them how it makes them feel to be going back to school (Ex: excited to see/meet friends, nervous about the new teacher, etc). Make the transition easier – start the bedtime and mealtime routine at least a week before school starts. Structure, structure, structure: Write out an evening and a morning routine with your children, including a checklist to make things less hectic. Be consistent and do things in the same order (Ex: Homework, then dinner, then chore, then free time, then shower, then reading, then bed.) If your children are out the door on time, with everything they need for the day, they will feel less stressed and ready for success. And don’t wait till the last minute: re-establish bedtime and mealtime routines at least a week before school starts – this will make the transition back to school smoother. […]
Read MoreThank You Austin!
Posted on by Christa Berry
At United Way for Greater Austin, our mission is to inspire, lead and unite an eclectic community of philanthropists including individuals, nonprofits, businesses and government to overcome barriers to economic opportunities and ensure Greater Austin continues to thrive. To help fulfill this mission, we offer our donors the opportunity to designate a portion or all of their donation to any nonprofit of their choice. Below is a TOP 50 list of local organizations our donors designated a portion or all of their donation to in our 2012 Campaign Year. In total, during the 2012 Campaign Year, we raised $16 MILLION for 1,712 nonprofit organizations! So, THANK YOU Austin! Because of each and every one of our donors and supporters, Central Texas is becoming a better place to live for ALL of us. For a complete list of the organizations that receive donations through UWATX, please visit uwatx.org/nonprofits AGE of Central Texas AIDS Services of Austin American Cancer Society Austin Metro Market American Red Cross of Central Texas American YouthWorks Animal Trustees of Austin Any Baby Can* Austin Children’s Shelter Austin Community College Foundation Austin Habitat for Humanity Austin Parks Foundation Austin Pets Alive Austin Recovery* Bannockburn Baptist Church Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas* Bookspring* Boy Scouts of America Capital Area Council Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin and Travis County* Breakthrough* Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin Capital Area Food Bank Caritas of Austin CASA of Central Texas CASA of Travis County Catholic Charities […]
Read MoreFinancial Opportunity rewards those who open bank accounts
Posted on by Christa Berry
The Financial Opportunity team at UWATX recently had the pleasure of rewarding our Bank on Central Texas grand prize raffle winner, Mark Mead, for taking a critical step towards financial security – opening a bank account. In April, Financial Opportunity launched a strategic outreach campaign to help Central Texas families save hundreds of dollars each year by opening free or low-cost bank accounts. Mark, who was among many individuals to take part in the campaign, opened an account with Greater Texas Federal Credit Union, conveniently located on his way home. Without a bank account, families pay close to $1,000 a year in fees to cash checks. For many unbanked individuals, how close a financial institution is to their home can make a significant difference because getting to a far away location is often not an option. Transportation is just one of the barriers to accessing quality financial services, along with a lack of education about what services are available and how to access them. Our outreach efforts were another step towards breaking this education barrier. Without access to mainstream financial services, individuals may spend tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime on the high fees associated with check cashing, money orders and other alternative financial services. According to the Brookings Institute, the average unbanked worker spends an estimated $40,000 throughout his or her life just to cash paychecks. More than that, a bank account is often the first step towards greater security – the beginning of a relationship with a bank […]
Read MoreInsurance professionals issue a challenge: we can give more
Posted on by Aviva Pinchas
Last year, 13 insurance industry partners in the Greater Austin area raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars through UWATX Employee Giving Campaigns to support their communities. But some of our partners think they can do more, so they’ve issued a challenge to the industry to increase giving by 25 percent. [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1gd7djYbPs[/youtube] In Texas, the insurance industry represents 174,000 employees and accounts for $24.7B in Gross State Product. The insurance industry not only plays an important role in supporting the Austin economy, it also represents a significant and growing employment base. The work of insurance professionals extends well beyond the responsibility to collect premiums and settle claims. These professionals have a solid track record in serving people in their greatest time of need. That’s why our partners at State Auto, Columbia Insurance Group and Texas Mutual are leading the charge for more companies and individuals to invest their time and money to help solve some of the greatest needs in our community. They’re joined by leaders from Centatico, Farmers Insurance Group, Nationwide, New York Life, State Farm, Superior HealthPlan, Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT), Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) & United Health Group. Over the next few months, these advocates will work with UWATX to reach out to trade publications, go to industry events and talk with their peers in the industry. UWATX will work with interested companies and individuals to find a way to give that works for them, whether it be an employee giving campaign, volunteer opportunities, […]
Read More[VIDEO] Bringing people together
Posted on by Aviva Pinchas
![[VIDEO] Bringing people together](https://www.unitedwayaustin.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Screen-Shot-2013-08-17-at-2.40.22-PM-1.png)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y86FgWxXTPU[/youtube] At United Way for Greater Austin(UWATX), our mission is to inspire, lead and unite an eclectic community of philanthropists including individuals, nonprofits, business, and government to overcome barriers to economic opportunities and ensure Greater Austin continues to thrive. In this video, leaders from across our community come together to discuss the importance of working collaboratively and how UWATX plays a pivotal role in bringing different entities together. Thanks to Don Baylor (Center for Public Policy Priorities) and Andrew Kim (Comal ISD) for participating in this video and to Sneaky Giants for putting this video together.
