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Author: Meg Costa

By Supporting STEM Education, We Can All Help Build the Workforce of the Future

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

STEM—which stands for science, technology, engineering and math—has become an important focus of many school districts across North Texas. STEM programming is one of the ways that educators are preparing our students for success in college and the workforce.

Since our future workforce is so dependent on STEM exposure, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas focuses several of our education and financial security initiatives on STEM. Read on to learn about the importance of the STEM approach, its impact on students, our initiatives and how you can support STEM education in North Texas.

The Importance of STEM Programming

Research shows that the STEM approach enables students to develop creativity and “divergent thinking,” or the process of creating multiple, unique ideas or solutions to a problem. Put simply, it lets kids learn by exploring and experiencing.

When students develop curiosity, problem-solving skills and a flexible mindset, those traits benefit their other classroom activities and even bleed into their life outside of school. Children with a STEM background are better equipped to respond to real-world challenges, positioning them for success in college or a career.

Meanwhile, because the STEM approach exposes students to science, tech, engineering and math, it helps to build a pipeline of future employees in these advanced fields. This benefits our region’s workforce, which is increasingly dominated by computer and mathematical, architecture and engineering, and life and physical science occupations.

With such an incredible impact on young children, STEM education is an important component of our efforts to improve access to education and financial security in North Texas. As part of our Aspire United 2030 community goals, we’re working to ensure more local students graduate high school ready for college or career. As we make progress toward this education goal, we in turn impact our other focus areas of income and health, ensuring more young adults can secure living-wage jobs, which enables more families can access the health resources necessary to live longer, healthier lives.

Our STEM Initiatives in North Texas

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we lead and support a variety of programs that encourage students to experience and appreciate STEM, as well as initiatives that provide career pathways into STEM-related fields for hard-working adults. These include:

  • Heal Play Learn, a social-emotional, hands-on learning program supported by the Texas Instruments Foundation and developed in collaboration with Educate Texas. Through activities such as science experiments and engineering challenges, each summer the program advances STEM education in Southern Dallas and gets more kids excited about science, tech, engineering and math.
  • STEMFest, our annual event that immerses students in interactive STEM activities to engage their minds and inspire their imaginations. At our most recent STEMFest, kids wrote code to control a drone, designed and built a balloon-powered car, built weight-bearing bridges and compared machine learning with human learning.
  • Pathways to Work, which provides comprehensive training and employment for displaced and under-employed workers in key industries, including health care, IT, construction, logistics, advanced manufacturing, business and finance.
  • College and career readiness programs, which expose high school students to real-life job opportunities in STEM fields, enabling them to experience first-hand what a career in science, technology, engineering or math would be like.

Impact of STEM Programs

STEM initiatives like Heal Play Learn and STEMFest are hands-on and experiential, which is a powerful complement to traditional classroom learning. Not only does STEM learning feel novel for children, but it also offers practical applications and take-aways for their future. It gives them an opportunity to dream about how they might use STEM in college or a career.

As Kingston Preston, a sixth grader who participated in STEMFest, explained, “It felt like I was a scientist, like somebody that makes things. I think it is something I might want to do because it’s fun, and it’s enjoyable.”

STEM programming also gives United Way volunteers and donors an opportunity to directly invest in the next generation of STEM professionals. For example, Shreya Mandal, a product marketing engineer at Texas Instruments and a frequent United Way volunteer, says she appreciates that the organization delivers a variety of ways for her to encourage young girls to try their hand at STEM.

“Introducing STEM to young girls is truly a passion of mine,” she said. “I believe that as younger professionals in the workplace, it is our responsibility to go back to where all of the curriculum starts from. If you introduce these exciting ideas—for example, creating a solution, programming some code into a calculator—I think those hands-on activities really resonate with young girls. They see that, hey, it’s not that difficult and it’s not as complex as everyone makes it seem. And that this space is also for us.”

Lastly, STEM programs like those mentioned above also help improve equity in the North Texas workforce and in STEM itself, ensuring more students of color are exposed to experiential learning and problem solving.

