Newsroom

Volunteer Spotlight: DaMara Alexander

DaMara Alexander has participated in at least 14 volunteer projects with UWATX, adding up to more than 50 hours of service. She works as an underwriter at Farmers Insurance, one of our most dedicated and philanthropic corporate partners, and has lived in Austin her entire life. She has been very involved with our Days of Caring, Family Volunteer Days, and with our Middle School Matters work at all three campuses. DaMara began volunteering as a kid, and now tries to involve her own family in volunteer project as often as possible. “I’ve always tried to help those around me, even if just in my neighborhood. I’m blessed on so many levels and believe in blessing others.” –DaMara Alexander “I first began volunteering in elementary/middle school by going to nursing homes and things like that. I’ve always tried to help those around me, even if just in my neighborhood. I’m blessed on so many levels and believe in blessing others. I’ve been the recipient of kind actions, and I feel kindness and help goes a long, long way. I’m thankful for all that I have and all that I’m able to do. “My favorite volunteer events are the UWATX Family Volunteer events. I try to involve those around me as much as possible, and these events are not only helpful but also so much FUN!” In addition to serving as an individual, DaMara gives back with coworkers as well. Farmers Insurance has its own volunteer committee called Farmers Cares Community Corps (FCCC). […]

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight: Caroline Trang and Frances Jordan

Our middle school VPL program is full of outstanding volunteers! You may have read earlier this week about Cristian Dominguez from Webb Middle School — today we are highlighting another VPL volunteer, Caroline Trang, in honor of National Volunteer Week. Caroline is a 7th grader at Decker Middle School, one of the three middle schools served by our Middle School Matters program. This year was Caroline’s first year in the VPL program, and she had the best attendance of any student in the program and was a leader of Decker’s Literacy Night activity booth. Other projects Caroline and her team have taken on include making book posters, sorting books for donation, volunteering in the school library and creating bookmarks with literacy tips for other students. Young Leaders Society (YLS) Executive Member, Frances Jordan, serves as the YLS Campus Captain of Decker Middle School and has worked closely with Caroline this past year. Frances not only volunteers through YLS, but also serves as a member of UWATX’s volunteer Resource Development Committee and helps our fundraising team find new business and make important decisions. Frances and Caroline sat down together and chatted about their involvement and volunteer experiences with UWATX:   Frances: Why do you volunteer through the VPL program? Caroline: My friend Helen made me come at first, but it turned out to be so fun! I like to help others. Frances:What are your favorite types of volunteer activities? Caroline: Helping with cleaning up the community, presenting to groups, and giving gifts to those in need. Frances: Describe […]

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight: Jon Le, eBay

For our National Volunteer Week series, today we’re highlighting Jon Le. Jon is an outstanding and dedicated UWATX volunteer who’s been involved with UWATX for the last six months and has given his time to prep holiday meal kits for low-income families, clean-up the neighborhood during MLK Day of Service, participated in our Family Volunteer Day series and more! Hear from Jon about why he is involved with UWATX as a volunteer. “I enjoy the idea of a company that not only has the business sense to be able to thrive in the competitive market, but also helps promote the growth of the surrounding communities.” –Jon Le, eBay Tell us a little bit about yourself and how long have you been involved with United Way. I have been working for eBay for about three years. I was born and raised in Texas, originally Houston. I have been involved with United Way for about six months or so, mostly volunteering work through the campaigns they already have in place. What are some of your favorite volunteer projects you’ve worked on and why? I mostly enjoy volunteering on youth projects. I think this is in part to be able to give the youth of today as best of an opportunity as they can afford, but also, since the birth of my first child, I’ve taken a closer look at the impact I have on others and on the future. Do you feel that working for a company that gives back is important and why? eBay does a great […]

