The first few days and weeks home with a new baby can be a challenging time for all families, and research indicates that more than 90 percent of families can use some additional support. Family Connects Austin/Travis County nurses are trained to answer questions and connect families with the support they need. The program is simple — a registered nurse comes to visit around 3 weeks to check on mom, baby, and the whole family. Last month, Family Connects expanded to serve all families, regardless of which county they live in, who are Texas residents and have given birth at partner hospitals Ascension Seton Main or St. David’s South hospitals. Expanding beyond Travis County, Family Connects is now reaching more mothers, newborns, and parents with wellness checks, developmental resources, and vital care for mothers in their newborn’s first few weeks of life, regardless of income. Nurses perform comprehensive health and wellness assessments for mothers and their newborns in the comfort of their home. By identifying risks early, facilitating access to care, and providing education and support, Family Connects works to save lives and promote long-term health for babies and their families. “We were so blessed to have had Family Connects reach out to us,” said Zahra, a local mother. “The experience came at a very difficult and vulnerable time for me as a first time mom, and the compassion and care Nurse Sandy showed my baby and me was unparalleled. Not only was I provided a tremendous amount of newborn […]
Read MoreRooted in a Dream, Growing with Support
Maria Dominguez, founder of Cielito Lindo Spanish Immersion Preschools, has grown her program to three locations across Greater Austin. Maria Dominguez knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was 9. Sitting outside her apartment with an easel and folding table, she helped neighborhood kids with their homework, her first makeshift classroom. That spark grew each year. Maria earned her degree in bilingual education, taught pre-K and first grade, and became a school counselor. When her daughter was born, a new dream took root: creating a safe, nurturing early learning environment so more children could access the same high-quality care she wanted for her daughter. The seed for Cielito Lindo, her Spanish immersion preschool, was planted. Living Room to Lifelong Learning Maria opened Cielito Lindo out of her living room. Five years later, the center has grown to three Austin locations. Two schools have received the highest quality rating in Texas, with the third on the way. Today, 95 children are enrolled in Cielito Lindo schools, learning in language-rich environments with small class sizes and nurturing teachers. Obstacles Face Families and Providers Building a small business has brought hurdles. Maria navigated complex city permits, licensing, and leasing requirements while striving to reach more families. Families across Greater Austin face their own barriers to accessing care: 6,171 children under age 6 are on the waitlist for high-quality subsidized child care. Partnering for a Stronger Early Childhood System That’s where United Way steps in. Maria joined United Way’s Pre-K Partnerships and […]
Read MoreBuilding a Future Where Students Thrive
Many college students face major barriers to completing their education. They lack access to basic resources like food, transportation, health care, and child care needed for college and career readiness. To help them reach their full potential, we are launching a new program with Austin Community College (ACC) to equip them with the resources they need to thrive. The program, starting Fall 2025, will use our resource navigation tool, ConnectATX, to connect ACC students at the Highland and Round Rock campuses with supports, including food, health care, transportation, benefits support, child care, and more. “This program can open doors for hundreds of students to not only meet their goals, but to dream bigger,” said United Way for Greater Austin CEO Ingrid Taylor. “We’re committed to understanding each student’s needs and building the kind of lasting support that helps them thrive in school and in life.” This launch follows a four-year partnership between United Way and Austin Community College to provide parenting students with resources to thrive. The program, Parenting Students Project, supported participants with a monthly stipend, wraparound services, and a network of support. A survey from Trellis Strategies showed 88% of students who participated in that program either graduated or stayed in school through Spring 2024, compared to 54% of parenting students who did not participate in the program. The new pilot aims to connect hundreds of ACC students with the support systems they need to complete their education and build long-term stability. “Our students are parents, workers, and […]
Read MoreBlue Sunday is April 27
