Monica L. is a single mom of three, who lives paycheck-to-paycheck. She only recently went back to work in the food service industry, after taking time to focus on her health.
Monica lives with severe depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, along with post-traumatic stress. She’s been trying to get disability benefits for more than a year. The toll of her mental health conditions and time away from work put her really far behind financially. She’s been on a payment plan with her electricity provider, but her gas service was in danger of being cut off.
“It’s happened to me before and all my food went bad,” Monica shared. “And I’m also on food stamps, so that is a devastating loss, especially when you have children. We couldn’t even charge our phones to keep in touch with each other or call for help if there was an emergency.”
The lack of electricity was an added stressor on her already difficult mental health struggles.
“It’s extremely difficult. You feel like you just can’t dig out of it,” Monica said.
That’s exactly what the Critical Medical Needs program was created to address. Launched in the summer of 2024, it’s designed to prevent disconnection and/or restore services for households with individuals facing serious medical issues. In the Kansas City area, it’s made possible by utility providers Evergy and Spire and administered locally via United Way of Greater Kansas City. The program is administered in other parts of Missouri by United Way of Greater St. Louis and United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeastern Kansas. To date, more than $172,000 in assistance has been distributed to 145 clients.
“I just I really appreciate the help. I really don’t know what I would have done without it, to be honest. So I’m just grateful that I got connected with you guys,” said Monica. “It is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders for sure.”
For Kenetra B., her world turned upside down a few years ago when her teenage daughter started having unexplained seizures. The episodes often landed her child in the emergency room. Before her daughter ultimately got an epilepsy diagnosis and on the right medications, that meant a lot of unpaid time away from work, and getting behind on bills.
“I went onto the Evergy website, looking for some kind of help with my electricity bill,” Kenetra said. “We were about two months behind.”
After connecting with United Way, the entire past due balance has been paid and a massive stress is now gone.
“It was tremendous because I was struggling, trying to figure out how I was going to pay it,” she said. “I can’t thank you all enough.”
You can help make a difference for our neighbors facing impossible choices that can threaten their health and livelihood by giving to support United Way.
