The federal government shut down on October 1 and reopened on November 12. Full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits resumed November 14, providing vital support to thousands of Central Texans who rely on SNAP to feed themselves and their families. Even with benefits restored, many neighbors will continue to feel the ripple effects of the gap in SNAP services. United Way for Greater Austin stands ready to connect families to immediate food relief or help them apply for SNAP to ensure long-term stability. This is a developing list of information, resources, and ways you can support families affected. Please check back for ongoing updates. What We Know Now SNAP benefits resumed in full November 14. SNAP participants who receive benefits on or after the 14th of the month will receive their full benefits on their normal issuance date. SNAP participants who already received partial benefits will receive the rest of their monthly amount on or after November 14. Many Central Texans were struggling to put food on the table before the federal shutdown. Last year, our Navigation Center received more than 30,000 requests for food – our community’s top need. Resources 211 and ConnectCTX Call 2-1-1 (option 1), our 24/7 helpline, for information on food distributions, utilities, financial support, health care, transportation, child care, support applying for SNAP and more. Our trained Navigation Specialists are ready to connect you to resources you need. Our ConnectCTX referral database closes the loop and connects our neighbors to long-term support tools. Call […]
Read MoreOur 2024-2025 Annual Impact Report Is Here!
Belonging is the foundation for a thriving community. When families are economically stable, have reliable access to resources they need to be healthy and well, and feel connected to their communities, they can reach their full potential. That’s what United Way for Greater Austin works for every day. Last year, with you, we made incredible strides toward that vision. Last year alone We answered over 1,000 requests daily for resources like food, health care, and housing We helped 18,000+ young children from low-income households gain access to high-quality early learning We connected 115,890 individuals and children to critical resources Early Education Win Building Stronger Futures: $75M Invested in Early Learning Through Proposition A At United Way, we believe that every child deserves a strong start, and that begins with access to high-quality early care and education. Thanks to our advocacy efforts and the support of our community, we celebrated a major win last year: the passing of Proposition A in Travis County. This measure secured $75 million annually in local funding to strengthen the early childhood care system, supporting 10,000 children. Our work didn’t stop there. Through additional legislative advocacy, we helped reduce permit restrictions for new child care centers and championed policies to streamline support for preschools, making it easier for centers, school districts, and teachers to reach more children with quality care and education. Still, we know that early learning is just one piece of the puzzle. Ensuring individuals and families have easy access to pivotal resources plays […]
Read MoreMore Families, More Support: Family Connects Expands Nurse Home Visits
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 MorePartnerships That Fill Every Table
Stephanie Myers never thought she’d be feeding 300 families a week. Her bakery closed in 2020, and she and her business partner found themselves with hundreds of pounds of flour and no idea what to do with it. So, they baked loaves of bread and made tortillas for anyone who needed them, offering three loaves for 75 cents. “Then, people started bringing me canned goods – I didn’t advertise it. People just dropped them off on my front porch,” she said. She posted a photo on Facebook of the canned sweet corn, tomato soup, and other goods and let people know they were up for grabs. After that post, 20 people showed up at her home in Bartlett, a rural town of about 1,600 residents on the border of Bell and Williamson counties. Food kept showing up. Within a month, 100 people had come in response to her posts. From Bakery to 501(c)3 Five years later, Stephanie has grown her food program into a nonprofit called Neighbors Serving Neighbors. More than 1,000 Central Texans from rural areas walk, drive, bike, and even ride their lawnmowers to her house every month to pick up canned goods, bread, fresh produce, and more. As Neighbors Serving Neighbors has grown, local organizations, churches, and even Panera Bread have reached out to provide large food distributions on a regular basis. Feeding Families, the United Way United Way for Greater Austin powers one of those organizations. Every Monday, The Common Market delivers dozens of boxes of […]
Read MoreUnited Is The Way: Supporting Flood Relief
We continue to recover and rebuild following the devastating July 4 Central Texas floods. The damage is extensive, and recovery will continue for months to come. We also continue to mourn with those who lost loved ones. We are grateful to the first responders, local officials, and volunteers who are engaged in long-term recovery efforts. We are equally grateful for the many calls we have received asking for ways to support our greater Central Texas region. With your support, we have raised and deployed nearly $200,000 to the following agencies. We encourage you to stay in touch and follow these agencies for updates. Monetary Donations Ark of the Highland Lakes – Burnet County Flood Relief Fund Austin Area Disaster Network – Central Texas Flooding Fund Central Texas Community Foundation – Travis County Care Flood Relief Fun Central Texas Community Foundation – Wilco Cares Flood Relief Fund Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country – Kerr County Flood Relief Fund Texas Search and Rescue – 4th of July Texas Floods United Way Concho Valley – San Angelo Area Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund. Checks can be mailed to San Angelo Area Foundation, 221 S. Irving Street, San Angelo, TX 76903 United Way San Antonio and Bexar County – United for Kerr County Fund Physical Donations Operation Liberty Hill – See website for list of needs We Are Blood – Donate blood The following agencies require volunteers. Please do not self-deploy; unauthorized volunteers can create congestion and interfere with professional search, rescue, and recovery […]