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight: Christian Dominguez

In honor of National Volunteer Week, we are honoring UWATX’s supportive volunteers, employee campaign leaders, giving society members and more–we couldn’t do what we do without them! Cristian Dominguez is a seventh grader at Webb Middle School and has participated in the middle school Volunteer Project Leader (VPL) program for two years. Brad Wilkinson, UWATX Volunteer Engagement Specialist, and Cristian have known each other for one semester ever since Brad began attending the weekly VPL meetings at Webb. The VPL program at Webb allows Cristian and other VPL participants the opportunity to learn about community issues, build leadership skills and lead projects that help others. Cristian has consistently pushed forward new ideas on how to help others, including planning a story time booth to read to children at last year’s Community Tree Lighting event and organizing a day with classmates to pack 30 comprehensive toiletry kits for individuals transitioning from homelessness in the community. Brad and Cristian interviewed each other to discuss what motivates them to give back as well as what they have taken away from the VPL program:   Brad: Why do you volunteer through the VPL program? Cristian: “Because I like to help, a lot.” Brad: What are your favorite types of volunteer activities? Cristian: “I am excited to go to the Ronald McDonald House to make breakfast for others.” Brad: Can you describe any volunteer experience that has been helpful to you in other parts of your life (such as school)? Cristian: “Helping is something you can do […]

Read More

Students Spend Spring Break Volunteering at Ronald McDonald House

While some of their classmates laid on a beach or drove cross-country, some students from Webb Middle School chose to spend part of their Spring Break giving back to others. The VPL program is a UWATX initiative and a collaboration between the organization’s efforts to support three area middle schools—Webb, Mendez and Decker Middle Schools. Students participating in the afterschool VPL program learn how to take a leading role in changing their community each week. VPL students from Webb Middle School were charged with developing, planning, coordinating and executing a volunteer project on their own terms. The Webb students chose to support the Ronald McDonald House because they wanted to support families staying at the “home-away-from-home” while their children are being treated at Austin-area hospitals. Past graduates from the VPL program who are now in high school or beyond, members of UWATX’s Young Leaders Society, F.O.R.C.E. dance team members and Kerbey Lane Cafe volunteers assisted the Webb students in making breakfast for the 20 families who are staying at the Ronald McDonald House. The menu included green pancakes made with Kerbey Lane Cafe’s famous pancake batter, as well other traditional breakfast foods, such as hash browns, oatmeal and fruit skewers. The students also made St. Patrick’s Day cards for the families and passed them around after the breakfast. The students and volunteers took a tour of the Ronald McDonald House after the breakfast to learn more about the organization. Shoutout to these exceptional future leaders of Austin for spending their […]

Read More

UWATX’s Scavenger Hunt Encourages Team-Building and Philanthropy

Looking for an innovative way to encourage philanthropy and team-bonding with your employees? Sign up for a UWATX Scavenger Hunt!   The purpose of the UWATX Scavenger Hunt is to highlight the work United Way does in throughout the community through its own programs and the work of its funded partners. This interactive, team-building exercise serves dual purposes by allowing participants to engage in community service while seeing firsthand what their donor dollars support, and even generate revenue for our organization. Over the course of four hours, teams of 4-5 people will have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the areas we serve and the needs in our community. We believe that giving of one’s time is a valuable way to connect to local causes. Organized team-building activities have also been shown to increase employee morale and loyalty to an organization. The scavenger hunt takes teams on four different adventures throughout Austin: a trivia challenge, a photo challenge, scavenger items and a mystery clue. Mystery Clue: Teams receive an envelope that contains a clue about a mystery location. They are given a small window of time to arrive at the location and are tasked with completing a short activity, usually a small volunteer project. Photo Challenge: Teams are given a list of 20-25 local people, places and things. They must successfully photograph their entire team with as many of these items as possible to earn points. Trivia Challenge: While hustling from place to place in the car, teams will be […]

Read More

300+ Volunteered on MLK Day of Service

MLK Day of Service is a national initiative to strengthen communities, bridge barriers between different groups of people, create solutions to our social problems and move us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.” Thousands of individuals around the U.S. honor Dr. King’s legacy on this day by participating in volunteer projects that encourage community collaboration and make our towns a better place to live. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, more Americans live in poverty today than during Dr. King’s lifetime–which is why it is more important now than ever to work together to make Austin greater for all residents. More than 300 volunteers signed up to work on eight projects for this year’s MLK Day of Service on January 16th. This annual event is hosted by United Way for Greater Austin, Keep Austin Beautiful and State Representative Dawnna Dukes. We kicked off the event at UWATX with breakfast and encouraging speeches from Mayor Steve Adler, UWATX Board Member Rodney Northern and other influential community members. Volunteers then dispersed to work on a variety of projects, ranging from a clean-up of MLK Jr. Boulevard to creating works of art of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to be auctioned off to raise money for UWATX’s Middle School Matters program. Some of the groups that signed up for the event were Apple employees, current and alumni AmeriCorps […]

