October 2017 Member Spotlight: Vicky Pridgen Vicky is a longtime supporter of United Way for Greater Austin and has been a YLS member since 2015.
What does your job entail?
I translate academic research into digestible pieces of content primed for consumption by the average American attention span. Our team at the Child and Family Research Partnership collaborates with United Way for Greater Austin on occasion to ensure that UWATX programming is data-driven and achieving its desired impacts.
Why do you choose to support UWATX?
I was super involved with my hometown United Way, so when I moved to Austin a few years ago it was a natural transition to begin supporting my "new" United Way. I was also psyched to learn that UWATX is relatively unique among other United Ways in the services that it provides to our community because it strives to implement its own programming and facilitate partnerships to strengthen our community.
What do you enjoy about UWATX’s Young Leaders Society and why should others join?
I enjoy every person that I've interacted with at YLS events! I love that there are a variety of events focused on social networking, career growth, and volunteerism -- it's a diverse network of young professionals who are drawn together with the common goal of doing good.
What are you most proud of (personally or professionally)?
I love connecting people to organizations, resources and other humans.
What do you love most about Austin?
I love how many passionate people exist and thrive in this city. No matter what cause(s) you hold near and dear to your heart, you can always find other Austinites who care about those same things and want to collaborate to make something greater together.
September 2017 Member Spotlight: Saro Mohammed, Ph.D. Saro is a longtime supporter of United Way for Greater Austin and has been a YLS member since 2015.
What does your job entail?
As a recovering academic (an education researcher) using my powers for good, I'm responsible for helping (all of) us understand if, when, and how blended learning is effectively implemented in K-12 classrooms nationwide.
Why do you choose to support UWATX?
Growing up, I always associated the "United Way" brand with "doing good for your community". As a researcher, I choose to support UWATX because I feel I can make a bigger difference for more students through its initiatives. Through UWATX, I really feel like I can make Austin greater.
What do you enjoy about UWATX’s Young Leaders Society and why should others join?
I especially like the fun, hands-on way I can contribute through YLS, as compared to other UWATX giving Societies. YLS events never feel like "work", and yet always feel purposeful, mission-driven, and important.
What are you most proud of (personally or professionally)?
One of the things I'm most proud of, having gotten my Bachelor's degree from MIT, is my work in helping all students have access to the same educational opportunities that were available to me. This ranges from my role as an MIT Alumni "Educational Counselor" (i.e., an interviewer and ambassador for admissions) to my work on UWATX's Mission Advancement Committee and my contributions as a YLS member.
What do you love most about Austin?
I love how truly, authentically Texan Austin is while at the same time being weird and unique. It's a hard line to walk, but our city does it well - where else in the world can you see Johnny Depp as a guest bass guitarist for Willie Nelson at the Rodeo (during SXSW, naturally)?
August 2017 Member Spotlight: John Andoh
John Andoh has been with Capital Metro for 2 years as the Program Manager of Bus Contracts. John has received more than six national and regional awards for transit improvement, outstanding public transit operation, financial excellence and transportation innovation, and most recently was selected as the Association for Commuter Transportation's 2016 40 Under 40 List. John is a longtime supporter of United Way for Greater Austin and is a member of the Mission Advancement Committee. He joined YLS in May 2017.
What does your job entail? I manage the fixed route (big bus) operation for Capital Metro and ensure that the three operating contractors are following the terms of the contract.
Why do you choose to support UWATX? I believe in helping those in need access services and supporting them so that they can be successful in life. I am a huge supporter of the 2-1-1 Navigation Center, operated by UWATX. In fact, I helped start this service in the Bay Area in 2005 as an advisory committee member during its launch. I also served on the Arizona 2-1-1 Board of Directors 2012 to 2015.
What do you enjoy about UWATX’s Young Leaders Society and why should others join? I enjoy the ability to network with people in my age group that are community/civic minded that want make a difference here in Austin.
What are you most proud of (personally or professionally)? I am proud that I have been able to improve public transit services throughout the country, and since transit is a social service, I’m glad to help provide a service for those who need to be able to get around.
What do you love most about Austin? I love the personalities and the energy of the community.
