{"id":1130,"date":"2026-03-12T11:06:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T11:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwmd26.wpenginepowered.com\/thepitch\/?page_id=1130"},"modified":"2026-04-12T17:44:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T22:44:11","slug":"the-pitch-2026","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pitch 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/2026_Goldman-Updated.svg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3>United Way of Metropolitan Dallas<\/h3>\n<h1>The Pitch 2026<\/h1>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/2026_Power-by-PNC.png\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>See innovation in action at North Texas\u2019 most inspiring event of the year!<\/p>\n<p>Join us as 5 local innovators compete live on stage for game-changing prize funding <br \/>and the title of Social Innovator of the Year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>    <button\n    id=\"qgiv-load-modal-67140\"\n    class=\"qgiv-load-modal uk-button-primary uk-button \"\n    data-event-url=\"https:\/\/secure.qgiv.com\/for\/thepitch2024\/event\/991838\/embed\/67140\/\"\n    data-embed-id=\"67140\"\n    data-event-name=\"The Pitch 2026\"\n><br \/>\n    Get Tickets<br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<p><script>(function(w, d, s, id){var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;js.src = \"https:\/\/secure.qgiv.com\/resources\/core\/js\/embed.js\";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);})(window, document, 'script', 'qgiv-embedjs');<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2025_The-Pitch_0109.jpg\" alt=\"\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/Bulb-White-BG.svg\" alt=\"\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/2025_The-Pitch_0026.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div>Wednesday, <br \/>April 29, 2026<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>Starting at 5 p.m.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<p>The Pavilion <br \/>Toyota Music Factory, <br \/>Irving, TX<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>At United Way, Innovation Drives Impact<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The Pitch is a night of exhilarating competition, moving stories of impact and unforgettable community spirit. This unforgettable evening is the exciting culmination of our Social Innovation Accelerator program, which encourages the creation of new solutions to improve education, income and health right here at home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h4>Here&#8217;s how it works:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>#1<\/h3>\n<div>Five finalists from our Social Innovation Accelerator take the stage to pitch their bold ideas to improve education, income and health right here in North Texas.  <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>#2<\/h3>\n<div>The competition heats up and the tissues come out, as our finalists share their moving stories of impact and inspiration. <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>#3<\/h3>\n<div>Then YOU and our panel of judges help decide who will walk away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize funding and the coveted title of Social Innovator of the Year.     <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>#4<\/h3>\n<div>All the while, you enjoy delicious food, fun music, networking and more! <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Meet Our Finalists<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Get ready to cheer on your favorite innovators. At the end of the night, you\u2019ll help determine who wins prize funding by casting your vote for Audience Choice Award!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/group-lockup-V3.png\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>delmetria millener<\/h3>\n<p>Founding Director of #TeenWritersProject<\/p>\n<div>#TeenWritersProject develops the creative, cultural and career path of teen writers by providing writing workshops, publishing opportunities, paid internships and an annual conference that help teens write, get published and get paid. Through in-school and out-of-school programs, they help teens channel their stories into powerful tools for advocacy, self-expression and income.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Christopher Hill<\/h3>\n<p>Board Member of Restorative Farms<\/p>\n<div>Restorative Farms is scaling an innovative, community-rooted urban agriculture model to address food insecurity and unemployment in South Dallas. Their replicable farm management system will integrate vocational training, local food production and community revitalization. This \u201cagri-system\u201d innovation will not only deliver healthy, affordable produce to food desert communities but also create paid career pathways.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Dr. Antoria Gillon<\/h3>\n<p>Founder and CEO of From Ordinary to Extraordinary<\/p>\n<div>From Ordinary to Extraordinary teaches skilled trades to domestic violence survivors to help them become self-sufficient and improve access to stable careers. The skilled trades are cosmetology, barbering, phlebotomy, medical assistant, certified nursing assistant, medical billing and coding, dental assistant, pharmacy technician, X-ray tech, MRI tech and customer service representative.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Dejanae Parkman<\/h3>\n<p>Founder and CEO of Dotted<\/p>\n<div>Dotted shifts period care from a reactive solution to a proactive tool for long-term health. Their app offers period tracking, educational resources and access to trusted medical professionals, all supported by a line of nontoxic period products. Dotted\u2019s pilot initiative will begin in North Texas, focusing on communities where period care resources are limited.