$15 million gift from Perots to United Way Dallas
The Perot Foundation made history with a $15 million gift to United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, the largest single gift in the organization’s 98-year history.
“It’s significant also 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 & CEO, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.
Strengthening education, income and health are pillars in the United Way’s Aspire 2030 initiative that launched in 2020.
“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.
Specifically, United Way Dallas wants to increase the number of third graders reading on grade level by 50% by 2030; increase by 20% the number of young adults who are getting and keeping jobs that pay a living wage, and give 96% of the population access to health care coverage and health care insurance.
The nonprofit will use the $15 million gift to partner with 144 organizations to achieve that change.The donation comes on the 10th anniversary of Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement. Generosity, though, is more than money; it’s about the heart.
“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.
The United Way model of working together around a shared set of community goals is what fuels the progress toward a North Texas where everyone has the access and opportunity to thrive. Driving systemic, generational change requires a collective approach—because these challenges related to education, income and health are too big for any single organization to solve. But united, lasting, systems-level change can be achieved that will positively impact individuals and families across North Texas.
This investment by The Perot Foundation will add even more energy to our community-wide Live United movement, accelerating progress toward our goals for years to come.
As Carolyn Perot Rathjen, vice president and executive director of The Perot Foundation, explained, the Perot family has supported the mission of United Way for more than 50 years. “This investment is a testament to the meaningful impact United Way and its trusted network of community impact partners create,” she said. “We hope this gift inspires others to join us in advancing United Way’s Aspire United 2030 goals on Giving Tuesday and every day.”