July 2017 YLS Member Spotlight: Karli Isiyel
Karli is a longtime supporter of United Way for Greater Austin and has been a YLS member since 2015.
What does your job entail? As Creative Director at Kerbey Lane Cafe (KLC), I am fortunate enough to get to make pretty things all day! Food styling, photography, menu design, picking paint colors, etc.
Why do you choose to support UWATX? KLC has partnered with UWATX for about 5 years. We choose to support UWATX through an employee giving campaign and volunteer engagement because it’s great for our Corporate Responsibility goals. The access to such a variety of programs and people in this city is invaluable. We can choose what types of agencies to work with and UWATX is so flexible in response to our needs.
What do you enjoy about YLS and why should others join? It was a natural transition to be a part of YLS. I fit the age range and was already contributing my money and time to UWATX, so I figured why not spend a little more time! I got to know people my age who have the same values. It's great to network with people who you have something in common with and hopefully raise funds and recruit volunteers at the same time.
What are you most proud of? I'm proud that I'm living in a city I love and have a career that I truly enjoy. I love that UWATX and the people I work with every day at KLC are like my family - it warms my heart.
What do you love most about Austin? I have lived here my whole life and have lived in many, many different parts of the city - some great, and some not so great. However, I've always felt safe like we have a strong sense of community.
June 2017 YLS Member Spotlight: Jennifer Landa and Otilo Benavides IV
Both longtime supporters of United Way for Greater Austin, Jennifer and Otilo have been YLS members since 2012.
What does your job entail?
JL | As a Freelance Social Scientist, I help organizations, businesses, and academics get to know the people they work with, and how to improve those relationships. What this means day-to-day depends on the phase of the project. On any given day, I might be designing a survey or experiment, conducting interviews, or playing stats jockey. The goal is to look at what people think and do and then figure out why. Why is the key question in my work, and life.
OB | As a Manager at Deloitte Consulting LLP, the crux of my job entails coordinating with other talented individuals to help our clients leverage technology to further their business. My areas of expertise include: ensuring Infrastructure readiness, configuring Configuration Managements tools, and orchestrating Releases.
Why do you choose to support UWATX?
JL | The United Way mission to fight poverty has a special place in my heart because I grew up in a disadvantaged home that faced a great deal of adversity. I’ve been able to succeed, in large part due to the help of countless people who went out of the way to give me a chance at a better life. As grateful I am for those people, I feel I have to do something as well, and getting involved with United Way is my way of contributing to the community and helping to carry on the legacy of those who helped me.
OB | Deloitte’s United Way Workplace Campaign makes it easy to make donations and the campaign gives us exposure to all the programs that United Way supports. I feel the programs are very promising and want to support their endeavors. In addition, United Way serves as a hub to other nonprofits, so it’s a one-stop-shop for contributing to any worthy cause you have.
What do you enjoy about YLS and why should others join?
JL | YLS is a great opportunity to meet talented, passionate, and caring people from all over Austin. Even if you don’t know anyone before coming here, joining means you already have at least one common interest and a way to start a conversation. It can be overwhelming to think of all the causes that need our help, but coming here and seeing the genuine interest that people have in doing what they can to make our community stronger makes it all seem more manageable. You should come even if you’re not sure you can make a commitment. Get to know the people involved and the work that’s being done around the community. Sometimes ideas come from the most unexpected places. You may think of something that can help United Way do something better, or you might walk away with an idea for how to improve yourself.
OB | YLS is a great way to gain exposure to like-minded individuals who are passionate about contributing to our community. In addition, it’s a great way to network with members of our community and stay up to date on the latest issues and victories in the Greater Austin Area. I urge others to join because we are stronger together.
What are you most proud of?
JL | I’m most proud of my ability to see something special in places that others have overlooked. I have a passion for salvaging things that other people would have given up on and nurturing their unexpected beauty. One of my favorite hobbies, for example, is teaching others how to grow gardens from food scraps, seeds, and small cuttings- things others would have thrown away- and eventually making entire meals and preserves from that garden. Similarly, I'm most proud of the work I’ve done where one small deviation has revealed something interesting about a whole segment of the population.
