Saturday, December 22, 2007
Balch and Moeller: United Way is laying the groundwork for change

United Way Capital Area has made a bold, exciting change in the way it invests in Central Texas. Our new approach addresses the underlying causes of some of the community's most pressing challenges, while seeking actively to engage more people in our efforts.

The strategy might be difficult to understand initially, but we are confident it will pay enormous dividends by improving the lives of countless families in the years and generations to come. We want to explain why we have changed after three years of reviewing our role in the community and how we target our funding.

Read the entire editorial here.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007
United Way President Defends Funding Criticism

Capital Area United Way President David Balch says he feels the sense of loss as deeply as the 21 local agencies affected by the board's decision, but he says this is the end result of a three-year shift in priorities for the agency.

"And the three areas we're focused is around education, around health and around financial stability," Balch tells reporters and agency workers this afternoon.

Read the article here.

Sunday, December 16, 2007
Oppel: United Way's new strategy carries a risk in a new culture

The United Way is radically changing the way it helps those in need, and it causes some concern in these quarters. Old, reliable charity agencies will see their United Way money reduced or eliminated. Yet I'm not sure I have a better idea.

Read the entire editorial here.


Tell us what you think here.

Friday, December 14, 2007
United Way changes distribution to nonprofits

Nearly half the local nonprofits that currently receive money from the United Way Capital Area — including People's Community Clinic, Austin Children's Shelter and Caritas — won't be funded in 2008.

The United Way Capital Area announced today that 21 of its 44 funded agencies were not awarded grants for 2008-09. Of the 23 that will be funded, 12 agencies received more money than last year and 10 got less. One agency's award remained the same.

Read the entire article here.

Friday, December 14, 2007
United Way Capital Area on this morning's KUT NewsPod

Local charity leaders say Austinites will likely scramble to make charitable donations in the next couple weeks.

Listen to it here.
(Skip to 3:00 into the piece.)

Wednesday, December 12, 2007
New Gifts In Kind® Program Reaches Goal Early

Three months ahead of schedule Hands On Central Texas (United Way Capital Area)—a Gifts In Kind International affiliate—announced in September that they had reached their 2007 goal of collecting $1 million worth of products for local nonprofit organizations. The local Gifts In Kind® program was launched earlier this year in Austin, Texas.

Gifts in Kind International headlines the amazing work of our Hands On Central Texas Gifts-in-Kind team in its latest newsletter.

Read the entire article here.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007
H-E-B feeds 10,000 for Feast of Sharing

It's estimated that more than 10,000 people attended, and most of them aren't homeless. Many are what's called the "working poor." The combination of inflation, rising food and gas prices and low wages makes it harder for a large amount of Central Texans to make ends meet.

"They're getting up early in the morning, they're going to work at 8 o'clock, they're coming home at five, but they're coming here to get food as opposed to having the money to go to H-E-B," David Balch of United Way Capital Area said.

Watch a News 8 clip of the event here.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007
UNITED WAY: BEST PRACTICES

This December the United Way will distribute money it’s collected to non-profits that work in three key areas: Education, Financial Stability and Health.

The United Way says the new focus will have a greater impact on root problems. Others, that it’s more about the United Way’s survival than what’s best for the community. As KUT’s Ben Philpott reports the “Community Impact” model is part of a national change.

Listen to the audio clip from KUT here.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007
UNITED WAY: CHANGING MONEY DISTRIBUTION

The holiday season is traditionally the time of year known as the “giving season.” Many charitable organizations count on the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s for the majority of their receipts.

Many individuals choose to donate to charities through the United Way, which then funnels gifts to other groups in the community.

Listen to the audio clip from KUT here.

Monday, November 19, 2007
UNITED WAY: WINNERS AND LOSERS

KUT's Jennifer Stayton talkes with United Way’s board president, Dick Moeller.

The United Way Capitol Area will start its annual distribution of community donations in about a month. This year many area non-profits that had been used to receiving at least a portion of those funds may be left out.

That’s because of the local United Way’s new donation distribution model that focuses on child education, Financial Stability and Health.

Listen to the audio clip from KUT here.

Friday, November 2, 2007
Local United Way changing direction

Starting next year, the United Way will start funding nonprofit agencies with programs that target education, financial stability and health.

People in workplace campaigns will still be able to designate donations to any nonprofit agencies they wish.

"We wanted to put enough focus and energy on a limited number of areas so we can see systematic change over a period of years," said Dick Moeller, chairman of the United Way's board of directors.

...Read the entire article here

Friday, October 19, 2007
United Way's new funding model

The United Way Capital Area will distribute $3.4 million this year to area nonprofits in the form of community investment grants -- but changes to the funding model have some nonprofits a bit rattled.

