UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL IOWA BLOG

United Way of Central Iowa and their partners help adult students achieve a high school equivalency diploma that leads to a sustainable career pathway and financial independence through Bridges to Success.

United Way of Central Iowa invites all members of our community within Polk, Dallas, and Warren Counites to its upcoming Beyond 2020 Virtual Townhall Meetings to help shape the focus of its future mission.

Summer Meal Meet-Ups, a program offering free meals to kids throughout the summer, invites anyone ages 18 and under to one of the many meal sites in Iowa to receive free and nutritious meals.

The U.S. Census focuses on federal poverty at 100% - a point where 11.1% of central Iowans cannot afford food, housing, and other basic needs. Above that level, however, 22.9% of individuals in Warren, Dallas, and Polk Counties cannot afford everything they need to survive without assistance. Many families above the 100% federal poverty line are working; yet, they are one flat tire or one emergency room visit away from crisis.

United Way of Central Iowa leads the fight for the health, education, and financial stability of all central Iowans. But how do we actually do that? It involves a lot more than just investing funds in community programs.

Don't put it off any longer: January is the perfect time to get your finances in order.

More than 70 percent of people who begin the process of earning a high school equivalency diplomas (HSED) don’t end up getting one. For most, it’s not a matter of ability or motivation. Their lives are complicated, resources are scarce, and they lack the support many of us take for granted.

There is a myth about the United States that people all over the world believe. Many Americans believe it too. And so did Udoh Nkanta, when he first arrived from Nigeria 20 years ago.

“When I first came here, I used to think that everybody speaks English and everybody can read and write,” says Udoh. “But then I found out that people were having the same issue as me. Some people are still struggling to read and write.”

Did you take a personal finance course in high school? If so, then you were better off than most Iowa high school students. Many are not required to learn anything about how to use credit cards, buy a house or car, save, invest or shop for insurance. And if you didn’t take a personal finance class—or if you had an inadequate one—then you know how hard it is to learn those things on the fly once you are living on your own.