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Elizabeth Furrh<\/h3>\n<p>Founder and Executive Director of Cooking for the Crowd<\/p>\n<div>Small- to medium-sized nonprofit organizations, particularly those serving underserved communities, spend about 40% of their annual budgets on food service. This strains their finances and drains volunteer time and energy. CFTC provides affordable, nutritious meals to nonprofits, allowing them to reallocate funds and volunteer resources so they can focus more effectively on their core mission.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/delmetria-millener.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>delmetria millener<\/h4>\n<p>Founding Director of #TeenWritersProject<\/p>\n<div>#TeenWritersProject develops the creative, cultural and career path of teen writers by providing writing workshops, publishing opportunities, paid internships and an annual conference that help teens write, get published and get paid. Through in-school and out-of-school programs, they help teens channel their stories into powerful tools for advocacy, self-expression and income.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/christopher-hill.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Dr. Christopher Hill<\/h4>\n<p>Board Member of Restorative Farms<\/p>\n<div>Restorative Farms is scaling an innovative, community-rooted urban agriculture model to address food insecurity and unemployment in South Dallas. Their replicable farm management system will integrate vocational training, local food production and community revitalization. This \u201cagri-system\u201d innovation will not only deliver healthy, affordable produce to food desert communities but also create paid career pathways.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/antoria-gillon.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Dr. Antoria Gillon<\/h4>\n<p>Founder and CEO of From Ordinary to Extraordinary<\/p>\n<div>From Ordinary to Extraordinary teaches skilled trades to domestic violence survivors to help them become self-sufficient and improve access to stable careers. The skilled trades are cosmetology, barbering, phlebotomy, medical assistant, certified nursing assistant, medical billing and coding, dental assistant, pharmacy technician, X-ray tech, MRI tech and customer service representative.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/dejanae-parkman.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Dejanae Parkman<\/h4>\n<p>Founder and CEO of Dotted<\/p>\n<div>Dotted shifts period care from a reactive solution to a proactive tool for long-term health. Their app offers period tracking, educational resources and access to trusted medical professionals, all supported by a line of nontoxic period products. Dotted\u2019s pilot initiative will begin in North Texas, focusing on communities where period care resources are limited.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/elizabeth-furrh.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Elizabeth Furrh<\/h4>\n<p>Founder and Executive Director of Cooking for the Crowd<\/p>\n<div>Small- to medium-sized nonprofit organizations, particularly those serving underserved communities, spend about 40% of their annual budgets on food service. This strains their finances and drains volunteer time and energy. CFTC provides affordable, nutritious meals to nonprofits, allowing them to reallocate funds and volunteer resources so they can focus more effectively on their core mission.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Social innovation fuels our community-wide goals <\/h2>\n<div>As we launch into our second century of impact in North Texas, social innovation is a key part of our strategy for creating generational change.  <\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>What is social innovation?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p><span>Social innovation means finding new and innovative solutions for long-standing community problems that are more effective, efficient, sustainable or just than current solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Who competes in The Pitch?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p><span>Through programs like our Social Innovation Accelerator, we amplify the work of local social entrepreneurs and implement creative, strategic solutions to longstanding community challenges. Every spring, we celebrate the power of social innovation at The Pitch, where finalists from the latest Accelerator class share their big, bold ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Who should attend?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p><span>The Pitch is for anyone who cares about impact\u2014and enjoys a great competition. Nonprofit and corporate leaders will connect over powerful stories and meaningful partnerships. Aspiring social innovators will meet the change-makers shaping what\u2019s next. And anyone who loves seeing bold ideas go head-to-head will be inspired by this exciting, one-of-a-kind community showdown.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Why social innovation?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Social innovation enables us to tap into the most innovative, most effective grassroots solutions to local challenges. It\u2019s just one way we\u2019re driving progress toward our Aspire United 2030 community goals, which include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Increase by 50% the number of local students reading on grade level by third grade<\/li>\n<li>Increase by 20% the number of young adults earning a living wage, adding nearly $800M in wages per year to the North Texas economy<\/li>\n<li>Increase to 96% the percentage of our neighbors with access to affordable healthcare insurance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Thank you to our sponsors<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/Pitch-Sponsor-Block-2026-04-07.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3>MEET THE JUDGES<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/Amber-Venz-Box.