Jennifer Poppe is a partner at Vinson & Elkins and a member of our Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) Executive Committee. In December 2012, her firm gave a $10,000 grant to Success By 6 to support young children. We spoke with her about why early childhood is important to her and why she’s chosen to be involved with UWATX. What inspires you to help young children? Over the last few years, I’ve realized how much early childhood education and development matters. I’ve seen it with people close to me – both children and adults in my family – and have also seen its impact on our community more broadly. In one case, I know someone who started school behind because he moved here when he was young from another country. Because of that difficult beginning – starting just a little behind the curve because of a language barrier – he struggled with confidence in his academic skills and wasn’t sure he could catch up through high school and into college. Those beginning years really lay the foundation for your school career and not starting on the right foot can be a serious challenge. Given this importance, I want to do what I can to help make a difference. What’s your most memorable experience giving back through Success By 6? I attended the Success By 6 Summit last year and learned a lot about how important the program is to our local community. The keynote speaker focused on statistics – that early […]
Read MoreSupport giving back this holiday season
Posted on by Debbie Bresette
Let’s be honest: many of us need a good tap on the shoulder to remind us to give back, and the holidays are a perfect reminder. As our families come together, we realize all that we have to be thankful for, we come to appreciate our community even more and it’s often a powerful inspiration to give. But there’s also another motivator: the Dec. 31 tax deadline. Right now, if you give a gift before Dec. 31, federal tax laws allow you to deduct that gift from your income and save a bit this coming tax season. The Council of Nonprofits reported that 20 percent of online giving for the entire year occurs on December 30 and 31 – so that deadline seems to be just the right tap on the shoulder for many people. But this year, with the nation’s “fiscal cliff” looming, there has been a lot of talk about capping or re-evaluating the charitable deduction. With that tap on the shoulder weakened, this could mean a devastating ripple effect. Individual donations to nonprofits equaled $298 billion in 2011. These are investments from families, parents and neighbors in our communities or in issues we care about – a way of “buying in” to a cause or a future. 20% Portion of online giving donated on Dec. 30 or 31 $298B Total individual donations to nonprofits And the need for those investments continues to grow. Our Navigation Center, which connects those in need to valuable resources, has seen it […]
Read MoreTips on saving $$$ during the holidays
Posted on by Christa Berry
During the holiday gift buying frenzy, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed about not having enough money to spend on your loved ones. However, with some careful planning and creative gift giving, you can enjoy some holiday cheer without worrying about going into debt to show you care. Below are some easy-to-follow tips that will guide you through the buying process with ease: 1. Plastic precaution Remember to be cautious with credit cards. Plan to pay off the balance at the end of the month if possible, and if not, choose the card with the lowest interest rate. If not used wisely, it could take you all year to pay off the holiday splurge. 2. Save during the season Even though it’s already December, you can still save money for shopping. If you’re in the habit of going out to lunch every day, you can bring your lunch from home a few days a week and sock away that $7 – 10. Before you know it, those lunch savings will add up to a nice sum you can spend during the holidays. 3. Coupons and sales This year retailers are offering all kinds of deals. Save the coupons and combine with special offers – but don’t be tempted by extras not on the shopping list. 4. Stay away from store credit cards Store credit cards tend to have the highest interest rates around, somewhere in the ballpark of 20% APR. Also, limites on such cards tend to be much […]
Read MoreExpert Advice: Books for young children and young parents
Posted on by Aviva Pinchas
“Reading with children early turns them into life-long learners – it’s a great way to engage their brains and help children develop.” – Dr. Alison Bentley, Program Coordinator, Success By 6. The holiday season is an important time for families: children come home for the holidays, brothers and sisters exchange gifts, and generations celebrate together. Since it is the season of gift-giving, we asked our Success By 6 team of early childhood experts what books they would recommend as gifts for young children and young parents. These books can be a great gift for friends or a fun activity for you and your little ones. Books for Children Bear Snores On by Wilson Karma The whole Bear series is great, but this gem takes place in winter – a perfect match for holiday reading! Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child by Julia Donaldson (also Room on the Broom and The Snail and the Whale) These books are beautifully illustrated, introduce children to many different animals and use a wide range of vocabulary and rhyming words. Over in the Meadow by Olive A. Wadsworth This book uses rhyming verses to introduce a variety of animals, their young and the numbers one through ten. Dinner at the Panda Palace by Stephanie Calmenson This book includes rhyming verses, a variety of animals and the numbers one through ten. That’s What Friends Are For by Florence Parry Heide and Sylvia Van Clief This is a wonderful story about friendship. From Head To Toe by Eric […]
Read MoreHands On focuses on holiday gifts
Posted on by Christa Berry
Dates: November 16, 2012 – December 19, 2012 Hands On Central Texas, UWATX’s volunteer program, is working with our community partners to support Austin families this holiday season. Please join our effort in fundraising the following items for the following groups and individuals: Gift Cards for Financial Education Middle School Uniforms & Sweaters Playground Adoption & Clean-Up Tablet Covers & Screen Protectors for Success By 6 Pre-Teens to Young Adults Book Drive Teacher Care Kits Turkey Donations to Local Food Pantry The Basics: Diapers, Wipes and Underwear (socks, too!) Culturally Sensitive Thanksgiving Dinner Drive for Local Middle School Students This is a family-friendly volunteer opportunity that your faith-based organization, school leadership group and neighborhood can rally behind. This citywide Holiday Drive is an example of United Way’s goal to build philanthropy in our community by providing both giving and volunteer opportunities, allowing everyone to be a philanthropist regardless of how much they earn or where they live. The act of giving binds us all together and joins us in the shared mission of making sure our community continues to thrive. Holiday Drives can be organized individually or as a team. This opportunity to help continues through Wednesday, December 19th. Find out more. Photo courtesy of cwwycoff1 via Creative Commons.
