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Your Guide to the Most Philanthropic Day Ever

At United Way for Greater Austin, we believe that anyone can be a philanthropist. Any donation, no matter how small, of time or money makes a difference. Fortunately, living in Austin provides you with many opportunities to give back to organizations that are working to improve the world we live in, both locally and globally. From restaurants, clothing stores, volunteer-based organizations, coffee shops and more, you can discover a variety of ways to contribute and show your support for amazing causes in traditional and non-traditional ways. Here is a guide to help you have the most philanthropic day possible in Austin: 7 a.m. – Wake up and head to TOMS Roasting Co. on South Congress to start your morning off right with a fresh cup of coffee. TOMS Roasting CO. Austin serves a selection of fair trade, direct trade and blend coffee. Proceeds from coffee purchases go towards providing water to people in need. Your purchase from Toms Roasting Co. supports health improvement, increased economic opportunity, access to education and job creation. Location: 1401 S Congress Ave. Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Phone Number: 512-350-2115 9 a.m. – Get your workout in and bond with cute animals in need! Take a dog for a run through the RuffTail Runner’s program, which collaborates with Austin Pets Alive!’s Town Lake Animal Center, Pflugerville Pets Alive! and the Bastrop County Animal Shelter. By volunteering with RuffTail Runners, you help […]

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Outlaw After-Party for Flood Relief

Still looking for a way to help out with the Central Texas flood relief? On Monday, July 6, a collection of music’s legendary outlaws and rising superstars will come together for a once-in-a-lifetime concert at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin to honor Waylon Jennings, one of the most influential musicians of the Outlaw Country movement. 100 percent of proceeds from the Outlaw After-Party will go to UWATX to benefit Central Texas victims of the Memorial Day floods. OUTLAW: Celebrating the Music of Waylon Jennings, produced by Blackbird Presents, will feature performances by: Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Toby Keith, Eric Church, Kacey Musgraves, Ryan Bingham, Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson, Lee Ann Womack, Chris Stapleton, Shooter Jennings, Jessi Colter and Billy Joe Shaver. Additional performances to be announced. You must be a ticket holder to the tribute concert in order to purchase after-party tickets – get your concert tickets HERE – but hurry! Tickets to the tribute are going fast.   Outlaw After-Party Benefits:  After-Party tickets are $100 each and include open bars and passed bites backstage at ACL Live. 100 percent of your ticket purchase to the Outlaw After-Party will go to UWATX and earmarked for Memorial Day Central Texas flood victims. All ticketing fees have been waived by ACL Live and Ticketfly to aid in this effort. How do I get my Outlaw After-Party tickets?  All current ticket holders will receive an email with a link to purchase tickets to the Outlaw After-Party. New ticket purchasers to the […]

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Summer Learning Day 2015

Many adults still vividly recall their time at summer camp: canoeing, arts & crafts, field day and all of the social aspects that make summer camp such an unforgettable experience. Unfortunately, these enriching programs are often reserved for middle to upper class students, as many low-income students are unable to participate due to high cost, family obligations, lack of knowledge of high quality programs or other barriers. When students are unable to access summer learning opportunities, they lose out on much more than fun. Researchers from John Hopkins estimate that roughly two-thirds of the achievement gap between low-income and higher-income students in the ninth grade is a result of unequal access to summer learning opportunities during elementary school. Low-income students lose an average of more than two months of reading achievement, while middle and high-income students actually improve their reading skills over the summer, according to the same study. This lost time contributes to the lower high school graduation rates among low-income students, which in turn sets many children up for lifetimes of economic hardship. Additionally, summer learning opportunities have been linked to increases in self-esteem, self-confidence and motivation, meaning low-income students have fewer opportunities to develop these crucial soft skills. Central Texas educators are doing their part to work to close this gap. In Austin, there are currently 64 summer programs hosted by 60 different organizations dedicated to expanding access to summer learning opportunities. These programs have enrolled over 32,000 youth and represent the combined efforts of school districts, […]

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Upward Mobility in Austin

Last month, the New York Times published an article titled “An Atlas of Upward Mobility Shows Paths Out of Poverty.” The article details a recent study that finds that some children living in poverty have a better chance of escaping poverty as adults than their counterparts living in similar situations in other cities with smaller chances of upward mobility. Essentially, growing up in poverty does not mean a child will stay poor; much depends on where they grow up. The article lists our own hometown, Austin, as one of the cities where low-income children face the worst odds–meaning they have a small chance of living above the poverty line, even as adults. In fact, a child who grows up in Travis County will earn 8% less as an adult than if they had grown up in a city with an average chance of upward mobility. Other cities on this list are Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Tampa, the Bronx and low-income parts of Manhattan. It also highlights Baltimore as the city with the worst chance of upward mobility. The study, titled “The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility,” was authored by two Harvard professors. They analyzed more than five million children who moved over a 16 year timeframe. The study found that the younger a child moves from a neighborhood with bad upward mobility to a neighborhood with better upward mobility, the higher the chance they will rise out of poverty as an adult. Additionally, the […]

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YLS Chaperones Webb Middle School Dance

As the school year comes to a close and students have summer tunnel vision, most adults would assume that they are thinking about anything but school. This is not the case at Webb Middle School. Managing the Young Leaders Society for UWATX has allowed me to get a glimpse into the lives of middle school students at Webb and they continue to truly impress me. On June 2nd, the Young Leaders Society volunteered to chaperone the 8th grade graduation dance for the second year in a row. The dance immediately followed a graduation ceremony, where several Webb students were honored for academic achievement. As I listened the names being called of the students that worked so hard to gain success, I could not help but be moved. As an employee of United Way for Greater Austin and a donor, I could clearly see the impact this organization has on Webb, Mendez and Decker Middle Schools at that graduation ceremony. After the last name had been called and the parents made their way down to congratulate their graduates, other YLS volunteers and I headed into the cafeteria to get set up for the dance. Members of the YLS executive committee as well as potential YLS members mixed and mingled while we set out punch, tacos and a sheet cake the size of Texas. After a few minutes all of the middle school students filled the room, and once the DJ started playing you could tell it was going to be an […]