Today, just 15% of Black students and 17% of Latinx students are college ready upon graduation, which hinders their chances of landing a good-paying job. This inequity persists through adulthood, with only 12% of Latinx workers and 19% of Black workers earning a living wage. These disparities show that it’s more important than ever to support educational programming that promotes equity throughout North Texas.

How You Can Support STEM in North Texas

With the support of volunteers and nonprofit and corporate partners, our STEM programming is improving access to education and to future job opportunities for students across North Texas. We invite you to Live United and be part of this meaningful change in our community.

Here are three ways you can get involved right now:

  • Give: Make a one-time or recurring donation of any size to invest in our initiatives that improve access to education right here in our community.
  • Advocate: The Texas Legislature convenes for its 88th session on Jan. 10, 2023. Join United Way in advocating for key bills that will impact education and workforce policy in North Texas. To get started, sign up for our Advocacy Alerts.
  • Volunteer: We frequently host STEM-related volunteer programs that support local students. Keep an eye on current and upcoming opportunities on our volunteer page.
homelessness

Join Us for the 2023 Point-in-Time Homeless Count

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

Thursday, Jan. 26, marks an important moment for North Texas. It’s when community nonprofits and organizers—led by Housing Forward—will conduct this year’s Point-in-Time Homeless (PIT) Count.

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas works in partnership with Housing Forward and other community organizations to prevent homelessness and support our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Our focus on housing stability is foundational to our mission of improving access to education, income and health, because all North Texans need a stable home environment in order to thrive in these three interconnected areas.

By regularly counting the unhoused neighbors in our community, Housing Forward (formerly Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance) collects vital data on a population that can be difficult to quantify. These insights allow us to understand the extent of homelessness in North Texas, factors that are impacting current homelessness rates and the effectiveness of programs that seek to end homelessness.

Of course, manually counting thousands of individuals spread across Dallas and Collin counties requires a community-wide effort. If you’d like to volunteer to join the Jan. 26 PIT Count, click here to register. Or, read on to learn more about the state of homelessness in North Texas, how United Way of Metropolitan Dallas works with partners and supporters to promote housing stability and some of the ways you can improve housing in our region.

The State of Homelessness in North Texas

The most recent PIT Count—conducted in February 2022—found that on any given night there are 4,410 individuals experiencing homelessness in Dallas and Collin counties (almost 4,000 in Dallas County and a little more than 400 in Collin County). This was the lowest count since 2019. According to Housing Forward, community programs to prevent homelessness and serve our neighbors who are already unhoused are making a true difference.

Unfortunately, following the decline in homelessness over last few years, 2022 saw an uptick in people experiencing homelessness, due to several factors. Ashley Brundage is the executive director of housing stability and senior vice president of community impact at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, as well as board chair of the All Neighbors Coalition. She says the current economic conditions mean more North Texans are experiencing housing insecurity.

“With rising housing costs, inflation and a pending recession, we have seen the number of persons experiencing homelessness in our community on the rise,” she explains.

But community organizations are able to respond to that increase more efficiently than ever before. “The good news is that we are rehousing folks 35% faster than we did two years ago,” she adds.

According to Brundage, the PIT Count is actually one of the reasons we’re seeing homelessness decline.

“Part of our ability to track this success comes from the data we receive through the Point-in-Time Count,” she says. “It helps local communities and the nation understand the extent of homelessness, changing trends, and the measure of our success in making homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring.”

How United Way Works to Encourage Housing Stability

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas addresses homelessness by working with a variety of community partners to provide a continuum of services. Our goal is to improve housing stability for North Texas families while also advocating for more affordable housing.

One successful prevention initiative was the Dallas Rental Assistance Collaborative (DRAC), which provided rental and utility assistance so people could stay in their homes during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. As tens of thousands of our neighbors lost their income and fell ill, our region faced an eviction crisis. DRAC enabled us to quickly and efficiently distribute funds to the people who needed them most, without delay. Working with more than a dozen grassroots organizations that are trusted members of their communities, we distributed nearly $30.4 million in rent and utility assistance, serving 7,173 households and preventing countless individuals and families from falling into homelessness.

