United Way of Abilene

09/25/2026

📚9 to 5 Dolly Day - September 25! 📚

On September 25, we’re celebrating Dolly Parton’s life, legacy, and love of literacy with 9 to 5 Dolly Day! 💕🎶 Dolly has always believed every child should have the opportunity to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, and Be More.

Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, children in our community receive a free, brand-new book every month, delivered right to their doorstep. We’re proud to be part of this mission and help give children the joy of reading while inspiring imagination, curiosity, confidence, and brighter futures, one book at a time. ✨

🎥 The link below is a video we created for Abilene Gives two years ago. We thought it was the perfect fit for 9 to 5 Dolly Day! 🎶✨Take a few minutes to watch, share it with your friends and family, and help us celebrate Dolly Parton and the incredible gift of putting books into the hands of children in our community. Wear Pink and Celebrate Literacy in honor of Dolly Parton! 🎀

Wear Pink and Celebrate Literacy in honor of Dolly Parton!

✨ To enroll or donate please visit: https://unitedwayabilene.org/imagination-library/



VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/3NEBuU1nZdQ?si=X2ij-L3yaTu1cIr6

09/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who took the time to join us last Thursday morning as we officially kicked off our 2027 United Way Campaign!❤️ We came together for an incredible morning filled with community, connection, and a shared commitment to making a difference across our community.

We started our morning with a meaningful invocation from Austin Petree with First Financial Bank, followed by an inspiring message from our guest speaker, Gwangi Shipp with Texas Trails Council. Thank you both for helping make our kickoff so special!

We were proud to recognize the organizations that achieved a 20% or greater increase in employee campaign giving. We presented the 2027 Cornerstone Award to the following organizations/businesses:
✨ Abilene Glass & Mirror
✨Big Brothers Big Sisters
✨Christian Service Center
✨Eide Bailly

🌱 For the 2027 Groundbreaker Award goes to Clyde ISD for establishing a new United Way employee campaign. Thank you for choosing to invest in our community!

A special thank you to our 2027 Campaign Chairs, Ron and Lorilei Butler, for stepping up to lead this year’s campaign. We are so grateful for their leadership, passion, and commitment to helping our community Be the Good.

And a huge thank you to this year’s Loaned Executives! Your hard work, dedication, and energy are already making an impact as we get the 2027 campaign up and running. We appreciate everything you are doing to help make this campaign a success! We are also incredibly thankful for our United Way partner agencies and all the work you do every day in our community. 💙

Believe There is Good in the World

09/11/2026

💙 We Remember 💙

Today, we pause to honor and remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001. We reflect on the bravery of first responders, the resilience of survivors, and the unity that brought our nation together in the face of tragedy. At United Way of Abilene, we believe in the power of community, especially in times of hardship. Let today be a reminder of how strong we are when we stand together. 🤝💙

🕯️ Join us in a moment of silence.
💙 Spread kindness in your neighborhood.
🤝 Serve someone in need today.

"Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11."
— President Barack Obama

09/10/2026

08/31/2026

Dolly Parton had a bold and remarkable vision – to create a love for books and reading in children around the world. Since 2023, United Way of Abilene has helped that vision come to life for 7,897 children in our area. Our Dolly Parton Imagination Library ensures that children registered for the program find a new book in their mailbox every month through age 5.

In the days since the passing of Dolly Parton, we have received registrations from an additional 300 children. You can honor Dolly’s legacy in our community by supporting our Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Every $50 gift can sponsor a year of books for one child – opening doors to reading, learning, and endless possibilities. A $1,000 gift will provide 20 children with a year of books.

Give in honor of Dolly at: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/f/46z5/n?vid=1s55o1

08/26/2026

💔 Today, we say goodbye to a true legend.

Dolly Parton was so much more than a country music icon. She was a woman who believed in the power of a book, the importance of a child’s imagination, and the difference one person can make in the lives of millions.

United Way of Abilene has the incredible privilege of carrying a piece of her dream right here in our community through the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Putting books into the hands of children and helping them discover the joy of reading, one book at a time. 📚❤️

Dolly once said:

“If I’m remembered 100 years from now, I hope it will be not for looks but for books.”

Dolly, you certainly will be remembered. Not only for your music, your kindness, and your unmistakable sparkle, but for the countless little hands that have held a book because of you. Your legacy will live on in children who grow up loving stories, learning, dreaming, and imagining a bigger world.

We are honored to continue helping make your dream a reality here in Abilene. What a beautiful legacy to leave behind. Rest peacefully, Dolly. Thank you for giving generations of children the gift of imagination. ❤️

To register or donate ❤️

https://unitedwayabilene.org/imagination-library/

08/18/2026

It’s time to kick off the 2027 United Way of Abilene Campaign! 💙

Join us for our Campaign Kick-Off Breakfast as we celebrate the people, organizations, and businesses who choose every day to make a difference right here in our community.

☕ Enjoy breakfast
🤝 Connect with community leaders & partners
💙 Meet our 2027 Campaign Chairs
🌟 Get inspired for the year ahead

📅 Thursday, September 10, 2026
⏰ Breakfast: 7:30 am - 8:00 am
🌟 Kickoff: 8:00 am
📍 DoubleTree Downtown Abilene – Heritage Ballroom B

Because good is happening all around us.
And together, we can BE THE GOOD.

👉 RSVP today: https://bit.ly/4xMmB6m

08/12/2026

Our summer intern is officially clocking out! Tomorrow, Wyatt heads back to school, and we had to send him off with a BIG thank you! 💙

Wyatt has been hard at work around the office this summer. He has kept us entertained, made sure things ran smoothly, and helped out with all things United Way. Thank you, Wyatt, for all your help this summer! We’ve loved having you around the office, and we’re wishing you an AMAZING school year filled with lots of fun, learning, and maybe just a little less work than you had at United Way. 😂📚✏️

08/10/2026

☀️ Monday mornings hit a little different when you’re kicking off the week with CAMPAIGNS! 🙌💙

Our United Way of Abilene team, Loaned Executives, and Partner Agencies were out and about this morning visiting ALL of the Abilene ISD campuses! 🎉 We had such a great time connecting with staff and teachers, sharing why United Way matters, and seeing the incredible generosity of our AISD family. Thank you AISD for welcoming us, listening to our message, and supporting United Way.

08/06/2026

Our United Way team is still out in the community, rocking campaign presentations and sharing the impact your support makes every single day. We love connecting with workplaces and schools that are committed to making a difference.

Thank you, , for welcoming us to your Convocation and allowing us to share why United Way is so important and how your generosity makes a difference in our community. A special thank you to Gwangi Shipp with for joining us, sharing your inspiring message, and helping us kick off another exciting campaign season! We wish all of the Wylie ISD students, teachers, and staff a fantastic school year ahead.