Newsroom

A Night United 2022: A celebration of our community’s collective resilience

Thank you to everyone who attended our fourth annual “A Night United” event! A sold-out crowd of over 300 people came out to advance our mission to fight poverty and make a difference in the lives of local children and families. It was a magical evening filled with community, celebration, and togetherness.   The past two years have called on our entire community to be more resilient than ever, and it was truly a pleasure to be with all of you to reflect and honor that collective resilience. Thank you for making this “A Night United” the most successful one yet! Every dollar raised will help families break the cycle of poverty and thrive.  Special thanks to our amazing co-chairs Yvette Ruiz & Ken Krumhansl and Sarah & Joseph Schick; Board Chair Malini Rajput; Mayor Steve Adler; Presenting Sponsor Texas Mutual Insurance Company; Uniting Level Sponsors ABC Home & Commercial Services, Deloitte, Independence Title, and Judy & Patrick Cantilo; Convening and Partner Sponsors; and all of our table hosts.  As CEO David C. Smith said, “Poverty is unjust, it’s cruel, and is the result of inequitable systems. Far too many of us are making hard decisions no family should have to make: ‘Do I pay my rent, or get my car fixed so I can get to work?’ Thanks to your support, together we are proving what is possible to ensure families can thrive long term!” Our collective generosity, love, and compassion will transform the inequitable systems that prevent our beloved […]

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Meet Newton Wong: A Personal Calling to Love

Newton Wong is a true United Way champion! As a co-chair of  Tocqueville United, he is following his personal calling to make sure that everyone in our community has the opportunity to thrive.  “I Live United because I am called to love, and that means taking care and supporting my fellow brothers and sisters. While what I do may not be monumental, I believe that the collection of all of our little contributions makes a very large impact.” Why does United Way’s mission to fight poverty resonate with you personally?  I’ve had the opportunity to travel around quite a bit for work. The languages, the food, and the landscapes vary. However, poverty is a constant. Those of us who aren’t below the poverty line are fortunate. And we all have the ability to help… even if it’s a little. We may not be able to eradicate poverty in my lifetime, but we need to take steps towards changing the status quo. How can we build a better Austin that works for everyone? Austin is such a great city. Unfortunately, it’s not a great city for all. We have poverty. We have racial injustices. We have hate. To build a better Austin, we should each individually and collectively (through organizations like United Way) act to impact. How do we build a better Austin? Get all Austinites to take a step towards greatness — whether that be donating time and money, standing up for those who can’t, or hating less by loving […]

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Meet Jen and Jack Foster: Making Giving Back a Family Affair

As a former United Way Board member, and a current member of Tocqueville United and Women United, Jen Foster is a true United Way champion! Her commitment to helping build a stronger Austin is something that she is passing down to her 10-year-old son, Jack. They have turned philanthropy into a family activity and jointly make decisions on how to best invest in the Greater Austin community.  “I know that other families need support, and it’s our number one goal as a family to make sure they get it.” – Jack Foster  Austin often tops the lists of best cities to live. A great place to raise a family, a healthy local economy, a city poised for future job growth – these are just some of the honors given to our metro area. And we agree… we love it too! But not everyone in our community is sharing in the promise of Austin. Yet. United Way for Greater Austin brings people, ideas, and resources together to fight poverty in our community. Because when one of us suffers, we all suffer, and when everyone reaches their full potential, our entire community benefits and thrives. But it’s not something that can be done alone – it takes a community of kind-hearted, generous people. People like Jen and Jack Foster.  Why does your family Live United?  Jen: [United Way’s mission to fight poverty] really resonates with our family because we are really fortunate to be able to send Jack to good schools and […]

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