More recently, we’ve worked with a variety of partners to launch the Targeted Eviction Prevention Program (TEPP), an innovative pilot program that provides comprehensive case management to 100 families on the verge of eviction. TEPP aims to help families stabilize their lives to prevent mid-year school moves, which can be highly disruptive to a child’s learning.

Join Us for the Point-in-Time Homeless Count

Interested in joining our work to end homelessness in North Texas? Right now one of the most important ways you can be part of the change is to volunteer for the Jan. 26 Point-in-Time Homeless Count.

Working with other volunteers, you’ll seek out unhoused individuals and invite them to take a brief survey, as well as distribute care packages. Housing Forward organizers provide volunteers with everything they need. And you’ll walk away knowing you made a true difference.

As Brundage explains, volunteering with the count can be a transformative experience.

“Volunteering to help with the Point-in-Time Count will change your perspective on who experiences homelessness and why,” she says. “Every unique person comes with their own unique story about how they ended up sleeping on the streets. Just like how every teen should work in a customer service job to learn how to treat people with respect; I truly believe every adult should be required to volunteer for the PIT Count to embrace the humanness in our neighbors living on the streets.”

Interested in joining us for this year’s PIT Count? To learn more and to sign up, visit our volunteer page.

You Can Help Improve Housing in North Texas

If you’re interested in working with us to improve housing stability in our community, volunteering with the PIT Count is just the beginning. Here are three other ways to get involved right now:

  • Give: Donate to United Way of Metropolitan Dallas to support housing stability and eviction prevention initiatives.
  • Advocate: Call your representatives and tell them you support affordable housing throughout our community. And be sure to sign up for our Advocacy Alerts to receive information on our top policy priorities, such as affordable and equitable housing.
  • Volunteer: We frequently host volunteer events that support housing stability and homelessness prevention. Fill out our general volunteer interest form, and we’ll let you know about upcoming programs that fit your interests.

Get to Know Your Legislators for 2023

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

This week marks an important time for advocacy at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. The 88th Texas Legislature begins today, and together with our supporters we will be advocating for policies that impact education, income and health in North Texas throughout the next 140 days.

By contacting our elected officials and educating them about key issues in our community, we can expand opportunities for our neighbors. When we speak up, united, our power is even greater.

As we prepare for a busy season of advocacy, it’s important that all North Texans understand who represents them and how to quickly contact those policymakers when key issues emerge in proposed legislation.

Important Changes to North Texas’ Districts

In 2023, most North Texas residents will see changes in who represents them. This is due to redistricting and officials choosing to retire or run for higher office.

Redistricting alone has had a significant impact on our region’s districts. For a taste of how much our districts changed, compare the 2020 Texas House District map (left) to the new 2022 Texas House District map (right).

       

5 Ways for You to Learn More About Your Elected Officials

Now is the perfect time to start building relationships with your elected officials, as most are starting new terms and getting acquainted with their new districts.

Here are five steps you can take to get to know your elected officials, their work in the district and how they tend to vote.