Read More

Become a Mentor For a Local Student

January is National Mentoring Month. Middle School Matters recognizes that each student is different and therefore has individual needs in order to be successful in high school. One of the many important support services offered through the Middle School Matters program is mentoring. United Way partners with two research-based nonprofits, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas and Communities In Schools, to provide mentoring services to the students of Decker, Mendez and Webb Middle Schools. Students who are matched with a mentor see a rise in their class attendance, grades and overall satisfaction with school. In addition, adults who volunteer as a mentor see positive changes in their own lives as well. Alison, a graphic designer who has lived in Austin for two years, has learned a lot from her time mentoring. She has learned more about other cultural traditions, family dynamics, and herself. Alison has mentored Izzy, a 15-year-old student in Austin, for a little over one year. Izzy’s family originally signed her up for Big Brothers Big Sisters to help Izzy work through bullying issues and to set up a support network for her outside of school. Since Izzy and Alison have begun their journey together, Alison has noticed changes in Izzy’s behavior. “She has always been kind and caring, but had a hard time showing it before in school. Now, she is more confident in herself and able to share her creative and happy side.” Izzy and Alison first bonded over their love of art. On their first outing, Alison took […]

Read More

Volunteers Needed for MLK Day of Service

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is soon approaching, and we are inviting all community members to join us for our 17th Annual MLK Day of Service! United Way for Greater Austin is hosting this event alongside State Representative Dawnna Dukes and Keep Austin Beautiful on January 16, 2016 from 9 a.m. to noon. The MLK Day of Service projects bring together hundreds of volunteers to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service by beautifying the Austin street bearing his name (and our office!) – Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. There will also be additional indoor projects supported by other local nonprofits for those who may not be able to participate in the clean-up of the three-mile stretch.     United Way for Greater Austin’s volunteer program, Hands On Central Texas, is currently recruiting volunteers for MLK Day of Service. This event is open to all ages and is a great opportunity to get your youth group, family and kids involved. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit our Hands On Central Texas page to learn more and sign up for projects. This is also  National Day of Service occurring all over the country – so come out, volunteer and start off the new year on a positive note as a philanthropist with thousands of others across the nation! This event will begin with a kick-off breakfast at 9 a.m. at United Way for Greater Austin (2000 E. MLK JR. BLVD, 78702). Parking is available in our attached lot or on nearby streets. We […]

Read More

UWATX Hosts 2nd Annual Community Tree Lighting

We held our 2nd Annual Community Tree Lighting event for the St. John’s community on Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2015. Webb Middle School students and their families, as well as other community members, were invited to attend the free holiday party. The kids loved visiting with the bunnies, hedgehogs, ducklings and more that the Tiny Tails To You traveling petting zoo brought. Other activities included a cookies and cocoa station, card and ornament making, a balloon artist and face painters. One of our Webb Middle School volunteer project leader students had the idea to set up a reading corner and read holiday books to some of the younger children at the event. As the sun set, Principal “Santa” Sanchez spoke of the importance and positive impact that he has seen through United Way’s support of the Webb campus. 54% of students at Webb received at least one service coordinated through UWATX last year, including behavioral health, mentoring, tutoring and afterschool programs. Webb’s musical groups performed holiday classics and the audience counted down from five until the tree was lit up with blue and gold–Webb’s school colors. Young Leaders Society members passed out donated toys and books to the children who attended. Thank you to Capital Metro who once again sponsored the 15 foot tree that lit up the St. John’s neighborhood this year! Thank you also to ABC Home & Commercial for decorating the tree, DoubleTree Hotels who provided volunteers and cookies, H-E-B for donating the hot cocoa, Petsmart for […]

Read More