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Amber Venz Box<\/h4>\n<p>Co-Founder &#038; President, LTK<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/thepitch\/amber-venz-box\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/Mahiri-Takai.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Mahiri Takai<\/h4>\n<p>Brand Strategist, Host of Cook Dad Cook<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/thepitch\/mahiri-takai-2\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/Cheri-Garcia.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Cheri Norris<\/h4>\n<p>Founder &#038; CEO, Cornbread Hustle<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/thepitch\/cheri-norris\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/Kit-Collins.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Kit Collins<\/h4>\n<p>Senior Vice President, South Territory Sales Executive, Treasury Management at PNC<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/thepitch\/kit-collins\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/ScottMueller.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Scott Mueller<\/h4>\n<p>Head of Goldman Sachs Southwest Private Wealth Management\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/thepitch\/scott-mueller\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>EMCEE<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/Newey-Scruggs.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h4>Newy Scruggs<\/h4>\n<p>Sports Director, NBC5<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>The Pitch is Just the Beginning<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>For our finalists, The Pitch marks the beginning of a whole new phase of their organizations, as they leverage everything they learned in the Social Innovation Accelerator\u2014and the connections and funding gained in the process\u2014to accelerate their impact and benefit more North Texans.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s just a taste of how our previous Social Innovators of the Year are changing lives right here in our community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/02\/VanParker.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3>2025 Winner \u2013 Housing Connector<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Van Parker and her team at Housing Connector work with property owners and managers to negotiate a reduction in criteria for housing applications, with a goal of enabling more people to apply for and be approved for homes that they would otherwise be denied access to. Since winning The Pitch, the organization has been experiencing significant growth, expanding its partnerships across the community and serving more people in need of housing than ever before.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/Cessilye.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3>2024 Winner \u2013 Abide Women\u2019s Health Services<\/h3>\n<div>Cessilye Smith, founder and CEO of Abide Women\u2019s Health Services, is on a mission to provide culturally informed prenatal and postnatal care to women in Southern Dallas. Abide offers low-cost access to healthcare with the goal of reducing infant and maternal mortality. Since winning Social Innovator of the Year, Cessilye and her team have added services at both their Dallas location and through their Mobile Maternity Health Clinic to serve more women each year.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/Tammy.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3>2023 Winner \u2013 Empowering the Masses<\/h3>\n<div>Empowering the Masses offers a variety of services to enable Southern Dallas residents to break the cycle of poverty, including a food pantry, job training and certification programs, and health screenings. After winning Social Innovator of the Year, founder Tammy Johnson was able to significantly scale their impact, in part by opening a Community Market that improves access to nutritious, quality food in Southern Dallas.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2025_The-Pitch_0092-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Van Parker, 2025 Social Innovator of the Year<\/p>\n<div>\u201cWinning The Pitch has been transformational for me and for Housing Connector North Texas. I am truly grateful for this experience because I\u2019ve learned so much by being a part of United Way\u2019s network. I feel more energized than ever to build a future where every individual and family in North Texas has access to stable housing and the chance to thrive.\u201d <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><br \/>\n<!-- {\"type\":\"layout\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding_bottom\":\"xsmall\",\"padding_top\":\"xsmall\",\"style\":\"secondary\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"image\",\"props\":{\"image\":\"wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/2026_Goldman-Updated.svg\",\"image_height\":60,\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"text_align\":\"center\"}}]}]}],\"name\":\"Goldman Sachs\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding_bottom\":\"small\",\"padding_top\":\"small\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width\":\"\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"props\":{\"layout\":\"2-3,1-3\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding\":\"large\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"style\":\"card-quaternary\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width_medium\":\"2-3\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"United Way of Metropolitan Dallas\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"margin_bottom\":\"remove\",\"text_align\":\"center\",\"title_color\":\"secondary\",\"title_element\":\"h3\",\"title_font_family\":\"default\",\"title_style\":\"text-lead\"}},{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"The Pitch 2026\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"margin_top\":\"remove\",\"text_align\":\"center\",\"title_color\":\"secondary\",\"title_element\":\"h1\",\"title_style\":\"heading-large\"}},{\"type\":\"image\",\"props\":{\"image\":\"wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/2026_Power-by-PNC.png\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"image_width\":240,\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"text_align\":\"center\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"block_align\":\"center\",\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>See innovation in action at North Texas\u2019 most inspiring event of the year!