Newsroom

As our organization celebrates 90 years of serving this community and growing up alongside Austin, I’ve been reflecting on what brought me to this area in the 1970s – and it’s striking to realize that the mix of optimism and creativity that drew me here all those years ago is still what fuels my work in social justice to this day.  While I had visited Austin all throughout my childhood (and skied over snakes every summer in Ink’s Lake), by young adulthood, I was traveling around the west coast in a minivan, drawn to the next great artistic adventure.  I went to California to live in a redwood forest and restore trees to an area that had been devastated by a sawmill. I moved to New Mexico to live in an adobe house and run a 2,000 acres farm for a stunt man. When I came back to Texas, it was for the soil and the trees – I bought 50 acres of land in Bastrop that I still live on today and started an organic farm.  Austin had the perfect combination for me: I could live in the country (which feeds my soul) and I could be near artists at the same time. More than anything, Austin had and still has this aggressive optimism that says “you can do anything – make it happen.”   Austin has this aggressive optimism that says “you can do anything – make it happen.”  So I did: I grew organic vegetables and sold them to what […]

As a CPA working with nonprofits for just over 30 years, I’ve often been asked about the proper documentation and processes to claim your charitable giving when filing taxes.  To help you get ready for tax season as the year draws to a close, here are the top things to keep in mind:  1. Before anything else, check to make sure an organization is qualified. You can always ask any organization whether it is a qualified organization, and most will be able to tell you. You can also go to IRS.gov and search for qualified organizations, or call the IRS at 1-877-829-5500.  2. You’ll need documentation that you gave to a nonprofit. For gifts of more than $250, that must directly come from the organization.  Donors cannot claim a tax deduction without a record of the gift [PDF]. This could be a bank record (like a cancelled check) or a written communication from the organization (such as a receipt or letter). These have to show the name of the organization, the date of the gift and the amount.  For a gift of more than $250, you MUST obtain a “contemporaneous, written acknowledgement of the contribution” from the organization. Keep in mind: the organization doesn’t incur a penalty for not sending you a notification, so the burden is on you as the donor to get this acknowledgement. Despite that, many organizations assist donors by providing a timely, written statement.  How does this all work for payroll deductions? You can use a pledge card prepared by […]

If you’ve met our president, Debbie Bresette, you know how inspirational she can be with both words and actions. And she knows no stranger. And only sees the best in all situations. I think every organization deserves a leader like ours – one that’s full of big ideas and passionate for what they do. Her personality shapes this United Way – making this a positive, ambitious, motivating and ever-moving-forward place to work. So with 2013 coming to a close and our 90th anniversary just around the corner (2014!), we decided to sit down with our President, Debbie Bresette, to get just a little bit more inspiration until the new year. Why have you dedicated your life to this work? I’ve always thought that with the right people in the right setting, we could really move people to a place where we could have honest conversations about poverty. Before I worked at United Way I could see that the organization brought these people together – in the right place and at the right time – and that excited me.  I don’t want to be involved with changing one person – I want our systems themselves to change to support more people – and doing this kind of work gives me great satisfaction. Why does the work matter? I never wanted to work in a job that had no meaning – I was born into this life to make a difference – or at least try. I’ve also seen many injustices in […]

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, 141 million people spent an average of $400 each during the first “official” weekend of the holiday shopping season. Over the course of the full  season, shoppers will spend an average of $750 on holiday gifts for loved ones. Investing the same amount in our community could make a significant impact:  As you check off your list, filled with family members, friends and other loved ones, consider adding one more to your holiday list: our community. For what you may spend one toy, a piece of clothing or a new gadget, you can make a lasting and meaningful impact for Austin’s future.  If you’re curious what your shopping habits could mean if you invested in our community, check out our impact calculator to find out. After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, celebrate Giving Tuesday by buying a gift for our community: text UWATXHOLIDAY to 85944 to donate $10.  Gifts are a way to recognize what’s important in our lives and show appreciation for the things that matter. We hope that Austin’s future ranks high on your list – make a gift today.  Information compiled from the National Retail Foundation and UWATX Impact Calculator. With text-to-give, One-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill. Msg & data rates may apply. Available on Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile. Must be 18 or older or have authorization of account holder. Donations benefit United Way of Austin, collected by Innogive Foundation. Subject to terms: igfn.org/t. Privacy policy: igfn.org/p. Text STOP to […]

What is your background before coming to UWATX? How long have you been involved with nonprofits? I started at Deloitte, one of the Big 8 firms,  on Halloween 30 years ago. It was really great training and a wonderful way to start my career. Over my career, I’ve been involved with nonprofits in every possible way – I’ve audited nonprofit financials, served as a board member and volunteer, trained nonprofit employees – really, any way you can slice it, I’ve been involved. It may sound cheesy, but it’s because I want to leave the world better than I found it, that’s the best incentive for me. It’s personally rewarding to make a difference.   What’s been your proudest accomplishment? Well, honestly, it’s raising my son – I was a single mom for 15 years. If you do it to the best of your abilities (and no one does it 100 percent right), then it’s about a lot of personal sacrifice. My son is 38 and still calls to discuss problems – so I think I did it pretty well. Professionally, it’s creating a financial management training for nonprofits and teaching it for seven years. It has all the basics of how to a nonprofit can be successful financially, all the dull boring stuff that had to happen or an organization can’t exist. Every once in a while, I will get a call from a nonprofit asking if they can use it. I know of one client who still has her manual […]