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Author: Meg Costa

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North Texas Leads the State in Child Abuse. Together, We Can Prevent It.

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

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, an opportunity to call attention to the tens of thousands of incidents of child abuse reported every year in our community.

Throughout this important month of awareness, we’re calling on all North Texans to learn more about the prevalence of child abuse and neglect in our community, to help us raise awareness of this important issue and to join our efforts to prevent child maltreatment of every kind.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we’ve identified education, income and health as the building blocks of opportunity. Child abuse prevention is one important component of our work that touches on all three of these areas—because a stable, loving home provides a foundation for children to live a healthy life, succeed in school and go on to achieve financial stability.

In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, let’s take a look at 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 is on the Rise in North Texas

Although last year brought a sliver of good news—child fatalities decreased 34% between 2020 and 2023—unfortunately, there were still nearly 50,000 unique victims of child abuse reported in Texas last year.

How does our region fare? In 2022, more than 9,000 North Texas children were served by Child Protective Services (CPS). In 2023, that number rose to more than 11,000—far more than any of the state’s other metro areas. Unfortunately, these numbers are headed in the wrong direction.

These figures all indicate that our entire North Texas community must do more to prevent child abuse and neglect before it ever begins.

United Way Prevents Child Abuse and Neglect

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we provide support services and educational resources to parents to foster healthy, caring home lives. Together with our committed supporters, we give parents the tools and knowledge they need to ward off child abuse and neglect before it ever happens.

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 with parental education and support programming. Our work aims to empower parents and eliminate common parenting stressors that increase the risk for child abuse and neglect.

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

Healthy Outcomes Through Prevention and Early Support (HOPES): HOPES helps local parents 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 (THVP): THVP 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, 955 local families participated in a home visiting program through HOPES or THVP, and 1,750 North Texans attended early childhood development community events to learn more about their children’s key milestones.

Programs like HOPES and THVP offer a variety of benefits to 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 THVP also have a profound impact on new parents, as well as any family that experiences stressful times. Take for example Karla, a client from our partner agency Lumin. Karla’s family came to Lumin when Karla was 18 months old. In her initial developmental screenings, Karla showed delays in communication and social-personal development. She also had numerous challenges during home visits: She would throw things across the room, she struggled with concentration and she had difficulty with expressive language. During some visits, Karla would hit herself in frustration. This made her mother uncomfortable and, as a result, she cancelled visits, would not take her children out of the house and became isolated.

This situation was understandably frustrating for both Karla and her mother. However, the parent educator at Lumin kept working with Karla’s mother, speaking with her about strategies and establishing routines. They worked together to create a home learning environment, to offer freedom of choice and to establish limits and routines for Karla. Since then, Karla and her mom have taken a 180-degree turn. Karla is aware of the visit routine, she sits patiently and waits until the materials are set up, and she listens attentively when mom reads her a book. Karla now goes to childcare with other kids where she is social, shares and knows how to take turns. When completing a Family Centered Assessment, Karla’s mother showed significant gains in parenting skills and building capacity.

With a little guidance and support, Karla’s mother learned how to support her daughter and create a positive learning environment in which she can thrive. This is the type of intervention that has been shown to prevent child abuse and neglect by empowering parents when they need it most.

Together, We Can 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 three 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.
  2. Volunteer during National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Support local children and parents this month through two volunteer opportunities: by helping out at our Health & Prevention Expo on Saturday, April 27, or by donating time to support the First3Years’ Safe Babies program.
  3. 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:

Agent talking to a couple in the office

United Way Supports Easier, More Affordable Options for Taxpayers

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

Tax season is a stressful time for many North Texans, due to the uncertainty and expense of filing taxes. But luckily there’s a growing movement to make filing tax returns easier and more affordable—or even free.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we lead and invest in a variety of initiatives that enable more North Texans to achieve financial stability. We offer free tax preparation to ensure our neighbors save money when filing their taxes and receive all eligible credits and refunds. We also advocate for governmental programs that reduce the cost and complexity of the tax filing process, and we’re big supporters of a new free tax filing tool from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

These money-saving initiatives directly support our mission to improve access to education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity. Because when individuals and families can hold on to more of their money, they benefit in every area of their life.

Read on to learn more about United Way’s free tax programs, as well as the IRS’ new free tax filing tool.

United Way Offers Free Tax Services

Taxes are due on Monday, April 15, and we want to encourage every eligible North Texan to take advantage of our free tax prep services to file their returns.

Each year, thousands of our neighbors use our free tax prep services to file their returns. With the help of volunteer tax experts who are IRS certified, the average filer saves around $200 in tax preparation and filing fees, plus gets an average refund of $2,400 by claiming all their eligible tax credits and refunds. As a result, these programs bring millions of dollars in refunds back into our community every year.

During our 2022-2023 fiscal year, 9,500 North Texas families filed their taxes through our free services and received a total of $13.2 million in refunds. A team of 168 incredible volunteers made this impact possible.

“Tax time is an important financial moment, but unfortunately many families miss the opportunity for a refund because they don’t realize all of the tax credits that they are entitled to, or they make a mistake when they file,” said Greg Mangum, vice president of economic mobility at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “We encourage all eligible North Texans to use our Free Tax Programs so they receive all their eligible tax credits and refunds—because when families can hold onto more of what they earn, they’re in a better position to achieve financial stability.”