<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>Join us as 5 local innovators compete live on stage for game-changing prize funding <br \/>and the title of Social Innovator of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"text_align\":\"center\",\"text_color\":\"secondary\"}},{\"type\":\"html\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"<button\\n    id=\\\"qgiv-load-modal-67140\\\"\\n    class=\\\"qgiv-load-modal uk-button-primary uk-button \\\"\\n    data-event-url=\\\"https:\/\/secure.qgiv.com\/for\/thepitch2024\/event\/991838\/embed\/67140\/\\\"\\n    data-embed-id=\\\"67140\\\"\\n    data-event-name=\\\"The Pitch 2026\\\"\\n>\\n    Get Tickets\\n<\/button>\\n\\n<script>(function(w, d, s, id){var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s); 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This unforgettable evening is the exciting culmination of our Social Innovation Accelerator program, which encourages the creation of new solutions to improve education, income and health right here at home.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]}]},{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Here's how it works:\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_element\":\"h4\"}},{\"type\":\"description_list\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"layout\":\"grid-2\",\"list_element\":\"ul\",\"list_size\":\"large\",\"list_style\":\"divider\",\"meta_align\":\"below-content\",\"meta_style\":\"text-meta\",\"show_content\":true,\"show_link\":true,\"show_meta\":true,\"show_title\":true,\"title_color\":\"warning\",\"title_element\":\"div\",\"title_grid_column_gap\":\"medium\",\"title_grid_row_gap\":\"small\",\"title_grid_width\":\"auto\",\"title_style\":\"h2\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"description_list_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Five finalists from our Social Innovation Accelerator take the stage to pitch their bold ideas to improve education, income and health right here in North Texas.  \",\"title\":\"#1\"}},{\"type\":\"description_list_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"The competition heats up and the tissues come out, as our finalists share their moving stories of impact and inspiration. \",\"title\":\"#2\"}},{\"type\":\"description_list_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Then YOU and our panel of judges help decide who will walk away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize funding and the coveted title of Social Innovator of the Year.     \",\"title\":\"#3\"}},{\"type\":\"description_list_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"All the while, you enjoy delicious food, fun music, networking and more! \",\"title\":\"#4\"}}]}]}]}],\"name\":\"How it Works\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"id\":\"finalists\",\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding_bottom\":\"none\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width\":\"\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Meet Our Finalists\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"text_align\":\"center\",\"title_element\":\"h2\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"block_align\":\"center\",\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Get ready to cheer on your favorite innovators. 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Dotted\u2019s pilot initiative will begin in North Texas, focusing on communities where period care resources are limited.\",\"image\":\"wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/dejanae-parkman.jpg\",\"meta\":\"Founder and CEO of Dotted\",\"title\":\"Dejanae Parkman\"}},{\"type\":\"grid_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Small- to medium-sized nonprofit organizations, particularly those serving underserved communities, spend about 40% of their annual budgets on food service. This strains their finances and drains volunteer time and energy. 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It\u2019s just one way we\u2019re driving progress toward our Aspire United 2030 community goals, which include:<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<ul>\\n\n\n<li>Increase by 50% the number of local students reading on grade level by third grade<\/li>\n\n\\n\n\n<li>Increase by 20% the number of young adults earning a living wage, adding nearly $800M in wages per year to the North Texas economy<\/li>\n\n\\n\n\n<li>Increase to 96% the percentage of our neighbors with access to affordable healthcare insurance<\/li>\n\n\\n<\/ul>\n\n\",\"title\":\"Why social innovation?\"}}]}]}]}],\"name\":\"Social 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\/><\/b><span>The finalist with the highest percentage of votes from our audience members<\/span><\/p>\n\n\",\"meta\":\"AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD\",\"title\":\"$30,000\"}},{\"type\":\"grid_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p><strong><span>Sponsored by Satori Capital<\/span><\/strong><br \/><span>The organization with the highest sustainability score as determined by our judges<\/span><\/p>\n\n\",\"meta\":\"ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARD\",\"panel_style\":\"card-primary\",\"title\":\"$25,000\"}},{\"type\":\"grid_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p><b><span>Sponsored by Toyota<\/span><br \/><\/b><span>The organization with the greatest potential impact as determined by our judges<\/span><\/p>\n\n\",\"meta\":\"IMPACT AWARD\",\"title\":\"$20,000\"}},{\"type\":\"grid_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p><b><span>Sponsored by Vistra Corp.