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“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!” Helping all kids in the Greater Austin area go more places is what we do at United Way ATX through our work with the Success By 6 (SX6) Coalition. Ensuring all kids are happy, healthy, and ready to succeed at school and beyond is the top priority, and we know that access to books and a high-quality education help us get more kids there. Through our Pre-K Partnerships program, a Success By 6/AISD collaboration, we partner with child development centers in the Austin community to deliver high-quality pre-K and provide partnership centers with resources that help them improve and sustain quality services for children. This partnership is flourishing, and exceeding our first-year expectations…and a local acclaimed children’s book author took notice. Kat Kronenberg is the best-selling author of the Love Big trilogy, inspiring kids to dream, think, and love BIG to reach their full potential. She knows this BIG goal can’t be achieved alone, so we are honored that she reached out to partner with United Way in sharing her books, message, and heart at two of our Pre-K Partnership sites. “For the new year, one of my resolutions is to help bridge the gap for kids that tend to be left behind and make books relevant and exciting for them….I have helped in different cities over the years, and […]

For those of you who are familiar with 2-1-1, you know it is a powerful service. In Central Texas, 2-1-1 is leveraged by thousands of people stretching a 10-County region from Bastrop to Llano and beyond. Every day, people who work hard, but still struggle to make ends meet contact 2-1-1 to access free and confidential services for food, healthcare, transportation, and more.  Today, on National 2-1-1 Day, we are celebrating our fearless and dedicated staff. No matter the situation, the 2-1-1 team listens, identifies underlying problems, and connects people with resources and services in our community – but most importantly they exercise empathy. Keep reading to hear from three dedicated 2-1-1 team members about how working for this service has changed their lives.  For 11-year veteran Jessica Venson, Director of Client Services, amazement was her first impression of 2-1-1.  “The fact that my job was to listen to people’s stories, help them problem solve possible solutions and then also be able to provide them with a direction was unreal,” Jessica said. “It didn’t seem like this could actually be a real job…. a place where I could genuinely show my concern or care, and find ways to support others in my community.” After transitioning to the 2-1-1 team in August of 2019, 2-1-1 Call Specialist Cassie Gallardo said her eyes were opened to the depth of the need in Central Texas.  “Before I started working United Way ATX, I was a struggling mother and I contacted 2-1-1 for help,” […]

If you or someone you know is in need of a warm meal this month, below you will find a calendar of free events that are open to the public.   Download the English file here. Download the Spanish file here.    

If you or someone you know is in need of a warm meal this month, below you will find a calendar of free events that are open to the public.   Coming Soon: December’s Community Holiday Meal Calendar   Download the file here.  

-Ashley Haustein, Director of Marketing and Communications I recently had a chance to sit down with Earl Maxwell, CEO at St. David’s Foundation here in Austin, TX. We talked about Earl’s views on philanthropy, the partnership between our two organizations, and — as Earl prepares for retirement — his words of wisdom for the next generation of philanthropists. Q: What people and experiences shaped your views on philanthropy? Really it goes back to my grandparents. They were always giving back and helping people. Their philanthropy was confined to their church, family, and neighborhood. I remember they were always putting people up… they had a rollaway bed that people would sleep on as they were looking for a job. My mom was also really generous. She was a Registered Nurse, and she served as our neighborhood nurse. I grew up with this idea of giving back front and center. Right out of college, I went to go work for Deloitte. On the last day of my training, the local Partner Bob Cruikshank came in to talk with us. He talked about the importance of being involved in the community. I remember leaving that training thinking, “That’s the kind of CPA I want to become.” Q: St. David’s Foundation is “building the healthiest community in the world.” That’s awesome. Tell me a little bit about the challenges Austin faces in the arena of health and how St. David’s Foundation is working to address those challenges. Our community’s challenges in health are huge, […]