This funding cycle, UWCA is officially switching to a new "community impact" model that is focused on addressing three target areas: child and youth education, health, and financial stability. The changes were based on a comprehensive community-needs assessment conducted by UWCA and the Ray Marshall Center at the University of Texas.

...Read the entire article here.

October 16, 2007
Inching to the Top--Nonprofit managers who are minorities search for a quicker way up the ladder

Some young managers who are members of minority groups say they already face doubts from supervisors and prospective employers about their abilities based on their age and level of experience. Ethnicity adds one more barrier for them.

In some cases, they say, their own bosses or other nonprofit leaders have made them acutely aware of their physical differences.

"I don't look like a typical nonprofit director to them," says Armando Rayo, the 33-year-old director of Hands On Central Texas, in Austin, a department within the local United Way that helps to raise money and bolster a corps of volunteers.
...Read the article at philanthropy.com (requires a subscription).

...Read the entire article here.

October 11, 2007
Local businesses answer United Way's call

United Way Capital Area's Gifts In-Kind Corporate Challenge, a program that collects retail goods for nonprofits, has made its $1 million goal three months ahead of schedule.

The UWCA is distributing the $1 million in gifts -- everything from clothing to technology -- through its resource center. The resource center serves nonprofits in 10 area counties, including Bastrop, Caldwell, Llano, Travis and Williamson counties.
...Read the entire article here.
...Read the full press release here.

October 3, 2007
Criminal background checks for volunteers

Armando Rayo, Director of Hands On Central Texas, was interviewed by KUT for a story about doing criminal background checks on volunteers, and how that affects both the nonprofit and the volunteers themselves. This is a growing issue, as more and more donors/supporters demand that nonprofits use volunteers who don't have serious criminal backgrounds. What do you think? Is doing criminal background checks on nonprofit volutneers a good thing---or would it deter quality volunteers from lending a hand in the first place? Let us know your thoughts by commenting here.
...Listen to the interview here. (Fast forward to 1:48 to hear the story.)

October 2, 2007
Bob Woodruff Talks with KVUE

While in Austin to give a compelling presentation (presented by Wachovia and benefiting United Way Capital Area), Bob Woodruff sits with Christine Haas and talks about recovering from a brain injury.
...Click here to watch the video.

October 2, 2007
Newsman recounts struggle after Iraq bombing

From today's Daily Texan: Bob Woodruff was a successful ABC news anchor when a roadside bomb exploded near him while on assignment in Iraq, leaving him in a coma and putting his life and career in doubt.

Woodruff and his wife, Lee, recounted their tale of Bob's recovery after his injury in Iraq Monday to guests at Wachovia's third annual speaker series to benefit United Way Capital Area.

"You don't have to be hit by a bomb in Iraq to know what it feels like to have a difficulty or a tragedy and then try and overcome it as a family," said Lee Woodruff. "I think it's a story a lot of people can relate to and it's a story of hope and it's a story of community, which is something United Way knows a lot about."
...Read the full article here.

September 27, 2007
Brain-injured ABC journalist Woodruff to speak Monday
United Way bringing Bob Woodruff to Austin for fundraiser.

From today's Statesman: Bob Woodruff, the ABC newscaster who sustained a brain injury in January 2006 from a roadside bomb in Iraq, will speak in Austin on Monday during the United Way Capital Area's annual dinner.

Woodruff and his wife, Lee, will recount the months of recovery that followed his life-threatening injury and discuss how his situation mirrors those of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and other wounds that will last years, if not a lifetime.
...Read the full article here.

September 21, 2007
Back to square one for public service
From today's Statesman editorial: Forget about red states and blue states.

We’re not as much a country divided by politics, religion and race, but rather a nation in retreat from the public square. Our retreat has allowed factional interests to set the political agenda. That won’t change until people re-engage in public service.

That is the message that author and commentator Richard Harwood delivered to hundreds of Central Texans this week.
...Read the full editorial here.

September 19, 2007
LEADERS SEARCH TO IMPROVE CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
From KUT.org: Disparities in education, income, health, and other social issues are challenges facing large cities including Austin. St. Davids Community Health Foundation and the United Way Capital Area are partnering with local non profits and kicking off a campaign to try and lessen social disparities. And as KUT reports, the groups say the solution is getting citizens more involved.
...Listen to the audio clip.
...Read the press release.

September 13, 2007
United Way Joins Constant Contact’s Cares4Kids Program
Constant Contact®, Inc., a leading provider of email marketing and online survey tools for small organizations, today announced that United Way has joined the Constant Contact Cares4Kids program as a national organization. Cares4Kids helps children-dedicated nonprofit organizations by providing essential communication tools to support their missions.
...full story

September 7, 2007
United Way Day 2007
On United Way Day 2007, Austin Mayor Will Wynn joined hundreds of volunteers at the Rosewood Park Pavilion in east Austin to declare September 7, 2007, "United Way Day" across Austin. And what a day it was!

