Event recap
Impact update: Helping Families Stay Housed
Share your impact with your friends and family
As we move through spring, Women United continues to help families find steady ground in moments that could otherwise become a crisis. Through your support families facing housing instability are staying housed, connected to resources and supported with care when they need it most.
This work reflects what makes Women United so powerful: women leading with compassion, generosity and action to help strengthen our community. Through the United Housing Network (UHN), Women United is helping connect families to flexible financial assistance, resource navigation and wraparound support before a housing crisis escalates.
UHN Impact: Helping Families Stay Housed
The United Housing Network continues to be a vital lifeline for families facing housing instability during financial disruptions.
By combining short-term financial assistance with resource navigation and compassionate case management, UHN is helping families stay housed, stay stable and stay on track.
So far this year, UHN has helped:
- 66 families served through referrals from trusted community partners
- 43 families received direct financial assistance through flexible funds
- 36 rent payments, 12 utility payments and 2 car-related payments, helping families avoid eviction, keep utilities connected and maintain employment
Housing stability is often the difference between crisis and calm. For families navigating a financial disruption, timely support can help keep a child in school, a parent connected to work and a household rooted in the stability they need to move forward.
UHN’s impact extends beyond housing
At 60-day follow-ups, all families who completed check-ins remained employed with the same employer, reinforcing how stable housing supports workforce participation and family well-being.
For one family, that support meant more than help with an immediate financial need. It offered reassurance, stability and hope during a difficult season.
That is the kind of impact your support makes possible.
Growing Need, Limited Resources
As UHN continues to help families stay stable, the need for flexible housing support continues to grow. This year, several families were redirected to alternative resources after monthly funding caps were reached, despite demonstrated need.
Even with these constraints, partnerships and internal referrals to programs such as Goodfellows helped reduce service gaps and extend support where possible. The need is clear, and the opportunity to expand this work is meaningful.
Event Highlights: women united in Action
This year, Women United members and guests gathered for thoughtful conversations, shared learning and deeper connection around housing stability. Each event helped bring the work of UHN into focus and reminded us what coordinated support can look like when women come together with purpose.
Ways to Win the Woods
Women United was grateful to join Katie Weitz for the opening night of Ways to Win the Woods, a meaningful evening that brought community members together around a story closely connected to housing instability.
A special thank you to Katie Weitz for graciously hosting the evening and inviting Women United to be part of opening night. We are also grateful to the artists and partners who brought Ways to Win the Woods to the stage. The production offered a powerful lens into what it means to navigate homelessness, and it was especially meaningful knowing the script reflects the real-life experiences of women who have been served by MICAH House in Council Bluffs.
Mary C. Lopez Lunch and Learn
At the Women United Mary C. Lopez Lunch and Learn, members came together for a thoughtful conversation about housing stability, coordinated support and what it takes to help families before a crisis escalates.
We are grateful for the women who continue to show up with heart and purpose for our community through Women United. Your generosity and leadership help ensure families facing housing instability can find steady ground and that children are able to stay in their schools, surrounded by the stability they need to thrive.
Conversation and Connection
The Women United Steering Committee welcomed potential new members to a Conversation and Connection gathering focused on connecting to each other, United Way of the Midlands and impact. The evening created space for current members and guests to learn more about Women United, the United Housing Network and the power of women’s leadership in strengthening our community.
Throughout the evening, current members and guests enjoyed meaningful conversation about what it means to be part of Women United: strengthening our community, creating lasting impact and growing personal and professional networks through service.
join us for our upcoming event
Be sure to save Tuesday, September 15, 2026, for our visit to the Lakin Campus. The Charles E. Lakin Foundation’s Human Services Campus provides resources, assistance and training for children and families to grow as engaged community members. Join us as we:
- Tour the campus
- Meet with select organizations supporting housing
- Have lunch on campus
Looking Ahead: Help Shape What Comes Next
As UHN moves forward, the need for flexible housing support continues to grow. Women United has an important role to play in championing this work and helping more families move from crisis toward stability.
Led by passionate leaders across the metro, Women United celebrates the power of women to bring about positive change in our community through philanthropy and service. If you are looking for a meaningful way to deepen your involvement, we invite you to consider joining the Women United Steering Committee.
Steering Committee members help champion Women United’s philanthropic and engagement opportunities, strengthen connections across the community and inspire more women to take action.