Yesterday, 85 UnitedHealthcare employees rallied together to do something many Austinites might not be so keen to do – loaded wheelbarrows and spread truckloads of still-steaming Dillo Dirt and mulch at Pease Park. The service project helped prep the park for the City of Austin’s “It’s My Park Day” on March 3, an annual community service day focused on making improvements to Austin parks. “Access to safe and well-maintained parks offers everyone the opportunity to enjoy Austin without restrictions – making us an active, healthy and united Austin,” said Nikki Krueger, Director of Volunteer Engagement at United Way. UnitedHealthcare stands by the mission of its parent, UnitedHealth Group, which is “to help people live healthier lives.” The company believes it is necessary to be active in the surrounding communities and encourages employee participation in company-wide volunteering events. By serving the City and enhancing Austin’s oldest park, yesterday’s event was another opportunity for UnitedHealthcare employees to show their support of volunteerism and community involvement. Through projects like these, United Way Capital Area’s Hands on Central Texas program brings together dedicated volunteers and caring companies like UnitedHealthcare to create a community of philanthropists that help Central Texans thrive. HOCT provides volunteers with high-quality community engagement experiences that inspire individuals to stay involved.
Read MoreUWCA raises over $100K for Wildfire Relief
It’s hard to believe it has been over a month since wildfires broke out across Central Texas. For UWCA, this time of year is always busy with workplace giving campaigns, but the wildfire relief efforts brought an added sense of urgency to the work we do. Within hours of hearing about the fires, our 2-1-1 (the United Way Helpline) team went to work verifying information on resources, services and safety. Social media is now a huge part of every disaster recovery effort so 2-1-1 staff members scoured social channels for up-to-the-minute news, verified its validity and then served as a hub of verified information for all callers. UWCA also initiated a text-to-give campaign, so anyone can text “Wildfire,” to 85944 and donate $10. The money donated to the Wildfire Relief Fund has already provided gift cards so those affected by the fires could buy groceries, gas, lodging, replacement tools, clothes and other necessities. To date, we have collected more than $117,000. Recently, Samsung announced a one-time gift of $50,000 for our wildfire recovery fund, the largest contribution to date. This donation allows United Way to work with communities to determine both immediate and long-term recovery needs. Together, we can help those most in need and those who are no longer covered by insurance regain a productive life. Samsung’s gift exemplifies what it means to be a true corporate partner and citizen. Their gift toward wildfire recovery is in addition to the ongoing corporate giving campaign, so those who relied on […]
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