United Way Capital Area and KLRU have joined forces for a three-part community strengthening film series that will feature that lovely and oft-skipped post-film activity: conversation. Beyond just building awareness around timely social issues, the Live United Film Series will bring in local guests and provide resources for taking action on the topic at hand. The series$mdash;which is free and open to the public—launches this Thursday and will zero in on Austin education with a screening of Academy Award-winning Sue Marx's It All Adds Up. more ›

Yesterday we profiled some organizations that are providing services to our community's most needy who are looking for donations this holiday season. Today we're highlighting groups with volunteer opportunities that are just as helpful as cash donations. Although we might not have extra funds this year, many of us find ourselves underemployed with time to spare. We can't think of a better way to use up some of our free time, give back, feel useful, and gain some valuable experience. more ›

Matalin's was genuinely self-effacing when she admitted to telling Dick Cheney the morning following the famous hunting accident that it wasn't a big deal ("everyone gets sprayed" she relayed, after seeking advice from a friend who hunts quail); of course she later realized, to her horror, that her assessment of the situation was vastly inaccurate. She also told several amusing stories about being the beleaguered wife of one James Carville. Ah, but then she mentioned that her last trip to Austin was to roast Karl Rove...and we had to take a shower. more ›

Today many blogs are participating in Blog Action Day, with bloggers worldwide posting on this year's topic of poverty. With a focus on Austin, the Capital Area Food Bank has posted some facts along with personal stories on their blog today. The United Way Capital Area has many posts up on the topic, including a series of videos with Councilmember Mike Martinez. Robert Quigley at the Statesman has posted a list of other local Blog Action Day posts. more ›

United Way Capital Area announced yesterday the launch of a new initiative designed to invite Central Texans to "Live United" and work together to advance the common good. A "Live United" kick-off event will take place this weekend to help promote the message of the campaign: Give. Advocate. Volunteer. Live United. more ›

Photo of Caritas by Beard Papa on flickr
• APD successfully halted a home burglary in-progress this morning.
• Plane crash this afternoon in Fort Worth.
• Yesterday the United Way Capital Area announced that it is cutting funding to 21 area non-profits; Brewster McCracken says that the city may step in with an emergency appropriation to help.

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day, taking place this year on Saturday, January 13th, was created to honor the memory of the civil rights hero and encourage the public to carry on his legacy of volunteerism through community service projects. Locally, what began as a grassroots effort by State Rep. Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin) to clean up East MLK Jr. Boulevard in 2000 has blossomed into the citywide MLK Day of Service. The 2007 clean... more ›

According to the United Way Capital Area's group, Success by Six, Travis County isn't doing so hot in serving area children. The county received a C for "healthy", and Ds for "Happy" and "Smart" on the group's report card (.pdf). Some results:Only 13.35% of area child care facilities meet national/state accreditation standards. 79.7% of Austin parents knew the name of their young child's favorite book. 17.8% of Austin-area parents and families are living below... more ›