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BB&T’s 2015 Lighthouse Project

BB&T completed its annual BB&T Lighthouse community volunteer project in May to celebrate its sixth year of promoting a company-wide service effort. Across the country, BB&T has contributed more than 325,000 volunteer hours to local nonprofits, including United Way for Greater Austin. This year, more than 50 BB&T volunteers spent two days improving the Boys and Girls Club gardens. The Boys and Girls Club serving McBee Elementary provides high quality afterschool programming to more than 130 elementary students each weekday. Through enrichment programs like the Gardening Club, students not only have a safe place to go after school, but also to deepen their understanding of concepts they learn during the school day and develop an interest in their community. BB&T volunteers renovated the current garden area and added new resources for the Gardening Club to use in their lessons. Volunteers built a fence around the garden, added raised garden beds, created pathways around the garden, added a picnic table as a teaching space, and built and painted signs labeling the garden. The garden will be used by the Boys and Girls Club for Gardening Club lessons, outdoor science activities and as a fun activity space. The project cost $4,900, which BB&T donated. View all photos from the Lighthouse project on Flickr. What BB&T volunteers had to say about the project: “It was an amazing day! It’s great to see all of our BB&T associates work together for a great organization like United Way’s partner, Boys & Girls Club. We have […]

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June’s Face 2 Face Recap

Each month, the Austin Business Journal hosts a Face 2 Face speaker series at Whole Foods, featuring leaders of all types of industries. This month’s speaker was Terry Lundgren, CEO and Chairman of Macy’s. Macy’s is a $28 billion corporation with 176,000 full-time employees and 800 stores. Macy’s is also the 7th largest Internet company. Lundgren commented that while the company embraces technology as a powerful source of commerce, he believes “people first, technology second.” Terry Lundgren has been high on the Macy’s ladder since 1997, with his roles including president and chief merchandising officer, among others. He started his career in retail in 1975, slowing climbing his way from trainee to management to buying to director of stores before becoming an executive. His advice to young adults entering the workforce: “Bloom where you are planted,” meaning not to focus so much on where you are going next, but to perform your current job better than anyone else to get noticed. When moderator Colin Pope asked if it is lonely at the top, Lundgren responded that he has a great team of management and board members. “When we make decisions, we move forward together. Success has many fathers, but failure has none.” Lundgren is notorious for showing up to his stores unannounced, to get a real feel for the atmosphere and customer service being provided. He says he enjoys watching and learning from his star performers. He believes localization is the reason Macy’s has been able to grow while maintaining […]

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Support Central Texas Flood Recovery Efforts

CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO DONATE TO THE 2017 HURRICANE HARVEY DISASTER RELIEF.   UPDATE 6/8/15: There are currently four Volunteer Reception Centers open in our area (Wimberley, San Marcos, Martindale, Blanco), serving as a central meeting point for volunteers to check-in and then be assigned a task such as clean-up or donation organization. At this time no end date has been scheduled for the volunteer centers. The Volunteer Reception Centers are helpful since these are all-day opportunities, no pre sign-up required, and are often associated with multiple organizations and local government versus a single nonprofit. Wimberley Volunteering Cypress Creek Church Volunteer Reception Center 211 Stillwater Rd Wimberley TX 78676 512-753-2320 Mon – Sun 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, until further notice Provides central location for volunteers to meet and assist with coordinated volunteer efforts, such as clean-up. Volunteers will register and a get a wristband. Food will be available. San Marcos Volunteering San Marcos Plaza Park Volunteer Reception Center 206 N CM Allen Pkwy San Marcos TX 78666 512-753-2320 Mon – Sun 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, until further notice Provides central location for volunteers to meet and assist with coordinated volunteer efforts. Volunteers will register and a get a wristband. Volunteers are asked to wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing, and to bring masks, work gloves, mops, rakes, and light cleaning supplies. Note: Volunteers wishing to volunteer at the Springtown Mall Donation Center must first register at the Volunteer Reception Center. Martindale Volunteering Martindale Baptist Church Volunteer Reception […]

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7 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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Principal Alejandro Góngora Wins OST Award

The end of the school year is a time to stop and celebrate successes, and that’s especially true for Austin’s Out-of-School Time (OST) community who works tirelessly year-round. Each year, the Central Texas Afterschool Network (CTAN) bring students, families, providers and funders together for the Breakfast of Champions event, to recognize excellence and the important work these collaborators do. Educators and afterschool professionals submitted more than 100 nominations this year to nominate OST champions in 12 award categories. The winners are chosen by a nominations committee, made up of volunteer OST leaders and staff. This year, it’s a privilege for UWATX and the Target Graduation team to join the larger community in applauding one of our key partners, Principal Alejandro Góngora, who received the award for “Best OST Collaborator.” Principal Góngora of Decker Middle School in Manor ISD has been a tireless collaborator with United Way through a variety of channels related to our Middle School Matters program. This award is a testament to his responsiveness, creativity and commitment – especially after the loss of federally funded afterschool programming last year. OST staff from Camp Fire and our Volunteer Project Leadership (VPL) programs are quick to commend Principal Góngora for his willingness to collaborate on events, participate alongside students in the classroom and assist with everything from communication to translation of materials. We’re grateful to Principal Góngora for embracing collaboration before, during and after the school day. This award is a reflection of his leadership and the hard work of […]

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