  1. Figure out who represents you.
    The Texas Tribune has a great tool that allows you see which districts your home is in and how redistricting has changed your districts. To find your new representatives, visit this page and enter your address. Write down the numbers of your new congressional, state house and state senate districts. Then, look up the winners of these races on the Tribune’s election results page, and write down these names. Existing offices holders probably already have an office and phone number, which you can find on the websites of the U.S. House, Texas House and Texas Senate.*Do you need a convenient place to save the name and phone numbers of your elected officials? United Way has a new advocacy mini card where you can write down the name and capitol phone numbers of your elected officials so the information is easily accessible when you need to make calls about key community issues. Request your advocacy card here.
  2. Visit their campaign websites.
    All candidates and elected officials have a website so voters and the community can learn more about their background and priorities. Now that you have a list of your representatives, check out their websites, and note their involvement in the community, their philosophy on public service and their values. Campaign websites usually link to their social media pages, so take a little time to scroll through their posts, tweets and videos.
  3. Visit their official office website.
    Each member of the U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature has a website that provides a map of their district, the address of their offices (generally one is at the Capitol and at least one other is in the district), and the committees they have been assigned. Knowing their committee membership gives you more information on the issues and legislation that they follow, are likely familiar with or are interested in. They generally have a staffer assigned to each committee who would be the best person for you to contact and/or meet with about a relevant issue.
  4. Sign up for their emails.
     Most offices send periodic emails to their constituents and other stakeholders on what the official has been working on. This may include how they voted on an important piece of legislation, meetings they have had with organizations from the district and events they are hosting in their district. These emails can also provide you with information on how to contact the elected official or their staffer if you would like to schedule a meeting with them. If they send out e-communication, you would be able to sign up for it on their campaign website or their capitol webpage.
  5. Follow them on social media.
    Social media is widely used by elected officials and their staff to share their thoughts on a topic, to highlight what they are working on or events they have attended, and to stay up-to-date on what’s happening with their colleagues and throughout their district, Texas or the U.S. The Texas Legislature has an official hashtag (#txlege), which you can use to find anything relevant to their. Most elected officials have accounts on social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook. You can typically find links to their social media accounts on their campaign webpage or in their emails.

Learn More About Advocating with United Way

In the coming months, we hope you will join us as we speak up and speak out on the most pressing policy issues that impact education, income and health for our entire region. Here are some resources to ensure you feel comfortable and confident when advocating for lasting change:

School Resource Rooms Benefit the Entire Community

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

In schools across North Texas, unequal access to key resources can negatively affect children’s educational outcomes, preventing them from succeeding in school and potentially impacting the rest of their lives.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, our work to improve access to education, income and health includes addressing under-resourced schools and communities. We have seen that students who have the resources and support necessary to succeed in school are more likely to secure good-paying jobs, which in turn enables them to afford quality health care for themselves and their families.

To combat the effects of under-resourced schools, we work with local school districts and corporate and community partners to establish campus-based community hubs in areas where a lack of investment has negatively affected schools. These resource rooms not only benefit students at the host campuses; they also serve thousands of students at nearby schools, as well as teachers, parents and other community members.

Read on to learn more about the impact of under-resourced schools on our children, how campus-based community hubs benefit the entire community, and how you can support this important work.

The Effect of Under-resourced Schools

When schools don’t have access to adequate resources, students suffer. These resources often include up-to-date school textbooks, smaller class sizes and one-on-one time with teachers, key instructional materials, and other necessities. In many areas of North Texas—especially those communities with a wealthy tax base—resources like these are a given. In places like Southern Dallas, they are less common.

Unfortunately, this situation plays out in schools across the country. In fact, America’s educational system is one of the most unequal in the developed world, according to The Brookings Institute.

That inequality disproportionately impacts children of color, as the Brookings researchers explain: “Educational outcomes for minority children are much more a function of their unequal access to key educational resources … Despite stark differences in funding, teacher quality, curriculum and class sizes, the prevailing view is that if students do not achieve, it is their own fault. If we are ever to get beyond the problem of the color line, we must confront and address these inequalities.”

In North Texas, we can see the impact of these inequities by looking at the breakdown of educational outcomes in two key areas:

  • Third-grade reading proficiency. Children of color, on average, are less likely to read on grade level by third grade. While 62% of white third graders read proficiently, that number falls to 35% and 41%, respectively, for Black and Latinx students.
  • College readiness. Similarly, Black and Latinx students are much less likely to be college-ready when they graduate high school. While 42% of white high schoolers are prepared for college, only 15% of Black and 17% of Latinx students are.

These two metrics may seem unrelated, but they’re actually closely connected. According to a study from the American Educational Research Foundation, students who are both not reading proficiently by third grade and living in poverty are 13 times less likely to graduate from high school on time compared to their proficient, more affluent peers.

These disparities—which, again, are typically a result of unequal access to resources—can negatively impact an individual throughout their life, affecting how much they can earn in their career, their ability to access quality health care and, in turn, their children’s futures.