More than 800 volunteers spent the majority of the day participating in the Day Of Caring (presented by Freescale) by lending a hand, being the change, and participating in dozens of volunteer projects across the city. They built sustainable gardens at a local school, made necessary renovations to several Austin institutions, helped build (and demolish) homes as part of the Habitat for Humanity project, and much, much more.
  press release

September 5, 2007
Fundraising goal set for state charitable campaign
The Texas State Employees Charitable Campaign has launched its 2007 campaign and set its goal, to raise $9 million from state government and higher education employees.
...full story
Austin Business Journal

July 22, 2007
Balch: Make an effort to volunteer
...full story
Austin American-Statesman

Friday, May 18
United Way Capital Area unveiled its plans to serve our region in new and exciting ways.

Led by United Way Chair Dick Moeller and President David Balch, the Building a Better Central Texas presentation was an informative briefing about why United Way is changing how it works with the Central Texas community and where it will focus its efforts.
  Apply to become a Community Investment Review Team volunteer

Related news stories:
  United Way to change focus
May 11, 2007, Austin American-Statesman

  United Way looks in new direction
May 4, 2007, Austin Business Journal

May 18, 2007
Moeller and Balch: Help us aid the have-nots
...full story
Austin American-Statesman

May 6, 2007
Doing good for do-gooders
Hands on central Texas focuses on helping volunteers do good work
...full story
Austin American-Statesman

Spirit of Caring Celebration
United Way Capital Area hosted the "Spirit of Caring Celebration" on Monday, April 30. The celebration aims to honor those individuals, nonprofit organizations, and businesses that go out of their way to make Central Texas a better place by donating their time, their talent, and their treasure.
  press release
  award winners

2007 Report Card on Child Well-Being
Now in its third year, the Report Card literally grades how well our community is preparing our children to enter school.

The mission of United Way Success By 6 is to make ensure that every child is healthy, happy, and smart by the time they reach the first grade.   view report card
  press release
Press coverage:
  News 8 Austin
    April 22: news story, video clip
    April 26: news story video clip
  Austin Business Journal: news story
  CBS 42: news story
  KUT: sound bite
  Austin American-Statesman: news story

Days of Caring
On April 20, hundreds of volunteers came together to help improve Central Texas.

As participants in United Way Days of Caring, volunteers worked on dozens of volunteer projects for local nonprofits and schools. Hands On Central Texas, a program of United Way Capital Area, invites you to help us celebrate National Volunteer Week (April 15-21, 2007) by participating in United Way Days of Caring, presented by Freescale Semiconductor.
  view slideshow
  press release
Press coverage:
  KXAN-TV

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Presents United Way Capital Area with its 2006 Employee Giving Contribution
This is what dedication to community investment looks like. Below, Enterprise Rent-A-Car presents United Way Capital Area with its 2006 Employee Giving contribution. By utilizing employee participation, leadership giving, and corporate contributions, Enterprise consistently ranks among the top corporate partners of United Way Capital Area.


What makes Enterprise all the more unique? They honor all of their employees' pledges immediately upon the end of the campaign, meaning their contribution can immediately start producing results.

3/08/07
Trisa Thompson to serve as chairwoman of the United Way Capital Area Women's Giving Network.
She is vice president, legal, for the Americas, Americas International and World Wide Operations groups at Dell Inc.
Austin American Statesman, On The Move

2/14/07
United Way rallies to raise $1M in donations
United Way Capital Area hopes to raise $1 million worth of in-kind donations from Central Texas businesses, Austin Business Journal

2/14/07
United Way Resource Center
Grand Opening
Wednesday, February 14
The United Way Resource Center is now serving nonprofits wishing to receive in-kind goods, and companies willing to donate.
At the Grand Opening of the United Way Resource Center, we’ll bring together some of the best companies and nonprofits in our area. We’d love to see you there, so RSVP by February 12.

1/31/07 Press Release
United Way Resource Center links generous corporate contributions to deserving nonprofits

2/9/07
The art of doing good, Austin Business Journal
Written by David Balch,
President and Chief Professional Officer of United Way Capital Area

2/9/07
Gregg Knaupe named chairman of the United Way Capital Area Young Leaders Society, Austin American-Statesman

1/30/07
United Way to open center for businesses, Austin Business Journal

1/5/07
Beyond "Light" VolunteerismThis year, the United Way is going beyond regular volunteering activities to honor the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr., Austin Business Journal