<\/span><br \/><\/b><span>Voted on by Social Innovation Accelerator Committee<\/span><\/p>\n\n\",\"meta\":\"INNOVATION 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PRIZE\",\"panel_style\":\"tile-primary\",\"title\":\"$25,000\"}}]}]}]}],\"name\":\"Prize\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"primary\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"The Pitch is Just the Beginning\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"text_align\":\"center\",\"title_element\":\"h2\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>For our finalists, The Pitch marks the beginning of a whole new phase of their organizations, as they leverage everything they learned in the Social Innovation Accelerator\u2014and the connections and funding gained in the process\u2014to accelerate their impact and benefit more North Texans.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s just a taste of how our previous Social Innovators of the Year are changing lives right here in our community.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"text_align\":\"center\"}}]}]},{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"panel-slider\",\"props\":{\"content_column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"height_expand\":true,\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image_grid_width\":\"2-5\",\"image_height\":800,\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"image_vertical_align\":true,\"image_width\":800,\"link_style\":\"default\",\"link_text\":\"Read 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Parker and her team at Housing Connector work with property owners and managers to negotiate a reduction in criteria for housing applications, with a goal of enabling more people to apply for and be approved for homes that they would otherwise be denied access to. Since winning The Pitch, the organization has been experiencing significant growth, expanding its partnerships across the community and serving more people in need of housing than ever before.<\/p>\n\n\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/02\/VanParker.jpg\",\"title\":\"2025 Winner \u2013 Housing Connector\"}},{\"type\":\"panel-slider_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Cessilye Smith, founder and CEO of Abide Women\u2019s Health Services, is on a mission to provide culturally informed prenatal and postnatal care to women in Southern Dallas. Abide offers low-cost access to healthcare with the goal of reducing infant and maternal mortality. Since winning Social Innovator of the Year, Cessilye and her team have added services at both their Dallas location and through their Mobile Maternity Health Clinic to serve more women each year.\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/Cessilye.jpg\",\"title\":\"2024 Winner \u2013 Abide Women\u2019s Health Services\"}},{\"type\":\"panel-slider_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Empowering the Masses offers a variety of services to enable Southern Dallas residents to break the cycle of poverty, including a food pantry, job training and certification programs, and health screenings. After winning Social Innovator of the Year, founder Tammy Johnson was able to significantly scale their impact, in part by opening a Community Market that improves access to nutritious, quality food in Southern Dallas.\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/02\/Tammy.jpg\",\"title\":\"2023 Winner \u2013 Empowering the Masses\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"row\",\"props\":{\"margin_top\":\"large\",\"width\":\"small\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"panel\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\u201cWinning The Pitch has been transformational for me and for Housing Connector North Texas. I am truly grateful for this experience because I\u2019ve learned so much by being a part of United Way\u2019s network. I feel more energized than ever to build a future where every individual and family in North Texas has access to stable housing and the chance to thrive.\u201d \",\"content_column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content_style\":\"text-large\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2025_The-Pitch_0092-scaled.jpg\",\"image_align\":\"right\",\"image_border\":\"circle\",\"image_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image_grid_column_gap\":\"large\",\"image_grid_width\":\"1-3\",\"image_height\":300,\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"image_vertical_align\":true,\"image_width\":300,\"link_style\":\"default\",\"link_text\":\"Read more\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"meta\":\"\u2014 Van Parker, 2025 Social Innovator of the Year\",\"meta_align\":\"below-content\",\"meta_element\":\"div\",\"meta_style\":\"text-meta\",\"title_align\":\"top\",\"title_element\":\"h3\",\"title_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"title_grid_width\":\"1-2\",\"title_hover_style\":\"reset\"}}]}]}]}],\"version\":\"5.0.22\"} --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>United Way of Metropolitan Dallas The Pitch 2026 See innovation in action at North Texas\u2019 most inspiring event of the year! Join us as 5 local innovators compete live on stage for game-changing prize funding and the title of Social Innovator of the Year. Get Tickets Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Starting at 5 p.m. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1130","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1130\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitedwaydallas.org\/thepitch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}