File Your Taxes for Free

To get started with one of our free tax services, explore your options below:

In-person, drive-through or drop-off tax prep assistance

Foundation Communities operates seven Community Tax Centers in the Dallas area that return millions of dollars to the local economy by helping families take better control of their finances. During the tax season, IRS-certified volunteers offer free tax help to individuals and families who earn less than $64,000 a year. Clients can file current and previous year tax returns, file non-resident returns and obtain ITIN renewals. Virtual and online services are also available through the Community Tax Centers.

Who’s eligible? Households that earned $64,000 or less in the last tax year are eligible for services including current and previous year tax returns, non-resident returns and ITIN renewals. Services are available in English and Spanish.

For updated information, service locations, or to sign up for text alerts, visit www.dallastaxcenters.org or text TAXCENTERS to 833-939-1387.

Online tax prep help

MyFreeTaxes is an online tax filing program that enables people to file their federal and state taxes for free while getting the assistance they need. United Way provides MyFreeTaxes in partnership with the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to help filers prepare their tax returns on their own or have their return prepared for them for free.

The benefits of MyFreeTaxes include:

  • Free federal and state returns
  • Available to everyone—no restrictive eligibility requirements (No geography or age limits)
  • Mobile friendly
  • Available in English and Spanish
  • Staffed by IRS-trained specialists

Who’s eligible? Households with an income at or below $79,000 can access fully online, self-directed tax prep services that are not subject to fees or paid add-ons. Visit www.MyFreeTaxes.com. Services are available in English and Spanish.

Learn more about both of these services, including what you’ll need to bring with you, on our Free Tax Prep resources page.

IRS Direct File Available to Texans for the First Time in History

This year the IRS rolled out a new tool to make filing taxes more affordable and accessible for Americans.

Direct File is a free, public and online tax filing tool that enables Americans to file taxes directly to the IRS. The IRS is rolling the Direct File pilot out in phases, and Texas is one of the 12 states with access to the new tool.

Direct File allows tax filers to:

  • File a 2023 federal tax return—for free—in English or Spanish
  • Add your tax information with step-by-step guidance
  • Connect with real-time online support from IRS customer service representatives
  • File your taxes from smartphones, laptops, tablets and desktop computers

Who’s eligible? Direct File requires a valid ID and a social security number or ITIN, and there are household income limitations for filers making $125,000 or more. Direct File supports standard deductions, but not itemized deductions. And, it only works for people with certain kinds of health insurance, and for people without health insurance.

It’s important to note that Direct File is designed for tech-savvy taxpayers that have internet access to support a video call, a working camera on a phone, tablet or computer, and a U.S. phone number that accepts texts or phone call.

IRS Direct File will enable nearly 4 million Texans to file their taxes for free this year. To celebrate and spotlight the new IRS tool, on March 21 Mangum joined Angela Williams, president and CEO of United Way Worldwide, as well as local and federal officials to host a press conference at Dallas’ MLK Jr. Community Center.

During the event, Deputy Secretary of Treasury Wally Adeyemo said 3.8 million Texans would be eligible to file their taxes for free with the IRS this filing season and urged all tax filers to learn more about the new tool.

Find out more here about eligibility and how Direct File works.

Support Financial Stability in North Texas

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we believe every North Texan should have the opportunity and access to achieve financial stability. We invite you to join the Live United movement to ensure North Texans can get and keep better jobs, establish savings and hold on to more of what they earn.

Ready to start making a difference right here at home? Here are three ways to improve financial stability in our community:

Using Advocacy to Create Greater Community Impact

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

On Thursday, Feb. 15, leaders from across North Texas’ nonprofit sector joined United Way of Metropolitan Dallas for Advocacy for Greater Community Impact, a special webinar that explored the role of advocacy in improving access to education, income and health in our community.

2024 is a critical year for public policy in Texas, as we approach the November election and prepare for next year’s legislative session. United Way is encouraging every individual and community organization to speak up in support of policies and candidates that will benefit our region.

Our advocacy webinar explored key topics designed to empower community organizations to add advocacy to their strategies for the year, including:

  • The various types of nonprofit organizations and what kind of advocacy and lobbying activities are permitted under the law
  • How nonprofits across Texas can mobilize our collective advocacy and impact, especially at the state level
  • Tips and strategies for developing an advocacy agenda
  • How nonprofits can partner with lawmakers to advance policy for greater community impact

Hillary Evans, vice president of policy and advocacy at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, opened the event by explaining why United Way is focused on and enthusiastic about advocacy—particularly during a big election year.

“Here at United Way, we believe and the power of unity and equity to create lasting change,” she said. “As a social change organization entering our second century of impact, we are leading a movement to improve education, income and health—what we call the building blocks of opportunity—so all North Texans can thrive. One of the critical ways that we can create greater access to opportunity is through our advocacy efforts at the federal, state and local levels.”

The event featured a panel discussion with some of our community’s leading change agents, each of whom has extensive experience with the power of advocacy:

  • Ashley Harris, director of public policy and advocacy, United Ways of Texas
  • Vince Leibowitz, legislative director and fiscal analyst for the office of State Sen. Royce West
  • Natalie Roetzel Ossenfort, program director for Bolder Advocacy at Alliance for Justice

Lindsey Hughes, finance counsel at Haynes and Boone and co-chair of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Advocacy Committee, served as moderator.

View a video for the full event below, or read on for highlights from the Q&A.

