The sun beats down as children from Sweetbriar Child Development Center file outside to the playground. The students, ranging in age from 18 months to five-years-old, scurry to the fence line instead of onto the playscape. Fighting for refuge from the sun’s rays, those who do not fit in the sliver of shade, provided by large oak tree branches that sag over the black iron fence, huddle under the play structure. This routine has been on repeat twice a day for more than two summers. “We don’t want to go outside, it’s too hot,” is their rally cry. It’s something we can all relate to in the Texas summer heat. According to an Austin American Statesman article, July in Austin was a scorcher. With 17 triple-digit days on record, the average temperature for the month of July came in just shy of 100 at 99 degrees. The last two weeks have been particularly brutal, with all 14 days in the triple digits. “One afternoon we came to pick up our son,” Joshua Mauk, Sweetbriar parent shared “and he was huddled under the play structure because it was really hot and that was the only shade available.” Something had to change but parents, teachers and even the Center Director alike did not know where to begin. The Background and Beginning Sweetbriar Child Development Center is located in the 78744 neighborhood that Go Austin Vamos Austin (GAVA), a resident-led coalition focused on community health and well-being, […]
Read MoreCompany Culture that Creates Change: Texas Mutual
“Now let me start from the beginning,” Teresa Martinez, Texas Mutual Project Management, and Analysis Supervisor said. After leaving home at a young age Teresa found herself, a 17-year-old who didn’t finish high-school, working at Target with a young son at home and looking for more. “I happened to notice a sign that read if you’re a youth and you are interested in something more than just your average job, call this number,” Teresa said. “So, I called the number on the sign and after going in and talking with counselors at the program, I called Youth Employment Services and found out that I qualified for help.” Youth Employment Services, at the time, was a funded partner of United Way. The program helped her work towards her GED, obtain a driver’s license and most significantly, helped her get her son into childcare with Any Baby Can – a United Way affiliated partner. “That was my first introduction to United Way,” Teresa said. Change-maker As a 19 year Texas Mutual veteran, Teresa has eight years of United Way campaign coordination under her belt and has once again returned to the campaign as 2017 co-chair. Teresa was the volunteer special events coordinator for the United Way Campaign at Texas Mutual from 2007 – 2013 and during that time, along with the help of passionate coworkers, she organized fundraising events that allowed Texas Mutual Employees to give back to their community in a fun and rewarding way. In […]
Read MoreBuilding Better Brains: The Importance of Early Childhood Educators
It’s a hot summer afternoon around three o’clock when we pull into the parking lot. Cars and parents scattered across the drive as they mosey inside to pick up their children. Upon opening the front door of the medium-sized brick building, a wave of cold, clean air, smelling slightly of finger paint and crayons, crashed over our faces. Bright white tiles reflect the sunlight coming through the big open front window causing the colorful artwork on the walls to shimmer and dance. There is no doubt that we have entered a childcare center.
Read More5 Immediate needs you can meet this summer…
Everyone talks about beating the heat when it’s time for summer, but do we ever stop to think about those in our community who can’t? Being raised by parents working in the social service sector means volunteerism is both an inherited and a learned trait. Read the post below to learn about the five simple ways I hope to make a difference in Austin this summer.
Read MoreUnited Way & Partners Award $781,000 To Six Local Organizations
When Hurricane Harvey made landfall nearly a year ago, nonprofits and businesses across Texas stepped up. In order to meet the needs of Central Texans who fell victim to the turbulent storm, United Way for Greater Austin partnered with MFI Foundation, Capital Factory, Entrepreneurs Foundation and Austin Community Foundation to coordinate efforts in the philanthropic community. On July 2, 2018 the collaborative announced grants to six community organizations totaling $781,000.
