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Author: Meg Costa

HCA Healthcare Foundation announces grant to United Way of Dallas

We Applaud the Texas Legislature for Prioritizing Childcare and Strengthening Families

Written by Meg Costa on . Posted in News & Updates.

As we wrap up the month of April, which is Child Abuse Prevention Month and included Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17, we applaud the lawmakers who have prioritized childcare and strengthening families throughout this 89th legislative session.   

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we have been closely tracking and advocating for proposed legislation that would impact education, income and health in North Texas. Strengthening families and increasing access to childcare and maternal health services are some of our legislative priorities (which we explore in detail here), because they are aligned with our Aspire United 2030 goals. Throughout the remainder of the session, which ends June 2, we will continue to rally our fellow advocates to voice support for legislation that supports local families. 

Read on to learn more about the ways in which lawmakers have worked to prioritize childcare, child welfare and maternal health this session. 

House Passes $100 Million Childcare Fund  

The Texas House approved this month a supplemental budget bill with $100 million for childcare scholarships serving low-income families. The historic funding will allow the Texas Workforce Commission to serve additional families in its Child Care Services program.  

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas was one of the 120 organizations last fall that signed onto a letter, organized by Texans Care for Children, urging state lawmakers to prioritize childcare. For many low-income working families, childcare has become unaffordable and inaccessible due to long waitlists for income-eligible childcare scholarships.  

Other Childcare-Related Bills Filed 

During this legislative session, there were nearly 200 bills filed related to childcare, which is double the number from the last session. Some of these childcare-related bills we have prioritized have included:  

  • Improving childcare access for childcare workers (SB 462/HB 3807) by providing scholarships for income eligible childcare workers 
  • Creating a new “employer match” program (SB 2164/HB 3191) that offers franchise tax credits to businesses that provide childcare benefits to their employees 
  • Improving cross-agency childcare data systems (SB 2194/HB 3963) by codifying an early childhood integrated data system (ECIDS) 
  • Providing an established reimbursement rate for childcare providers participating in the Texas Rising Star Program (SB 972/HB 2294)  

Strengthening and Connecting Texas Families 

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas participates in the TexProtects’ Public Policy Advisory Committee, which is focused on advancing public policy and local implementation to prevent abuse and neglect. As the Texas legislature works to finalize its budget, we support the adoption of these key budget recommendations that would strengthen families and connect them to critical resources: 

  • Senate rider 132 in the Health and Human Services budget, which would increase funding by $1.4 million each year for programs supporting fathers 
  • Contingency rider for House Bill 38, which would provide an estimated $7 million in funding to modernize the 2-1-1 Texas Infromation and Referral Network system that provides vital public services, especially during disasters    
  • Legislation supporting informal kinship caregivers (SB 1918/HB 4870) that would ensure all caregivers, including relatives and friends of the family, can access and connect to resources and supports they need to appropriately care for the children in their home, along with adopting a $4.92 million contingency rider creating grant funding that would offset legal and financial fees for informal kinship caregivers 

Supporting Doula Care and Maternal Health Services  

The legislature has also considered several bills this session prioritizing doula care and services, in response to the high number of pre-term births and other maternal and infant health challenges. (HB 2573, HB 1201, HB 514, HB 2140, HB 2477, HB 2477, HB 3121 and HB 5583) 

Locally, the Dallas County Commissioners Court presented a resolution on April 1 recognizing Black Maternal Health Week. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely than White women to die from pregnancy related causes. Black Maternal Health week raises awareness and recognizes the underlying challenges that lead to preventable disparities in Black maternal health outcomes.  

Maternal and infant health are top policy priorities for our team at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. Our Doorways to Health initiative, in partnership with Kimberly-Clark, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Communities Foundation of Texas, works with corporate, philanthropic and community partners Abide Women’s Health Services and Delighted to Doula to improve the maternal health outcomes of women in Dallas. This community partnership offers a variety of resources and programming, including home visiting and holistic maternal healthcare services, to ensure new and expecting mothers have the support necessary to thrive.  

We are equally grateful for a new grant from the HCA Healthcare Foundation to improve the maternal and infant health outcomes of our neighbors by launching a multi-agency United for Healthy Starts initiative. With this support, the Live United movement is perfectly positioned to build a healthier, more vibrant North Texas—for all.  

Join Our Advocacy Movement 

These remaining few weeks of the legislative session will be critical to elevate our collective voices in support of this important legislation. While most of these bills are working their way through the legislative process and may or may not become law, it is encouraging that lawmakers have shown an increased focus on the importance of childcare access, child welfare and maternal health this session. 

Throughout the 89th Texas legislative session and at the federal level, we’re advocating for key bills that will improve access to education, income and health in North Texas. We invite you to join hundreds of your fellow advocates as we speak up, united, for the issues that matter most. 

