Thanks to almost 400 companies and their employees in the Austin community, UWATX’s vision for Austin is one step closer to becoming a reality. Last night, we celebrated and recognized those companies who excelled in building philanthropy in our community.
Overall awards
Excellence in Corporate Philanthropy Awards
Our Excellence in Corporate Philanthropy award is given to United Way for Greater Austin’s Top 3 campaigns, companies who make important investments with a commitment to making Austin Greater and where employees also give of their time, talent and treasure. Each of these companies implement United Way’s best practices, and do so in a way that represents “excellence” in all categories. They represent the heart of philanthropy in Greater Austin and we are so honored to work with them everyday to lift up the working poor and ensure that every one of our community members has what they need to thrive.
This year’s winners are H-E-B, 3M and Enterprise.
Pictured, from left: Mark Hauerland and David Spencer, H-E-B, Russell Bridges, 3M, Eric Munoz and Nikki Mulvaney, Enterprise, and Bobby Jenkins, ABC Home & Commercial
Best Practices Award: Target
The “Best Practices Award” recognizes the company that implements UWATX’s 3 Best Practices of engaging company leaders in Employee Campaign, providing opportunities for employees to learn about the impact of their gifts and experiencing community change through volunteer projects hosted by UWATX.
This year, our representatives were able to speak at every Target store and cover every employee shift to ensure that Target employees have an opportunity to hear about what their dollars are doing in the Greater Austin community. In addition to their generous contributions, Target employees also give back in volunteer hours, experiencing first hand the personal reward for helping our community thrive.
Greatest Participation Increase: Bank of America
Bank of America’s employee campaign saw impressive growth this year, thanks to the increase in employee participation. For the first time in many years, Bank of America allowed UWATX to access employees directly, so they could hear first hand the importance of investing in our community. In addition to UWATX staff speaking at every Bank of America branch, employees also participated community volunteer projects.
Excellence in Volunteerism Award: Kerbey Lane Café.
Kerbey Lane joined UW as a sponsor of our Fall Day of Caring event in September of 2013. In addition to their financial support, they’ve created philanthropic liaisons at each of their restaurants that have taken charge of driving their employee’s volunteer engagement. Each one has adopted a local child development center through UWATX’s Success by 6 program where they volunteer on a bimonthly basis.
Greatest Percentage Increase Award: Comerica Bank
Often the winner of the largest increase award, has embraced one or more best practices that previously had not been implemented. This year, Comerica took UW up on our offer to provide UW volunteers and staff at multiple management and employee meetings. The adoption of this best practice alone drove Comerica’s investment and moved the campaign up into United Way for Greater Austin’s Top 40 this up—up 9 spots!
Strategic Program Awards
Community Investment Award: Samsung
Samsung has a long history of investing in UWATX – when they opened their offices a few years ago, they made a $1M gift to support early childhood in our community. That gift allowed us to do extensive research into the needs in our community and pilot, scale and test an innovative program to support young families. More recently, Samsung wanted to reinforce their commitment to one of the three communities where we focus our work — the Manor community. They wanted to make a gift to UWATX that would jump start and expand all of our efforts in this area, well beyond the walls of the Decker Middle School – and we couldn’t be more thankful.
Strategic Program Award: Young Leaders Society for Target Graduation
Over the past year YLS has focused their time, treasure, talent AND ties toward supporting UWATX’s Target Graduation program. Volunteering on our middle school campuses, hosting the first ever Virtual Giveathon (a peer-to-peer fundraiser in support of Target Graduation and UWATX), recruiting their colleagues and friends to get involved and being vocal advocates for Target Graduation in their networks.
Pictured, from left: Marcus Everett, Enterprise, Michael Zamora, Wells Fargo, and Bobby Jenkins, ABC Home & Commercial
Leadership Giving Awards
Leadership Giving Award, Women’s Leadership Council Award: 3M
By giving, advocating and volunteering, WLC members make sure that Austin’s future is on the right track. This past year, our WLC members gave an astonishing $400K to support our most vulnerable community members. The WLC members at 3M are true leaders within their company and our community. 3M WLC members lead by example, promoting 3M’s spirit of philanthropy and social responsibility. They give generously, volunteer enthusiastically and take on leadership roles within the United Way.
Pictured, from left: Judy Donigan and Russell Bridges, 3M
Leadership Giving, Tocqueville Society Award: Baker Botts and Deloitte
At United Ways across the country, individuals investing $10,000 and more each year are recognized in their community as members of the Tocqueville Society—“exceptional generosity” is the phrase that distinguishes them. In our community, these two companies are living out the Tocqueville Society – an extraordinary group of leaders committed to securing the future of Austin for all of our residents through their personal philanthropy.
Excellence in Leadership Giving: Enterprise
Enterprise creates a culture around leadership giving from the top down. During their campaign they clearly communicate the value of UWATX’s work in this community and ask that their employees consider making a leadership level gift. Outside of campaign, Enterprise leadership donors are thanked by Enterprise’s leadership team and rewarded with an invitation-only event honoring them.
Public Sector Awards
UWATX has the distinct honor of managing employee campaigns for federal and state employees in our community. This year, we recognized two organizations who generously supported UWATX through their campaigns.
State Employee Charitable Campaign: Excellence in Philanthropy Award – The University of Texas at Austin
UT Austin is a leader in higher education and their leadership also extends to philanthropy. This past year, UT Austin employees contributed more than $600,000 through their annual Employee Campaign. Of all the dollars designated to UWATX in the State Campaign, nearly half come from UT Austin employees!
Combined Federal Campaign: Excellence in Philanthropy Award – Veterans Benefits Administration– ALAC
Of the approximately 10,000 federal employees in Central Texas, one of the most significant agencies is the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA serves those who serve our country, but they also go above and beyond contributing to our community through the annual Combined Federal Campaign. This year, VA – ALAC ran a great campaign and showed strong support for the work of UWATX!
Huge thanks to Kathleen Farlow of Deloitte and Bobby Jenkins of ABC Home & Commercial Services for serving as our Employee Campaign Co-Chairs this past year! For the 2014 Employee Campaign, we’re proud to welcome Gregg Lowe of Freescale and his wife Diana Lowe to join Kathleen Farlow as Co-Chairs.
Pictured: Gregg Lowe, Freescale
Thank you to all of the employees, leaders and advocates who gave back to our community through their campaign – check out more photos from the evening.