United Way empowers people to become financially independent so that our entire community can thrive. Those living in financially unstable homes frequently struggle when it comes to other foundational basic needs. Without a stable income, people can find themselves falling behind rather than moving forward. 

79%

of adults (age 16-64) are working

14%

of Mower County residents live below the poverty line

SOURCE

Through funded partners, United Way of Mower County has achieved measurable success by putting individuals and families on the road to financial stability. 

Through 2021 funding...

7,100+

individuals face fewer barriers on their path to financial stability

30

community members increased their financial literary skills

success stories.

Workforce Development, Inc. - ​Workforce Success

"We were able to support her with Kwik Trip Gas Cards for the first month of her employment so she could keep her job. Once her paychecks started arriving she no longer needed our assistance. We also helped her revise her resume to reflect her new employment so it was ready when a position opened in Austin that she wanted to apply for so she no longer had to commute and could be closer to her kids while they were in school. ​We had a woman who had recently obtained employment in Rochester after losing her job in Austin. She was planning on taking the Mayo transit bus to and from work but with the pandemic that service was suspended. She was unable to afford the gas cost for her commute at the beginning of her employment as she had no paychecks coming in."

Parenting Resource Center - ​Catherwood Home Child Care 

"Our Parent Educator met an incarcerated parent while providing parent education at the Mower County jail. Upon being released, she sought services from the PRC including assistance with our diaper program, Helping Homes, and referrals to other social service agencies for housing and mental health. With an incarcerated boyfriend, she was a single mother with goals of moving her family to a house that was free of bed bugs, with proper furniture, mental health treatment for herself and her children, and stable employment. Once she found stable employment she enrolled her children at Catherwood and has received financial assistance through the United Way Scholarship.

​She has stated that she has such pride in being able to provide for her family and pay her bills on time, something that was a struggle for her in the past. She works second shift, so had it not been for Catherwood, she might not have been able to accept the employment, or accepted but placed her children in an unlicensed childcare. We have maintained a relationship with this mother and at times seeks out services from other PRC programs aside from childcare, such as when she tested positive for Covid-19 and we assisted her by delivering groceries to her home. We also helped her furnish her new home by seeking donations from community members, and we truly believe we've played a significant role in providing stability for her and her children. "