Dear Young Leaders Society members:
In case you missed it, this month we had our annual Board Builders session at United Way. Led by Matt Kouri, Executive Director of Greenlights for Nonprofit Success
(www.greenlights.org), the event provided information on the basics of being a nonprofit board member.
Topics included the definition of board roles, board and staff relationships, fundraising, and financial management basics. It seemed that everyone left the session
energized and inspired to find their fit and explore new board opportunities. Greenlights hosts a Board Summit in April (see below).
Also, coming soon from the education committee is the annual Leadership Horizons seminar, being put on by Leadership Austin. The premier YLS education event of the year,
this is yet another chance to get your leadership skills in tune and find your fit. More details will follow in the upcoming newsletters.
As your Education Committee, we continue to look for more opportunities to inspire, educate, and enable the YLS membership. We are here to serve you in that regard.
Do not hesitate to send any ideas you may have to yls@unitedwaycapitalarea.org.
Thank you,
Bill Kempf & Lesa Sayer
Your YLS Education Co-Chairs
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April Lunch With Leaders
April 15th Lunch with Leaders - Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo
With two decades of law enforcement experience under his belt, Chief Acevedo strives to strengthen the relationship between the people of Austin and their Police Department. Chief Acevedo leads by example with a strong sense of community involvement through his own personal time and resources. Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear our new police chief share his perspective! You can also learn more about Chief Acevedo at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/chiefs.htm
Tuesday, April 15
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
United Way Capital Area
2000 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 78702
Cost: Free!
RSVP here.
Greenlights for NonProfit Success and Leadership Austin present the
2008 Board Summit
Wednesday, April 2
5:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
SEDL (4700 Mueller Blvd.)
Austin, TX 78723
(down the street from Dell Children's Medical Center)
Map: http://www.sedl.org/about/directions.html
Registration fee: $35
- An energizing event designed to introduce you to nonprofit organizations that can use your skills and enthusiasm.
- Mingle with more than 100 other business professionals and listen to business and community leaders discuss nonprofit board service.
- Meet more than 20 diverse nonprofits looking for talented professionals like you to serve on their boards.
Click here to register for the Greenlights Board Summit
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YLS Volunteer project with Austin Habitat for Humanity
Saturday, April 26th
Want to help build or deconstruct a home with other like minded YLS members and help eliminate poverty housing in Central Texas?
If you are interested, please contact Juhee Williamson, YLS Volunteer Chair, at Juhee.Williamson@ey.com.
Mission Statement
Austin Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to put our faith in action by building affordable, quality houses with families in need to eliminate poverty housing, one family at a time.
To learn more about Austin Habitat for Humanity, go to www.austinhabitat.org.
ARCH - Monthly Volunteering with YLS
Looking for a way to give time to your community and meet other like-minded young leaders? YLS has a standing volunteer event at Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) each second Tuesday of the month. We need 3 - 4 volunteers to serve dinner for Tuesday, March 11th from 6-8pm. Please contact Susan Gustavson at susan.gustavson@ni.com to sign up and for more information.
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Creating Impact
Try this simple experiment:
Go to your bank. Withdraw about $1500. Now burn it.
Or even better: Take that money and, instead of burning it, offer it to a friend. Do they accept it, or do they toss it in the trash?
You probably get the point. It would suggest a serious lack of good judgment to willingly destroy your own money. And if someone threw away money you gave them, you might reconsider that particular friendship.
But every year, across Central Texas, thousands of families throw away money when filing their federal income tax returns. They, quite frankly, leave money on the table-money that is owed to them, money that can, in some cases, stabilize otherwise shaky financial situations.
The Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, is designed to support low-income working families. But plenty of working people simply aren't aware of the EITC or don't know if they're eligible.
But that's changing. Thanks to Community Tax Centers and United Way Capital Area, millions of dollars are staying here, in our community, instead of being sent needlessly to Washington.
The Community Tax Center-a program of local nonprofit Foundation Communities funded, in part, by United Way Capital Area-provides free income tax-preparation for low-income individuals and families. Paying special attention to EITC eligibility and carefully reviewing each case, the volunteer tax-preparers at the Community Tax Centers produce an enormous impact on both the local economy and individual families.
Consider these numbers. In the 2007 tax-filing season, Community Tax Centers:
- Completed 13,550 tax returns (an increase of 500% over 2004, the first year of the CTCs)
- Secured more than $17 million in tax returns and credits for their clients ($7 million of which was in EITCs alone)
- Saved clients approximately $2 million in tax preparation fees
- Returned an average of $1,661 to the low-income, working individuals and families
It's impossible to argue with the importance of the Community Tax Center program. For a working individual who makes under $20,000 per year, a return of $1,600 creates a huge impact. And for the overall economy of our region, $17 million is quite a "shot in the arm."
