With the winter holidays being a thing in the past, the stores have been quick to stock up on candy hearts, chocolates and stuffed animals – all in the spirit of Valentine’s day. This holiday is the perfect opportunity to show appreciation to our loved ones – whether it’s passing a sweet Valentine’s Day card to the cutie you’ve been crushing on in class or simply asking your best friend to spend some time with you. We have complied a list of V-day plans and gift ideas that can help sweeten the day for your family, friends or partner that most importantly, won’t break the bank. Spread the love! Decorate wooden hearts at Terra Toys with the whole Family This Sunday, February 7th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Terra Toys is holding a FREE Valentine’s Event. Bring your family out and make a wooden heart for someone special. All materials are provided! RSVP for groups of 5 or more by calling 512-445-4489. Go see a flick at the Blue Starlite Drive-in From When Harry Met Sally to Moulin Rouge – the Blue Starlite has got it all! Gather up your friends, blankets and cozy up to a good love story! Admission is only $5 if you bring a lawn chair and sit in the pedestrian area. Rent the swan pedal boat For $15 an hour you and a +1 can pedal down Lake Austin, enjoying the view from this adorable swan boat. Make sure to come early, as this […]
Read MoreTeaching Children to Give During the Holidays
It’s that time of the year again, a time when stores are filled with shoppers prepping for various holiday festivities. The holidays are typically a time when children are used to receiving gifts from friends and loved ones. What tends to slip our minds during this time of the year is the importance of teaching children to give back as they receive. Encouraging your children to volunteer and give back helps foster a sense of philanthropy and generosity at a young age. Combining efforts as a family to help others means you are making a difference! Volunteering as a family is a special experience that gives your young ones the opportunity to think beyond themselves. If your child is old enough to have developed interests, it can also be a good idea to involve them in the decision-making process of what organizations and activities the family chooses to spend time doing. This allows your child to develop a deeper connection to what they are doing and makes them feel appreciated. On November 21st, UWATX celebrated National Family Volunteer Day by hosting our own Family Volunteer Day event. Forty-nine people (adults, children and teens) came together to decorate ornaments, drop off books for a book drive and write holiday cards to local teachers. We spoke to Crystal Cotti, UWATX Campaign Co-Chair, who attended the event with her two daughters: What made you sign your group up to volunteer today? “I’m always looking for ways to teach my girls the holidays are about giving, not getting.” What was your favorite […]
Read MoreSavings Program Pilot Shows Positive Results
Did you know that one-third of Austin residents are classified as low-income? United Way for Greater Austin’s Financial Stability program helps those who are struggling get the guidance they need through three targeted core strategies: learning, saving and thriving. We recognize that in order to create community-wide changes, individuals and families struggling to become financially stable need the help and support of agencies, social workers and volunteers. The national Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) supports UWATX’s Financial Stability program and sought to develop a workplace-based savings program for low-wage employees. The savings program helps them save a portion of their paychecks through direct deposit through their employer. UWATX partnered with Open Door Preschools to implement a pilot of this workplace-based savings program and then worked with consultants from OpportunityTexas and Raise Texas to help evaluate the program. The goals of the pilot program were to get employees to sign up for a savings account if they did not have one and to also sign up for direct deposit. Although the savings program is still ongoing at Open Door Preschools, the pilot phase was eight weeks long and had three components aimed to decrease barriers to signing up: 1) Employees were prepared – Employees initially learned about the savings program through an email from their executive director. The email included information on what the employees needed to bring to prepare for the meeting. 2) Employees attended a facilitated meeting – Through a facilitated kickoff meeting at each preschool location, the executive director gave employees an opportunity […]
Read More8 Fun Ways to Spend Your Fourth of July
Fireworks, barbecue and patriotism are just a few things that come to mind when thinking about the Fourth of July. You might have plans to spend some time at the lake with family, have a potluck-style picnic with friends or you may still be on the search for ideas. We compiled a list of Fourth of July festivities taking place in Austin and surrounding areas: 4th of July Fireworks and Symphony at Auditorium Shores – Come out to Auditorium Shores and enjoy a variety of food, drinks and live music. The symphony performance begins at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. Best of all – it’s completely free. Hill Country Galleria Independence Day Festival – The Hill Country Galleria will celebrate the Fourth of July this year with more than 75 vendors, live music, family fun, barbecue and a fireworks show at 9:45 p.m. to end the night. Live music begins at 4:15 p.m. and will include Vallejo, Dawn & the Hawkes, T Bird & The Breaks and Uncle Lucius. Parking and admission is completely free. Attendees are also encouraged to bring their dogs! Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic – Austin legend Willie Nelson will play at the Circuit of America’s racetrack along with 20 other artists including Eric Church, Merle Haggard, Asleep at the Wheel and more. There will be picnic tables where fans can eat, drink, celebrate and watch their favorite artists perform. Parking opens at 10:00 a.m., gates open at 11:00 a.m. and music starts at 11:15 a.m. Ticket prices range from $35 to $75. […]
Read More7 Ways to Spend Memorial Day in Austin
Happy Memorial Day! Whether you are taking a mini-vacation or just excited to lounge around the house for an extra day, we’ve compiled a wide array of Memorial Day events taking place around Austin for you to check out. 1. Head north to Round Rock to spend Memorial Day the American way–watching baseball of course! The AAA Round Rock Express will face the El Paso Chihuahuas at 7 p.m. on Monday. The highest price you’ll pay for a GA ticket is $15, and you can even grab lawn seats for only $7 each. 2. Give back while enjoying jazz music at the Austin Jazz Festival on May 24th at Austin 360 Amphitheater at the Circuit of the Americas. This is an all day event beginning at 10 a.m. Local, regional and national acts will play and the event benefits the East Austin Music Academy, an afterschool program focused on intensive music instruction for school-age children. 3. “Carry the Load” on May 24th at the Austin Memorial March. This is a 20.15 mile walk at Reveille Peak Ranch in Burnet, TX, and provides an opportunity to share in remembrance of those who gave their lives in service to our country. Registration is free. 4. Spend the day at Lake Travis. Bring a picnic or rent a house with family and friends and enjoy one of Austin’s most beautiful areas. Remember, personal motorized watercrafts are banned this weekend. 5. There are many great concerts taking place this weekend. On Satuday, catch Purity […]
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