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IMPACT CONVERSATION - HEALTH
Thursday, March 27th,
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
State Representative and Human Services Chair, Patrick Rose, discusses the importance of investing in health solutions in our state and region.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Thank you to everyone who attended the second in our series of three "Tocqueville Impact Conversations" in February. We hope you enjoyed hearing Principal Financial CEO J. Barry Griswell speak about the importance of early childhood education to the future of our community.
And we hope you'll join us for the final conversation in this series, discussing United Way's Health Focus Area, with State Representative Patrick Rose, on March 27.
J. Barry Griswell, CEO of Principal Financial Group, shares with the audience his experiences supporting early childhood education at United Way of Central Iowa.
Sam Bryant, President of Bryant Wealth Investment Group and UWCA Board Member, speaks to the Board's emphasis on increasing educational opportunities for all Central Texans.
A special "thank you" to the generous sponsors of our Impact Conversations:
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Wine Lovers for Charity Reception
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
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
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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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"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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Our Vision
The United Way Capital Area Tocqueville Society leads Central Texas by setting a philanthropic standard for compassion, generosity, and engagement.
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
Thu, Mar 27, 2008
Health Tocqueville Impact Conversation at Carmelo's Ristorante
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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
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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