Name: Bank of America Partner for: 20+ years Partner for: Employee Campaign, Financial Opportunity Our relationship: Bank of America runs an Employee Giving Campaign every year, but with new Austin Market President Nikki Salzillo being open to doing things differently this year, Bank of America took their Campaign to a completely new level. This year, campaign co-chairs Anne Walker and Luke Martinez set out to make a bigger impact. Both engaged as UWATX Strategic Advisors (Anne advising Financial Opportunity and Target Graduation, and Luke working with Young Leaders Society and Hands On Central Texas), they were inspired to grow their company’s support for our community. Here’s what they did differently: Involving leadership to make a greater impact Prior to their campaign kickoff, Bank of America held their Austin market leadership meeting at UWATX, where UWATX President Debbie Bresette, Nikki Salzillo and campaign co-chairs Walker and Martinez spoke with the team about the importance of giving and the real-world impact their donations carry. The Bank of America Employee Campaign Leadership Team amplified this powerful message by sharing it with the site leaders at every Austin Market Bank of America location – empowering site leaders to take ownership over their Employee Campaign and engage their peers. Motivated by the message, many leaders invited our staff to come in and speak at their site! Encouraging philanthropy both inside and outside of the office To encourage participation in its UWATX Employee Campaign, Bank of America offers jean days to sites with 100 percent participation. […]
Read MoreUWATX: What We Do
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPZTdJaMoiY[/youtube] United Way for Greater Austin has been in this community since 1924 – committed to making Austin greater by building philanthropy and running strategic programs. In the presentation above, Debbie Bresette, our president since 2009, breaks down how we do it: To build philanthropy, we run employee campaigns, giving everyone in our community who earns a paycheck the opportunity to give back. We also coordinate volunteer efforts because we believe giving your time is valuable as well, and we work to inspire individual giving because we know we are all richer when we give back. Last year, we raised more than $16M for nonprofit organizations and coordinated nearly 100,000 hours of volunteering. Of that fundraising, donors entrusted $5.1M to our organization – and we put that giving to work for Greater Austin. In our strategic programs, se support young children through Success By 6, middle school students through Target Graduation and families through Financial Opportunity, and we provide an easy way to connect to services and resources through the Navigation Center. But we also know that it takes a village – for children to succeed, they need parent support, for families to thrive, they need quality education for their children. So our programs are structured to create wrap-around services. Our work is coordinated, knowing that supporting one student can be a key first step to improving the trajectory of a whole family. It’s also targeted in areas that have the highest needs, innovative (because we keep an eye on the landscape […]
Read More32 dedicated summer VISTAs gave 9K+ hours of service this summer to make Austin greater
This summer, 32 AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associates joined UWATX to gather data, bolster services & increase outreach. Three months later, they’ve given more than nine thousand hours of service and accomplished quite a bit: 9K+ Hours of services our 32 AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associates gave to our community this summer Implemented research-based math curriculum in 17 preschool classrooms reaching over 230 preschool children Assessed over 270 preschool children’s receptive language skills to establish baseline for on-going data collection Translated more than 100 popular children’s titles to increase the Austin Public Library‘s bilingual youth collection Facilitated over 20 youth programming events for the Austin Public Libraries Assisted with bilingual preschool storytimes for more than 500 families Expanded the Out-of-School-Time Mapping Study by surveying 133 for-profit and nonprofit agencies Collected information about family resource centers and rural service providers to expand 2-1-1’s resource database From working with our youngest and most vulnerable children to reaching out to rural counties to provide education about available services, the story of what our AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associates did this summer goes well beyond numbers: “After one event, I was approached by a parent and her young child. She expressed concern about not knowing how to provide a good book for her child who was starting first grade next year because she was not able to speak or read in English. I recommended some books and tried to provide some sense of encouragement. She was very grateful. The VISTA member in me, felt an even greater sense […]
Read MoreMake the most of summer