Lindsey Hughes: Natalie, could you go into detail on what kind of activities might be acceptable and how organizations can remain nonpartisan, especially when we’re in an important election year?

Natalie Roetzel Ossenfort: You are not allowed as a 501(c)(3) to support or oppose candidates for public office. This does include public offices that are not party specific. So for example, when people run for city council in Dallas, they’re not declaring what party they’re affiliated with—these are non-partisan offices. But because they are public elected offices, we should not suggest who people should vote for or against or what parties they should vote for or against. This also includes things like school boards. When we have school board elections, you don’t want to chime in as a 501(c)(3) in terms of who the best candidates are.

Obviously under these rules you can’t endorse a candidate. That would be a clear violation of the 501(c)(3) rules. But you can do things like nonpartisan voter engagement work—for example, if you want to get out the vote, educate voters about how to find their polling location or what type of ID they need to bring with them to the polls. That’s something that is going to be 501(c)(3) safe, but it has to be done in a non-partisan way. So it’s really this balancing act, and you’ve got to figure out what risk level you’re comfortable with as a 501(c)(3).

Hughes: Ashley, United Ways of Texas represents individual United Way organizations all across the state, including working with us in North Texas. Can you talk to us a little bit about ways your organization leverages collective advocacy?

Ashley Harris: Advocacy really is a pillar of United Way, as it’s a key component to making lasting change and communities. As a network of Texas United Ways, we really believe in the power of community voices in policy and advocacy. We believe that state leaders need to hear from local nonprofits and their partners, as you are uniquely positioned to speak up on behalf of your community. You’re doing this work every day, and we believe your voice is essential to policy discussions.

I think it’s important to remember that advocacy is a continuum that can also include lobbying. Where a lot of our United Ways focus their advocacy is on educating and creating awareness among legislators and other decision makers about particular issues that their communities are facing.

As an example, we host a Capitol Day every year where our United Ways bring their networks, partners, volunteers and donors together around critical issue areas to remind policy makers what’s most important to Texas communities. It’s an opportunity to highlight the power of our network and the power of community voice.

Hughes: We will now move on to chat with Vince, whose kind of got the opposite perspective working in a public office. Texas is unique, in that we have our legislative session every other year. Could you talk to us a little bit about the timeline in the legislative session and what to think about in terms of advocacy in an off-session year?

Vince Leibowitz: The first thing you would probably ask is who exactly am I advocating to? You’re advocating to more than one person at once: legislative staff, committee chairs, legislators themselves. And then you ask, where does the advocacy happen? Most of it’s going to happen in Austin, but some legislators do not maintain an office presence in Austin during the off years and their entire office is centered within their district. So you may find them within their district. The last question is how you reach the people, and I’m about to tell you the most important thing about that.

Please make appointments. Legislative staff, particularly during legislative session, sometimes take up to 15 meetings a day, dozens and dozens of phone calls on top of all of the actual duties that we’re doing on the floor of the ledge of the Senate with our boss or in committee meetings. So the best way to get staff’s attention is actually to make an appointment and not just to drop by. The ways to reach folks are by phone, by email and in person. I recommend you do in person after you have set things up by phone and email.

When do you start your advocacy in advance of the next legislative session? You always start the day after the legislative session ends. It doesn’t matter if the legislature rolls on into special sessions. The legislature has a two-year lifecycle with the interim and session, and you have a limited window during that time to prepare to accomplish your legislative goals.

I also encourage everyone on this timeline to start narrowing your focus to specific areas of advocacy. We have some organizations that will come and hand us a legislative agenda that has 400 items in it. No organization can handle working on 400 items. Make certain that you are realistic and narrow your advocacy to specific areas that actually match your organization’s mission. For example, if your organization is an animal welfare organization, you do not need to be advocating on things that are outside of animal welfare unless it affects animal welfare.

Add to Your Advocacy Toolbox

Interested in ramping up your advocacy efforts this year? Check out these resources for additional information on allowable advocacy activities, courtesy of the Alliance for Justice:

Advocate with Us

Whether you are part of a North Texas nonprofit or simply a community-minded resident, we invite you to advocate with the Live United network. When we speak up, united, we have the power to drive lasting change in our community.

Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts, and we’ll let you know how and when to contact your representatives to have the biggest impact possible.

Voting booths lined up with US flag and "VOTE"

Your Guide to the March 5 Election

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

It’s that time again: Election Day is fast approaching. This year’s primary and general elections could have a significant impact on North Texas, as our elected officials determine policy that charts the future of education, income and health in our region.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we encourage every eligible North Texan to turn out for our community and vote in the March 5 primary election. That’s because casting your ballot during every election is one of the easiest, most effective ways to have a meaningful impact on life in North Texas.

This Year’s Elections Are Extremely Important

While it’s important to vote in every election, this year’s primary and general election are especially significant.

That’s because a variety of powerful positions are on the ballot—including president, U.S. senator and Texas Board of Education members—each of whom will make policy decisions that will most likely have an effect on your day-to-day life.

The candidates elected to these seats also have the power to directly impact education, income and health in North Texas, which means this is not an election you will want to sit out. Voting is one of the simplest, yet most powerful, duties we as citizens hold. And it’s a surefire way to advocate for policies and changes that are important to you.

Want to have a say in how property taxes are spent? Eager to help decide who is on the school board? Be sure to cast your ballot in every election.

Your vote has the power to improve the quality of life in North Texas and drive positive changes that affect the education, income and health of our community.

