Income -- Financial Stability

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As many as one-third of working Americans do not earn enough money to meet their basic needs.  These individuals are walking a financial tightrope - they are barely able to get by, with no ability to save for college, a home, or for retirement.

The United Way Financial Stability PartnershipTM was created to help lower-income individuals and families increase and maximize their income in order to meet daily expenses, as well as to begin the longer-term process of saving and building assets.

The community and family issues that stem from the economic and financial pressures facing individuals and their families are growing increasingly complex and more difficult to address.  Wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing, healthcare, and education in many areas, and skill levels have not stayed in alignment with changing industry needs.  As a result, more than 12 percent of the U.S. population has an income below the federal poverty level, in spite of the fact that many are employed, some with two or three jobs.  

The United Way Financial Stability Partnership was created to strengthen our community by identifying and tackling the underlying causes of the financial hardship facing today's families.  United Way brings together cross-sector partners to help lower-income individuals and families achieve financial independence by empowering them with the tools and skills necessary to maximize their income, build savings and gain assets.

FACT:  If just 25,000 people in El Paso County pay $5 every two weeks to cash their paycheck, that's $3.25 million that never makes it into their  wallets, money that could make a big difference to a lower-income family.  -- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

Our goal is to:

Provide long-term solutions for family and individual's financial stability by guiding people on the path to economic independence through expansion of knowledge of financial concepts and access to financial resources.

Click here to see our strategies and community outcomes for this impact area.

Click here if you are interested in serving on our Financial Stability Community Impact Committee.