The Success By 6 Coalition is a network of child and family advocates – providers, parents, policymakers, civic leaders, and experts – with a shared goal to ensure every child enters Kindergarten happy, healthy, and prepared to succeed in school and beyond. As part of our collective impact work to break economic barriers and build opportunity for all, United Way for Greater Austin convenes a Success By 6 Coalition in both Travis and Williamson counties. To prepare all our youngest community members for school and beyond, we partner with local nonprofits to deliver impactful services in four focus areas: Healthy beginnings Supported families High-quality care & education Safe & stimulating communities Together with our partners, we are transforming our local early education system, so that children and their families can reach their full potential. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and every month, United Way for Greater Austin and the Success By 6 Coalition work to support children experiencing abuse and neglect. Faith communities are invited to participate in Blue Sunday, a national day of prayer for children experiencing abuse and neglect. Each year Blue Sunday falls on the last Sunday in April, and this year, Blue Sunday is April 27. Child abuse and neglect statistics in Travis County and Texas have improved slightly since last year, but the reality is still heartbreaking: In 2024 in Travis County, there were: 975 children under the age of 6 were confirmed victims of abuse and neglect; 119 children […]
Read MoreBlue Sunday is April 28
Blog by Bridget Tobin, Mission Advancement Intern, United Way for Greater Austin The Success By 6 Coalition is a network of child and family advocates – providers, parents, policymakers, civic leaders, and experts – with a shared goal to ensure every child enters Kindergarten happy, healthy, and prepared to succeed in school and beyond. As part of our collective impact work to break economic barriers and build opportunity for all, United Way for Greater Austin convenes a Success By 6 Coalition in both Travis and Williamson counties. To prepare all our youngest community members for school and beyond, we partner with local nonprofits to deliver impactful services in four focus areas: Healthy beginnings Supported families High-quality care & education Safe & stimulating communities Together with our partners, we are transforming our local early education system, so that children and their families can reach their full potential. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and every month, United Way for Greater Austin and the Success By 6 Coalition work to support children experiencing abuse and neglect. Faith communities are invited to participate in Blue Sunday, a national day of prayer for children experiencing abuse and neglect. Each year Blue Sunday falls on the last Sunday in April, and this year, Blue Sunday is April 28. Child abuse and neglect statistics in Travis County and Texas have improved slightly since last year, but the reality is still heartbreaking: In 2023 in Travis County, there were: 1,018 children under the age […]
Read MoreUnited Way for Greater Austin Awards $475,000 to 20 Williamson County Nonprofits
United Way for Greater Austin awarded a total of $475,000 in strategic grant funding to 20 nonprofits in Williamson County. The recipients represent a diverse set of community leaders collectively serving more than 3,000 Williamson County residents in the areas of education, health, and financial stability. “We are grateful to every donor who makes these strategic investments in Williamson County possible,” said David C. Smith, CEO of United Way for Greater Austin. “Every dollar goes a long way to ensure everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. United Way is proud to support and work with such outstanding partners, and we look forward to changing lives the only way we know how: United.” In January 2022, United Way for Greater Austin and United Way of Williamson County joined forces and merged into a regional organization supporting children, families, and individuals in Austin, Travis County, and Williamson County. This funding represents our continued investment in Williamson County. The grants will support strategic work in the areas of: Education (8 organizations) Health (7 organizations) Financial stability (5 organizations) View the full list of grant recipients. “United Way is proud to partner with these organizations to advance the powerful work they are currently doing, which impacts thousands of children, families, and individuals in our region,” said Amy Mizcles, Vice President of Williamson County at United Way for Greater Austin. As an organization committed to equity and inclusivity, United Way approached the grant selection process with these values in mind. In total, […]
Read MoreJoin us for Blue Sunday
Blog by Bridget Tobin, Mission Advancement Intern, United Way for Greater Austin The Success By 6 Coalition is a network of child and family advocates – providers, parents, policymakers, civic leaders, and experts – with a shared goal to ensure every child enters Kindergarten happy, healthy, and prepared to succeed in school and beyond. As part of our collective impact work to break economic barriers and build opportunity for all, United Way for Greater Austin convenes a Success By 6 Coalition in both Travis and Williamson counties. To prepare all our youngest community members for school and beyond, we partner with local nonprofits to deliver impactful services in four focus areas: Healthy beginnings Supported families High-quality care & education Safe & stimulating communities Together with our partners, we are transforming our local early education system, so that children and their families can reach their full potential. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and every month, United Way for Greater Austin and the Success By 6 Coalition work to support children experiencing abuse and neglect. Faith communities are invited to participate in Blue Sunday, a national day of prayer for children experiencing abuse and neglect. Each year Blue Sunday falls on the last Sunday in April, and this year, Blue Sunday is April 28. Child abuse and neglect statistics in Travis County and Texas have improved slightly since last year, but the reality is still heartbreaking: In 2023 in Travis County, there were: 1,018 confirmed victims of child […]