The summer time, when children are home and work seems to slow down, is an opportunity and a challenge – adults and children alike tend to have more time to explore their interests, but finding the right way to invest your time can be daunting. Without engaging activities, summer can become a barrier for students, and a missed opportunity for adults. Back in the day (just a few years ago), summer was a time for curling up with a new book, but with the explosion of new technology, there’s a whole host of other types of media to enrich your summer. So, inspired by NPR, our on-staff experts on young children, financial literacy and philanthropy put together some recommendations for media that’s good for the heart and the mind: Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (PBS Show) – A spinoff of Mr. Roger’s Nighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is a new animated program for preschoolers ages 2 to 4 that teaches key social skills through imagination, creativity and music. Recommended by: Greg Bennett, father of 2-year-old Lilly and Manager, Public Sector campaigns For: Young children Endless Alphabet (iPad App) – A free iPad app, Endless ABCs helps children build their vocabulary with adorable monsters, interactive puzzles, talking letters and animation. The app helps children recognize letters, understand words and develop their fine motor skills. Recommended by: Amber Welsh, mother of 3-year-old Susan, and Middle School Matters Coordinator For: Young children Signing Time (Show on public television and Nick Jr.) – This show uses music, movement, […]
Read MoreGetting the unbanked banked
Today, United Way for Greater Austin kicks off a strategic outreach campaign to help Austin families save hundreds of dollars each year by opening free or low-cost bank accounts. Through our Bank On Central Texas (BOCT) initiative, we’ve gathered a coalition of eight local banks and two local credit unions to promote the importance of bank accounts and track how many we’ve helped open. “United Way for Greater Austin and our Bank On partners are committed to ensuring Austinites have access to basic banking and other financial services,” said Sarah Janecka, Director of the Financial Opportunity program at UWATX. “By avoiding check-cashing fees, families are able to keep their hard-earned money and use it for basic needs, save for education and build up emergency funds. A bank account is a critical step to long-term financial stability and helping families thrive.” Without a bank account, families pay close to $1,000 a year in fees to cash checks. In Austin, 32,500 households lack a bank account and on top of that, about 70,000 are underbanked – meaning, while they have a bank account they still access high-cost services like payday and auto-title loans because they are not taking advantage of other banking services. Overall, 1 in 3 Austin households lack the financial products to build savings and make the most of their money. The BOCT initiative launched in 2009 and has already helped open 12,000 new bank accounts. Through this outreach campaign, which will run through the end of June, UWATX hopes to educate […]
Read MoreFree tax help for just two more weeks
April 15 is rapidly approaching and families across Central Texas are hurrying to submit their federal tax returns. Each year United Way for Greater Austin partners with Foundation Communities through our Financial Opportunity program and our Navigation Center to prepare tax returns at no cost for families making $50,000 or less. Last year, the Community Tax Centers filed more than 16,000 returns, bringing more than $11M in Earned Income Tax Credits back to our community, and more than $27M in total federal refunds. UWATX invests $100,000 in the Community Tax Centers for training, recruiting and managing 500+ IRS-certified volunteers. UWATX also supports the tax centers by providing all the location, time and documentation information over the phone through the UWATX Navigation Center. One of the UWATX Navigation Specialists, Cathy Swan, has helped families find the nearest Community Tax Center for more than three years. Cathy is very familiar with the program since she has had her taxes filed at the center before. “In 2009 I needed help filing my tax return. I went to the Community Tax Centers and they helped me get my full refund. In addition, my daughter was getting ready to apply for college and the Community Tax Centers helped us apply for FAFSA.” Cathy was so pleased with the Community Tax Centers that she enjoys connecting other families through 2-1-1; she says “it’s a great feeling to give back this way.” It’s not too late to get help filing the 2012 federal tax return. Families can call […]
Read MoreCelebrate America Saves Week – start saving today