Improving Access to Education Resources

A key component of improving access to education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity—involves addressing the systemic problems that make education so unequal in our region.

Community hub resource rooms are just one of the ways we work with our partners to address gaps in educational access. In the last year, through our Southern Dallas Thrives initiative, we opened two new resource rooms at Lincoln High School and South Oak Cliff High School, delivering key resources to more than 3,500 students, teachers and community members.

The rooms aren’t simply a space for students to gather; they are a hub of resources and services that have the power to open opportunities for everyone in the community. For example, our latest resource room project, at Lincoln High School, includes:

  • Multiple computers and printers with seating for group meetings or classes
  • A collection of free books through a partnership with the Dallas Public Library
  • Free resources including school uniforms, snack kits provided by GoodrCo., toiletries and hygiene products
  • Resources for the entire family, such as technology access, technical assistance and academic tutoring (plus, in the future, peer mentoring and financial literacy seminars)
  • A private room and office to be used for counseling and meetings with students, parents and teachers
  • A teachers’ lounge with a coffee and tea bar, comfortable seating for relaxation, and flexible tables for meetings

All of the services and resources support goals to improve student achievement and close opportunity gaps.

“School hours are already busy times for staff members, so you can imagine how challenging it can be for them to be confronted with a lack of basic needs that have a direct impact on student academics,” explains Cathy Kang, director of education and career success at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “By providing books, computers, printers, uniforms, food items, hygiene products and more, this room is intended to provide those wraparound services and resources so our educators can focus on academics. By rallying alongside partners like Dwell with Dignity, CGI and EY, United Way wanted the school to see that they have an entire community in their corner. We hope that this room will be a safe place for students and families to access needed resources and services to realize their full potential.”

For this project, Dwell with Dignity, an alum of our Social Innovation Accelerator, transformed the space with the help of dozens of dedicated volunteers who donated at least 80 hours in all. Meanwhile, CGI and EY provided generous support that made this project possible.

As the room reached completion, Lincoln High School Principal Johnna Weaver recognized how transformative it would be for her students.

“In addition to providing a space for our hardworking teachers to recharge, this room will be a welcoming place for our students and their families to access the critical resources and services that they deserve to reach their full potential,” she said. “We need to address needs beyond the classroom for students to be successful, and we know this resource room will do just that.”

Support Equitable Education in North Texas

With the support of volunteers and nonprofit and corporate partners, our targeted resource rooms are capitalizing on the community’s biggest opportunities and addressing the community’s biggest 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:

  • Give: Make a one-time or recurring donation of any size to invest in our initiatives that improve access to education right here in our community.
  • Advocate: The Texas Legislature convenes for its 88th session on Jan. 10, 2023. Join United Way in advocating 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.

Why Does United Way’s Key Education Goal Focus on Third-Grade Reading?

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

In 2020, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas collaborated with a diverse group of community partners to identify the goals that would guide our work and progress for the next 10 years. Our Aspire United 2030 goals are our North Star in the areas of education, income and health, keeping us focused on the key levers that will have the greatest community impact between now and 2030.

Our three main Aspire United 2030 goals are:

  • Increase by 50% the number of North Texas students reading on grade level by third grade
  • Increase by 20% the number of young adults in North Texas who earn a living wage
  • Increase to 90% the number of North Texans with access to affordable health insurance

Today we’re taking a closer look at our education goal—specifically, why the third-grade reading milestone is so important for a student’s success, both in school and post-graduation.

Third Grade: An Important Milestone in Education

Early-education experts often focus on third grade as an important learning milestone for students. Why? Because the ability to read opens the door to a child’s future, whether that takes the form of college, a career, the military or some other path. In fact, research indicates that children reading on grade level by the end of third grade are five times more likely to be college or career ready than their peers who don’t read on grade level.

Reading isn’t just great for children’s development, creativity and vocabulary. It’s the foundation for all other learning. When a student has strong reading skills, they are equipped to learn in other subjects, such as science, math, history and so much more. In fact, an estimated 85% of all curricula is taught by reading.