A Look at What’s on the Ballot

During the March 5 primary election, voters will select their party’s candidate for numerous local, state and federal races, including:

  • President
  • U.S. senator
  • Three Texas Supreme Court justices
  • Five Appeals Court justices
  • Seven Texas Board of Education members
  • 15 state senators
  • Texas railroad commissioner
  • A variety of local county offices, including sheriffs, district attorneys and tax assessor-collectors

Your district may include additional races. To see all the races and issues on your ballot, visit Vote411.org and type in your home address.

And for more detailed information about what will appear on your ballot, visit your county’s election site:

Primary Elections and Party Affiliation

The Republican and Democratic parties are both holding their primary elections on March 5 to choose nominees for the November general election. On that day, voters can only vote in one party’s primary election. But you don’t have to vote for the same candidate or party in the general election.

How does party affiliation work in Texas?

When you sign up with a party, that affiliation is good until Dec. 31 of that year. You can do this by voting in a party’s primary, swearing in at a precinct convention or taking a party loyalty oath. Once you’re affiliated with a party, you can’t vote in another party’s primary in the same year.

If you haven’t affiliated with a party yet this year, you’re basically a free agent and can vote in either the Democratic or Republican party. But once you’ve hitched your wagon to a party, you’re affiliated with them until the year runs out. You’ll have to wait until next year if you want to switch parties.

Know Before You Go

Verify your registration. If you’re unsure whether you’re registered to vote, you can check on the Texas Secretary of State website. (Not registered? Unfortunately, you missed the Feb. 5 deadline. But you can visit VoteTexas.gov to register now for the November general election and for any run-off elections.)

Avoid delays by voting early. During a presidential cycle, election day can be extremely busy. Luckily, in Texas early voting runs Tuesday, Feb. 20 through Friday, March 1. You’ll be able to find early voting locations by using the search site Am I Registered?, which will be populated with voting sites a few days before early voting begins.

Bring a photo ID: You must present one of the seven acceptable forms of photo identification before you can vote:

  • Texas driver’s license
  • Texas election ID certificate
  • Texas personal ID card
  • Texas handgun license
  • U.S. citizenship certificate with photo
  • U.S. military ID card with photo
  • U.S. passport (book or card)

Your voter registration card is not mandatory to vote, but it’s a good idea to bring it if you have it. If your name is spelled differently on the official voter list than on your ID, showing your registration card may resolve the issue.

Voting locations: Polling locations may be different for early voting and Election Day, so visit your county’s election website—Dallas, Collin, Rockwall or Denton—to make sure you’re headed to the right location.

Be an educated voter: Save yourself time at the polls by being prepared. Do your research on candidates, and determine how you want to vote before getting to the voting machine. You can bring notes or a sample ballot with you to vote, but you’re not allowed to have partisan flyers with you in the voting booth. Create your own personalized ballot by visiting Vote411.org.

Encourage your network: Make a plan to vote. Then, invite your neighbors and friends to go vote with you.

Vote by mail: To be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Be 65 years old or older
  • Be disabled
  • Be out of the county on Election Day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance
  • Be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible

You can request the application for a mail-in ballot from the Texas Secretary of State’s office. The deadline to submit a vote-by-mail application is Friday, Feb. 23. To learn how to request a vote-by-mail application and to submit your application, visit your county’s Elections Office website: Dallas, Collin, Rockwall or Denton.

If you decide to vote by mail, be sure to have your ballot postmarked by 7 p.m. on March 5.

Voter Rights in Texas

As a voter, it’s helpful to understand your rights so that you feel comfortable and confident in voting this year. Check out our Texas Voter Bill of Rights before you cast your ballot.

Female construction worker

Creating Job Opportunities in an Unpredictable Labor Market

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

The start of a new year brings countless predictions for what the next 12 months holds in terms of the economy, inflation, job growth and more. Although many experts disagree on what 2024 will bring, it’s likely that job gains will cool significantly this year.

Unfortunately, this trend may mean fewer job prospects for North Texans looking to find work, increase their salary or take the next step in their careers. And low income has a direct impact on the rest of a worker’s life. For example, when a person’s job opportunities are limited, they are less likely to achieve financial security, which can limit their children’s success in school and negatively impact their family’s health.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we have done significant research on the North Texas labor market to identify good jobs in growing industries. Armed with this deep understanding, we invest in comprehensive training programs to enable hard-working North Texans to earn short-term industry certifications that lead to good-paying employment in targeted sectors, including IT, healthcare and construction.

Supporting workforce development initiatives is a key part of our mission to improve access to education, income and health—because a living-wage job is fundamental for any individual or family to thrive.

Read on to learn more about job and wage growth predictions for the new year, how a lack of job opportunities impacts North Texans, and how United Way and our partners work together to improve access to living-wage jobs.

Fewer Job Opportunities in 2024

Most experts agree that the U.S. will add far fewer jobs in 2024 compared to last year, as consumer spending declines and the economy cools.

In 2023, payroll employment rose steadily, averaging 225,000 new positions nationwide per month. But for 2024, that monthly average could be anywhere from 53,000 to 100,000, depending on who you ask. Meanwhile, there is a chance the unemployment rate—currently at 3.7%—could rise as fewer companies hire new workers.

For North Texans who are looking for a job or hoping to make more money this year, these trends could limit their opportunities and have a very real impact on their day-to-day lives.