OB | The act that I’m most proud of is convincing my wife to marry me. My college degrees, my achievements at work, and even living in Austin wouldn’t mean much without the love and support that my family and friends have afforded me.
What do you love most about Austin?
JL | I’ve been part of Austin for a long time now, and though many things have changed, one thing has stayed very much the same- Austin’s love of living. You can see it during the exuberant festivals and holidays, with all the music and visitors and spectacle, but that spirit never really leaves. Austinites can be found enjoying the weather at parks year round, cookouts and drinks are never in short supply, and attempts to make next year better somehow are always afoot. This is a place where family can be found, and futures can be made.
OB | What I love most about Austin is how warm and friendly the people can be and the way they embrace their individuality. As a fairly neurotic person, I take solace in seeing Austinites relax and take life in stride as they go about their business.
And it’s our youngest residents who bear the brunt of economic disparities. More than 40 percent of all children under the age of six live in low-income households in Travis County. This means that almost 40,000 children do not have the same resources, support or opportunities as their counterparts from families with higher income.
The School Readiness Action Plan is built upon a clear framework. We believe that in order for children to be ready for success, families, communities, early-education services and physical and mental health professionals must be ready. They must have the skills, knowledge and resources to create a supportive environment for children to grow and stay developmentally on track.
Here’s how we’re helping
We believe that all children deserve to start out life on an even playing field. Our Success By 6 team works with a coalition of community stakeholders to create opportunities for low-income infants, toddlers and young children to receive high-quality education before they start kindergarten. As of 2016, we’ve seen the following improvements:
One of the most notable gaps is the gap in services available. Investments in life-changing interventions have decreased while the number of children in poverty has increased. In fact, there are 26,109 children under the age of four living at 200 percent of poverty in Travis County; only 6,428 of them are receiving any kind of early childhood education service.
In order to help more children become school ready by 2018 we have to close these gaps. We have to continue to invest in 2-Generation work that seeks to break the cycle of generational poverty through meeting the needs of both parents and children. We need to invest in high-quality early childcare centers to ensure that children don’t just have a safe place to stay while their parents work, but a safe place to learn and develop. We also need to invest in relationships between governmental and non-governmental entities as well as raise awareness for the services currently being offered.
We are striving to help families become financially secure and have access to resources to positively nurture their children. We fight for all children to have access to high-quality early education, physical and mental health care and a community that works together to deliver services to them that will aid in their long-term success.
The road to school readiness is long, but we are making an impact and every developed strategy and intervention gets us one step closer to our objective—a thriving community for all.
After:
Partners already committed to supporting OLE! Texas:
What we need to be successful
The meeting began with a word from Mike Geeslin about the importance of addressing upstream determinants of our community’s long-term health outcomes. Social determinants of health are the societal factors and conditions that people are born into that often affect their accessibility to quality health care. They include factors like socioeconomic status, education, the physical environment, employment and social support networks.
Geeslin’s presentation evoked a dialogue about the barriers to addressing social determinants for the families we work with and attendees discussed the importance of having a variety of players and options available. Entrepreneurialism is integral in the healthcare space. Innovation is fueled by competition and a greater level of competition leads to higher quality healthcare for many people who desperately need it. What are some ways we can help families that are low income be successful? We must first increase access to existing services and maintain a wide variety of service providers.
Why 2-Gen work is important
Amy Price illustrated the critical community needs by sharing data from the 2-1-1 Navigation center. United Way for Greater Austin (UWATX) collects community information based off of call line data. This data allows UWATX to better understand the most immediate and significant needs, while also informing the strategic plan and data driven approach. There is a strong correlation between 2-1-1 call line data and social determinants. Based on 2-1-1’s large call volume in 2016, significant data was collected about the variety of immediate needs callers and their families have. From a lack of affordable housing to food assistance, these needs are affecting the physical and mental health of callers and their families. To access this data, 
On Friday, September 22, more than 300 volunteers came together to work on 23 projects at sites throughout the city. UWATX teamed up with United Way of Williamson County and United Way of Hays and Caldwell Counties this year to celebrate Fall Day of Caring collectively. Volunteers across Central Texas came together with the shared mission of making sure our communities continue to thrive. From preparing 
Andi Handy of NXP, our presenting sponsor, kicked off Fall Day of caring with an inspiring message about her passion for service.