“Leading up to third grade, children are learning to read, but after that there’s a shift when they are reading to learn,” said Abigail Sharp, vice president of early childhood initiatives at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “Once children develop strong literacy skills, they are ready to begin learning and succeeding in every subject.”

Third-Grade Reading in North Texas Today

In North Texas, 50% of third graders read on grade level, or “proficiently.” Third-grade reading proficiency in our region varies significantly by race:

  • 35% of Black students read proficiently.
  • 41% of Latinx students read proficiently.
  • 62% of white students read proficiently.
  • 73% of Asian students read proficiently.

These figures are well below where we’d like them to be, especially since education is so closely tied to income and health later in life.

The Link Between Education, Income and Health

Education, income and health—what we call the building blocks of opportunity—aren’t standalone forces in an individual’s life. The three areas are overlapping and interdependent. And when young children aren’t set up for success in school—for example, by having strong reading skills—later in life it will impact their income and health.

The third-grade reading percentages above correspond to low college readiness statistics throughout North Texas, where more than 70% of students are not college-ready. Once again, the outlook is worse for minority students:

  • 15% of Black students are college-ready.
  • 17% of Latinx students are college-ready.
  • 42% of White students are college-ready.
  • 69% of Asian students are college-ready.

Graduates who aren’t ready for success in college (or a career) are more likely to end up with low-paying jobs. We see it play out today in North Texas, where 74% of young adults don’t earn a living wage.

Low incomes prevent many people in our community from achieving and maintaining good health, often because they can’t afford quality health insurance or get the care they need. In turn, poor health keeps adults from earning a steady income and prevents children from doing their best in school.

So, is third-grade reading an indicator of a person’s entire future? Of course not. But we do know that kids who enter school ready to learn are more likely to be “reading to learn” by third grade. And students who read proficiently are more likely to graduate from high school ready for college or career and living-wage jobs, when they can save for the future and cover the costs of health care—leading to success in school and life for their own children.

Join Us in Supporting Early Literacy

Research indicates that by the end of third grade, 74% of struggling readers won’t ever catch up. That’s why it’s so important for children to have literacy opportunities and exposure as early as possible.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we create, lead and invest in a variety of educational programs to improve third-grade reading proficiency in North Texas. We invite you to be part of the change by giving, advocating or volunteering to support early literacy in our community:

  • Give: Invest in United Way to support programs like Once Upon a Month™, which delivers age-appropriate children’s books to North Texas children every month to encourage language development and spark a love of reading.
  • Advocate: Join us in advocating for policy changes that will improve access to education for local students. Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts.
  • Volunteer: With United Day Reading Day coming up in March, this is a wonderful time to join us in promoting early literacy in our community. We invite you to volunteer to read to school children or sign up for a virtual book drive.

Get Free Assistance with Your 2021 Taxes

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

Tax season can be confusing and stressful. And to make matters worse, there are always at least a few changes to the tax law every year.

Despite the challenges, it’s beneficial to file your taxes on time each year, verify the information is correct and ensure you’re receiving all eligible tax credits and refunds. This will help you avoid penalties for filing late or providing inaccurate information. It will also ensure you receive any tax refunds that may be coming your way. Unclaimed IRS tax refunds are surprisingly common; as of April 2021, taxpayers hadn’t claimed more than $1.3 billion owed to them in refunds—and that’s just for the 2017 tax year.

At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we recognize how important it is for North Texans to be able to hold on to as much of their income as possible. That’s because income, along with education and health, is one of the building blocks of opportunity. Each year we offer free tax preparation services to ensure our neighbors can navigate tax season with less stress and expense.

Benefits of United Way Tax Prep Services

For more than 10 years, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas has provided Dallas residents with access to free income tax assistance so working families can receive all their eligible tax credits and refunds.

Each year, we serve thousands of families and secure millions of dollars in tax refunds for our neighbors. In fact, since 2010 the program has directed $192 million in refunds back into our local economy.

