Author: Aviva Pinchas

I’m excited to announce the launch of the Latino/Hispanic community engagement strategy, as part of our Culture Connections program! We want to listen, learn and engage this very important and growing segment of the community. We are interested in engaging Latinos/Hispanics in addressing issues important to their communities. Hopefully, we’ll be able to come up with some good projects and innovative ways to connect with this community. Yeah, this is one of the ways United Way is being more intentional and authentic in it’s community work. It’s a very simple survey and you can take the survey here or call the survey line at 512-498-4900. The survey is in English and in the original Texas language…Español! Check out our press release y tambien me pueden llamar si tienen preguntas sobre la encuesta al 512-225-0360. Si Se Puede!MandoDirector, Manos Sobre…Central Texas!

We all know how hard Mando has been working to engage Central Texans in volunteer work, and he may be honored for it this spring. Check out the website for Austin Under 40 here. If you look through the website, you’ll see some well known Central Texas movers and shakers on the past winners list. Here are the other finalists in the Community Service category with him: Community Service, presented by Capital One Bank Chase Bearden, The Coalition of Texans with Disabilities Caroline Boudreaux, The Miracle Foundation Jim Higgins Walker, Central Texas Sustainability Indicators Project David Pena, National Hispanic Business Association Armando Rayo, Hands on Central Texas, United Way Capital Area Congratulations Mando and good luck from all of us at United Way Capital Area!

I just spent 3 1/4 days of learning! Yes, this is exciting! (notice the exclamations!) I love to learn from experiences, from others, from myself and dare I say say it….from failure. I believe this is when we learn the most – when we fail. That’s one of my key take-aways from the Lab – to not be afraid of failure; putting yourself out there, being innovative, being authentic in your work and whether you succeed or fail, you were bold enough to try something new. From there you pick-up the pieces, you learn and try it again. Rich Harwood also talked about focusing our efforts outward to the community – for the common good. He asked those of us that work in nonprofits, “do you really know your community?” I responded with a no. We think we know our communities because we work in nonprofits and see the needs on a daily basis and we have the data to prove it (at least to ourselves) but we really don’t know what the “community” wants, what their aspirations are, their dreams for their kids, families and neighborhoods. Rich said that we need to stop thinking of clients as clients, donors as donors and we need to see them as citizens of the community. In many cases, we don’t see them as citizens, we see them as recipients of services or funders of our events and programs. If we want to authentically engage our communities, we need to change the way […]

featuring J. Barry Griswell, Chairman and CEO of The Principal Financial Group As chief executive officer of one of the world’s leading financial companies, Barry Griswell knows a thing or two about smart investments. And on February 20, he’ll be in Austin to talk with us about the astonishing economic impact of early childhood education. Prior to his compelling presentation, TXP (Texas Perspectives) economist Jon Hockenyos will unveil findings from the just-published Travis County Child Care Economic Impact Study. E3Alliance Executive Director Susan Dawson will also speak to chosen regional priorities around early childhood education. Closing remarks by David Balch, President and CPO of United Way Capital Area, will provide a call to action for the top-level business and policy leaders in attendance. The Most Important Investment takes place at the Hyatt Regency Austin on Wednesday, February 20 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (By invitation only.) Special thanks to our event sponsor:

Today we began to scratch the surface. We started to dig into perceptions of our communities, whether it’s the Eastside or Central Texas. What we found is that the perceptions where all based on individual experiences, where we live and how well we’re connected to the community and what we’re exposed to in the community. I for one, feel we have a long way to go: We don’t have broad, diverse and deep leadership; we have tattered networks, we are isolated (East vs. West/I-35 Railroad Tracks), nonprofit organizations are stuck in old patterns, still consider themselves charities as opposed to social entrepreneurs and don’t get me started on the divisiveness of the sector. With that said, I still have hope for our community! I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have hope because I see it in Public Innovators, in Volunteer Project Leaders, in everyday volunteers and community members; the willingness to help people and change our community’s conditions. They remind me how small acts of goodness can create the change we need in our community. Now, let’s work on doubling, tripling, quatripaling these acts of goodness! Public Innovators: Amanda Chiampi & Pflugerville’s own Rod Reyna! Will you “be the change?” Tell us how!!!! MandoDirector, Hands On Central Texas

What are your aspirations for Central Texas? I”ll tell you mine: Central Texas is an inclusive community, we are proactive in addressing community issues and everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Well, I guess that”s more than one aspiration, but I think we can get there. Today, we are in the first day of Public Innovator Lab, hosted by Rich Harwood and the Harwood Intitute for Public Innovation. The Lab is an orientation on how Central Texans can make “real change” happen in our community; to address our community”s most pressing issues. I”m excited about the next three days. I”m in a room with people full of knowledge, experience and the “ganas” to make things happen. I”m talking about community, nonprofit, city, business and regional folks. One of online slots the first things we discussed was our aspirations for our Central Texas community. In our discussion, we talked about the issues (poverty, economic and educational disparities, racism, neighborhood isolation, etc.) and how we can come together to make a lasting difference. I want to share some of our aspiration notes (see above). Today, we started to build a network of people who want to make change and hope real. What issues will we tackle or how will we go about it? That”s still to be determined but I am excited about the possibilities! Public Innovators: Tommy Darwin (UT) & Margaret Valenti (City of Austin) Read more about the Harwood InstituteView the first class of Public Innovators MandoDirector, Hands On Central […]

“I Live Here, I Give Here” has a video on YouTube that offers compelling reasons for why giving in Central Texas is so important. With our President and Chief Professional Officer David Balch as a member of the I Live Here, I Give Here steering committee, we are proud to participate with the The “I Live Here, I Give Here” campaign, which aims to boost local giving by educating fellow Austinites about the needs in Central Texas and the organizations working to meet those needs.

Making a donation to the United Way has never been easier. You probably saw the Super Bowl ad: But, in case you missed it, you can text FIT to 864833 to make a $5.00 donation and have the charge added to your wireless phone bill. Through an unprecedented partnership of United Way, NFL, Mobile Accord, and the Mobile Giving Foundation, with the support of VeriSign, a minimum of $4.50 for every $5.00 donation sent via text message will go directly to support United Way youth fitness efforts across the country.

We recently paid a visit Capital IDEA, one of the new programs under our Financial Stability focus area. Everyone from United Way who participated in the visit agreed that they are making impressive changes in some Central Texans’ lives. The results of Capital IDEA’s work are clearly demonstrable in this chart that shows the quarterly earnings trajectories of 321 program participants: Brian Hennigton was an experienced IT worker but due to the industry’s downward turn he was laid off five times! As the jobs became less plentiful, Brian knew he would have to get a better education in order to compete. And as a single father of three, this goal was even more important. But how would he go back to school, take care of his family, and pay the bills? That’s when he heard about Capital IDEA. “Capital IDEA paid for my tuition and books, which was great. But what was really helpful was that they helped with childcare,” explains Brian. With this support, he graduated from ACC with an Associate of Science in 2005. But he didn’t stop there. He went back and got his A +/Network + Certifications in March 2006. This exceptional education gave Brian the edge he needed; he now works at Seton Healthcare as an IT Systems Analyst. “I’m now making 50% more than before I started at Capital IDEA,” Brian says. But this isn’t what he’s most proud of. “My kids are proud of me,” he beams. Capital IDEA gave Brian the support […]