Read MoreNew Employee Campaign season, exciting new tools
Posted on by Christa Berry
With the start of Employee Campaign season (which typically runs from July to January), we joined the new crop of Employee Campaign Leaders (ECLs) for our 2013 ECL Annual Meeting. The event was an opportunity to showcase the new tools we’ll be using this campaign season, meet some new faces & reconnect with familiar ones. Employee Campaign Leaders are individuals identified by leaders at a company running an Employee Campaign to be internal champions for the effort. They define goals, coordinate activities and work closely with account managers on our staff to implement best practices and create a great experience for their fellow employees. What’s new UWATX Online Store: We’ve launched the UWATX Online Store to create a way for companies to purchase various customized items for their Campaign. UWATX Videos: Along with two longer videos, we’ve introduced a series of five one-minute videos to help explain our work . Share a story: We’re looking to feature individuals who benefited from United Way in the past and now give back because of that experience. Do you or a coworker, friend or peer have a story? Inspire others by sharing your story with the Greater Austin community! ECL Linked In group: To help ECLs connect to one another, we’ve launched a LinkedIn group. We also held a raffle for those who signed up for the group the night of the event – congrats to Mike Tay with Rockwell Automation! What’s updated Campaign In A Box: This toolkit includes tons of helpful documents like our United Way 101, assorted email […]
Read MoreYoung Leaders show their ‘Mettle’ when talking philanthropy
Posted on by Celso Baez
Our freshly re-launched group, the Young Leaders Society hosted our first official happy hour [PICTS!] this month at East Austin’s newest bistro, Mettle. (Mettle was gracious enough to lend their space for their first-ever special event – Thanks Mettle!) About 60 young professionals from numerous employers in the Austin area were represented and talked philanthropy with the YLS Founding Committee. The YLS signature cocktail (Habanero infused Tito’s, cherry bitters and Topo Chico), wonderfully concocted by Mettle’s mixologists took the edge off when discussing the embarrassing years as a middle school kid. Here’s what my fellow Founding Committee members had to say about the evening: “I was really happy to see that THAT many people shared the same enthusiasm for helping our community as the YLS committee does, not to mention the food was delicious!” –Juan Wah “The zeal in the room at our official re-launch happy hour only reaffirms my decision to be involved with YLS. I am confident this will NOT be just another “young professionals” group, but rather a gathering of personalities who will volunteer their time, ideas and passions to foster a positive difference in the greater Austin area.”—Marcus Everett “Over 60 people from 28 different leading Austin companies and organizations….great networking, food and drinks…great time!”—Rich Cleary All of us from the Founding Committee were excited to share information about our efforts and engage potential recruits around supporting UWATX’s Target Graduation, which aims to helping middle school students stay on the path towards graduation. While some of […]
Read MoreMake the most of summer
Posted on by Aviva Pinchas
The summer time, when children are home and work seems to slow down, is an opportunity and a challenge – adults and children alike tend to have more time to explore their interests, but finding the right way to invest your time can be daunting. Without engaging activities, summer can become a barrier for students, and a missed opportunity for adults. Back in the day (just a few years ago), summer was a time for curling up with a new book, but with the explosion of new technology, there’s a whole host of other types of media to enrich your summer. So, inspired by NPR, our on-staff experts on young children, financial literacy and philanthropy put together some recommendations for media that’s good for the heart and the mind: Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (PBS Show) – A spinoff of Mr. Roger’s Nighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is a new animated program for preschoolers ages 2 to 4 that teaches key social skills through imagination, creativity and music. Recommended by: Greg Bennett, father of 2-year-old Lilly and Manager, Public Sector campaigns For: Young children Endless Alphabet (iPad App) – A free iPad app, Endless ABCs helps children build their vocabulary with adorable monsters, interactive puzzles, talking letters and animation. The app helps children recognize letters, understand words and develop their fine motor skills. Recommended by: Amber Welsh, mother of 3-year-old Susan, and Middle School Matters Coordinator For: Young children Signing Time (Show on public television and Nick Jr.) – This show uses music, movement, […]
Read MoreLet’s help Decker Middle School get a sidewalk!
Posted on by Ricky Deakyne
UPDATE on 7.25.2013: As of today, TXDOT approved priority funding for the Decker sidewalk project, saying the Decker Middle School students that led this charge are “an inspiration.” TXDOT will provide $1.5M in funding to build the sidewalk. Local advocates will work to fundraise an additional $600K to support the project. Special thanks to Mark Marek for his help today! Almost a year ago, UWATX started a Volunteer Project Leader (VPL) class at Decker Middle School – bringing together 6th, 7th and 8th grade students to learn about their community, assess needs and create and manage projects to make real changes at their school. One of the most pressing needs they identified was a sidewalk to make getting to school safer, and over the past year, the students worked hard to make that a reality. The road in front of Decker Middle School is a four-lane highway and the speed limit only drops to 50 mph in the school zone. In the past year, one student was killed crossing the road to get to school. Another saw a person be hit by a car. To date, there has been a third death. In speaking with fellow students, teachers, administrators, business leaders and local advocates, safety was a top concern and the lack of a safe way to cross the street hit the top of the list. The VPL class at Decker led a letter writing campaign to let Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) officials know about […]
Read MoreNelson Mandela: a true inspiration
Posted on by Aviva Pinchas
From his statements about poverty to his resilient spirit and drive to create positive change, Nelson Mandela has long been an inspiration for us at UWATX. This Mandela Day, we hope you’ll reflect on some of the wise words shared by this great man and be inspired too. < Nelson Mandela: a true inspiration from United Way for Greater Austin Inspirational quotes from Nelson Mandela: It always seems impossible until it’s done. – Nelson Mandela Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. – Nelson Mandela There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children. – Nelson Mandela Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future. – Nelson Mandela The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – Nelson Mandela No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated. – Nelson Mandela We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right. – Nelson Mandela For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. – Nelson Mandela A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination. – Nelson Mandela Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is […]
Read More