We make it easy to advocate for our community. Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts, and we’ll let you know when and how to contact your elected officials to make the biggest possible impact. 

The Pitch Social Innovator of the Year

Dallas Unites to Drive Meaningful Change Through Social Innovation at The Pitch

Written by Meg Costa on . Posted in News & Updates.

On Wednesday, April 9, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, with the support of our Centennial Innovation sponsor, Goldman Sachs, united 1,000 change-makers from across North Texas at The Pitch delivered by Amazon, and the energy, excitement and impact were unforgettable. 

We’re still buzzing from the lively competition, as five social innovators—finalists from United Way’s Social Innovation Accelerator—pitched their bold ideas for improving access to education, income and health in our community.  

Read on to learn more about North Texas’ biggest night in innovation and meet this year’s big winners. 

And the Winners Are… 

SOCIAL INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR: Housing Connector 

Delivered by Amazon
The top overall pitch score as determined by our panel of judges 

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: La Tiendita 

Sponsored by Sara and Gary Ahr
The finalist with the highest percentage of votes from our audience members 

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARD: Housing Connector 

Sponsored by Satori Capital
The organization with the highest sustainability score as determined by our judges 

IMPACT AWARD: Learning Bridge 

Sponsored by Toyota
The organization with the greatest potential impact as determined by our judges 

INNOVATION AWARD: The GEMS Camp 

Sponsored by Vistra Corp.
Voted on by Social Innovation Accelerator Committee 

PRESENTATION PRIZE: La Tiendita 

Sponsored by Accenture
The organization with the highest presentation score 

ACCELERATOR PRIZE: CardiacFITT, The GEMS Camp, Housing Connector, La Tiendita and Learning Bridge 

Sponsored by March Tocqueville Fellows
Awarded to each Pitch finalist to accelerate their organization’s impact 

To learn more about this year’s competitors and the impact they’re driving in North Texas, visit our Pitch webpage.  

What is Social Innovation? 

Social innovation, according to the Standford Social Innovation Review, is the practice of finding new and innovative solutions for long-standing community problems that are more effective, efficient, sustainable or just than current solutions. 

Social innovation is just one technique we leverage to move closer to our Aspire United 2030 community goals, which include: 

  • Increase by 50% the number of local students reading on grade level by third grade 
  • Increase by 20% the number of young adults earning a living wage, adding nearly $800M in wages per year to the North Texas economy 
  • Increase to 96% the percentage of our neighbors with access to affordable health care insurance 

Social Innovation Is Part of Everything We Do 

The Pitch is the culminating event of our Social Innovation Accelerator, a program that has enabled our alumni to change the lives of more than half a million North Texans over the last 10 years.  

Through programs like our Social Innovation Accelerator, we amplify the work of local social entrepreneurs and implement creative, strategic solutions to longstanding community challenges. And every spring, we celebrate the power of social innovation at The Pitch, where finalists from the latest Accelerator class share their innovative solutions for improving access to education, income and health in our community. 

For the last 100 years, social innovation has played an important role in our mission to improve access to education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity. We leverage innovation to continually adapt to our community’s challenges and opportunities. 

A little over 10 years ago, we saw the potential of launching formal social innovation programming. We realized that our mission could be supercharged by identifying and supporting bold entrepreneurs in social innovation, then partnering with them to scale their programs and amplify their impact throughout our community.  

With the generous support of AT&T, we launched Groundfloor, our first official social innovation program, in 2013. In the years since, Groundfloor evolved into the Social Innovation Accelerator and we launched the Social Innovation Incubator and Alumni Program to expand our reach, all with a goal of discovering, funding and nurturing social entrepreneurs with promising initiatives.  

Social Innovation Drives Grassroots Change  

Our remarkable 10-year social innovation journey has created a significant impact:  

  • Over $7.4 million invested in our innovation work 
  • 155 social entrepreneurs have completed our Social Innovation Incubator and Social Innovation Accelerator programs 
  • Our alumni have served more than 500,000 North Texans and raised more than $76 million to enhance their impact in education, income and health 

As we embark on our second century driving social innovation in education, income and health, we’re working toward even greater outcomes and impact. Together with change-makers like you, we will make North Texas the best place to live, work and raise a family—for all. 

Support Social Innovation in North Texas 

You can help support the grassroots impact of local social entrepreneurs by investing in United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. A donation of any amount can expand our collective impact through programs like The Pitch and the Social Innovation Accelerator, creating positive change that our community will feel for years to come. 

Invest in social innovation. 