Read MoreInvesting Early Matters
Why focusing on the current and future workforce is imperative for the economic health of Austin and the long-term success of our children. WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW Our current workforce depends on childcare. It is as simple as that. Do you have kids? If so, think about what kind of childcare are they receiving and what it costs you. Are either you or your partner able to stay home to take care of your children? If not, take some time to reflect on your experience with the childcare system. For two working parents to support two children in childcare, a typical family needs to earn $61,356 per year. A family earning the median household income would spend 18 percent of it on childcare and for a single parent earning minimum wage, care costs about two-thirds (64 percent) of their earnings. When childcare costs are on par with tuition at a state university, many working families can’t afford to stay home. Right now, U.S. businesses lose three billion dollars annually from employee absenteeism due to breakdowns in the childcare system. And these breakdowns disproportionately affect low-income families. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? The current workforce is inhibited by the lack of accessible and affordable childcare and businesses are suffering due to the lack of a prepared workforce. WHAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IF THINGS DON’T CHANGE While the current workforce is suffering due to a fragmented childcare system, our focus should be on preparing […]
Read MoreFive Things Anthony Bourdain Can Teach Us…
We are saddened by the loss of Chef Anthony Bourdain, a man who dedicated his life to bringing people together through food, travel and writing. He turned food, something universal, into a greater conversation about humanity and being known – and nonprofits can learn a lot from him. 1. Ask the hard questions. “What are our expectations? Which of the things we desire are within reach? If not now, when? And will there be some left for me?” If we expect to move the needle on social issues, we have to be willing to ask the hard questions. What does success look like when it comes to fighting poverty in Austin? Who should we be engaging? Where should we focus our efforts to generate the greatest impact? What is it going to take to make sure all children enter kindergarten school ready? Reflection and re-evaluation are necessary and vital parts of creating lasting strategic change. 2. Try new things. “Without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, and moribund.” Don’t be afraid to fail. Innovation is important in every aspect of life. It is important for progress and it is especially integral in the nonprofit space. If we are going to change the system we have to disrupt it – to think about things differently and fight poverty through multiple channels and in new ways. We should always be looking for opportunities to hone our efforts, trimming […]
Read MoreInternational Women’s Day: Celebrating the women of United Way
International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality. At United Way for Greater Austin (UWATX) we are proud to work with an incredible group of women who are intelligent, passionate and kind. Read the Q & A below to learn more about a few of the amazing woman working at UWATX. Amy Price, 2-1-1 Director of Community Information Why is your work important? 2-1-1 is the community’s front door for information about community resources. Our knowledgeable, empathetic, professional staff guide callers through the process of getting help with housing, food, child care, legal assistance, mental health services, health care, and so much more. What woman do you most admire and why? My mom who defied stereotypes by being one of the few (maybe only?) female land surveyors in Texas. She was a tomboy as a child, got a degree in art history at UT, and continues to inspire me with her strength, sense of humor, and approach to life. She didn’t teach me how to paint my nails or do my hair, but she did teach me how to get dirty, the importance of giving back, and how to have fun doing both. Why is International Woman’s Day important to you? Any opportunity to celebrate the contributions of women today and throughout history is awesome! Cathy McHorse, Success By 6 Early Childhood Education Director Why is […]
Read More12 Ways To Fight Poverty This Holiday
The holidays are full of traditions from baking gingerbread cookies and drinking hot cocoa to curling up on the couch to enjoy a classic holiday movie. This time of year, for most of us, is accompanied by nostalgia and joy. Unfortunately, many families in Austin are barely able to celebrate the holidays. At United Way for Greater Austin (UWATX) we talk a lot about the two very different sides of Austin. Austin is the live music capital of the world, a rapidly expanding tech hub, one of the coolest places to live and yet, it’s also one of the most economically segregated cities in the country. Many parents in our community struggle to put food on the table each day and live paycheck-to-paycheck year round. The holiday season often puts an undue burden on many Austin families. As you celebrate, we encourage you to spread your joy a little further, to your neighbors in need. Because giving back and is a part of our DNA at United Way, we hope that this blog will provide you with simple and meaningful ways to make fighting poverty easy and enjoyable this holiday season. 1. Donate to UWATX directly: The easiest way to fight to end poverty is by donating to UWATX this holiday season. All gifts are welcome. 2. Host a United Way Seasonal Drive Team up with co-workers or family members to help gather items to help families in need. Click the link for […]
Read MoreStaff Spotlight: Meet Shay Noriega
Meet Shay Noriega! On October 3, Shay was recognized at the annual Texas Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (TAIRS) and awarded the 2017 Information and Referral Resource Specialist award. As the 2-1-1 Community Information Coordinator, Shay actively updates and maintains a comprehensive community resource database that meets complex state and national standards. She also provides daily training and support for 2-1-1 call specialists to ensure that they have everything they need to successfully help over 150,000 callers annually. Shay has worked in a leadership role with United Way for Greater Austin 2-1-1 Navigation Center for more than four years. Since receiving her MSW in 2013, Shay has supported the 2-1-1 program by ensuring health and human services resource information is up-to-date and easy to navigate for 2-1-1 call specialists. She actively participates in updating and maintaining a comprehensive community resource database that meets complex state and national standards. In addition to managing relationships with all of the organizations within the 2-1-1 database. Hear more from Shay herself: What is your role? My core responsibility is maintaining the database, which largely includes reaching out to big players in the community, updating their information when it changes and maintaing the integrity of our data and resources. I am really proud to work here. I feel so fortunate to work with people who have one of the toughest jobs. It takes a very special person to field calls everyday from people who don’t have access to basic needs and I feel very […]
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