For tax filers like you, United Way Free Tax Prep offers several benefits:

  • It’s completely free, with no paid add-ons or upcharges.
  • It’s safe, with IRS-trained and certified tax preparers handling your return.
  • It saves you an average of $200 in tax prep fees.
  • Most clients get an average refund of $2,400 by claiming all eligible tax credits and refunds.
  • You can connect with other financial resources, such as affordable bank accounts and financial counseling, which enable you to save money or pay off debt.

Tax Prep Options for 2022

Due to COVID-19 restriction, in-person tax assistance services will likely be limited this year. However, our program includes several online and socially distanced alternatives:

Online tax prep: At MyFreeTaxes.com, you can access free, fully only tax preparation services in English or Spanish (and in more than 120 other languages through an interpretation service). The helpline is staffed by IRS-trained specialists, and 80% of filers finishes their taxes in less than one hour. MyFreeTaxes.com also can improve your overall financial situation by connecting you to important financial products and services, including accessible and affordable bank accounts, a financial counseling program and a student debt fintech platform that will help you resolve student debt challenges and adjust your payment plans to save money.

Drive-through and drop-off tax prep: A variety of local community tax centers are currently offering drive-through and drop-off tax prep to North Texans who earn less than $58,000 a year or have a child under 18. Visit www.dallastaxcenters.org to view a list of locations and to make an appointment.

For details on our tax prep services, including what to bring to your tax appointment, visit our financial resources page.

Other Important Info for 2021 Returns

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress expanded tax benefits for 2021, and you may be eligible to receive more money through your tax refund. Here are important tax benefits for your 2021 taxes:

  • Child tax credit: For 2021, the child tax credit is fully refundable, so if you don’t owe any tax, you’ll get the full amount for which you’re eligible as part of your tax refund.
  • Child and dependent care credit: If you spent money in 2021 on childcare expenses while working or actively looking for work, more of your childcare expenses can be reimbursed than in previous years.
  • Earned income tax credit (EITC): In years past, EITC was only for eligible working people with children, but now the credit has been expanded to include more filers, including lower-income workers with no children, according to the IRS. If you’re a low-income worker who is at least 19 years old (with or without children), or you’re 18 years old and formerly in foster care or experiencing homelessness, you’re now eligible to claim the EITC.

Another important note: If you received emergency rental or utility assistance payments in 2021, these funds aren’t considered taxable income and don’t need to be declared on your tax return.

For more details on these and other 2021 tax considerations, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Guide to Filing Your 2021 Taxes.

Everything You Need to Know About the March 1 Primary Election

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

Voting is one of the simplest, yet most powerful duties we as citizens hold. It’s important for all of us to be informed voters. Many people only vote during presidential election cycles; however, the power is truly with the people—every election.

Your vote has the power to drive positive change on the big issues right here in North Texas, including our key focus areas of education, income and health. By voting, you are helping determine the elected officials who will prioritize how government funding will be allocated and make decisions that impact your daily life and the long-term viability of our community, like how our schools are run.

This year, Primary Election Day is Tuesday, March 1. You can participate in early voting from Monday, Feb. 14 through Friday, Feb. 25. If you plan to vote by mail, please note there are new rules that may apply to you this year (see below).

Here’s everything you need to know to vote:

What’s On the Ballot

There is a long list of offices on the ballot, including Texas governor, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, state senator, state representative, county commissioner and more .

In Texas, the Republican and Democratic parties hold primary elections to select a single nominee for each office. To win the Democratic or Republican nomination, a candidate must get more than 50% of the primary vote. If none of the candidates gets 50% of the vote, then a runoff will be held on May 7. In November, voters will select between each party’s nominee, and the winner will become the officeholder.

Texas is an open primary state, which means eligible Texas voters can cast a ballot in the Republican or Democratic party primary election (but not both).

To create a customized sample ballot, visit Vote411.org.

Key Dates

Feb. 14-25: Early voting (in-person). Dates and hours vary depending on where you live. Check your county’s election department website—Dallas, Collin, Rockwallor Denton—for dates, hours and locations.