A Lack of Job Opportunities Hurts North Texans

When a community lacks job opportunities, it can be a struggle to find a living-wage job. In a tight job market, workers are more likely to live below the poverty line, many can’t afford stable housing, and their families’ health and educational prospects suffer.

In our state, hundreds of thousands of individuals are struggling because of limited access to good-paying jobs. The median household income in Texas between 2017 and 2021 was $67,321, and $74,580 nationwide in 2022. That means overall, Texans are making quite a bit less than their counterparts in other states. Workers of color, on average, tend to make even less than white workers.

As a result, our state has a relatively high poverty rate. According to the latest data from the Census Bureau, 14% of Texas’ population of roughly 30 million people are living in poverty. This is well above the national average of 11.6%, which totals 37.9 million Americans living below the poverty line.

Meanwhile, the cost of living has increased over the last few years as the price of housing, food and other necessities has risen. According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s living wage calculator, a childless adult living in Dallas County needs to make $18.24 an hour to cover basic expenses and have a little money saved for emergencies. This number jumps to $35.74 if that person has a child. Just a few years ago, these hourly living wages were significantly lower—$15.98 for a childless adult and $31.94 for an adult with one child. Although inflation overall has started to fall, the cost of living in our community is still quite a bit higher than it was a few years ago, while wages have remained relatively level.

Each of these statistics tends to affect workers of color more acutely. Greg Mangum, vice president of economic mobility at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, says workers of color in North Texas tend to have fewer pathways to good-paying jobs available. Plus, they’re more likely to have their careers impacted by external factors, such as access to childcare, transportation and digital literacy skills.

“Since the pandemic, everything has gotten more expensive, but unfortunately wages haven’t kept up with inflation or consumer price increases,” Mangum said. “And the workers of color in our community are up against enormous odds to find stable, good-paying jobs. That not only holds back individuals and their families; it holds back our entire community. It takes all of us working together to create and improve pathways to living wage jobs so every North Texan can prosper.”

United Way Creates Pathways to Better-Paying Jobs

Income is an area that affects our entire economy. When more North Texans prosper, our region as a whole enjoys greater prosperity.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, income is one of our areas of focus, because we understand the positive impact of financial stability and a good-paying job on every part of a person’s life. We continually research the local labor market to identify strong job opportunities in growing industries. Working with our community partners and investors, we invest in and support comprehensive workforce training programs that enable individuals to quickly earn industry certifications that open pathways to steady employment in fields such as healthcare, IT, transportation and logistics, and construction.

One of our Aspire United 2030 goals—our North Star for driving progress in the areas of education, income and health over the next decade—is to increase by 20% the number of young adults who earn a living wage. Reaching that milestone will add nearly $800 million to our local economy.

To advance that goal, our workforce development initiatives include:

  • Pathways to Work: A partnership with 36 community organizations that provides fast-track industry certifications that lead to good jobs in growing industries, such as IT, construction and healthcare. Through United Way’s investment in Pathways to Work and related Community Impact Grants, in the last year more than 20,000 North Texans had access to job skills training and resources and nearly 3,000 were placed in new and better jobs.
  • Dallas Technology Training Consortium: Funded through a grant from the City of Dallas, the consortium provides IT and technology skills training to individuals impacted by the COVID-19 recession. The program serves 630 Dallas residents over a two-year period, in partnership with Goodwill Industries of Dallas, NPower and Per Scholas.
  • CSW Workforce Benchmarking Network: United Way is part of the Workforce Benchmarking Network (WBN), which brings together community-based organizations, public and private funders, and other intermediaries that provide workforce development services around the country to support better and more equitable results for job seekers, employers and communities. Led by CSW (Corporation for a Skilled Workforce), the network improves the availability of quality data and information about the labor market, programs and practices. It also builds the capacity of local service providers to use that evidence to develop more effective services and policies.
  • Career navigation: United Way recently supported a career navigator position with our community impact partner WiNGS. As a key member of the organization’s Financial Empowerment Centers, the navigator will provide guidance to local workers seeking to explore, participate in and complete job skills training programs that lead to sustainable employment with a living wage and benefits. They will also coordinate referrals to supportive services and community assistance programs to ensure participants have the support necessary to complete their education.

Join Us in Supporting a Stronger, More Equitable Workforce

A strong and equitable workforce benefits all of North Texas by strengthening our economy, improving educational outcomes, lowering healthcare costs and more.

We invite you to join our movement and create opportunity for all North Texans. You can have a direct impact on workforce development in our region by:

  • Making a donation to United Way, which will support workforce development initiatives like the ones outlined above.
  • Volunteering for one of our workforce development initiatives. Throughout the year, United Way and our partners hold volunteer opportunities that strengthen our workforce. Right now, you can volunteer to introduce local students to a variety of career opportunities. Visit our January volunteer page to get started.
  • Advocating with us. This is an important year for public policy changes, with a presidential election and several significant local ballot measures. Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts to learn how and when to advocate with us and other change-seekers across North Texas.

United Way and AT&T Host ‘UnCharitable’ Screening to Inspire Innovative Thinking Among Nonprofits, Corporate Partners

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

As the trusted corporate social responsibility (CSR) partner for dozens of corporations across North Texas, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas plays a pivotal role in mobilizing diverse stakeholders toward a common goal. We lead a community-wide movement to improve access to education, income and health, bringing together the corporate, philanthropic, civic and nonprofit sectors, as well as individual change-seekers, to achieve strategic goals for North Texas.