“I was raised by parents who lived pay it forward before it was ever a slogan. My parents helped people who were more than likely in the same financial position as we were, they always felt the need to give back,” Handy said.
After 30 years of partnership and three different names, NXP is still a strong supporter of UWATX. The core of their company culture is centered on giving back and helping people in the community in which they operate.
While United Way for Greater Austin is still our name, we recently went through a new strategic planing process. Not unlike NXP, our hope is that our mission to bring people, ideas and resources together to fight poverty in our community shines brighter than our name ever will.
The Need is Great, But Our Hearts Are Bigger 
Austin is one of the most economically segregated cities in the nation. It is at the top of so many “best” lists; best place to start a business, best place to live, best place to work… but the reality is that countless Austin residents don’t experience the “best” of what Austin has to offer.
Not only do we seek to create a thriving community for all here in Austin, but we also strive to support our neighbors all across the state of Texas. When Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas Coast in late August the UWATX 
For us, every day is a Day of Caring. Everyday is an opportunity to come together to fight poverty in our community. We want to thank everyone who served with us last Friday and everyone who has ever volunteered through United Way. Your passion for good and heart for service allows us to do what we do—thank you.
To learn more about how you can get involved in the community, check out our Hands on Central Texas 
Meet Shay Noriega! On October 3, Shay was recognized at the annual Texas Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (TAIRS) and awarded the 2017 Information and Referral Resource Specialist award.
As the 2-1-1 Community Information Coordinator, Shay actively updates and maintains a comprehensive community resource database that meets complex state and national standards. She also provides daily training and support for 2-1-1 call specialists to ensure that they have everything they need to successfully help over 150,000 callers annually.
Shay has worked in a leadership role with United Way for Greater Austin 2-1-1 Navigation Center for more than four years. Since receiving her MSW in 2013, Shay has supported the 2-1-1 program by ensuring health and human services resource information is up-to-date and easy to navigate for 2-1-1 call specialists. She actively participates in updating and maintaining a comprehensive community resource database that meets complex state and national standards. In addition to managing relationships with all of the organizations within the 2-1-1 database.
Hear more from Shay herself:
What is your role?
My core responsibility is maintaining the database, which largely includes reaching out to big players in the community, updating their information when it changes and maintaing the integrity of our data and resources.
I am really proud to work here. I feel so fortunate to work with people who have one of the toughest jobs. It takes a very special person to field calls everyday from people who don't have access to basic needs and I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by so many of them.
Why are you passionate about your work?
2-1-1 is a great front door to get people where they need to go. I got lucky and walked into a dream job without really knowing it. I think I am most passionate about my job because we get to provide people with access to information about resources that they might be eligible for, in order to receive assistance.
What excites me most about 2-1-1 is that we are in a unique position to hear and see the pulse of the community. We hear the needs of the community first hand and are also in the unique position to report to the people who have resources that can create change.
More about 2-1-1:
2-1-1 is a statewide service managed by United Way for the Central Texas region, and statewide by the Texas Health and Human Service Commission. Anyone can call the 2-1-1 dialing code to connect to community resources and receive assistance navigating the complex social service delivery system. Every day, hundreds of people from the Austin-area call for information about food, housing, health care, mental health, child care, employment, education, disaster, and state benefit assistance. 2-1-1 is also a key point of contact for seasonal programs including holiday assistance, tax preparation programs, Affordable Care Act information. Community resource information can also be found through a free online database at 
One of our call specialists met an exhausted, frustrated and teary woman on the other end of one of his many phone calls. The caller was in that exact, difficult situation. She desperately wanted to know what she could do and needed more resources, because $4500 was simply not enough.
“She was clearly a tough lady, but at the same time you could sense the vulnerability in her voice,” Alfredo Gutierrez, 2-1-1 Call Specialist said. “She broke down at the end of the call. I don’t know what it was about this specific call, because I have certainly heard worse cases than hers, but when I hung up I needed a break. That could have easily been me and my family and I guess that is why it impacted me so much.”
