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I’m proud of our United Way for our focus on diversity and inclusion, and it’s one of many reasons why I choose to spend my days working here. Over the past several years, we’ve changed our policies to be more inclusive of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community by requiring all agencies that we fund to sign a sexual orientation non-discrimination policy and providing domestic partner health benefits for our own employees. Now, we’re embarking on outreach into the GLBT community. This past week, we participated in the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival (agliff). The festival always has an impressive showing of international films and this year featured 120 films from 21 countries. My personal favorites were The Bubble, an Israeli-Palestinian love story set in Tel Aviv, and Poltergay, a hilarious French spoof on ghost flicks and 70s disco fever. We were involved in the film festival in a couple of ways. United Way Capital Area placed an ad in the agliff program book, distributed materials at the festival, and sponsored two films which included speaking for a few minutes to the film audience. We were paired with Through Thick & Thin, a documentary about seven bi-national gay and lesbian couples whose lives are dramatically affected by the current US immigration laws, and My Super 8 Season, a story of the friendship between two young activists in Paris in the early 1970s. Our future plans for GLBT inclusion & outreach include distributing our materials at University […]

North Austin residents are taking back their neighborhoodSenior Officer Michael Young, Sergeant William H. Beechinor and Sergeant Eddie E. Holland. Photo by John L. Hanson Jr.(source: KUT.org)Austin receives low grade in giving Birthdays: IBM turns 40 & El Buen turn turns 20 Help re-shape Education in Central Texas San Antonio Spurs & Houston Rockets support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas Group wants to make Philadelphia neighborhoods safer with 10,000 men Grand Haven man is 93, but still puts others first

Armando Rayo, Director of Hands On Central Texas, was interviewed by KUT for a story about doing criminal background checks on volunteers, and how that affects both the nonprofit and the volunteers themselves. This is a growing issue, as more and more donors/supporters demand that nonprofits use volunteers who don’t have serious criminal backgrounds. What do you think? Is doing criminal background checks on nonprofit volunteers a good thing—or would it deter quality volunteers from lending a hand in the first place? Let us know your thoughts by commenting here. Listen to the interview here. (Fast forward to 1:48 to hear the story.)

We’ve heard a lot of positive feedback so far about our Third Annual Speaker Series event with Lee & Bob Woodruff. Everyone who attended said the presentation was captivating; the discussion of veterans’ needs and the impact on family and community was positive and fruitful. We thought it was great that the Woodruffs referenced United Way in their speech, and mentioned the United Way’s three focus areas (Education, Financial Stability, Health), and how these issues resonated with their own experiences in dealing with tragedy. This drove home to the crowd how important United Way is on so many different levels, not just locally or nationally, but worldwide. Lee Woodruff’s point about everyone having their own personal tragedy to relate to theirs was very touching and struck a chord with the crowd and made everyone able to relate. The event was a very personal experience, and even though it was a huge crowd, it seemed intimate the way it was set up, as if it could have happened in our living rooms as a discussion, rather than being just another public speaking event. The VIP reception was elegant but conducive to discussion with the Woodruffs and with other’s attending. A special “thank you” to presenting sponsor Wachovia and all of our other sponsors for making the event happen! If you attended last night’s event, we’d love to hear your observations as well–don’t hesitate to offer a comment on Bob and Lee Woodruff’s story. From today’s Daily Texan: “You don’t have to […]

In this video, Rich Harwood thanks Central Texas, and talks about the community work of Public Innovators that is beginning here.

Check out Rich Harwood”s Redeeming Hope Blog. He was just recently in Austin for the Community Engagement Summit and this is what he had to say: “The emergence of change is truly inspiring to watch. It online slots takes the right conditions and the right people to ignite and sustain something real and in Central Texas signs of change are emerging.” Read the full blog entry…

The Senator took time out of his busy schedule to address the importance of leadership, collaboration, and volunteer work to a group of 45 YLS and WGN members during lunch. His knack for storytelling and passion for improving Central Texas makes for an inspirational and good time. Please check out his website www.kirkwatson.com to follow the work of Texas Monthly’s “Legislative Rookie of the Year” in 2007.

If you like football, check out this spoof Peyton Manning stars in for United Way, courtesy of SNL!

At the Women’s Giving Network Annual Meeting & Social, WGN proudly introduced the 2007-2008 WGN Signature Project – Success by Six Play and Learn Groups. Members signed up to volunteer for a variety of WGN activities and had a great time touring Austin’s beautiful, new, “green” hospital!