But how can United Way and our supporters continue to maximize our investments and impact? This question was one of the topics we explored on February 7, when we joined AT&T to host a screening of “UnCharitable,” a powerful new documentary from producer Dan Pallotta that uncovers the realities of nonprofit work and introduces a radical new approach to philanthropy. Pallotta, an entrepreneur and author, is well known for his incredibly popular TED Talk, “The way we talk about charity is dead wrong.”

The film highlights the need for change-seekers to think big to drive positive change —in part by adopting methods used by for-profit organizations, such as embracing risk, advertising their impact, and focusing less on overhead and more on results. The screening left United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and our community partners eager to incorporate even more innovative approaches in our work to improve access to education, income and health in North Texas.

Following the film screening, the evening included a Q&A with Pallotta led by Charlene Lake, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at AT&T, and immediate past chair of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Board of Directors.

The documentary advocates for a radical reformation in philanthropy, urging social impact organizations to break free from traditional constraints to enact real change. As one of United Way’s most generous corporate partners, AT&T has long supported innovation and ambition in our community impact work. For example, we worked closely with AT&T to develop Digital Bridges, an innovative targeted initiative that improves access to digital technology in Southern Dallas. The company also was instrumental in the launch of our flagship social innovation program, the Social Innovation Accelerator, and made the inaugural investment in the program in 2013.

As Lake explains, creating measurable, lasting change in our community requires an innovative mindset—and the willingness to embrace big ideas.

“AT&T is a big believer in bringing bold solutions to solve our community’s biggest challenges,” she said. “We’re proud of the collaboration we have with United Way and the other nonprofits who are in this room. And together, we’ve driven positive impact in our communities. But there’s so much work that has to be done. If we’re going to solve big problems in our communities, we collectively need to be stronger; we need to be bolder.”

For AT&T and dozens of other North Texas corporations, United Way is a trusted CSR partner that represents a smart, strategic and measurable way to invest in the future of our community.

As “UnCharitable” demonstrates, a substantial shift is underway in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. At United Way, we’re grateful to be able to take part in this positive transformation that promises to uplift North Texas and communities across the globe.

Missed the Event? How to See ‘UnCharitable’

If you are a change-seeker who is invested in the future of our community, “UnCharitable” promises to inspire and change your thinking. The film will change your perceptions of philanthropy, giving and how to build a world that works for everyone.

As Pallotta points out, “UnCharitable” has the power to change the way everyone associated with a nonprofit—its employees, board members, donors and partners—thinks about that organization and its mission.

“The biggest thing you can do is get everybody on your staff [to see it],” Pallotta said. “Don’t make the assumption that everybody on your staff is already persuaded. … Get everyone on your board to see it, then get your major donors to see it. Then keep educating them until you start to feel that you have a culture that’s really entrepreneurial, that’s really thinking differently, that really gets this stuff. And you’ve got to reinforce it.”

If you missed our screening, there are two ways to see the documentary:

  • Host your own screening for a nonprofit, campus or community group. Click here to learn more.
  • View it once it’s available on streaming platforms, which Pallotta expects to be this summer. (In the meantime, you can watch Pallotta’s insightful and inspiring TED Talk, a foundation of the documentary, here.)

Pallotta also offers a special training opportunity for nonprofits, The Bolder Board Training, which teaches board members how to work with their CEOs to create bolder, more audacious possibilities for impact. Click here for details.

Learn More About Partnering With Us

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas is proud to partner with companies of all sizes to advance racial equity and drive lasting change in North Texas. We have the relationships, data and expertise to help you build and strengthen your culture of good citizenship and corporate social responsibility.

Interested in learning more? Visit our Partner With Us page to discover some of the ways we work with corporate partners and to connect with our team.

Father and daughter sitting on couch smiling at tablet

Affordable Connectivity Program Significantly Expands Broadband Access

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

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we’re raising awareness about the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a valuable initiative that has expanded high-speed internet access for tens of millions of Americans.

Expanded broadband access directly supports our three focus areas: education, income and health. That’s because reliable internet enables students to succeed in school, workers to find and keep good-paying jobs, and North Texas families to access online health resources.

Unfortunately, the future of the ACP is uncertain. In this blog, we want to share two critical pieces of information:

  1. If you’re eligible to sign up for the ACP, the deadline to do so is Wednesday, February 7. Keep reading for more information.
  2. If you’re interested in supporting expanded broadband access in our community, we invite you to advocate with us in support of ACP. Read on to learn how to best voice your support.

What is the Affordable Connectivity Program?

In 2021, Congress approved the ACP to support Americans struggling to pay for internet service. The ACP helps ensure households can afford the broadband they need for school, work, healthcare and more.

The program provides two key benefits:

  • Up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands
  • Up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers, if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price

The ACP is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

Since the program launched, more than 20 million Americans have signed up—representing a significant expansion of high-speed internet access in our country. However, nearly 30 million people who are eligible have not signed up. Whether they are unaware of the program or simply haven’t gotten around to signing up, these Americans are leaving money on the table.

“Reliable, high-speed internet access used to be a luxury, but today it is a necessity that enables people in our community to utilize the education, financial security and healthcare tools and resources needed to thrive in our digital age,” Hillary Evans, vice president of policy and advocacy at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “The ACP is an important step toward improved digital inclusion, which is one way that we can ensure more of our North Texas neighbors can thrive.”