Read Our New Social Innovation Impact Report 

Over the last 10 years, social innovation has been a transformative force for United Way and for our community as a whole. We invite you to check out our new report, “10 Years of Impact in Social Innovation,” to: 

  • Learn more about the power of social innovation and collaboration 
  • Find out what makes the social innovation programs at United Way of Dallas stand out at a national level 
  • Discover how our social innovation programs have helped to change the lives of 500,000+ North Texans 
  • Explore inspiring alumni stories of how our programs have enabled them to launch new programs, grow their ventures, impact more people and achieve new levels of innovation 
  • Hear from the investors, volunteers, partners and other change-seekers who make this work possible 

Become an Accelerator Fellow 

Are you an entrepreneur with a bold idea to improve education, income or health in North Texas? Are you seeking support to get your social venture off the ground, or transform your big ideas into reality? 

The Social Innovation Accelerator provides mentorship, expert instruction, seed funding, powerful connections and more. Our fellows are empowered to refine their business plans, build capacity and scale their ventures to drive impact in education, income and health across North Texas.  

Each year, we invite up to 10 organizations to become fellows of the Accelerator—and you could be part of our next cohort! Applications are open now through May 9. 

Click here to learn more and apply. 

Two Ways We Can Work Together to Prevent Child Abuse in North Texas

Written by Meg Costa on . Posted in News & Updates.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, an important reminder that we must all come together to prevent child abuse. United, we can ensure all North Texas families have access to the support, community resources and knowledge necessary to create safe, happy homes for their children. 

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we recognize child abuse prevention as a fundamental component of our mission to improve access to education, income and health. A stable, loving home benefits children throughout life, creating a foundation for them to achieve good physical and mental health, success in school and, later, financial stability. 

Throughout National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we’re encouraging all North Texans to join us in raising awareness about the importance of child abuse prevention and get involved in United Way programs that support safe home environments. 

Read on to learn more about the state of child abuse in Texas, how United Way of Metropolitan Dallas works to prevent child maltreatment and how you can get involved in this important work. 

Child Abuse Continues to Be a Priority in Texas 

Sadly, rates of child abuse increased slightly over the last year, with more than 54,000 confirmed victims of child abuse across our state, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Nearly 100 children died as a result of abuse and neglect.  

Our region has plenty of room for improvement. Dallas County had the fourth-highest number of deaths due to child abuse and neglect in Texas. In 2024, the incidence of child abuse in Dallas County increased compared to the year prior, with 4,889 children being served by Child Protective Services. 

These figures all indicate that North Texas must come together to prevent child abuse and neglect before it ever begins. 

Together, We Can Address the Causes of Child Abuse 

A variety of factors can contribute to child abuse and neglect; however, many researchers agree that stress, tiredness or lack of parenting skills or family/community support are often present when child abuse occurs. For parents of all backgrounds and income levels, the pressures of caring for a child can become overwhelming, which can lead to abuse.  

The good news is that parental education and support programming directly benefits parents and prevents abuse. As part of our mission to improve access to education, income and health, we work to empower parents, enable caregivers to foster healthy, caring home lives and eliminate common parenting stressors that increase the risk for child abuse and neglect. 

United Way has been the lead organization on home visiting in Dallas County since 2012. Each year, we serve thousands of caregivers in North Texas, giving parents the tools and knowledge they need to ward off child abuse and neglect before it ever happens. 

Two of our programs focus specifically on supporting families with young children: 

  • Healthy Outcomes Through Prevention and Early Support (HOPES): HOPES supports local parents as they create home environments in which young children can thrive. Working with clinics, organizations and government agencies, the program seeks to reduce instances of child maltreatment by helping improve parenting skills through instruction, support and connections to community resources. 
  • Texas Home Visiting Program: Texas Home Visiting Program supports people in becoming great parents. This free program for soon-to-be-parents and those with children under the age of 5 matches Dallas and Collin County families with a trained home visitor—a nurse, experienced parent, trained professional or volunteer—to answer questions, offer advice, provide support and teach parents how to prepare their kids for kindergarten. 

During our last fiscal year, more than 3,000 local families participated in a home visiting program through HOPES or Texas Home Visiting Program, benefiting parents, children and the community as a whole. For example, preventing child abuse saves our state significant amounts of money. Serving a single child in the foster care system for a year costs the state of Texas $17,290, which is 17 times the amount our child abuse prevention programming costs to serve one family. 

HOPES and Texas Home Visiting Program also have a profound impact on new parents, as well as any family that experiences stressful times. Take for example this client story from our community impact partner Family Care Connection.  

Since joining Family Care Connection in September 2024, this remarkable caregiver has shown unwavering dedication to learning, growing and providing the best for her four children. From the very beginning, she eagerly participated in every opportunity, always making herself available for visits and actively engaging in the program. At first, she joined with one child, but soon after, she became pregnant with her second. As life unfolded, she faced significant challenges: Her marriage became unstable and, despite her efforts to rebuild it through spiritual ministry and counseling, only she completed the sessions. Eventually, her husband became incarcerated, leaving her to navigate motherhood on her own.  

