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URGENT: Contact Congress to Vote YES on Expanding National Service, Supporting Mentoring

The following URGENT Advocacy item was sent to us by mentoring.org: Americans are stepping forward in record numbers to serve, many inspired by the bold vision articulated by President Obama, and all motivated to roll up their sleeves to address the mounting challenges we face in communities across the country. Communities are struggling to meet the growing demand for services, due in large part to the economic downturn, and nonprofit organizations need human capital to meet the increasing needs. This includes mentoring programs and Mentoring Partnerships that are working to ensure that more young people across the country can benefit from the power of mentoring. The House Education and Labor Committee has recognized the pivotal moment we are in as a country and responded by passing H.R. 1388, the GIVE Act. Tomorrow, March 18, H.R. 1388 will move to the House floor for a vote. The GIVE Act is the House companion bill to the Serve America Act, which was introduced by a bi-partisan group of Senators led by Senators Kennedy and Hatch on January 16, 2009. Before the GIVE Act vote, your Representatives need to hear from you that this legislation is important. Among its many provisions, the bill provides mentoring programs more access to additional resources and makes it possible to boost mentoring infrastructure through additional federal funding eligibility for Mentoring Partnerships – existing statewide and local, and new partnerships. Here’s how you can help: Call your representatives (see below for instructions) BY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 AT 9AM […]

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Mayoral Candidate Forum

United Way Capital Area is a member of the Austin Area Human Services Association (AAHSA), and we encourage and invite you to attend their Mayoral and City Council Candidates Forum on Thursday, April 9 at the Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River Street. Austin voters will go to the polls May 9th to elect a new mayor and council members in Places 1, 2, 5 & 6. Click here to see a list of those running for office. Get to know the candidates and their positions on how our community can better meet the needs of our most vulnerable populations. The Forum is from 11 am to 1.30 pm. Please RSVP by visiting the AAHSA web site: http://www.aahsa.clubexpress.com/ Attendees may also pre-order a box lunch via this web site which will be purchased and served beginning at 11 a.m. at the Forum. Questions? Call Suki Steinhauser at 512-464-9713. Be a part of the solution, advocate, find your voice and support your community.

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April 20 – April 26, 2009: Financial Fitness Week

Financial Fitness Greater Austin (FFGA) is an awareness and education initiative of Senator Kirk Watson, the Alliance for Economic Inclusion (AEI), the Financial Literacy Coalition of Central Texas (FLCCT), Junior Achievement of Central Texas and more than 40 entities in the Great Austin area. The goal is to provide targeted financial education to the Austin community and create general community awareness of the importance of financial education. During Financial Fitness week, from April 20 – April 26, 2009, over 50 free financial programs will be available to the Austin community. For a complete listing see www.financialfitnessaustin.org The week will kick off with a media event at the AT&T Center with a proclamation read by Brewster McCracken on April 16th at 11:00am. Directly following the media event will be Business In Action. Business In Action is comprised of two distinct and unique events—the Economic Summit panel discussion and a student competition. As the exciting beginning to Financial Fitness Greater Austin, this event offers something for everyone. The Economic Summit will feature several Austin business leaders and financial experts who will weigh in on the current state of the economy, as well as commentary from Blake Hastings, Vice President in Charge of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ San Antonio Branch. Immediately following the panel discussion, student teams from Austin-area high schools will compete against one another to operate a successful simulated business. For more information about FFGA contact Christine Kempff at ckempff@jacentex.org Want to get involved today with helping Central Texans […]

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Advocacy Opportunity: HB 1240

From Texans Care for Children:HB 1240 is a bill to support parents receiving important information about their children’s development. New parents are often overwhelmed by all there is to learn about how to keep a child healthy and developmentally on track, during a period of rapid growth and change: the first years of a child’s life. Resources are available to help parents understand young children’s comprehensive growth and developmental needs, while also alerting them to potential red flags in healthy development and to opportunities to connect their children with environments and resources that can make a lasting difference. The challenge lies with getting these resources into the hands of new parents throughout Texas. This bill will be heard by the House Public Health Committeeafter 8 a.m., Tuesday, March 10***WHAT YOU CAN DO*** The state has an opportunity to empower caretakers with information that can help establish early positive parenting habits and increase families’ awareness of resources that can bring long-term positive effects for their children’s development. Contact members of the House Public Health Committee. If you support having a guide about early childhood needs given to new parents in Texas, please contact the committee members below by e-mail or phone. You can also come to the committee hearing in room E2.012 of the Capitol Building to put in a card of support. Forward this email on to other supporters of young children, so they know they can take action. House Committee on Public HealthChair – Rep. Lois Kolkhorst: lois.kolkhorst@house.state.tx.us (512) […]

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Enterprise Rent-a-Car Invests in Central Texas

