Since 1996, our Navigation Center has served as the access point for our community for health and human resources. The 2-1-1 Navigation Center has published its annual report of trends in community needs for social services for 2015. This past year, the Navigation Center received a total of 261,504 calls from residents in need of help. The UWATX Navigation Center partners with 2-1-1 Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to help individuals navigate through 30,000 nonprofit and government resources in the ten counties we serve. The counties served through our Navigation Center include Travis, Llano, Burnet, Williamson, Blanco, Hays, Caldwell, Bastrop, Lee and Fayette County. Here are some of the community needs trends we saw in 2015: Increase in Housing-Related Calls Our data shows housing-related needs were the top subject 2-1-1 callers asked about in 2015. Previously, food-related needs were consistently the top need. However, they are related; many times when someone is paying a high percentage of income on their housing, they are likely to have a hard time paying for other basic needs as well, like food, clothing, healthcare, prescriptions and more. This year, the Navigation Center made 100,128 housing-related referrals, which made up 31% of total calls. Top needs for 2-1-1 callers Create pie charts More Calls From Outlying Areas 2-1-1 calls reflect demographic shifts in our community. There has been an increase in calls from people living in Williamson, Caldwell and Hays Counties, which have experienced booming growth in recent years as people who can no longer afford […]
Read MoreFlood Relief Funds to Be Distributed
It’s been two months since the devastating Memorial Day floods swept through Central Texas—including Hays, Blanco, Bastrop, Caldwell, Travis and Williamson counties—and the outpouring of help from local community members has been nothing short of incredible. According to an Austin American-Statesman article released last week, more than 400 homes were destroyed in Central Texas and 3,491 residents have registered for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance. Many local efforts were organized immediately the Tuesday morning following the floods. Volunteer groups appeared ready with cleaning supplies, and individuals and companies were knocking at UWATX’s door with open checkbooks. In addition to the Disaster Recovery Fund we created, UWATX was the recipient of several benefits held around town to raise funds for flood victims, including ones held by Jonathan Adler Austin, ACL Live, the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Association and Indian Roller. To date, local community members and businesses have contributed an incredible $85,500 and counting to our flood relief and recovery efforts! This week, those funds will be distributed to 10 local organizations to support long-term recovery (LTR) efforts. By focusing on LTR, we will ensure these donated dollars help the people who need it most and that the funds are used most effectively. These local organizations include: 1. Austin Disaster Relief Network: Rebuilding efforts 2. Bastrop Long Term Recovery: Rebuilding efforts 3. Blanco Regional River Recovery Group: Case management for flood victims 4. Catholic Charities: Temporary housing for flood victims 5. Community Action (Hays County Head Start): Storage rentals […]
Read MoreUWCA raises over $100K for Wildfire Relief
It’s hard to believe it has been over a month since wildfires broke out across Central Texas. For UWCA, this time of year is always busy with workplace giving campaigns, but the wildfire relief efforts brought an added sense of urgency to the work we do. Within hours of hearing about the fires, our 2-1-1 (the United Way Helpline) team went to work verifying information on resources, services and safety. Social media is now a huge part of every disaster recovery effort so 2-1-1 staff members scoured social channels for up-to-the-minute news, verified its validity and then served as a hub of verified information for all callers. UWCA also initiated a text-to-give campaign, so anyone can text “Wildfire,” to 85944 and donate $10. The money donated to the Wildfire Relief Fund has already provided gift cards so those affected by the fires could buy groceries, gas, lodging, replacement tools, clothes and other necessities. To date, we have collected more than $117,000. Recently, Samsung announced a one-time gift of $50,000 for our wildfire recovery fund, the largest contribution to date. This donation allows United Way to work with communities to determine both immediate and long-term recovery needs. Together, we can help those most in need and those who are no longer covered by insurance regain a productive life. Samsung’s gift exemplifies what it means to be a true corporate partner and citizen. Their gift toward wildfire recovery is in addition to the ongoing corporate giving campaign, so those who relied on […]
Read MoreExxonMobil employees make time to volunteer in Bastrop, Texas!
On December 5th during their visit to Bastrop, Texas a group of ExxonMobil engineers from the Houston area took time from their busy work schedule to work on a community service project together. They volunteered at a transitional housing apartment managed by the Family Crisis Center in Bastrop, Texas. The Family Crisis Center is a nonprofit that provides safe refuge and comprehensive services responsive to the individual needs of women, children, and men who are experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, or child abuse in Bastrop, Fayette and Lee Counties. The ExxonMobil team painted a two-bedroom apartment, cleaned four flower beds and planted bushes; they also painted several front door frames of the apartment complex. Some of the residents were so excited they joined in the fun! The special treat was when the children arrived from school and personally went around thanking the volunteers for making their home a nice place to live! What a wonderful Team! While they had a great time teambuilding, networking and bonding, they left behind a lasting impact on the residents and the Bastrop community. Diana SantosCorporate and Volunteer Relations Director Exxon volunteers please share your stories!
Read More