Read MoreBreathing Easier: How United Way’s Efforts Helped Marco Get Life-Saving Care
They were running out of options. After months of doctor visits, one thing became clear: 17-year-old Marco needed life-saving scoliosis surgery. The curve in his spine was worsening as he grew, beginning to crush his lungs and making it harder for him to breathe. But the Ruiz family couldn’t afford the surgery. They didn’t have health insurance, and Marco’s father had recently lost his job. A year earlier, the family applied for Medicaid but never heard back. As weeks turned into months with no answer, they began to lose hope. Then, Marco’s high school support team connected him with a Community Health Worker. The Community Health Worker, Carmen, is part of the United Way-led Pathways Community HUB. This program supports rural communities with resources to improve health outcomes. Carmen understood their urgency and recommended going in person to the Texas Health and Human Services office. She had built trusted relationships with the staff there and believed she could help. But she didn’t just suggest it. She went to the office with them. Together, they submitted a new application. This time, Marco was approved for Medicaid on the spot. His parents, stunned and grateful, left the office in tears. After a year of silence, they finally had an answer. A few weeks later, Marco underwent surgery. It was a success. He can breathe again. The crushing pain in his neck and legs is gone. He’s back to being a teenager — dreaming about his future, walking taller, and laughing more easily. […]
Read MoreWhen Hope Felt Out of Reach, United Way Stepped In
*Trigger warning: This story contains content about suicidal ideation. She was sitting on the side of the road in her broken-down car. The last time she felt this overwhelmed, she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. One year earlier Single parenting caused her daily stress: Where would she find the resources to provide child care, medical care, and healthy meals for her two children? She had a baby on the way. This, combined with her mother’s passing, had plummeted Taylor into suicidal ideation. Taylor spent three months in psychiatric treatment. Her third baby’s due date was fast approaching. Negative encounters with doctors in the past left her hesitant to seek proper prenatal care. Taylor received a referral for the Pathways Community HUB program in her area. The program, launched by the United Way and supported by local donors, provides newly pregnant and postpartum mothers with resources to thrive. From the moment her Community Health Worker, Melissa, came into her life, Taylor and her family would never be the same. When Taylor delivered her baby, Melissa was right by her side, advocating for her care. She amplified Taylor’s concerns to medical professionals, ensuring her basic needs were met and providing a consistent, supportive presence. Now Sitting in her car, Taylor remembered the support her Community Health Worker provided. She picked up the phone and called Melissa again. Within 30 minutes, Melissa arrived to pick up Taylor and her children, assuring them everything would be okay. Taylor’s car was impounded, leaving her […]
Read MoreGathering for Good 2025: Like a prism refracting light into brilliance, Women United takes on challenges and turns them into action.
Empowering. Energizing. Uplifting. A sold-out crowd of more than 300 people came to Gathering for Good on May 1, 2025, to support United Way’s mission to break economic barriers and build opportunity for all. Thanks to the generous gifts of so many, we raised over $140,000! Like a prism refracting light into brilliance, Women United takes on challenges and turns them into action. At Gathering for Good, we celebrated the many roles we play — parent, mentor, advocate, entrepreneur, friend — and the strength we carry collectively. When we bring our full spectrum of talents, perspectives, and lived experiences into focus, the possibilities are truly endless. Together, we are Empowering a Spectrum of Change. Our deepest gratitude to our amazing keynote speaker, Daniela, for sharing her inspiring story of perseverance. Her experience with United Way is an example of how access to resources and support from community members can lead to real and lasting change. “With the guidance of United Way, I’ve learned to advocate for myself, and I have found ways to be successful despite the adversity I have faced. Struggle is universal for everyone. Just because someone carries their pain or struggle well doesn’t mean it’s not heavy. We all face different adversities. We come from different backgrounds. We are different colors, shapes, and sizes, and we carry different burdens. But together we can create change. We can empower one another. We can continue to be the change in our community by helping others shine through adversity.” Thanks […]
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