Her parent educator at Family Care Connection reported, “Through it all, she has remained incredibly strong, independent and resourceful. She never allowed obstacles to define her journey. She sought support, worked hard and ensured that her children have everything they need. She expresses deep gratitude for this program, not just for the resources and support it provides but for the recognition it gives her as a woman, a mother and an individual striving for a better future. As her parent educator, watching her resilience and commitment to her children’s well-being has been truly inspiring.”  

Experiences like this demonstrate the power of parent education programs like HOPES and Texas Home Visiting Program. Despite this woman going through extreme stressors and challenges, her work with her parent educator provided the knowledge, support and resources she needed to parent in a positive and constructive way. 

Let’s Unite to Prevent Child Abuse 

Child abuse cases remain high in North Texas, and we believe every child deserves protection. Join us as we work to prevent child abuse across our region. Here are two ways to get involved right now: 

  1. Advocate for strong families. Sign up here to receive our Advocacy Alerts and sign up for our new Policy in Brief newsletter. We’ll let you know how and when to contact your lawmakers to advocate for initiatives that prevent child abuse—for example, HOPES and Texas Home Visiting Program.  
  1. Make a donation to support child abuse prevention. When you invest in United Way, you create lasting change right here at home. Your donation will help support programs like HOPES and Texas Home Visiting Program and ensure all North Texas children have the opportunity to thrive. Click here to donate. 

Suspect Child Abuse? 

If you suspect abuse or neglect, contact the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services toll-free at 1-800-252-5400, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also file a report via their Abuse Hotline website. 

Need Support? 

If you are a parent who is struggling with keeping your children safe and healthy, please contact one of our partner agencies for resources and support: 

Advocates Call for Meaningful Change at Texas United Way Capitol Day

Written by Meg Costa on . Posted in News & Updates.

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas organized a delegation to travel to Austin for Texas United Way Capitol Day in February, joining United Ways and nonprofits across Texas to elevate policy priorities for a stronger Texas during this 89th Texas Legislature.  

During this year’s Capitol Day, we spoke up for key policy priorities, including increasing math and reading proficiency for Texas students; improving access to high-quality, affordable childcare and early childhood education; investing in comprehensive career training programs for youth and young adults; protecting and strengthening food system access and healthy outcomes; and modernizing and funding the 211 Texas Referral and Information networks.  

We doubled our impact this year compared to previous Capitol Day event, bringing together 50 donors, volunteer leaders and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas staff to visit with 30 Texas House and Senate legislative offices for lawmakers from across North Texas.  

Exploring How We Can Drive Meaningful Change 

Our gathering kicked off with a dynamic fireside chat at the historic Headliners Club in Austin, featuring Sonal Shah, CEO of The Texas Tribune, and Jennifer Sampson, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas McDermott-Templeton President and CEO. The engaging conversation explored a variety of important topics, including: 

  • How community-minded individuals can inspire hope and leading through change 
  • The evolving nature of philanthropy and community impact work 
  • The challenges and opportunities of today’s news environment 
  • The role journalism can play in empowering communities and in driving public policy 

View the full fireside chat below. 


United Way Recognized on the House and Senate Floors 

On Capitol Day, Rep. Rafael Anchia of the Texas House of Representatives and the Honorable Texas State Senator Nathan Johnson, along with State Senators Tan Parker and Royce West, presented resolutions (HR 346, HR 347  SR 170) recognizing Texas Nonprofit Strong and United Way Capitol Day and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ Centennial.  

 

An Opportunity to Make a Real Impact  

For the 50 volunteer advocates who joined us for Capitol Day, the event was a unique opportunity to advocate for policies that will directly impact life here in North Texas. By meeting directly with lawmakers and their staff, these change-makers called attention to important issues that affect our focus areas of education, income and health.  

Here are few testimonials from members of our Dallas delegation about their experience at Capitol Day: 