Feb. 18: Last day to apply for ballot by mail (must be received, not postmarked, by this day).

March 1: Election Day and your last chance to vote.

Please note: The deadline to register to vote in the March 1 election has passed; it was January 31.

Other Things to Know

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 bring it if you have it. If your name is spelled differently on the official 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 the candidates and the responsibilities of each office before getting to the voting machine. You can bring a list of how you want to vote if it’s not a partisan flyer. To learn more about the candidates, visit Vote411.org.

Encourage your network: Make a plan to vote, and 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 expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
  • Be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible

Instructions on how to apply for a mail-in ballot and how to track your completed ballot can be found on the Texas Secretary of State’s website. The mail-in ballot application has changed so make sure you thoroughly read the instructions.

United Way and AT&T Partner to Help Bridge the Digital Divide in Dallas

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

AT&T and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas have teamed up to help bridge the digital divide in Southern Dallas. AT&T is contributing $1 million to our Southern Dallas Thrives initiative to provide residents with free laptops, digital literacy training and technology support over two years.

The program is the latest progress point for Southern Dallas Thrives, an initiative created in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, The PepsiCo Foundation and Frito-Lay North America, which advances outcomes for students pre-K-12, increases food access, and supports women entering and advancing in the workforce.

The goal of the program is to help students in Southern Dallas neighborhoods engage in online learning and set them up for success in today’s digital school and job environments.

Addressing the Digital Divide

The digital divide is the gap between those who have access to digital technology and those who don’t. This divide has existed for decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the significant challenges that students experience when they don’t have access to the technology or skills they need to succeed.

Millions of students across the country cannot connect to online learning opportunities because they don’t have reliable internet access or a computer at home and they lack digital literacy skills. This is especially true in communities that have been historically underserved and have a high percentage of people of color, which includes Southern Dallas. These students often fall behind their peers in the classroom and beyond.

“When we consider the impact of the pandemic on our communities and the rise in virtual supports, digital access is critical for North Texas families,” said Cathy Kang, director of educational career success at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “These devices, hotspots and opportunities for greater connectivity will enable our students in Southern Dallas to continue their learning. The program will also ensure families can access a broad range of other important supports, like accessing health care, finding COVID testing sites, applying for schools and jobs, booking telehealth appointments and more. This initiative is a great start, but we need to keep going to ensure that every family has the access they deserve to these critical resources.”

“This collaboration with United Way builds on the continued commitment we have to addressing the digital divide in Dallas,” said Mike Peterson, vice president, AT&T Texas External Affairs. “AT&T is committed to the city of Dallas, and with this contribution we are helping to remove technology barriers to education and job success for underserved students and families in southern Dallas neighborhoods.”

Encouraging Equity in Education

AT&T’s $1 million contribution to our Southern Dallas Thrives initiative will provide more than 2,000 refurbished laptops, digital literacy workshops and technology support to K-12 students, young adults and families. The first batch of laptops were distributed to students at Lincoln High School the week of Jan. 24.

“We are honored to collaborate with AT&T to provide the students and families in Southern Dallas with digital resources to overcome the challenges associated with the digital divide,” said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “Our work with AT&T will bolster our efforts through the Southern Dallas Thrives initiative to advance economic opportunity for students and ensure they can be competitive and successful in obtaining the living-wage jobs of the future.”

Show Your Support for Local Students

Students across North Texas are struggling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes this an excellent time to show your support for local children. Here are three opportunities to join our efforts to improve access to education right here at home:

  • Give: Invest in United Way to support programs like Southern Dallas Thrives that benefit students and their families throughout North Texas.
  • Advocate: Improving education is always one of our top priorities when we communicate with our elected officials. Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts to receive information on our current policy priorities plus notifications on when and how to connect with your elected officials.
  • Volunteer: Each March, we celebrate United Way Reading Day, a fun-filled annual tradition with a goal of encouraging more kids to fall in love with reading. We’re looking for volunteers who can support this initiative by purchasing or donating books in an online or local book drive.