Read MoreSpread joy for an educator this holiday season
This holiday season, be a champion of cheer and spread a little extra joy! We’re bringing together our friends and neighbors to spread good tidings through special holiday care packages for our early childhood educators who, year-round, continue to show up, care, and teach our youngest community members. Will you be a champion of cheer by building fun care packages with us this holiday season? SIGN UP Child development centers like Bright Beginnings and directors like Patsy make learning exciting for children. They are the reason we’re celebrating this year. Centers across our region are facing increasing costs and educator fatigue, making it harder to keep their doors open and serve local children and families. Help us give a little extra joy to early childhood educators who are helping children build a strong foundation for lifelong learning! Each holiday care package will include: $25 Alamo Drafthouse gift card Pair of fun patterned socks 2-3 colorful pens Puzzle or party game Check out our volunteer website for all the details, including shopping lists, delivery details, and more! Want more information before signing up? See our FAQ. Have additional questions about this opportunity? Please email our volunteer team at Volunteer@uwatx.org. Happy holidays from the United Way team. We look forward to making the season brighter with you!
Read MoreUnited Way for Greater Austin Awards $2.2 Million to 68 Local Organizations
United Way for Greater Austin awarded a total of $2.2 million in strategic grants to 68 nonprofits in Travis and Williamson counties. The recipients represent a diverse set of community leaders collectively serving over 13,000 local children and families in the areas of education, health, and financial stability. As an organization committed to changing inequitable systems and embracing inclusivity, United Way approached the grant selection process with these values in mind. In total, 66 recipients focus on clients who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), and 25 recipients have BIPOC leaders. “We are grateful to every donor who makes these strategic investments in our region possible,” said David C. Smith, CEO of United Way for Greater Austin. “Every dollar goes a long way to ensure everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. United Way is proud to support and work with such outstanding partners, and we look forward to changing lives the only way we know how: United.” In January 2022, United Way for Greater Austin and United Way of Williamson County joined forces and merged into a regional organization supporting children, families, and individuals in Austin, Travis County, and Williamson County. This funding represents a continued investment in both counties. Because United Way brings local solutions to local issues within each community across the region, grants will support strategic priorities specific to each county. In Travis County, the grants will advance the goals of two community coalitions powered by United Way: The Success By 6 […]
Read MoreJoin us for Blue Sunday
Blog by Bridget Tobin, Mission Advancement Intern, United Way for Greater Austin The Success By 6 Coalition is a community-wide collaboration of child and family advocates – providers, parents, policymakers, civic leaders, and experts – with a shared goal to ensure every child born in the Austin area receives the support and care they deserve during their essential first 2,000 days. United Way for Greater Austin is the convener of this work in Austin/Travis County. The Success By 6 Coalition is made up of community stakeholders collectively creating a future in which all children in our community enter Kindergarten healthy, happy, and ready to succeed in school and life. To prepare all our youngest Austinites for school readiness, we partner with nonprofits in the community to deliver impactful services through four focus areas: Healthy beginnings Supported families High-quality care & education Safe & stimulating communities Together with our partners, we are building a stronger foundation for Austin so all families can thrive. This year we are expanding our support of whole families by participating in Blue Sunday and raising awareness of Child Abuse Prevention Month. Blue Sunday is a day in which faith communities join together in prayer for children experiencing abuse and neglect. Each year this day of prayer falls on the last Sunday in April, which is recognized as Child Abuse Prevention Month. This year, Blue Sunday is April 24. Child abuse and neglect statistics in Travis County and Texas are heartbreaking: In 2021 in Travis County, There […]
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