Enterprise Rent-a-Car Foundation Invests in Central Texas with a gift to United Way Capital AreaDwayne Judice, Group Loss Control Manager, and Lindsey Hoskinson, Human Resources Supervisor, from Enterprise Rent-a-Car (ERAC) presented United Way Capital Area with a check from the Enterprise Rent-a-Car Foundation. Enterprise employees participate annually in the Enterprise Rent-a-Car workplace giving campaign, contributing to United Way and local nonprofit agencies. The Enterprise Rent-a-Car Foundation matches employee contributions fifty cents on the dollar. This match of employee contributions not only demonstrates Enterprise’s support of employee participation in the annual giving campaign but also increases the impact their employee’s gifts will have in the community. Enterprise Rent-a-Car is one of several United Way corporate partners that choose to invest their employee matching gift dollars in United Way. “The Enterprise Foundation invests employee match dollars in United Way, because we believe the United Way is the best steward of our corporate dollars, contributing the greatest impact and changing Central Texas for the long-term.”, says Howard Zaroff, Vice President and General Manager. Thank you Enterprise employees and the Enterprise Rent-a-Car Foundation for your continued support of United Way’s mission to create opportunities for all Central Texans to succeed. If you or your company is interested in learning more about how to leverage your matching gifts program to create long lasting change in Central Texas please contact Lauren Paver, Director, Corporate Relations at lauren.paver@unitedwayaustin.org or (512) 225-0393.

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Be an Education Advocate, Meet Next Austin School Superintendent

Want your voice to be heard for Education in Austin? The Austin AISD invites you to attend a Community Conversation with Dr. Meria Carstarphen, finalist for Superintendent of the Austin ISD. When: Saturday, March 7, 10 a.m. – Noon at Reagan High School Cafeteria, and Tuesday, March 10, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Travis High School Cafeteria. The Community Conversations are sponsored by the Austin Association of Public School Administrators, the Austin Council of PTA, the AISD District Advisory Council, and the AISD UpClose Program. For more information about Dr. Meria Carstarphen, click here.

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Beth Wick: 211 Texas/United Way Capital Area Partnership

February 11 was National 211 Day. We caught up with Beth Wick, Program Manager of 211 Texas Information and Referral Network, which is under the Health and Human Services Commission of Texas. She told us a little bit about what 211 does in a disaster, the most recent example being Hurricane Ike, and also shared how 211 helps the community in the current economic crisis, and gave a great explanation of how 211 Texas and a local call center, like United Way Capital Area’s 2-1-1 in Central Texas, partner together to provide information and referral services.

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Let's Move High Quality Pre-k Forward in Texas

Early Childhood advocates in Texas were very successful on Pre-K Day! TECEC writes to let us know: In response to our efforts, 59 legislators have come out in support of Senate Bill 21 and House Bill 130, which support full-day high-quality pre-k programs with an emphasis on community based partnerships. Right now, it is crucial that we ensure HB 130 is heard in committee. The longer it takes to secure a hearing in committee, the less likely the bill is to make it through the legislative process in time. You can make sure HB 130 is heard by writing Representative Rob Eissler, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Education to encourage him to bring HB 130 up for a committee hearing soon. Click here to write Representative Rob Eissler, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Education.

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Advocate Health to your friends: send them an e-card

At healthfinder.gov, you can send a personalized e-card to encourage friends and loved ones to stay healthy. Choose the e-card that fits your style, add a personal message, and send. Healthfinder also has some great personal health tools where you can take a health quiz, use health calculators, plan activities and menus, and watch and listen to videos and podcasts on numerous health-related topics.

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David Balch resigns as President and CPO

We write to you, the friends of United Way, to let you know David has resigned his position as president and chief professional officer to pursue new career interests. The board has named Debbie Bresette, UWCA executive vice president, as interim President and CPO. During David’s tenure, the people of Central Texas have partnered to provide $140 million and thousands of volunteer hours to help meet critical community needs. Hard work by talented people of United Way will help continue this vital mission. David guided the United Way Capital Area through an ambitious and critical shift in its giving model–to an approach that aims to achieve lasting gains in the lives of all Central Texans–truly a laudable mission. This era of transition at United Way Capital Area has meant a lot of hard work and has demanded that we all rise to the highest standards of committed and ethical leadership. David’s service to our organization, and to our community, has been what United Way needed through a period of substantial change. Those changes have been difficult, but change is essential to the continued vitality of every organization. David’s plans include becoming a partner in Civic Interest, LLC, which is a local collaborative of civic-minded leaders at work on community projects. Projects include continued work toward the same goals that have animated the work at United Way — addressing the region’s widening disparity gap and creating positive change in Central Texas. Thank you for your continued support and all you have […]

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