When your car breaks down, it can feel like life stops—especially if you don’t know how you’ll come up with the cash to cover needed repairs. That’s what happened to Lillian H. and her family last year.
“We ended up taking it to the shop and finding out the damage was beyond repairable, compared to what the vehicle was worth,” Lillian said. “That was hard to hear because the van had belonged to my late mother and was gifted to us by my Dad after she passed two years ago.”
Keeping the vehicle running was a big deal to get to work, transport their children around, to purchase groceries and get to medical appointments.
“It was really tough to let go of the van, but figuring out how we were going to keep things going for our kids was even harder,” Lillian shared.
So she reached out to United Way Impact 100 partner Grandview Assistance Program (GAP) for help. GAP shared she could qualify for support from United Way’s debit card program, which provides one-time assistance to help households overcome a financial hardship.
“I’m so thankful we had funds from United Way not only to get our van assessed, but also to cover clothes and school supplies for our kids, and groceries,” Lillian said. “I was even able to get a nice cushion for my husband’s vehicle, to help his back issues when he’s on the road for hours with his job.”
Lillian said not long after they received the debit card, all their children also got sick with whooping cough, which lasted for weeks.
“The support was honestly huge and came at such a needed time,” she said. “My husband’s job had been super stressful, the kids were sick, the van went down, and we also found out we need to find a new place to live—as the home we’re in now is being sold. The debit card really from United Way really was the moral boost we needed to know everything will work out.”
United Way’s debit card program will soon begin its next round of funding. In 2025, the initiative supported 861 households, with an average aid of $930.
“If I offer my gratitude to GAP, United Way, and the donors that made these cards possible, I would really give a big fat thank you,” said Lillian. This came at a time with everything around us was so unstable. It was truly a life raft for me to know I could keep going and it’ll all be okay.”