Dallas Fort Worth Nonprofit Business Journal

Tag: Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

  • United Way of Tarrant County announces annual giving campaign chair

    United Way of Tarrant County has named the chair of its annual giving campaign for 2022-2023.

    Richard Casarez is Oncor Electric Delivery’s vice president of Fort Worth customer operations. As chair of the annual giving campaign, Casarez will work with local companies and organizations to increase financial support and champion United Way of Tarrant County’s efforts in the community.

    Funds raised during this campaign allow the organization to continue to address social and economic issues, including healthcare, education, unemployment and helping families and individuals meet their basic needs. 

    “As someone who has personally used the United Way’s services for my children, relatives and parents, I recognize how critical this organization is,” said Casarez. “United Way and ONCOR have provided community support for over 100 years, and I am excited to lead the 2022-23 Annual Giving Campaign. This is a tremendous opportunity and huge responsibility, knowing we live in a great community that supports our least fortunate.”

    Casarez has been with Oncor for 40 years. As vice president of customer operations, he is responsible for strategic relationships and customer service for 229 cities throughout the Oncor Electric Delivery service territory.

    Casarez first joined the United Way of Tarrant County Board of Directors in 2013 and then started his second term in 2016. His civic responsibilities also include serving on the University of Texas at Arlington President’s Hispanic Advisory Council, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Downtown Fort Worth Inc. Board of Directors, TCU College of Engineering Board of Advisors and City of Fort Worth TIF District No.8 Board of Directors. Casarez is a former chair member of North Texas LEAD and a member of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. 

    “Casarez is an outstanding leader in our community and has a complete understanding of the ongoing issues Tarrant County is facing,” said Leah King, United Way of Tarrant County president and CEO. “We are proud to have him serve as our annual giving campaign chair and help us achieve our fundraising goals to solve critical problems for our community.”

    United Way of Tarrant County has served local communities since 1922. The agency helps more than 300,000 people through its resources annually.

  • Alliance for Children Receives Texas Bar Foundation Grant

    The Fort Worth Chamber shared Alliance for Children, located in Fort Worth, received a Texas Bar Foundation grant to provide investigation training for professionals in Tarrant County.

    Alliance For Children works with Cook Children’s Medical Center, the Department of Family and Protective Services, 26 local law enforcement agencies and the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office to coordinate child abuse investigations.

  • Catholic Charities Fort Worth Partners with J.P. Morgan for Workforce Development

    The Fort Worth Business Press reports a new partnership has formed between Catholic Charities Fort Worth, J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Fort Worth and Tarrant County College District to address poverty and the middle-skills job gap in Fort Worth.

    The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce recently shared research from J.P. Morgan which shows 22% of the Dallas-Fort Worth population aged 25 or older lack a high school diploma and a large number of people do not have basic academic and job readiness skills.

    This lack of skills is creating a gap in the job market for employees in the middle-skills range. J.P. Morgan is investing $7 million in programs to train the labor force in healthcare and advanced manufacturing and will also support programs to address poverty and education.

    Catholic Charities Fort Worth’s Stay the Course is a community college persistence program to ensure completion of an associate degree or certification from a community college. The program provides case management and emergency financial assistance.

    J.P. Morgan also invested in Tarrant County College to address workforce gaps. Tarrant County College uses the Catholic Charities’ caseworker model to assist students in completing their degree requirements.

  • Fort Worth Chamber and Facebook Co-Host Boost Your Business Event

    Talia LeRay, Facebook presenter

    The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and Facebook hosted a free educational event on April 24 to focus on empowering entrepreneurs with the digital tools and resources they need to build their businesses.  About 200 small business owners attended the “Boost Your Business” event which was held at Fort Worth’s The 4 Eleven event center.

    Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Executive VP Brandom Gengelbach kicked off the event. They emphasized the value that small businesses have on strengthening the local economy.

    Mayor Price thanked Facebook for their commitment to the City of Fort Worth, and for celebrating and empowering the city’s entrepreneurs. She also gave a special recognition to Fort Worth Data Center team members and recognized Facebook for bringing their data center – powered by wind and solar energy – to the City of Fort Worth.

    The event featured a presentation by Facebook on how to use the platform to reach more customers. Following the event, attendees received one-on-one time with Facebook representatives to answer specific small business-related questions about the Facebook and Instagram platform.