The Perot Foundation gave $15 million to United Way of Metropolitan Dallas (UWMD) as part of Giving Tuesday, the largest donation in the organization’s history, reported NBC DFW.
“It’s significant … because this generous commitment uniquely positions United Way to drive measurable transformative change in the areas of education, income and health across North Texas,” said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton president and CEO of UWMD.
UWMD launched the Aspire 2030 initiative, which aims to strengthen education, income, and health for Dallas residents.
By 2030, the initiative hopes to: increase by 50% the number of students reading on grade level by third grade, increase to 96% the number of North Texans with access to health care insurance, and increase by 20% the number of North Texas young adults who earn a living wage, according to the UWMD website.
“We want to ensure that kids are graduating from high school,” Sampson said when the initiative was launched. “We want to ensure that families have the financial independence and economic mobility to sustain themselves and their families through retirement. And that we want north Texas to be a strong and healthy and thriving community.”
United Way plans to use the $15 million to partner with hundreds of other organizations to progress toward its goals.
“In short, it (the donation) will help us achieve our Aspire 2030 community goals in the areas of education, income, and health which means more students will graduate high school on a path to success in college or career, more families will achieve financial stability and more North Texans will have the access and resources to live longer healthier lives,” Sampson said.
Tuesday was the 10th anniversary of Giving Tuesday, which is an international day of generosity that “encourages people to do good.”
Sampson said it is important to remember that generosity is as easy as picking up the phone.
“It could be something as simple as calling your parents or your grandparents and telling them that you love them. It is a holiday season force for good, Giving Tuesday. And it’s a compelling reminder that there’s so much more that unites us than divides us. It’s about the generosity of any kind, fostering human connections, strengthening communities, and spreading hope,” Sampson said.
