The United Way Worldwide Advocacy Forum and Capitol Hill Day held the largest ever Forum July 7-9 in Washington, D.C., bringing together more than 400 United Way leaders and volunteers from 49 states and Puerto Rico, including United Ways across Texas. This year’s “policy as partnership” theme included programming and discussions on board engagement, strategic messaging, funding advocacy efforts and fostering collaboration.  

Hillary Evans, vice president of Policy and Advocacy at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, and Karen

Tavana, a dedicated volunteer leader, donor and Women of Tocqueville member, met with North Texas congressional offices. Karen and Hillary advocated for policy positions that would directly benefit our neighbors, including:  

• Supporting the HELP Act and the 211 social services call referral line, utilized by millions of Americans daily particularly during natural disasters and times of crisis 

• Protecting and strengthening the Childcare and Development Block Grant and Head Start in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations 

• Protecting the federal investment in AmeriCorps program, which addresses critical community needs  

These North Texas offices included U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, along with U.S. House Reps. Jasmine Crockett, Brandon Gill, Julie Johnson, Keith Self and Beth Van Duyne. During Capitol Day, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker addressed the United Way network and called upon leaders that “when we stand together, when we stand united, there’s nothing we can’t do as a nation.” 

One-on-One with a United Way Advocate 

We’re so grateful for advocates like Karen Tavana, who is dedicated to creating meaningful change for North Texans by speaking up for our community. Read on to learn more about her motivations for becoming a United Way advocate and her experience at this year’s Advocacy Forum and Capitol Hill Day.  

Can you share about your background and involvement with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas?   

I originally became familiar with United Way through my employer, Texas Instruments, and its workplace campaigns. In addition to being a long-term donor, I had the pleasure of leading a few division-level workplace campaigns at Texas Instruments. Over the past few years, I have increased my involvement with United Way, joining the Women of Tocqueville Steering Committee and United Way’s Advocacy Committee.   

What interested you in participating in Capitol Hill Day?  

Nonprofits like United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and their partner agencies provide vital resources for the communities they serve, but they can’t do it alone. Public policy is a major factor in the well-being of our communities and any implementation of systemic and sustainable improvements. So, I wanted to become more knowledgeable about how government works. I had previously participated in the Texas State Capitol days organized by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. These events were excellent and an easy way for me to begin learning about Texas State government. So, I did not hesitate when given the opportunity to attend Capitol Hill Day in D.C. and get a small glimpse of our federal government at work. 

What surprised you the most about meeting with congressional offices?  

My top take-away was how dedicated and knowledgeable the congressional staffers were at the seven offices we visited. Everyone was professional, polite and engaged in the discussion. They wanted to know what we were seeing and hearing in our communities. This was great to see.

Did you have any key take-aways from the meetings or Advocacy Forum Conference overall?  

Attending the Advocacy Forum conference prior to Capitol Day was a great experience. United Way agencies from 49 of 50 states were in attendance, and it was interesting to hear stories from several of them on what is going on in their states and their challenges.  

Do you have any advice for anyone who may be advocating for the first time and meeting with their federal lawmakers?  

Don’t be afraid to jump right in. Pick an issue you are passionate about and make a phone call, send an email or schedule an in-person meeting with your representative. If you don’t have a specific issue to discuss but wanted to get some exposure to your state or federal government processes, I encourage you to go to a future United Way advocacy day at the state or U.S. Capitol. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas is a great partner to help you get started. 

Why is advocacy an important way to drive change in our community?  

Many of the challenges in our communities are complex. Our lawmakers can’t know all the details of every process they are impacting. So, proposed solutions might be well intended but have significant negative impacts or unintended consequences that need to be highlighted and addressed. This is why it is so important for more individuals to communicate with their elected officials. I read somewhere that “advocacy is communicating for positive change.” Who doesn’t want that?