WHAT IF…
You were driving to work one day and someone smashed into your car, then fled the scene, leaving your mode of transportation to work in shambles?
It’s the reality Susan M. faced this year while heading to one of the churches she regularly cleans in Kansas City, Mo. Desperate to keep money coming in, she called a friend who she knew had a bicycle sitting in the garage.
Susan has COPD, which makes it hard to breathe, especially in the summer heat. So pedaling 10 miles one way to clean just one church was all she could handle.
“I was using my rescue inhaler a lot more, which you can only fill that so often,” Susan said. “And it was getting to where the breathing medicine the doctor had me on wasn’t quite working. I did quit smoking and it’s made a difference. But with all the bike riding, it wasn’t quite enough.”
Not only was her health suffering, but so were Susan’s finances. Cutting back hours at work, meant she fell behind on bills. And she knew if her power was cut off, with her breathing—losing electricity could have serious health consequences.
“I was really starting to panic,” Susan said. “I wouldn’t make it long without air conditioning.”
Thankfully, a social worker at Impact 100 partner University Health knew about a new United Way initiative the Critical Medical Needs program. The program is designed to stop disconnection or restore services for households with people, like Susan, who have serious medical needs. It’s made possible in the Kansas City area thanks to generous support from utility providers Evergy and Spire, and in cooperation with local health system partners who help identify eligible patients, speeding up securing assistance and providing additional supports for households struggling with major medical needs.
In a statement Evergy shared:
“Evergy’s partnership with The United Way of Greater Kansas City for the new Critical Medical Needs program allows us to assist our most vulnerable residents not just with bill payment assistance but also by linking them to other community resources they may need later. It’s important to us that no one faces these burdens alone.”
Spire added:
“Every one of us is all too familiar with the physical, emotional, and financial toll a sudden medical need can present. Through the Critical Medical Needs Program, Missourians can receive much-needed support navigating how to receive utility assistance. Spire is proud to support this program so our customers have one less thing to worry about on their healing journey.”
Currently, United Way of Greater Kansas City is administering the program in Missouri, with hopes of future expansion. You can learn more and find the referral form here.