  • “Joining leaders from across the DFW metroplex to advocate for crucial legislation for education, income and health is an incredible experience that I would recommend to every United Way supporter. United Way got us in front of almost every hard-working member of our DFW legislative delegation. There is nothing better than diving into policy discussions with our key decisionmakers over pivotal legislation that will shape the future of region.” Brent Chaney, Vistra Corp, Co-Chair of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Advocacy Committee  
  • “Each time I participate in Capitol Day as part of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas team, I gain a deeper understanding of the importance of advocacy.  This very critical work is made easier with the help and support of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Advocacy team.  Your voice, much like your vote, matters!” Mary E. Henderson, ARCOSA, Women of Tocqueville member and Member of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Advocacy Committee 
  • “At 16, serving as the youngest delegate for United Way Dallas at the Texas State Capitol showed me, firsthand, how deeply this organization values young voices. I spoke on issues like financial literacy that directly impact young people like me. And I saw how our voices can reignite purpose, restore focus and remind leaders why they began public service in the first place—and why their leadership still matters today. The other members of the delegation made space for me and invited me to lead conversations with state representatives. They welcomed me as an equal. United Way Dallas has shown me a profound truth: You are never too young to lead and never too old to learn. When we move forward together, we create momentum. And when we create momentum, we propel society toward a shared goal—one where collective growth and opportunity can reach everyone.” Jacklin Wang, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Advocacy Intern 
  • “Mekhiya Matthews and Trevor Mays, two high school seniors and members of our Student Voter Empowerment Clubs, were given the incredible opportunity to join United Way of Metropolitan Dallas for their Advocacy Day in Austin. I watched these students step into the Texas Capitol filled with curiosity and uncertainty and leave with confidence, having engaged directly with lawmakers on issues that matter to them. This opportunity provided them with a firsthand look at the legislative process, showing them that their voices truly matter every step of the way. I know it’s an experience they will never forget.” Jess Lugo, March to the Polls, Chaperone & SVEC Program Director  

We Make It Easy to Be an Advocate

Interested in advocating with us in support of improved access to education, income and health? Throughout this year’s legislative session, we’re making it easy to speak up about issues that affect our community. Click here to sign up for our Advocacy Alerts and Policy in Brief newsletter, and we’ll let you know when and how to contact your elected officials—because when we speak up, united, we can create real change.  

Watch Our Texas Budget Briefing Webinar On Demand

Written by Meg Costa on . Posted in News & Updates.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, advocacy plays a vital role in our mission to improve access to education, income and health so all North Texans can thrive. We bring together advocates from across North Texas to champion policies that expand opportunities and drive meaningful change in our region. Advocacy becomes especially crucial during the biennial Texas legislative sessions.

One way we empower our advocates is to ensure they understand the basics of how legislation happens in Texas. And the state budget is a vital component of the legislative process.

Recently our advocacy team, in partnership with the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC), hosted a Texas Budget Briefing Virtual Lunch and Learn featuring Ursula Parks. Parks is a fiscal policy and budget expert with more than 25 years of experience with the Texas legislature, having developed recommendations for state agencies and institutions within all state government functions.

During the briefing, Parks gave a comprehensive overview of the state legislative budget process, the current surplus and the state fiscal policy outlook for this 89th Texas legislative session.

Read on for key takeaways from the webinar or click below to watch the video on demand.

Texas Budget Basics

The Texas biennial budget is the state’s primary financial plan, determining funding for public services, infrastructure and policy initiatives over the next two-year period. The budget’s impact extends far beyond financial planning—as it serves as the foundation for our legislative priorities.

The budget will influence key policy decisions in the 89th Texas legislative session by allocating resources to education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity. Overall, the biennial budget serves as a policy tool, guiding legislative action and determining how Texas addresses both ongoing challenges and emerging needs.

To maintain decorum in the legislature, lawmakers follow a variety of fiscal parameters, such as the separation of powers denoted in the Texas Constitution: “No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in pursuance of specific appropriations made by law: nor shall any appropriation of money be made for a longer term than two years.”

Internal controls also dictate how the legislature operates. For example, Texas’ legislature is historically fiscally conservative regardless of controlling party, members operate very strongly concerning local considerations, political ramifications play into their decision making, and there is an expectation of a balance of power among the three branches and between the House and Senate.

Exploring Our State’s Challenges

During our Texas Budget Briefing webinar, Parks emphasized that although Texas has abundant natural resources and relatively low cost of living and tax burden per capita, the state still faces significant challenges. Some of these include stagnant educational attainment, a complex tax structure, a high rate of uninsured patients in a stressed healthcare system, inadequate mental health services and urgent infrastructure needs, all of which could be addressed by the state budget.

Parks shared that the state budget is the legislature’s statement of priorities and that no other piece of legislation comes close in sweep, significance or long-term implication.

The State of Texas’ Budget

Currently, Texas is in a position of extremely high revenue but also extremely high spending. For the 2024-2025 biennium, the expended base (the amount of money that Texas is expected to spend) is $333 billion, which is a 17% increase from the previous year. This is an indication that both the House and Senate have identified a lot of big-ticket priorities that they intend to focus on this legislative session.

Another important function of the state budget is it directs how state agencies spend specific items of appropriation, provides funding for each new session’s newly enacted legislation, and sets state agency salary schedules. Parks explained that because the state budget is so consequential to the legislative process, it essentially follows a continuous cycle rather than a linear, orderly timeline. There is constant motion occurring in legislative offices and state agencies that will strongly influence the state budget for the following period. Oftentimes, agencies will scramble for a few months in the summer to implement the next biennial budget before the September 1 start date of the fiscal year.

Another major disruptor to a smooth and efficient timeline for the state budget is having an extraordinary number of special sessions, which can create discord in the overall process. Special sessions delay everything else from happening normally, creating a shorter interim period.

