--- title: Stories | United Way of Central Iowa | Essential Needs description: Essential Needs | 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 Apr 26, 2021 6:00:00 AM #### [A House to Call Their Paradise Home](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-house-to-call-their-paradise-home) [![](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hubfs/CI%20Report_Essential%20Needs_Mon%202.jpg) ](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-house-to-call-their-paradise-home) Mon and his family moved into their house in December of 2020. Not an apartment. Not a townhouse. A house – a piece of property they could now call their own. [Read More](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/a-house-to-call-their-paradise-home) Jul 1, 2020 2:44:32 PM #### [A Hero Asks for Help: A Single Father Fights for a Better Life](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/casey) [![](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hubfs/Casey%20and%20fam-1.jpg) ](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/casey) Casey Wright, a slender man in his late thirties, would likely give you a slight chuckle with a side smile of embarrassment if you were to call him a hero to his face. To say it was a laugh would be too overdone for Casey. He’s quiet. Unassuming. Not your typical description of a hero. But to his two kids Kinnick (8) and Kyndall (7), he’s just that. Especially with what they’ve gone through as a family. [Read More](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/casey) Mar 27, 2019 12:44:09 PM #### [The Top-Notch Nurse We Almost Didn't Get](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/rhonnie) [![](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hubfs/rhonda%20feature.jpg) ](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/rhonnie) When Rhonnie finished class in the afternoon, she would get into her car, just like other nursing students at Mercy College. But she wouldn’t head home to study. Instead, she would cruise the city, looking for a parking space to spend the night, while silently mouthing that day’s lessons to herself. [Read More](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/rhonnie) Sep 6, 2018 12:42:15 PM #### [Suddenly Homeless](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/debra) [![](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hubfs/Debra%20win-1.png) ](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/debra) Debra Harrison was having a bad few months. First, she lost her job as a truck driver. Then she was close to losing her apartment in Pennsylvania. Then her mother passed away after a long and difficult illness. Next came a call from Des Moines. She says, “I got the news that my daughter had been shot and killed by her soon-to-be ex-husband.” [Read More](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/debra) Mar 19, 2018 1:56:12 PM #### [Survivor Mom](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/survivor-mom) [![](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/hubfs/Stacie.jpg) ](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/survivor-mom) Stacie didn't realize she was a victim of domestic violence. But by September of 2017, Stacie had gone from a happy mother of two and a registered nurse to a homeless meth addict who had lost her nursing license and custody of her kids. [Read More](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/survivor-mom) [All posts](https://www.unitedwaydm.org/stories/all) 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)