A stable income is essential for building a secure future. It allows families to meet basic needs, plan for the future and enjoy a good quality of life. Yet, for many in our community, financial stability can be difficult to achieve and easy to lose.
Cedar Valley United Way is helping families in the Cedar Valley become financially stable and independent by:
- Increasing income through job training and access to family-sustaining wages
- Encouraging savings to build a financial safety net
Local data highlights both the challenges and opportunities in our community:
- 1 in 5 children in the Cedar Valley live in poverty ($26,200 income for a family of four).
- Families earning the median household income of $50,916 spend about 15% of their income on childcare for a baby in a licensed facility.
- Nearly half of local students receive free or reduced-price lunches.
- 50.2% of households spend 30% or more of their income on housing and utilities.
Cedar Valley United Way is working to help families move from financial struggle to financial stability. Our 2024 - 2026 investments in financial stability include the following programs:
TOTAL FINANCIAL STABILITY GRANTS | $237,400
Americans for Independent Living
Housing and Transitional Resources for Veterans | $15,000
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque
Immigration Legal Services | $20,000
Cedar Valley Friends of the Family
Black Hawk County Housing Project | $18,000
Commonbond Communities
Adult Education and Advancement* | $5,000
Community Housing Initiatives
Permanent Housing | $20,000
Growing Minds Early Learning Academy (Formerly Grin and Grow)
Removing Childcare as a Barrier to Work for Low-Income Families | $22,900
Habitat for Humanity
Homebuyer Education and Financial Counseling | $12,000
Iowa Legal Aid
Solutions to Systemic Poverty through Legal Assistance | $20,000
The Job Foundation
Financial Stewardship Mentoring Program | $8,650
Operation Threshold
Refugee Services | $8,000
Pathways Behavioral Services
Junkman-Knoebel Transitional Housing | $13,850
The Salvation Army
Pathway of Hope | $8,000
Try Pie
Try Pie Bakery* | $8,000
YWCA of Black Hawk County
Summer Daze Child Care | $8,000
Y's Kids Before and After School Care | $12,000
* Denotes program covers more than one funding category. Amount listed is total grant dollars received for all categories.
Commonbond Communities
Adult Education and Advancement* | $5,000
Hawkeye Community College Foundation
WE Build Waterloo | $20,000
One City United
One City Momentum | $18,000
Try Pie
Try Pie Bakery* | $8,000
* Denotes program covers more than one funding category. Amount listed is total grant dollars received for all categories.