Nonprofit Matters: United Way receives funds

A statewide consortium led by United Way of Tarrant County has received a $5,889,181 grant to hire and train “navigators” to help uninsured Texans find health coverage through the new Health Insurance Marketplace slated to roll out Oct. 1. The announcement was made Aug. 15 by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in announcing $67 million in awards to 105 grant applicants nationwide. The CHIMES (Consumer Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment Services) Consortium led by United Way of Tarrant County received the largest grant among eight statewide organizations, which received a combined $10.8 million. The 17-member consortium includes two United Ways, 10 councils of government and five community-based agencies with expertise and experience in benefits counseling. Navigators hired by the consortium will provide outreach, education and help with health insurance enrollment for uninsured Texans who are eligible to buy health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace being established under the Affordable Care Act.

Among the act’s provisions, the individual mandate to buy health insurance will take effect on Jan. 1. Individuals whose income falls between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty line will be able to apply for sliding-scale subsidies through state health insurance exchanges that the federal government will launch on Oct. 1. The health plans offered in the exchange will become active on Jan 1. The number of uninsured Texans under the age of 64 is estimated to be 4,888,642. For Tarrant County, the number is 341,149. United Way of Tarrant County is acting as the CHIMES Consortium project manager and fiscal agent.

Benefit dinner stakes out Downtown Cowtown Fort Worthians are fixin’ to see more beef downtown than probably any time since the big cattle drives trod the city’s dusty main streets in the late 19th century. On Sept. 8, a steak dinner for 500 benefiting Downtown Fort Worth Inc. will be served al fresco on one long table spanning three blocks in downtown Fort Worth. The Main Table event will feature five top steakhouses – Del Frisco’s, Grace, Reata, Ruth’s Chris and The Capital Grille – that will serve 100 attendees each from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Main Street, between Sixth and Ninth streets. Tickets are $125 each and can be purchased at www.dfwi.org before Sept. 1. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be cancelled and reservations will be honored at the ticketed restaurant.

Police fundraiser lined up The second annual Big Guns In Cowtown fundraising event, benefiting the Fort Worth Police Officers’ Awards Foundation, is on target from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Cendera Center. The benefit will feature a traveling exhibit of more than $1 million worth of Beretta shotguns, plus sports cars, motorcycles, luxury watches and other items. Hand-rolled cigars from Silver Leaf Cigar Bar, premium wines and beer, and hors d’oeuvres will be available. A live auction will round out the event. “Big guns” who are planning to attend include event host Hal Jay, sports journalist Randy Galloway, former Dallas Cowboys player Walt Garrison, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and former Mayor Mike Moncrief. Proceeds will go to fund a variety of Fort Worth Police Department training programs, technology and other needs, including continuing education and aid to families of officers killed in the line of duty. Tickets are $250 and can be purchased online at http://fwpoliceawards.org or by contacting Officer Jeff Bryan at 817-925-3187 or bryan@fwpoliceawards.org.

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Women’s Business Conference set The Women’s Division of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce will host the 21st Women’s Business Conference and Eagle Award Luncheon on Sept. 4 at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. The workshops begin at 8 a.m. and the awards luncheon will start at 12:30 p.m. Community leaders will be recognized for their contributions and a woman will be presented a scholarship to Tarrant County College South Campus. For information call 817-871-6538.

Lockheed workers bike for diabetes More than 265 Lockheed Martin employees across the Dallas-Fort Worth area participated in the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure bicycle ride on Aug. 3 at Texas Motor Speedway. They raised more than $120,000 to help eliminate diabetes and improve the lives of people living with the disease. Employees from Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Mission Systems and Training and Enterprise Business Solutions business areas participated. The Tour de Cure is held in 83 cities in 43 states across the country.

Send nonprofit items to Betty Dillard at bdillard@bizpress.net