The legislature meets for only 140 days every two years, leaving 590 days between sessions—during which, a lot can happen. As a result, there are processes in place for state agencies to make modifications to how they spend money and for leadership to make modifications to how money is expended. For those specific modifications to happen, the legislature with power delegated to the legislative budget board and the office of the governor need to agree on how to affect those changes.

Budget Priorities

The budget includes some selected all-funds appropriation numbers that both the House and Senate put toward large new spending items. This includes $4.9 billion in public education, $3 billion in dementia prevention research, $2.5 billion on water, a personal attendant services wage increase to $1.8 billion, a film incentive of $450 million in tax credits and $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund.

Advocate with Us

Together with hundreds of dedicated advocates, we’re speaking up for policies that directly impact education, income and health in North Texas. Advocacy is the best way to ensure the lawmakers who represent us understand how policy directly impacts people’s lives.

We are more than a month in the 2025 Texas legislative session, and we invite change-seekers like you to join our advocacy efforts. The more people we have speaking up with us, united, the greater the impact of our collective efforts.

Sign up for advocacy updates! Be sure you’re in the know about our ongoing advocacy efforts by signing up for our Advocacy Alerts and Policy in Brief newsletters. Sign up here.

Through the Social Innovation Accelerator, the Live United Movement Has Positively Impacted More Than 500,000 North Texans

Written by Meg Costa on . Posted in News & Updates.

More than a decade ago, the team at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas had an idea that would significantly accelerate our impact in education, income and health: creating a program to identify and support entrepreneurs who are doing bold work in North Texas as they scale their programs and impact.  

Together with our long-time corporate partner, AT&T, we launched the Social Innovation Accelerator, our development program for social entrepreneurs whose work aligns with our mission to improve access to education, income and health. 

As we look back on more than 10 years of success with the Accelerator, a dozen cohorts of unique and innovative fellows, and countless game-changing ideas, let’s explore the impact these incredible entrepreneurs have had on our region and how you can be part of the excitement at on April 9 The Pitch delivered by Amazon. 

The Origins of the Social Innovation Accelerator 

Recognizing the power and potential of social innovation in our community, we established the Social Innovation Accelerator (originally known as GroundFloor) in 2013. GroundFloor was targeted toward social innovators that were just getting started and had potential to drive real progress in education, income and health. 

Since 2013, each year, United Way selects a group of social innovators with creative solutions to systemic challenges in our focus areas of education, income and health to join what is now called the Social Innovation Accelerator. During the program, they receive seed funding and professional mentoring, refine their business plans and complete key business milestones.  

In all, 83 fellows have completed the nine-month-long program, and they’ve gone on to grow their businesses and positively impact more than 500,000 North Texans, raise over $75 million in additional funding and form 2,620 additional partnerships. By accelerating these social entrepreneurs, United Way and our partners and supporters are creating a sea change right here in North Texas by driving progress toward our Aspire United 2030 goals.  

“North Texas is home to so many innovative entrepreneurs who are the boots on the ground in their communities. They understand first-hand the challenges and opportunities their neighbors face, and they’ve developed creative ways to improve things,” said Jennifer Clark, director of innovation at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “Programs like the Social Innovation Accelerator allow us to amplify the efforts of these social innovators and work closely with them to ensure that, together, we’re having the biggest impact possible.” 

Innovation in Action 

Here are just a few examples of how, together, we are creating a positive impact for more individuals and families every year. (View our full list of Accelerator alumni here.) 

Principal Impact Collective: Strengthening Our Public Schools

Principal Impact Collaborative (PIC) was a brand-new organization when it went through the Social Innovation Accelerator in 2016. The nonprofit, which is part of UNT Dallas, seeks to provide adult learning opportunities to leaders in the education and public sector to strengthen public schools.  

Amanda Dudley, former executive director of PIC, said in the years since the Accelerator, the organization has expanded its Principal Fellowship—a two-year fellowship for North Texas school principals—to seven local districts. Meanwhile, PIC has created new programming for district leadership teams in its Leadership Lab. These programs include development and support unique to the needs of specific school districts, enabling principals and their teams to be even more effective.  

Dudley explains that having United Way as a “first-in investor” gave PIC credibility with other funders and partners, just as the organization was getting off the ground. “This allowed PIC to quickly establish itself as a critical partner in leadership development for school principals,” she said.  

Since going through the Accelerator in 2016, PIC has hosted 270 school principals and other district leaders in its programs. As a result, the organization has positively impacted more than 100,000 public school students and significantly advanced our shared mission of improving educational outcomes in North Texas.  

