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Essential Needs

To thrive, central Iowans need to live in stable, healthy places with essential supports.

United Way helps break the cycle of poverty by providing resources to programs that ensure our community is able to support our most vulnerable central Iowans.

What’s the challenge?

If a person in our community does not have the essential things they need to survive, things like consistent access to healthy food or a safe place to live, they cannot find the stability they need to thrive. United Way of Central Iowa focuses on supporting and providing resources to programs that ensure our community is able to support our most vulnerable individuals. 

ESSENTIAL NEEDS IN CENTRAL IOWA

  • 36%
    OF CENTRAL IOWANS STRUGGLE TO MEET BASIC NEEDS

    ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) represents the growing number of families who are unable to afford the basics of housing, childcare, food, transportation, healthcare, and technology.

  • 10%
    OF CENTRAL IOWANS ARE FOOD INSECURE

    In central Iowa, 10% of the population is food insecure, including 15% of children under age 18 - that’s nearly 23,000 children.

  • 36%
    OF FOOD-INSECURE CHILDREN ARE LIKELY NOT ELIGIBLE FOR NUTRITION ASSISTANCE

    Many children in central Iowa are food insecure but do not qualify for SNAP or other nutrition assistance programs for various reasons.

  • 25%
    OF CENTRAL IOWANS ARE HOUSING COST-BURDENED

    People who are housing cost-burdened spend more than 30% of their income on housing. 41% of central Iowa renters are housing cost-burdened.

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What United Way of Central Iowa is Doing

United Way helps break the cycle of poverty by providing resources to programs that ensure our community is able to support our most vulnerable central Iowans.

Our Strategies

  • Increase availability of and reduce barriers to accessing healthy food for central Iowans with limited resources and access
  • Provide supports needed to keep people in affordable, stable, and healthy homes
  • Increase built environments and opportunities for safe, health-promoting spaces where central Iowans live, work, and play