Bright sunshine, colorful spring dresses, and exciting conversations filled Branch Park Pavilion as nearly 300 community members gathered for Gathering for Good 2026, presented by Women United. Guests lined up for raffle packages from local women-owned businesses, connected over lunch and refreshments, and came together around one shared goal: building a stronger future for Central Texas children and families through early childhood education, economic opportunity, and community support. That belief is deeply tied to United Way for Greater Austin’s North Star Goals, including ensuring that 70% of children enter Kindergarten ready to learn and that 70% of Central Texas families achieve a family-sustaining income by 2030. Through initiatives like Success By 6, the 2-Gen Coalition for Economic Advancement, Help Me Grow Central Texas, and the Early Learning Advancement Collective (ELAC), United Way works alongside families, educators, schools, and child care providers to help children and families thrive together. One of the Afternoon’s Most Powerful Conversations One of the highlights of the afternoon was a fireside chat featuring Denise Davis, PLLC, Board Chair of the Austin Chamber of Commerce; Denisse Baldwin, Associate Vice President for Early Learning and Advancement at United Way for Greater Austin; and Maria Dominguez, Preschool Director of Cielito Lindo Spanish Immersion Center. Together, they explored the intersection of child care and economic advancement, sharing why investing in early childhood education is not only the right thing to do, but critical for the future of our workforce and region. “We are the workforce behind the workforce. When children […]
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