United Way for Greater Austin has been promoting savings for years through our Financial Opportunity program and this week, we are joining the nation to raise awareness for America Saves Week. “Nearly half of all U.S. Households have almost no savings to cover an emergency or save for the future” according to the Corporation for Enterprise Development. In Austin, this translates into more families struggling to weather emergencies like a car breaking down or a child getting sick. Often families turn to payday and auto title lenders for relief, only to be trapped by debt from unreasonably high fees. When the debt becomes too much to handle, the cycle of poverty accelerates. On average eighteen cars are repossessed a week in Austin, which means hard-working employees lose reliable transportation, threatening their jobs and source of income. The simplest way to safeguard against high-cost loans is to save automatically. Setting aside a small amount each week through direct deposit makes saving easy and convenient – start small, and it can add up pretty quickly. February is also the perfect time to start saving by depositing a portion of tax refunds. Through UWATX’s partner, Foundation Communities, Austin brought back more than eleven-million dollars through the Earned Income Tax Credit last year and generated more than $90,000 in savings. Have a friend or family member struggling to save? Find more saving tips at AmericaSaves.org and call 2-1-1 to find a free tax preparer that can help turn refunds into savings. Here are 5 […]
Read MoreSpotlight: Peter Kretzschmar looks “up and out” to make meaningful change
This month, UWATX welcomed long-time volunteer and avid supporter Peter Kretzschmar to our team as Vice President, Strategic Programs. In his new role, he will oversee UWATX’s work in the community, including our Success By 6, Target Graduation, Financial Opportunity and Navigation Center work. Before coming to United Way, what was your background, both professionally and in the community? I was at IBM for nearly 32 years, so I’ve been a tech guy since tech meant microwave ovens and color TVs. I started by working on health programs, mainly environmental health, everything from occupational health and safety to groundwater to air quality and so on, but really my principal roles over the years have been about relationships. I focused on managing relationships between different tech companies, forming alliances, and making sure we were both benefiting. I think that experience plays well with my role at UWATX. I’ve also been involved in the community consistently for many years. I was on the Board at Communities in Schools, which is one of our partners here at UWATX, have been involved with UT on Advisory Councils and as an adjunct faculty, and was involved with our Target Graduation program of course. So you’ve been consistently involved in the community, why did you want to get involved in a new way? I think it has to do with finally deciding “want to do when I grow up.” It was a natural evolution for me – I started my career many years ago and focused […]
Read MoreLocal resources for FREE tax prep
Did you know that you can make up to $57,000 annually and still qualify for free tax preparation services? At United Way for Greater Austin, we’re dedicated to helping individuals and families overcome barriers to economic opportunity, so this tax season we want to make sure Austinites take advantage of local FREE tax preparation services that will help them get all the tax credits they’re eligible for. If you are someone that makes less than $57,000, check out these three free options: Call 2-1-1 and receive information about the free tax prep location closest to you. 2-1-1 is free, 24/7, confidential and multilingual. In 2011, the UWATX Navigation Center, which runs the local 2-1-1 program, received more than 5,000 calls from callers looking for free tax preparation assistance. Visit MyFreeTaxes.org/uwatx to file your taxes online for free! MyFreeTaxes provides free tax preparation and filing assistance for individuals or families with a combined income under $57,000. Since 2009, MyFreeTaxes has helped 4.5 million families claim nearly $6 billion in tax credits and refunds! Visit one of Foundation Communities’ Community Tax Centers in the Austin area. They provide free tax preparation at seven convenient locations by their IRS-certified volunteer preparers for Austin area residents who make up to $50,000 per year. Walk-ins are always welcome, you can make an appointment starting February 15 or you can even drop off your tax documents so you don’t have to wait. These local, free resources can also help working individuals and families receive important federal tax credits they may […]
Read MoreGrowing challenges for family budgets
This week, Frances Deviney, Ph.D., Texas KIDS COUNT Director at CPPP, presented to the UWATX Women’s Leadership Council about the growing budget challenges facing Austinites and what they could do to get involved. Here are some highlights: Nationally, a family of three is considered poor if their total income is less than $18,123 annually. This does not take into account regional differences in cost of living or changing expenses, including rent, health care, child care and transportation. The child poverty rate in Texas (27%) is higher than the overall US rate (23%). The Travis County child poverty rate (24%) has also climbed above the US rate. In Travis County, income has not kept up with inflation. Adjusted for inflation, Central Texans are making $6,000 less on average than in 2000. Many families – including 21% of 2 parent, 2 child households and 61% of single parent, two child households – are not making enough to make ends meet. At UWATX, statistics like this drive our work every day. We are working to provide families with higher quality, more affordable child care options, improve public support for early childhood and provide financial literacy.
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