What is going on with the future of the program?

Unfortunately, current funding for the ACP could expire as early as April. However, a proposed bill, the Affordable Connectivity Extension Act of 2024, would provide additional funding to extend the program. The bill has been referred to Congress’ Appropriations Committee for consideration.

How do I sign up?

Visit onlineforall.org/enroll to apply right away. Remember, February 7 is the last day that the ACP will accept new applications and enrollments to receive the financial benefit until the program ends.

I’m already signed up. What happens if the program ends?

If Congress doesn’t vote to provide additional funding, the ACP will run out of money around April. Currently, the Federal Communications Commission, which coordinates the ACP, expects consumers that are enrolled in the program to continue to receive their full benefit on their internet service through at least April.

If your household is enrolled in the ACP, you should receive a notice from your internet provider in late January or February regarding your bill and possible other options. For more information, view the FCC’s FAQs about the wind-down of these ACP funds.

Voice Your Support for ACP

Supporting greater digital equity through programs like ACP is a sure-fire way to improve access to education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity—in our community.

As one ACP client named Thelma shared, affordable internet has been life-changing for her.

“If it had not been for the ACP program, I would not have internet,” she said. “It’s in my house. I don’t have to go anywhere. If the weather’s bad outside, oh well, it doesn’t affect me. I can still plug into the internet and learn what I want to learn.”

You can voice your support for ACP by asking your representatives to pass the Affordable Connectivity Extension Act and continue funding this important program.

Here are four steps to advocate for the Affordable Connectivity Extension Act today:

  1. Find out who represents you using the Texas Tribune’s “Who Represents Me?” tool.
  2. Contact your congressional leader and ask them to co-sponsor the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. Make sure to cite the bill number (HR 6929/S. 3565). Not sure what to say? Reference this simple talking point guide.
  3. Share your support for ACP on social media. Check out this advocacy social media toolkit for sample posts, and be sure to tag your congressperson so they see how important ACP is to you and your community.
  4. Join a coalition of nonprofits, including United Way Worldwide, in a letter to congressional leadership urging continued funding for the ACP to ensure families and children have access to affordable broadband. Add your name here.

Join Us in Supporting Access to Education, Income and Health in North Texas

By supporting initiatives like the Affordable Connectivity Program, we can all expand access to education, income and health in our community.

As healthcare, education and commerce become increasingly digital, communities need high-speed internet. We work to close the “digital divide” between communities that have adequate internet access and those that do not. The digital divide disproportionately affects people in rural areas, older adults, people of color, households with low incomes, people with disabilities, veterans and older adults.

Together, we can ensure all North Texans have the opportunity to thrive. We invite you to invest in lasting change by making a one-time or recurring donation to United Way of Metropolitan Dallas today.

Checking in on Progress Toward Our Aspire United 2030 Goals

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

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we just released our newest Impact Report, which explores how supporters like you made a positive impact for 1.6 million North Texans—or more than 20% of our region’s population—in our 2022-2023 fiscal year.

How does that incredible impact affect our mission in North Texas? Let’s take a closer look at the goals that we are working toward, how we measure progress and what the latest data reveal about education, income and health in our region.

Our Aspire United 2030 Goals

As we lead and invest in programs that improve access to education, income and health across North Texas, we keep a close eye on our progress so we know we’re truly making an impact.

At United Way, we know it’s not enough to create a one-time impact in someone’s life. To drive real, lasting change, we focus on systemic challenges that have kept generations of North Texans from truly thriving. And to create systemic change, we know we must quantify our goals and closely track our progress.

We collaborated with a broad spectrum of community partners to develop the Aspire United 2030 goals: our North Star for driving transformational change and advancing racial equity in education, income and health across North Texas through the year 2030:

  • Increase by 50% the number of students reading on grade level by third grade.
  • Increase by 20% the number of young adults who earn a living wage, adding more than $800 million per year to the local economy.
  • Increase to 96% the number of North Texans with access to affordable healthcare insurance.

Every 10 years, we reassess and refine our goals to address new challenges and opportunities. As we continue the march toward our Centennial year and our second century of service, setting 10-year goals enables us to ensure we always remain effective.

Evaluating and Tracking Our Goals

Setting and closely tracking quantifiable 10-year goals and leveraging a third-party evaluator are key differentiators in our unique approach to community impact work.

We track progress toward our Aspire United 2030 community goals through our partnership with the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI), an alumnus of our Social Innovation Accelerator.

Since PCCI’s Accelerator experience, the team has gained a rare degree of expertise in leading healthcare topics, including social determinants of health, and has pioneered ground-breaking solutions to more effectively identify needs, prioritize services, empower providers and engage patients in Dallas County and across the country. Meanwhile, PCCI has honed its expertise in defining and measuring near, mid- and long-term successes, and how to communicate impact. As a result, they were an ideal organization to help United Way track progress toward our community-wide Aspire United 2030 goals.

Progress Toward Our Goals

Curious about how our work—and your support—impact education, income and health in our region? Read on for an overview of the most recent data on our key impact measures in each area, or click here to view our latest Aspire United 2030 report. (These are the newest datasets available, and they do not necessarily reflect our most recent progress in these areas.)

Education

Third-grade reading proficiency decreased an average of 8% (from 55.59% to 47.43%) when compared to the prior year, based on 2021 Texas Education Association data. While decreases were seen across our entire service area, the greatest decline was observed in Dallas County (-10%).