Southern Dallas Link: Eliminating Mobility Barriers

Southern Dallas Link has experienced transformational change since founder Curtis Corbins went through the Accelerator in 2020. “We have literally blown up, because mobility is just a huge thing here in North Texas,” he says. “Even though our main focus is getting people to living-wage jobs, impacting their ability to come out of poverty, we’ve also been able to expand to other areas.”  

Their new initiatives include partnering with AARP to provide transportation for seniors, with Texas Workforce to transport special needs workers and with TR Hoover to pick up low-income kids for summer programs.  

Curtis credits the Accelerator with showing him how to “stay in his lane” by focusing solely on transportation. That focus has enabled his organization to grow from serving around 1,500 clients per year in 2020 to about 6,500 in 2023. Southern Dallas Link has also become a United Way community impact partner, which Curtis says has enabled them to hire more drivers and serve more transportation deserts.  

One of the biggest benefits of his partnership with United Way, Curtis says, is the number of doors it has opened.  

“United Way has given me street cred. My relationship with them has allowed me to have a bigger impact than I could have imagined, simply because I can tell people United Way is one of my biggest partners,” he explains. “Having gone through the Accelerator, it’s like people are more apt to listen to you and work with you.”  

Bonton Farms: Expanding Their Focus and Impact

When Bonton Farms went through the Accelerator in 2017, the organization was “still in its infancy,” according to Helena Banks, who served as director of development and external affairs through 2024. “Being a part of the Accelerator really opened a lot of doors,” she said. “Mostly, it impacted our trajectory—being able to network with the United Way community and the people and organizations involved.”  

Helena offers a few examples: In the early days of Bonton Farms, the area had limited utilities. Through the Accelerator, founder Daron Babcock formed a connection with AT&T, which enabled him to bring Wi-Fi to the community. The United Way network also connected him to Deloitte, which planted the seeds of an initiative that will offer first-of-their-kind banking products in Bonton through nine financial partners.  

These types of deep connections have helped Bonton Farms grow well beyond their roots as an urban farm and support folks in every area of life. They’ve launched initiatives like an apprenticeship with wrap-around services and a housing program that includes everything from tiny homes to lease-to-own houses.  

Meanwhile, Daron and his team are also expanding their impact across Texas. In 2021, they worked to get the Bonton Farms Bill passed. The resulting law gives citizens returning from prison the opportunity to wipe fines from their records, so that when they’re released, they get a blank slate financially.  

As Helena explained, “We’re out to disrupt the system. When you talk about changing people’s trajectory, you really have to dive deep. Ultimately our goal is that the change in Bonton becomes the change in the world. We want to take these same principles and expand them across the nation, because we all know that there are Bonton communities everywhere.”  

The Competition Heats Up at The Pitch  

Each cohort of the Social Innovation Accelerator culminates at The Pitch delivered by Amazon, a one-of-a-kind competition where five finalists pitch their bold ideas live on stage for a chance to win additional funding and the title of “Social Innovator of the Year.” The Pitch is North Texas’ social innovation event of the year, and a thrilling way to highlight and celebrate the game-changing impact of the Accelerator program and of our innovative fellows.  

This year, The Pitch will be held Wednesday, April 9 at 6 p.m. at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving. We invite you to join your fellow change-seekers for an unforgettable evening and watch our five finalists pitch their innovative ideas for improving access to education, income and health. Vote for your favorite finalist to win the $30,000 Audience Choice Award, and then stick around to enjoy an open bar, tasty bites, great music and our exclusive networking hour.  

Interested in joining us? Get on the waitlist at unitedwaydallas.org/thepitch and we’ll let you know when early-bird tickets go on sale.

March Tocqueville Fellows Spotlight: Charlene Lake and Ali Mize

Written by Meg Costa on . Posted in News & Updates.

Charlene Lake and Ali Mize took distinctly different paths to service. Yet it is their shared passion for fostering change in the world that brought them together.

Charlene is now a United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Board member and senior vice president of Corporate Responsibility and chief sustainability officer at AT&T. She began her career as a newspaper reporter in Kansas.

Ali, who was recently promoted to vice president of ESG, Belonging and Philanthropy at Neiman Marcus Group, got her start as a program manager with Fulbright Belgium.

The two North Texas change makers were connected through our March Tocqueville Fellows Initiative made possible by Carol March and Kevin March.

As a March Fellow, Ali desired to be paired with a C-suite leader—ideally a woman—who understood her challenges and shared her passion for growth in the sustainability field. With that in mind, we connected her with Charlene. The rest is history.

“I learn just as much from Ali as I could ever teach her,” says Charlene. “When you approach a mentorship this way, seeing it as a two-way exchange, you gain the ability to both enrich your own life and drive impact in society.”

And for Ali, who’s the first person on her dad’s side to go to college, and the first person in her family to pursue a corporate career, being a mentee is all about seeing what you want to be.

“Charlene helps me see the opportunities in my career,” Ali says. “She also gives me a safe space to ask questions in my pursuit of those opportunities.”