Harvey taught us that humans are incredibly resilient
In the midst of this crisis, 2-1-1 also had an influx of calls from volunteers—people who wanted to help. Some of the people calling had even been affected by the hurricane themselves. At a time when you would expect callers to be panicked, our call specialists reported that an overwhelming amount of people were calm, kind and understanding.
“A lot of callers wanted to help or volunteer—even people who were affected themselves,” Sarai Morales, 2-1-1 Call Specialist, said. “I took a call from a man in Port Arthur, one of the areas that was hit first. He wanted to offer up his boats to help save people in Houston who were affected. That was really incredible.”
Harvey taught us that a compassionate voice makes a difference
Everyone, especially 10 year 2-1-1 Veteran Arlene Sanchez stressed the importance of active listening and compassion when it comes to answering disaster calls. After working for 2-1-1 during Hurricane Ike in 2007, Sanchez shared that her previous experience helped her feel confident and capable to take on Hurricane Harvey response.
“When Ike hit, I was going through training and all of the sudden I was thrown into completely different types of calls. I was confused and didn’t know what to say to people,” Sanchez said. “Someone was always asking questions and this time around I was the one people would come to. It felt good that I could use my experience to help people.”
Whether someone is calling in a time of disaster or on any given day of the week, compassion makes all the difference. It takes a special kind of person to take
2-1-1 calls day in and day out, but even those who help others need help. Thanks to the 
It is important to understand that 2-1-1 is an information referral based system. Our Call Specialists act as the conduit between those experiencing need and the resources that can help them. At UWATX, we believe that everyone should have access to resourceful information and that through information, people can be empowered to help themselves.
“I am passionate about helping people,” Jeff Cary, Community Information Coordinator said. “And that’s what we do. We help people through human interaction that is real and authentic. We provide a safe place for people to yell or even cry. We are here to listen and to be compassionate and we’re going to assist our callers the best way we can.”
Yami Herrera, Drug Director, Bastrop H-E-B Plus
“We worked on connecting with each partner individually. By using examples of local disasters, like the Bastrop wildfires, as well as highlighting organizations that make an impact in our community, we underlined the importance of supporting our neighbors. A donation to the United Way will make a difference in children's life and that resonated with our partners. We are Bastrop Strong and we are united to make a difference!”
Madison Burgert, H-E-B School of Retail Leadership
“I would say that the United Way campaign at Austin 3 was strong because many of our partners have used United Way as a resource. We had many partners approach us wanting to share their stories of when United Way helped their family get through a tough time, so they could continue to pay if forward for other families in need.”
Mark Huff, Loss Prevention Manager, Riverside H-E-B Plus
“Austin 12 H-E-B succeeded during our 2017 United Way campaign by raising awareness to our partners about how United Way benefits its community from the donations received. We expanded on specific United Way focus areas and were able to tell personal stories of real situations to our partners.”
H-E-B lives by the motto, each and every person counts; and they show it by how well they treat their customers, communities and employees. Thank you H-E-B for taking care of Texans during Hurricane Harvey and for your overall excellence in corporate philanthropy year round.
Cyndy Karras, Family Support Coordinator
“Thanks [to the Comcast team] for all they did for our school on Saturday! It looks great. The kids and teachers noticed a difference right away,” Executive Director of Mainspring Schools, Jason Grindele said. “Comcast Volunteers are welcome at Mainspring any time.”
A Special Thanks to the Comcast work committee members.
Thankfully, through the Summer Food Service Program, 
2-1-1 has information about a variety of free and low-cost summer camps around the city. While some of the free or low-cost camp registration deadlines have passed, but call anyway. 2-1-1 still has information about camps where financial assistance is available.
You can visit the 
Research shows participation in this program leads to greater community connections for families, higher-quality parenting behaviors, enhanced home environments, improved maternal health and reductions in health care expenses. A randomized control trial in Durham, North Carolina, where the program was founded, showed the program had a significant impact:
Thanks to the generous support of our community, these funds will be distributed and used to rebuild the lives of thousands of Central Texans, proving that you really can’t mess with Texas. The grant recipients will use the awards to complete the following projects:
