Success By 6 Receives $1 Million Gift
UWCA’s Success By 6 (SB6) program just received its largest corporate donation ever – a $1 million gift from Samsung Austin Semiconductor. Samsung made the gift to celebrate their recent announcement of a $3.6-billion expansion to its 12-inch semiconductor fabrication plant in Austin. “We are pleased to commemorate our growth in Austin with a gift that benefits Central Texas in such a meaningful way,” said Dr. Oh-Hyun Kwon, president, Semiconductor Business, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd..

UWCA’s SB6 initiative ensures 40,000 of Travis County’s youngest and most vulnerable children will be ready to learn and succeed by the time they enter kindergarten. The program works to:

• improve the quality of childcare serving low-income children
• educate parents on ways to support their children’s development
• provide mental health consultation to help with children’s social and emotional development

SB6 addresses children’s educational needs by identifying barriers and implementing proven strategies in cooperation with more than 30 nonprofit organizations, community and educational leaders and businesses.

“We are honored and deeply appreciative of such a generous gift and look forward to all of the possibilities and opportunities this will continue to create for our youngest and most vulnerable students,” Kevin Cole, UWCA Board Chair said. “This investment will increase our ability to make strategic program investments that will increase the number of vulnerable children who succeed in school.”

Getting Connected

UWCA Day of Caring is a community-wide event that addresses critical social issues through meaningful volunteer action.

• Take a look at some of the projects volunteers have signed up to complete:
• Ojeda Middle School Beautification Project
• Empty Bowl Project
• Boys and Girls Club Game Room makeover
• Kealing Middle School Garden Project
• Goodwill Store Reorganizations
• Austin Recovery Playroom Set-Up
• and many more!

Your Local United Way in Action

UWCA Names New Chair to Board of Directors

UWCA has named Austin attorney Kevin W. Cole as its new Chair of the Board of Directors. The University of Texas alum has served on the Board for more than three years and chaired the Finance Committee, which oversees UWCA’s fiscal policies and operations, including accounting, information technology and human resources.

“We are pleased that Kevin accepted this new role as Chair of our Board of Directors,” said Debbie Bresette, President of UWCA. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and we are positive he will continue to help move us forward in our efforts to drive measureable change in the community.”

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UWCA is “Rooted” in New Campaign for 2010-11!

“I am rooted in Central Texas and I Live United.”

Those words form the foundation of UWCA’s new “Let’s tend to our roots” fundraising campaign, which officially launches with this year’s Fall Day of Caring and Workplace Giving Campaign Kickoff. Using personalized stories and photographs of Central Texans who have been impacted by UWCA, as well as local celebrities like Mack Brown, this campaign is strategically designed to reflect UWCA’s focus on the people and issues that are “rooted” in Central Texas.

To see the campaign video, read the personal impact stories and learn more about how UWCA is rooted in Central Texas, visit www.unitedwayroots.org.

Friends and Partners

UWCA and E3 Alliance Work Together To Improve Educational Systems
To create better opportunities for Central Texas’ youth to learn, grow and engage the community, UWCA has teamed up with the E3 Alliance, a collaboration involving Austin Community College, Austin Area Research Organization and the University of Texas.

“E3 is a great catalyst for quality education in Central Texas,” says Sue Carpenter, UWCA Senior Director of Education. “Our education goals deliberately align because we both recognize the importance of having children start school prepared to succeed and, once they get there, find an outstanding educational environment.”

Shared leadership binds UWCA and E3 together and, as a result, they each take advantage of what the other has to offer. For example, UWCA education experts are on E3’s Goal 1 Championship team, which develops school readiness action plans, and E3 team members can be found on UWCA’s Success By 6 Leadership Council, which strives to make sure that every child is happy, healthy and prepared to succeed in school when they enter kindergarten.

Click here to read more.

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GivShop Provides a New Way to Give to UWCA
UWCA is piloting a new way to give by teaming with Austin-based GivShop. Launching with its first deal on September 8, Austin-based GivShop provides consumers with deals of up to 80% off local products and activities. With every purchase you make, GivShop will donate 50% of the profits to UWCA or other local nonprofits in the community. Sign up now and you could win two, 3-day passes to the Austin City Limits Music Festival! Giving doesn't get any easier or more fun – so tell your friends!

To sign-up now, click here.

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