Which is why United Way Capital Area partners with the Community Tax Centers in a number of ways:
- Funding
In the upcoming funding cycle, United Way has provided Foundation Communities with a Community Investment Grant for their programs designed to increase financial stability, including Community Tax Centers.
- Access
United Way runs 2-1-1, the free dialing code for people looking for health and human service programs. Last year, 2-1-1 answered calls from 12,817 people looking for tax-preparation help and directed them to the Community Tax Center in their area.
- Volunteers
Hands On Central Texas, the volunteer hub run by United Way Capital Area, helps recruit volunteer tax-preparers for the Community Tax Centers, helping them increase capacity, improve quality, and reduce overhead costs.
We're proud of the work we do with Foundation Communities' Community Tax Centers, because they do the important, hard work of helping people not only survive, but thrive.
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Want to watch the Longhorns rip through the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament on your very own Samsung HPT5054 50" Plasma HDTV*?
Buy your raffle tickets now!!
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United Way and Truluck's proudly present...
Wine Lovers for Charity
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Truluck's Downtown (4th & Colorado) - Naples Room
Please join us for this very special evening of tasting exclusive cellar wines from Republic Beverage, paired with appetizes from Truluck's-all benefiting United Way Capital Area.
$55 (plus tax and gratuity)
Please email or call Kelly Barber to make your reservations at kbarber@trulucks.com or (512) 482-9000.
We look forward to seeing you on April 2nd!
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"The Most Important Investment"
On February 20, United Way welcomed J. Barry Griswell, CEO and President of Principal Financial Group, to Austin as part of a community conversation, "The Most Important Investment: Early Childhood Education."
In a morning event held at the Hyatt downtown, more than 100 community members and leaders listened to Griswell's recounting of his experience supporting early childhood education in Des Moines, Iowa (through their local United Way chapter). Griswell's insight into both the "why" and "how" of investing in early childhood education provided a model for the work of United Way Capital Area, Success By 6, and the entire Central Texas region. Griswell explained that the most effective way to create widespread, lasting impact is to bring together all interested groups-nonprofit agencies, city and county organizations, and corporate leaders.
Griswell's talk was preceded by a presentation from Jon Hockenyos, economist and President of TXP, on the highlights from his recently completed report, "The Economic Impact of the Early Childhood Industry." Among a variety of fascinating data, Hockenyos explained that the early childhood care industry was worth about $2 billion to the Travis County economy. The complete report will be available from United Way in the coming weeks.
Pictured: Jon Hockenyos, Sam Bryant, and J Barry Griswell
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United Way Capital Area's Spirit of Caring Celebration
Save the Date! Monday, April 28, 2008 for United Way Capital Area's 2008 Spirit of Caring Celebration. This annual event recognizes the
incredible volunteers and companies that exemplify the United Way vision: That Central Texas is a caring community where the opportunity to fulfill human
potential and build better lives is always within reach.
More information on the awards will appear in the April newsletter. But be sure to save the date. You do not want to miss this exciting evening.
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This Month's Features
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UWCA Events
Friday, March 28
Agency Workshop Series presents Issue Driven Volunteer Projects
At United Way Capital Area offices.
· more information
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Wine Lovers for Charity Reception
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Truluck's Downtown - Naples Room
$55 (plus tax and gratuity)
Please join us for this very special evening of tasting exclusive cellar wines from Republic Beverage, paired with appetizers from Truluck's -- all benefiting United Way Capital Area!
Please call or email Kelly Barber to make your reservations. kbarber@trulucks.com or (512) 482-9000
Wednesday, April 9
Echoes of Color Film Series presents UNNATURAL CAUSES
Week of April 21st
Austin Financial Fitness Week
April 25, 2008
Hands On Central Texas "Spring Day of Caring 2008"
Sponsored by Freescale
April 28, 2008
United Way Capital Area Spirit of Caring Celebration
...see all news & events
UWCA Leadership Giving
Member Events
Tue, April 15, 2008
Lunch with Leaders - Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo
2008 Board Summit
Presented by Greenlights for NonProfit Success and Leadership Austin
...see all YLS events
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Thank Yous
- J. Barry Griswell for speaking to Austin’s community leaders about the importance of early childhood education.
- Principal Financial Group, Wachovia, Bryant Wealth Investment and St. David's Community Health Foundation
- The inaugural class of the Public Innovators Lab
- All of the partners in our most successful MLK Day of Service yet
- The partners in the ongoing Echoes of Color Film Series
- Special thanks to the following individuals: Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, Reverend Joseph Parker, Sheriff Greg Hamilton, Police Monitor Cliff Brown, Austin NAACP President Nelson Linder, and State Representative Dawnna Dukes
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Have a LinkedIn account and want to show your support for United Way Capital Area there? Become a Linkedin United Way Capital Area Supporter!
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