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In the Spotlight
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Ramping Up to Help the Homebound
“I enjoy it—it’s as simple as that,” said Dennis Mick, a retired 3M employee who now spends his free time building wheelchair ramps. “I like working with my hands and I like seeing the immediate results.”
Mick will be just one of hundreds of volunteers using their hands to help others on Friday, April 23 during the United Way Spring Day of Caring. This event offers opportunities for community volunteers to lend a hand in tackling issues such as poverty, education and health—doing everything from building homes to delivering meals to beautifying community parks.
Through his work with the Texas Ramps project, Mick will lead volunteers in projects during this year’s Day of Caring.
To sign-up for the Day of Caring, visit www.handsoncentraltexas.org and register for a project.
Mick says there are numerous people in the community who are homebound due to their inability to negotiate stairs because they must rely upon a walker or wheelchair. In about 5 hours, Mick and his team of volunteers can complete a ramp giving new freedom to those who need it.
Click here to read more.
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Getting Connected
UWCA Spring Day of Caring—Friday, April 23
Presented by Freescale Semiconductor
Volunteers can register and sign-up for projects at www.handsoncentraltexas.org
- Kick-off celebration on April 23 from 8:30 a.m-9:45 a.m.
- Dove Springs Recreation Center
- 5801 Ainez Dr.
- Austin, TX 78744
Volunteers can register from 8:30 a.m.-9 a.m. with a program following. Volunteer projects begin at 10 a.m. at various locations.
United Way Day of Caring is a community-wide event that addresses critical social issues through meaningful volunteer action. Each year, more than 2,500 community volunteers lend a hand in tackling issues such as poverty, education and health—doing everything from building homes to delivering meals to beautifying community parks.
Live United Film Series: CRITICAL CONDITION:
A thoughtful look at the healthcare crisis.
You're invited to a special screening and discussion on healthcare. The film, Critical Condition, captures the harrowing struggles of critically ill Americans who discover that being uninsured can cost them their jobs, health, home, savings, even their lives.
Hector’s Story
Meet Hector Cardenas. He has worked his whole life. Then he lost his job, his health insurance ... and his infected foot to diabetes. Now he lives in a hotel and struggles to pay the medical bills.
Hector’s story is one that many Latinos know very well. Stay after the screening to hear panelists discuss the film and the issues Hispanics and other Americans without health insurance live with every day.
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Your Local United Way in Action:
Six Join Board of Directors
Six new community leaders are joining the UWCA Board of Directors. Each will serve a three-year term. The six include:
- Marie Baker, a Director in the Managed Services sector at CSC. She is a past chair of the UWCA Women’s Leadership Council.
- Heather Brunner, Chief Operating Officer at Bazaarvoice. She has been active with UWCA for nearly a decade serving on the Community Impact Cabinet.
- Juan Gonzalez, Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He also has participated in the past with other United Ways in California.
- Butch Hayes, Managing Partner at Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P.
- Bill O’Brien, Consultant and Chief Operating Officer at MagRabbit. He has a long history with UWCA including serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors, campaign chair and currently serving as an executive volunteer on the President’s Cabinet.
- Michael Vivio, Publisher of the Austin American-Statesman.
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Friends and Partners
Thanks to IBM, more low-income families in Central Texas have the information and education they need to better manage their money and make smart financial decisions.
UWCA, in partnership with the Financial Literacy Coalition of Central Texas and IBM support, is piloting a series of financial education sessions at local childcare centers for both parents and employees. IBM’s generous support has helped to ensure that childcare is available in the evenings.
Additionally, their contribution of desktop and laptop computers has allowed each childcare center to set up stations for staff to focus on professional development and connect to needed resources.
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Living United
“I choose to LIVE UNITED because I believe United Way brings together individuals, businesses, nonprofit agencies, and governments in a uniquely collaborative way, to improve the quality of life for all in our Central Texas communities. By investing our time, effort, and funds strategically, we can together address fundamental issues of education, financial stability, and health in a way that multiplies the impact for good.”
Marie Baker
Member of the UWCA Board of Directors
Director in the Managed Services Sector at CSC
Click here to LIVE UNITED.
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Your Impact
A grant is helping to strengthen UWCA’s community engagement programs. Special thanks for the funding go to the Volunteer, Impact and Retention & Expansion program offered by the Hands On Network and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Community Engagement programs include Days of Service, the LIVE UNITED Film series, VIVIR UNIDOS, skills-based volunteering and Volunteer Project Leader Training.
UWCA and Hands On Central Texas:
- engaged more than 3,200 volunteers in these events, projects and trainings,
- trained more than 160 volunteer project leaders,
- increased overall volunteer capacity by 30% and
- partnered with 223 nonprofit, civic, corporate and neighborhood groups.
Click here to give to United Way Capital Area.
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Ask Debbie
What does it mean to
"LIVE UNITED"?
“Living United means that you're involved with United Way beyond your donation of money. It means you're also involved with advocacy or volunteer service, in order to make the most impact on our community's condition.
Advocacy can mean anything from encouraging your teammates to give to United Way to writing your legislator in favor of stronger early childhood education programs. Volunteering can involve service to United Way or any cause you care about. The volunteer arm of United Way is known as Hands On Central Texas. ”
- Debbie Bresette, President,
United Way Capital Area
Let me know what's on your mind.
Chile Earthquake Relief
United Ways around the world are now offering support to Chile for long-term recovery efforts to rebuild lives and infrastructure in that country following the devastating earthquake. United Way’s national organization in Chile, Sociedad Activa, and other United Way members in Latin America have mobilized staff, volunteer leaders and resources in response and are helping residents address educational, financial and health-related challenges. Work is also continuing in Haiti.
Financial donations can be made at unitedway.org/disasterfund
(choose Disaster Recovery / Rebuilding, Chile or Haiti); call 1-866-404-5826; or make a $10 donation by texting CHILE to 864833 (UNITED). Standard text messaging rates apply.
To give now, click here.
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Affinity Group Events
- Educational Luncheon and Workshop with Dr. Barbara Davis: March 24, 2010,
Noon - 1pm
- Financial Stability Lunch and Learn, March 23, 2010,
Noon - 1pm
To learn more about becoming a UWCA affinity group member, click here or email alix.floyd@unitedwaycapitalarea.org.
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