Read MoreThank you! #GivingTuesday
Posted on by Debbie Bresette
This past Thursday, I sat down with three generations of my family – our kids and our grandkids, and with our extended family of friends that come over to fill our house with laughter, love and of course delicious food. As we passed the sweet potatoes and enjoyed salads from our garden, we went around the table thanking one another, sharing our appreciation for friends and neighbors. I thought about the community we were describing, a collection of individuals who had given something to someone – a cup of sugar, an understanding shoulder – and in doing so, created a ripple effect that we were sharing around the table. Four days after Thanksgiving, today is the first annual Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to celebrating and inspiring the act of giving. Giving Tuesday is a national initiative that follows on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – days when those of us with much are able to buy gifts for friends and family. Giving Tuesday is a day that celebrates what I am truly thankful for: the philanthropists I interact with every day, who understand the importance of giving back. Philanthropy is a very important word to me; it literally means the love of humanity. To some folks, it means writing a large check – but to me, it’s about giving back in any way that you can. Those who give their time, their talents or, of course, their dollars are participating in an act that binds us […]
Read MoreLocal Holiday Assistance Programs: How you can help
Posted on by Christa Berry
Each year around the holidays, nonprofits, faith-based communities and community partners come together to contribute to holiday joy for the most needy in our community. Programs range from holiday meals (like yesterday’s Feast of Sharing, put on by H-E-B) and food boxes to holiday gifts for children. And whether you’re in need of these resources or you’d like to contribute, you can just call 2-1-1, a service of our Navigation Center, to connect to up-to-date information about these holiday assistance programs. In Travis County, holiday gift programs are provided by The Salvation Army Social Service Center, Operation Blue Santa, which is operated by the Austin Police Department, and Brown Santa, run by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. The programs match individuals and families in need with organizations and individual sponsors who provide holiday meals, toys and gifts. For many area children, these are the only toys they will receive all year. In addition to providing holiday assistance information through 2-1-1, the United Way Navigation Center publishes calendars each year that include free or low-cost Thanksgiving and Christmas meals in Central Texas. The calendars are used by area nonprofits, like the Capital Area Food Bank. 2-1-1 also provides information on holiday volunteer opportunities each year. Just last week, 2-1-1 received a call from a woman who had received assistance from the Christmas Bureau in the past and said that because she is in a better place in her life this year, she wanted information on how to volunteer to help others in […]
Read MoreUWATX’s Navigation Center Partners with CAMPO
Posted on by Christa Berry
Beginning in November, our Navigation Center will embark on a partnership with the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) to help improve access to information about transportation resources for callers of 2-1-1. CAMPO is the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties in Central Texas. The purpose of CAMPO is to coordinate regional transportation planning with counties, cities, Capital Metro, the Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and other transportation providers in the region and to approve the use of federal transportation funds within the region. Currently, most of the transportation-related calls received at 2-1-1 pertain to other caller needs, such as older adults or people with disabilities who need help getting to medical appointments; residents in rural areas who may have to rely on multiple transportation systems to make a single trip; and families living in poverty who have run out of food and cannot afford bus fare to get to a food pantry. The funding provided by CAMPO will allow 2-1-1 to work with Capital Metro and CARTS to better assist callers in utilizing transportation services, social services and other community resources more seamlessly. UWATX Navigation Center staff will work with transportation specialists at both organizations to create trainings for 2-1-1 Navigation Specialists on how to navigate the complex transportation system and relay information to callers in a usable way. If staff are unable to assist a caller with complex transportation issues, we will be able to escalate […]
Read MoreWLC Tours Northeast Austin Play To Learn session
Posted on by Aviva Pinchas
Play To Learn: An 8-week parent education course that teaches parents how to help their children become school ready and incorporates tablet technology. On a cool November morning, Women’s Leadership Council members met in Northeast Austin to take an exclusive look at Play To Learn, a project of the UWATX Success By 6 program that works to reach vulnerable young children. Thirteen eager toddlers sang, danced, and played as their mothers and fathers looked on with pride. At Play To Learn, parents join in the fun as skilled facilitators guide them with helpful tips and child development information. “As part of the evaluation model, families are interviewed three times: before the program, at the end of the 8 week course and 3 months after the program,” said Kaley Horton, Success By 6 Project Coordinator. “Our first Play To Learn cohort just passed the three month mark and received their tablets. We’ve really been able to see what a valuable family tool the tablet is for vulnerable families.” WLC members left the tour with an even greater understanding of and appreciation for SB6’s work in the community: “I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about this unique program that is clearly impacting the lives of the families that are a part of it. Seeing it in person had a great impact- the parents were very engaged with their children and with the learning activities today.” – Judy Donigan, Sales Manager at 3M “It was wonderful to finally get to see the […]
Read More[VIDEO] How we make Austin greater
Posted on by Aviva Pinchas
![[VIDEO] How we make Austin greater](https://www.unitedwayaustin.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nov2012_BobbyJ_video-1.png)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h66EK3NeaIA&feature=g-upl[/youtube] At UWATX, our mission is to help Austin thrive by inspiring, leading and uniting an eclectic community of philanthropists to overcome barriers to economic opportunities. This video focuses on how our strategic programs – Success By 6, Target Graduation, Financial Opportunity and the Navigation Center – are making a difference in Greater Austin. Special thanks to Sneaky Giants for making this happen!
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