Financial Stability

As the saying goes, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” United Way wants to "teach men to fish."  United Way meets housing needs and educates individuals about how to manage their income, enabling them to live self-sufficiently. Fourteen percent of United Way of Southeast Mississippi’s community investment is allocated to financial stability programs.

Programs and Community Partners receiving funds in this area include:


Learn more about United Way Worldwide’s work to improve financial stability

United Way at Work - The Carpenter’s Helper

Mr. Lampley had an unfortunate accident in which he lost his foot as a result of a tree falling on him. Now in a wheelchair, Mr. Lampley had not been out of his house unassisted for quite some time. He contacted The Carpenter's Helper for help in getting a wheelchair ramp built. Upon further case management it was obvious that he needed the help. Prior to The Carpenter Helper’s assistance, another individual had attempted to help Mr. Lampley by donating a wheelchair ramp that was found in an abandoned lot. The ramp was very substandard and obviously did not meet ADA regulations. The Carpenter's Helper, along with a group of volunteers from The University of Guelph in Canada, built Mr. Lampley a new wheelchair ramp that was ADA compliant. This now allows him to live life more independently.