--- title: Stories | United Way of Central Iowa description: Success stories about the community impact made by United Way of Central Iowa and its partners. --- [![White Full logo-8-1](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hs-fs/hubfs/White%20Full%20logo-8-1.png?width=559&height=182&name=White%20Full%20logo-8-1.png "White Full logo-8-1")](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/) [![DONATE](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/542539/297ef930-7a06-40d1-8f7b-173b553599f6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/542539/297ef930-7a06-40d1-8f7b-173b553599f6) [![VOLUNTEER](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/542539/3549f8b5-de58-4575-9f74-f8f62520eb4a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/542539/3549f8b5-de58-4575-9f74-f8f62520eb4a) ![Book-Web-Header](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hs-fs/hubfs/General/Web%20Page%20Header%20Images/Book-Web-Header.jpg?width=1920&name=Book-Web-Header.jpg "Book-Web-Header") # IMPACT STORIES ## [When You Read with a Child, Everyone Wins](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/when-you-read-with-a-child-everyone-wins) ## [Improving Health Outcomes Through Education](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/improving-health-outcomes-through-education) ## [Paying It Forward](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/ameka-wilson-211) ## [Fighting Hunger One Box at a Time](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/fighting-hunger-one-box-at-a-time) ## [A House to Call Their Paradise Home](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-house-to-call-their-paradise-home) ## [Celebrating Joyann Benoit](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/celebrating-joyann-benoit) ## [A Mom with a Plan](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-mom-with-a-plan) ## [American at HeART](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/american-at-heart-myat-story) ## [Working Hard to Transform a Dream into Reality](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/shanas-story-central-iowa-health-works) ## ['Flying Right' after Serving Time](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/flying-right-after-serving-time) ## [A Hero Asks for Help: A Single Father Fights for a Better Life](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/casey) ## [Chase and Jose: A Book Buddy friendship that led to positive change](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/book-buddy-perry) ## [Finding words for a growing family](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/tonia) ## [On the path she chose](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/monae) ## [Winning in health](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/winning-in-health) ## [Ready for kindergarten](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/book-buddy-volunteer) ## [Pain & Circumstance: A Graduation Story](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/pain-and-circumstance) ## [Growing a healthy community](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/bizimana) ## [The Top-Notch Nurse We Almost Didn't Get](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/rhonnie) ## [Falling off the Cliff](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/falling-off-the-cliff) ## [The Power to Change a Life](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/the-power-to-change-a-life) ## [Joining to network, now giving with heart](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/joining-to-network-now-giving-with-heart) ## [Suddenly Homeless](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/debra) ## [Through health issue, Syrian mother finds new hope](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/syrian-mother) ## [A Diploma for Mom](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-diploma-for-mom) ## [Leaving a legacy through planned giving](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/leaving-a-legacy-through-planned-giving) ## [A Book Buddy celebration for this first-year volunteer](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-book-buddy-celebration-for-this-first-year-volunteer) ## [How Many Books Could This 4-Year-Old Carry?](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/eh) ## [Coding leads refugee high school student to college scholarship](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/bonito) ## [The Power of High School Girls](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/jessenia) ## [Refugee, graduate, future nurse](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/graduate-finds-her-path) ## [Real Men Never Stop Reading](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/real-men-never-stop-reading) ## [Hurricane survivors get taxes done for free](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/hurricane-survivors-get-taxes-done-for-free) ## [Survivor Mom](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/survivor-mom) ## [The Friendship that Saved a Family](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/the-friendship-that-saved-a-family) ## [Children's Mental Health Explained](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/childrens-mental-health-explained) ## [A central Iowa student gets the vision to learn](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/vision-to-learn) ## [Giving Garden Volunteer Rolls Up Her Sleeves to Give Back](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/giving-garden-volunteer) ## [After-school program changes Warsame's life](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/warsame-story) ## [The Boy No One Thought Would Go to College](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/matt) ## [A Smile Saved](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-smile-saved) ## [How a hearing-impaired third-grader learned to read](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/how-a-hearing-impaired-third-grader-learned-to-read) ## [After All the Doors Slam Shut](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/michelle) ## [Bilingual Buddies](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/bilingual-buddies) ## [Meet United Way of Central Iowa's New President](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/elisabeth) ## [Hope is Never Lost](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/mikeesha) ## [Honor to Read](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/honor-to-read) ## [A Bridge to His Dream](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/aaron) ## [Miracle Mom](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/miracle-mom) ## [Booking Lunch](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/booking-lunch) ## [A Lifetime's Purpose](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-lifetimes-purpose) ## [A Never-Ending Story](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-never-ending-story) ## [A Call for Help](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-call-for-help) ## [Like a Boss](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/like-a-boss) ## [Now Hiring: A Fearless Woman](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/confidence-woman) ## [Like Son, Like Mother](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/like-son-like-mother) ## [Canned Compassion](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/canned-compassion) ## [From Tanzanian Refugee Camp to Life in Central Iowa](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/the-skys-the-limit) ## [A Shot at Success](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-shot-at-success) ## [Taxation Without Trepidation](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/taxation-without-trepidation) ## [Born to Farm](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/born-to-farm) ## [Strong as Oak](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/strong-as-oak) ## [Middle School Justice](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/middle-school-justice) ## [Power Read ROCKS!](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/power-read-rocks) ## [Carrie](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/carrie-1) ## [Rebecca](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/rebecca-1) ## [Claudia](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/claudia-1) ## [Shaneice](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/shaneice-1) ## [Connie](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/connie-1) ## [Michael](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/michael-1) ## [Kanisha](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/kanisha-1) ## [Yadap](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/yadap-1) UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL IOWA 1111 9TH ST  •  Suite 100 Des Moines, IA 50314 (515) 246-6500   •   [contactus@unitedwaydm.org](mailto:contactus@unitedwaydm.org) ## Need Help? Dial 2-1-1 [![211 Iowa - Get Connected, Get Help](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hs-fs/hubfs/211%20Logos%20062019/211%20Logo%20-%20color%20(white%20bubble)%20-%20No%20Tagline.png?width=180&name=211%20Logo%20-%20color%20(white%20bubble)%20-%20No%20Tagline.png)](http://211iowa.org/)     ---   [![Charity Navigator four star rated charity badge](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hs-fs/hubfs/UWCI/Website/Miscellaneous/Images/Charity_Navigator2.png?width=150&name=Charity_Navigator2.png "Charity Navigator four star rated charity badge")](https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/420680425)United Way of Central Iowa is proud to have earned a four-star rating for 18 straight years from Charity Navigator, an American independent charity watchdog organization that evaluates charitable organizations in the United States. This record places United Way of Central Iowa in the top 1 percent of charities nationwide. Click the logo to review our complete evaluation. [![candid-seal-platinum-2024](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hs-fs/hubfs/candid-seal-platinum-2024.png?width=108&height=108&name=candid-seal-platinum-2024.png)](https://www.guidestar.org/profile/shared/7474f287-45d6-42ae-8f99-9365333ee703)United Way of Central Iowa has received a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the world's largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. The seal is given to nonprofits who have achieved the highest level of transparency through disclosures, information made available to the public, and accuracy and frequency of updates. Click the logo to learn more. © 2024 United Way of Central Iowa. All Rights Reserved. [**](https://twitter.com/UnitedWayCI) [**](http://www.facebook.com/UnitedWayofCentralIowa) [**](http://www.linkedin.com/company/61568) [**](https://www.flickr.com/photos/unitedwayofcentraliowa/) [**](http://www.youtube.com/user/UWofCI) [Privacy Policy](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/privacy-policy)