We can attribute this to the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its profound impact on early childhood learning. During the height of the pandemic, North Texas students experienced months of school disruption and uncertainty that led to significant learning loss—and many young scholars are still recovering.

This 2021 data indicates that progress toward our Aspire United 2030 goals is even more critical than it was before the pandemic. To ensure children are set up for success in school, our education programs include:

  • Once Upon A Month™: This early literacy program delivers free age-appropriate children’s books and parental reading guides to families every month, stimulating curiosity, language development and learning skills—all of which set kids up for success in kindergarten. In our last fiscal year, United Way and our supporters provided nearly 130,000 free books to more than 11,000 local families.
  • Heal Play Learn: Made possible by a grant from Texas Instruments Foundation, this partnership with Educate Texas delivers hands-on learning opportunities to students in Lancaster, DeSoto and Cedar Hill school districts to encourage social and emotional wellness, physical activity, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking skills. Last summer, 670 students participated in 75 hours of hands-on programming.
  • Healthy Outcomes through Prevention & Early Support (HOPES) and Texas Home Visiting Program: These parent education initiatives provide families with hands-on instruction, community resources and skills that empower parents, encourage healthy child development and prevent child abuse. Last fiscal year, 885 families participated in a home visiting program.

Income

All counties in our service area saw a small improvement (about 2%) in the percentage of adults earning a living wage, as reflected by 2019 American Community Survey data. Rockwall County experienced the greatest increase, at 3.2%.

By investing in North Texans through job training and certification programs, we can ensure more of our neighbors have access to living wage jobs. The vast majority of low-wage jobs (such as retail, hotel/food service, construction, transportation warehouse/manufacturing and healthcare support) are filled by individuals with a high school degree or less, and they provide an annual salary of around $32,000 per year. With additional education, average salaries increase by about $20,000 a year, which can have a transformative impact on a person’s entire family, supporting their children’s success in school and enabling them to access high-quality healthcare.

To create pathways to better-paying jobs for more North Texans, our financial stability programs include:

  • Pathways to Work: This workforce development program, in partnership with 36 community organizations, gives hardworking North Texans the training necessary to secure jobs in IT or healthcare. Last year more than 20,000 North Texans participated in Pathways to Work programming, which led to 1,870 degrees or certifications and nearly 3,000 job placements.
  • Dollars for College: This partnership with Communities Foundation of Texas seeds college savings accounts for low-income students, making them significantly more likely to attend and graduate college. In 2022-2023, our supporters enabled us to open 166 new college savings accounts and deposit more than $140,000 for low-income students.
  • Housing Stability: We work to prevent homelessness in North Texas by creating programs and forming strategic partnerships that encourage housing stability. In 2022-2023, this work provided more than $3.8 million in rent and utility assistance to nearly 600 households. We also advocated for affordable housing and continued our leadership of the Dallas Rental Assistance Collaborative, which provides rental and utility assistance to keep families in their homes during challenging economic times.

Health

There was essentially no change in the percentage of individuals with health insurance coverage, as reflected by the 2019 American Community Survey. However, Texas is typically one of the worst states in the nation in terms of health insurance adoption, and lack of health coverage disproportionately impacts Black and Hispanic families, especially those with young children. Without health insurance, families often forego care or pay out of pocket, which can negatively affect their financial stability, hurt children’s performance in the classroom and limit adults’ earning potential.

However, Texas is seeing improved rates of insured individuals overall. Our state had nearly 570,000 new signups for affordable health care plans in 2023—the largest jump in the nation—and North Texas was a leader in that growth.

At United Way, our Healthcare Navigators program helped to make health insurance more accessible for thousands of North Texans. This collaborative program provides a network of certified Healthcare Navigators for the North Texas community, delivering support for individuals and families looking to sign up for health insurance through the Marketplace, Medicaid or CHIP. Navigators work directly with clients to help them compare health plans, understand benefits and apply for subsidies to lower their monthly premiums. In our last fiscal year, Healthcare Navigators fielded 52,133 client inquiries and supported 6,703 individuals as they signed up for CHIP/Medicaid and an additional 1,250 as they enrolled in a qualified health plan.

We also expand access to health resources in our region through programs such as:

  • North Texas Summer & Supper Council: This partnership with North Texas Hunger Initiative works to improve and amplify summer meals programming to provide regular, nutritious meals to children who qualify for federally funded nutrition programs. In summer 2022, this program supported summer meals providers as they served more than 55.6 million regular, nutritious meals to 143,000 children in Dallas and Collin counties.
  • Doorways to Health: This community partnership seeks to improve the maternal health outcomes of Black women in Dallas. Doorways to Health 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. In 2023, 326 pregnant people accessed resources through Doorway to Health providers. The partnership also hosted informative community events with hundreds of attendees to highlight the importance of Black maternal healthcare during Black Maternal Health Week.

Change Lives with Us

In the years since these datasets were gathered, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and our supporters have only expanded our impact in North Texas. Last year, we changed the lives of nearly 1.6 million of our neighbors, and we’re poised to continue deepening that impact this year.

We invite you to be part of the change and help us drive progress toward our community-wide Aspire United 2030 goals:

  • Invest in United Way. Make a one-time or recurring gift to directly support programs that improve access to education, income and health right here in North Texas.
  • Volunteer with us. Engage directly in community impact by signing up as a volunteer for an upcoming project, such as the Point in Time Homeless Count or Reading Day.