For too many households, money is a constant source of stress.. Any unexpected expense can quickly become a financial emergency that derails stability.
Working full-time doesn’t guarantee stability when costs keep climbing. Across the country, 41% of US households can’t afford the basics. They sit at or slightly above the federal poverty level. Housing costs consume 30-50% of income for working families nationwide. Medical debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy. Unexpected expenses—a car repair, a medical bill, childcare crisis—trigger financial catastrophe for millions.
United Way understands that these households need a network of vital supports that can help them navigate through a crisis to maintain financial security. Through innovative real-time solutions, and working alongside local partners, United Way mobilizes impactful assistance to avoid a one-time emergency from becoming a downward spiral.
Here are three ways United Way is making a tangible impact:
1. United Helping Our Neighbors Statewide (UHONS)
In Missouri, a United Way statewide initiative has mobilized federal dollars to impact local communities. The effort, called UHONS (United Helping Our Neighbors Statewide), distributed cash assistance to support households in covering one-time emergency expenses.
In the Kansas City, Mo. region, 19 nonprofit partner agencies helped distribute that funding. The average household received $855 in assistance. Single-parent households, overwhelming single mothers, were a predominant beneficiary, with support covering costs related to housing, utilities, transportation and childcare.
Amino A. of Kansas City, Mo. received support through the UHONS program. It helped her family with living expenses after her husband lost his job. They have seven school-age children. “I’m very appreciative honestly. The amount we were given is a whole paycheck,” said Amino. “I’m speechless. Thank you so much.”
2. From Toothache to Relief, Debit Card Initiative Supports Family
$97 might not seem like a lot of money to most. But for Joan H. of Grandview, Mo., it felt like an impossible amount of cash to come up with. And she was in excruciating pain.
“I had this tooth that had been hurting and it really needed to be removed,” Joan said. “But at the time, I couldn’t afford to pay for the $97 extraction. So I was miserable.”
Money is usually tight in the family of five. They’ve often found support from United Way partner food pantries. One of the organizations where they’ve received help, participated in an initiative United Way of Greater Kansas City runs, to provide immediate financial aid through prepaid debit cards. Through the most recent round of funding, the average household received $952 of assistance with no restrictions on how dollars can be utilized. But reporting has shown most households use the extra cash to cover basic expenses like food, clothing, gas, groceries, rent and utilities. Joan was able to take care of her dental emergency, and had extra money left to get her children clothing and supplies for school, providing a pivotal safety net when they needed it most.
3. Riding Together: Partnerships Connect Communities with Vital Transportation
Kansas City, Mo. made national headlines when it eliminated bus fares on its public transportation system in 2020. But after federal COVID-era relief funding dried up, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) was facing a budget crisis. As a result, fares were re-implemented in June 2026.
United Way of Greater Kansas City knew the resumption of fares would present an immediate financial hardship to some of the region’s most vulnerable people. Kansas City is a region that relies heavily on vehicle transit for people to get around. But approximately 50,000 households in the city don’t own a vehicle, making public transit with the bus and streetcar system essential for connecting people to jobs, education, healthcare, childcare, social services and more.
In June, United Way partnered with the KCATA to mobilize 15,000 free single-day passes, while also launching a program to provide 50% discounted fares to eligible households. More than 1700 individuals have been approved for reduced fares so far.
Joshua B. was among the first recipients of a free single-day pass.
“I really do need the bus to get to the doctor, the Social Security office, or just getting from point A to point B. this pass is going to help me out a lot. I appreciate it very, very much,” he shared.
Later this year, United Way will roll out additional longer-term free bus passes to help connect the community to vital transit.
“We are grateful to United Way for assisting KCATA in boosting access to our community’s most vulnerable population,“ said Chuck Ferguson, interim CEO. “Partnerships like this will result in people throughout the region connecting to opportunities.”
Joshua B., age 68, relies on Kansas City buses to get around. He lives on a fixed income and doesn’t own a vehicle. The bus pass provided by United Way helped him get home safely after visiting a local food pantry.