To learn how you can become a March Fellow or give back by mentoring a local young professional, visit our March Fellowship Program page.

Southern Dallas Thrives community resource room unveiling

Check Out Our New Community Resource Hub at the Barack Obama Leadership Academy in Southern Dallas

Written by Meg Costa on . Posted in News & Updates.

We’re proud to announced that on Friday, Jan. 31, we unveiled an expanded community resource hub at the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy at A. Maceo Smith High School in Southern Dallas.

The project is powered by United Way Metropolitan Dallas’ Southern Dallas Thrives Initiative and is in collaboration with Dwell with Dignity, an alumnus of our Social Innovation Accelerator program. The goal of the resource hub is to provide local students and families with key resources that advance our Aspire United 2030 goals, which seek to expand access to education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity. 

Read on to learn more about the new resource hub and how you can be part of this type of exciting community impact work. 

Resource Hubs Serve Our Communities 

Community resource hubs are an important component of our Southern Dallas Thrives initiative, a partnership with Texas Instruments, PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, AT&T and other leading corporations, which targets our collective impact in the areas of North Texas that stand to benefit most. 

The resource hub at the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy is one of a network of such facilities across Southern Dallas, designed to provide important resources that enable students to succeed and families to thrive in our focus areas of education, income and health. The resource hub model is an ideal fit for the leadership academy, whose mission is to develop young men into impactful leaders by cultivating their intellectual, moral, physical, social and emotional skills for the global society of tomorrow. 

Each community resource hub created through Southern Dallas Thrives offers:  

  • Household and nutritional food items 
  • School uniforms 
  • Access to technology and technical assistance 
  • Educational resources 

In our 2023-2024 fiscal year, our community resource hubs positively impacted more than 2,000 students and about 1,000 parents, teachers and other community members. (Learn more about our collective impact here.) The long-term goal is to expand this place-based model to multiple campuses throughout the region, ensuring greater access and support for more families. 

“Improving access to educational resources and services is one of our priorities in Southern Dallas, an area that has historically been underserved and under resourced,” said Ashley Douglas, vice president of United Way’s Southern Dallas Thrives initiative. “Our partnerships with community school-based campuses have enabled us to address these challenges while economically supporting our scholar network in the southern sector.”

Douglas explained that the community resource hub at the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy is an exciting expansion of this work.  

“Designed to holistically support sector scholars through targeted academic engagement and resources that help families thrive, we are thrilled to increase this network of support on the campus,” she said. “Through this collaborative approach alongside community partners, we are committed to ensuring that our students remain positioned to continue to thrive.”  

The resource hub was designed and installed by Dwell with Dignity, a United Way partner and 2021 finalist of our Social Innovation Accelerator program. Dwell with Dignity designs and fills complete interior spaces for individuals and communities who need an environment that will support health and wellness. They empower families to thrive in a safe, functional and beautiful environment, with a goal of significantly reducing toxic stress levels, improving academics and transforming lives through design, inspiring their clients to maintain a high standard environment.  

“Dwell with Dignity is honored to transform the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy’s library with the generous support of Texas Counter Fitters, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the State Fair of Texas,” said Teresa Charnock, executive director of Dwell with Dignity. “The students will find access to important resources, comfortable and stylish places to read and gather, and a space that fosters inspiration, learning and creativity.” 

We’d like to offer special thanks to our event partners and sponsors, Texas Counter Fitters and The State Fair of Texas, and to Jarrod Oram and Dallas ISD for helping to make the resource room unveiling a success!  

Southern Dallas Thrives Drives Meaningful Change 

Created in partnership with PepsiCo Foundation and Frito-Lay North America, our Southern Dallas Thrives initiative provides vital investment opportunities to the Southern Dallas community to create lasting change and measurable impact. The initiative focuses on improving access to education, income and health.    

Addressing the needs of under-resourced communities, particularly in Southern Dallas, requires a multi-faceted approach centered on education, increasing community access to essential resources, and providing support that promote equitable outcomes. By focusing on these key areas, and through initiatives like our community resource hubs, together we can create a stronger foundation for long-term success and resilience within the community.  

Join Us as We Expand Access to Education 

With the support of volunteers and nonprofit and corporate partners, our targeted resource rooms capitalize on the community’s biggest opportunities and address our region’s most entrenched challenges. Together, we’re improving access to education for thousands of Southern Dallas residents every year. 

This is measurable, lasting change that you can be a part of. Here are three ways you can get involved right now: 

  • Advocate: Throughout the Texas Legislature’s 89th session, we’re advocating alongside change-seekers like you for key bills that will impact education in North Texas. To get started, sign up for our Advocacy Alerts. 
  • Volunteer: We frequently host volunteer programs that support local students and educators. Keep an eye on current and upcoming opportunities on our volunteer page.