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A Night United 2024: Building a stronger Central Texas, woven together by community

United Way for Greater Austin’s 6th annual A Night United brought together more than 400 guests who filled the room with generosity and connection to celebrate 100 years serving our community and continue weaving together a more prosperous community for all. As we lay the foundation for our next 100 years, we build upon a century of wisdom and innovation for a rapidly changing world. United Way stands as a beacon, striving to create a vibrant, thriving community where everyone in Greater Austin has access to high-quality early care and education and life-changing resources. A Night United built on that heartfelt promise. Thanks to the generous support of many, we raised more than $500,000 to help provide all Central Texans with opportunities to thrive.   At the event, guests had the opportunity to purchase a Golden Ticket to win a trip to Portugal, Belize, or the Virgin Islands. Guests also had the chance to bid on several fantastic auction packages — including a package for sports enthusiasts and tickets to see Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour in New Orleans. During the cocktail reception that kicked off A Night United, guests left their imprint by tying a ribbon to an art installation, which will be on display at the former Pease Elementary School, future home to United Way and a high-quality child care center. And throughout the evening, guests walked through a timeline showcasing important milestones in our community and for our organization from the past 100 years.   Special thanks […]

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20 Free Thanksgiving Meals in Greater Austin

Every holiday season, United Way’s Navigation Center helps local families access free or low-cost meals and holiday events across the Greater Austin area. To make it easy for community members to find these seasonal events, we’ve compiled a calendar of 20 free Thanksgiving meals this month.  Make sure to check the links for registration details and application deadlines. Mobile Loaves & Fishes’ event on November 20 even offers additional items such as backpacks, sleeping bags, flu shots, and haircuts for individuals who do not have a home. View the calendar in Spanish For more than 25 years, United Way for Greater Austin’s Navigation Center has helped people navigate the complex system of health and human services in Central Texas. Anyone can contact the Navigation Center by dialing 2-1-1. Know someone looking for assistance? Tell them to give us a call to get connected to resources in our community.  

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If You Give a Child a Book: A Book Days and Greater Austin Reading Coalition collaboration

Instilling a love of reading in kids is critical to ensuring more children are reading at or above their grade level–a core piece of United Way’s mission to break the cycle of poverty in our community. That’s why the Greater Austin Reading Coalition, powered by United Way, has partnered with Book Days, a local children’s literacy program, to host book tours for students at Title 1* schools.  Book Days’ mission is to encourage a love of reading in children by making reading exciting and bringing books to life. The program does this through theatrical performances and a variety of multi-sensory activities to engage and excite students. In partnership with the Greater Austin Reading Coalition, they launched their first tour across Austin ISD in February 2023.  The tour featured the beloved classic If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff. In just three days, the program reached over 1,500 children at eight schools in Austin ISD. At each stop, children participated in a theatrical reading of the book by the mouse himself. Throughout the tour, students not only improved their reading skills, they grew their passion for books. This year, the Greater Austin Reading Coalition looks forward to partnering with Book Days for even more reading tours that build a culture of reading for fun and cultivate a love of books in children. The Greater Austin Reading Coalition is convened by United Way for Greater Austin as part of the organization’s collective impact work to fight poverty. Looking for […]

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A Night United 2023: celebrating the dreams that inspire us

Wow, what a night! A sold-out crowd of nearly 400 people came out to A Night United to support our mission to break the cycle of poverty and help local children and families keep reaching for their dreams in our continued fight for equity. Thanks to the generous support of so many, we exceeded our fundraising goal of $500,000! A lot has changed since United Way opened its doors to the Greater Austin community nearly 100 years ago. Our world, our region, and even our skyline has changed. But we’ve never lost sight of the shared values that define us: hope, drive, success, and potential—even when systems keep too many from reaching as high as they could. As CEO David C. Smith said at A Night United, “Hundreds of thousands of our neighbors haven’t yet had the opportunity to realize their dreams. You are that foundation that allows them to dream bigger, beyond basic needs, to bigger goals that benefit all of us, all while ensuring their children start off knowing there are no limits, reaching for the stars. This is our dream at United Way, knowing when one of us wins, we all win. Now is the time for us to dream big together–imagine with us what we can create together.” We know that when we come together, we rise above. Hand in hand, we can ensure everyone can reach their full potential. Thank you for being a part of this endeavor.  Special thanks to our amazing co-chairs Judy […]

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MLK Jr. Service Week: Honoring the legacy of Dr. King

Celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. every year is critical to our commitment to the fight for racial equity and creating a Greater Austin region that works for everyone. Last week, United Way for Greater Austin hosted a series of in-person community volunteer opportunities and an educational walking tour to honor Dr. King. On Monday, January 16, more than 100 volunteers at two different locations across Travis and Williamson counties rolled up their sleeves to clean up parks in our community, in honor of Dr. King’s powerful words, ‘What are you doing for others?’ Senator John Cornyn and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson attended the event in Austin and thanked volunteers for their time. On Friday, January 20, dozens of community members joined us on a guided tour, led by Harrison Eppright of Six Square: Austin’s Black Cultural District, to explore the Austin area that was originally created to segregate the Black community in 1928. Participants toured historic buildings and landmarks, and learned about the history of East Austin and how this neighborhood played a critical role in forming the city that we know today. See photos from the volunteer events and walking tour. “We thank you for volunteering to support United Way’s mission of bringing together people, ideas, and resources to fight poverty,” United Way CEO David C. Smith emphasized at the event. “When Dr. King said, ‘Everybody can be great because everybody can serve,’ he knew that we reach our highest potential as human […]

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Free December gift programs in Greater Austin

Every December, United Way for Greater Austin’s Navigation Center sees a spike in calls from people looking for help for the holidays. To help Central Texans find these resources, we’ve created a calendar of free December gift programs and meals happening throughout the month. This year’s events range from toy giveaways to Christmas parties, gift deliveries, free coats and books, meal baskets, and more. Most gift programs require registration to participate–be sure to check each program’s eligibility requirements. View the calendar in Spanish For more than 25 years, United Way for Greater Austin’s Navigation Center has helped people navigate the complex system of health and human services in Central Texas. Anyone can contact the Navigation Center by dialing 2-1-1. Know someone looking for assistance? Tell them to give us a call to get connected to resources in our community.

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Free Thanksgiving meals and gift programs in Greater Austin

Each year, United Way for Greater Austin’s Navigation Center sees a spike in calls during November and December, many from people looking for a warm meal for the holidays. To help Central Texans find these resources, we’ve created a calendar of free Thanksgiving meals happening throughout the month. This year’s events range from in-person Thanksgiving meals, to meal deliveries, drive-thru meal options, meal kits, and more. Several organizations are also offering free toys, books, and gifts for kids. Some December gift programs have application deadlines in November–be sure to read each program’s eligibility requirements, as several events require registration to participate.  View the calendar in Spanish For more than 25 years, United Way for Greater Austin’s Navigation Center has helped people navigate the complex system of health and human services in Central Texas. Anyone can contact the Navigation Center by dialing 2-1-1. Know someone looking for assistance? Tell them to give us a call to get connected to resources in our community.  

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More than 140 volunteers come together for Summer Day of Caring

On Friday, June 3, over 140 volunteers at 12 different locations across Travis and Williamson counties rolled up their sleeves at United Way for Greater Austin’s Summer Day of Caring, a community-wide volunteer event. Volunteers worked on a range of projects, from cleaning up local parks to painting jungle gyms at child development centers to gardening at local nonprofits – and more!  “These Days of Caring are so important. It connects us with each other, it connects us with the community, and it connects us with the truth that when one of us suffers we all suffer, and when one of us celebrates we all celebrate,” said United Way for Greater Austin CEO David C. Smith while at a volunteer location in Leander (pictured below).  “Volunteering with United Way makes a difference,” shared Terry Cook, Commissioner of Precinct 1 in Williamson County. Terry and her team volunteer every year, and choose to support United Way for Greater Austin because “the tasks chosen by United Way are very impactful.”  Events like Summer Day of Caring are a crucial part of United Way’s mission to fight poverty. Volunteering makes a direct impact on our community in a powerful way. Community events like these aren’t possible without the help of our amazing volunteers and sponsors. A big thank you to H-E-B, JPMorgan Chase, QuikTrip, Superior HealthPlan, and Texas Gas Service for their support in making Summer Day of Caring a success!   Check out the full photo album for Summer Day of Caring here. […]

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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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Honor Dr. MLK Jr.’s life and legacy with us

Join us Monday, January 17 as we continue our annual tradition of gathering with our neighbors in service and learning to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King believed in the power of individuals to strengthen communities and achieve common goals, and all of us here at United Way do too. That’s what our mission – bringing people, ideas, and resources together to fight poverty in our community – is all about.  For our 2022 MLK Jr. Day of Service, we invite you to join us for one or several socially-distanced activities, all of which carry on Dr. King’s legacy of anti-racism, justice, and equity.   Learn: Take our self-guided walking tour. Walk through part of the area of Austin that was originally created to segregate Black Austinites in 1928, and reflect on how walking played a critical role in the Civil Rights Era.   Give: Donate books to the “I Am Brave” book drive. We’re partnering with Brave Communities to provide reading material to young people from  vaccine-hesitant populations, and bring awareness of the importance of diverse representation and storytelling in books.   Advocate: Advocacy is volunteerism, and we encourage you to use your voice to enact change in 2022. The Texas Primary Election is March 1. Voter education impacts voter turnout, so take some time today to make sure that you and your loved ones are registered to vote.   Volunteer: Get outside this MLK Jr. Day with the Austin Parks Foundation. Check out […]

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