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. Nineteen 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:
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The Carpenter’s Helper
The Carpenter’s Helper repairs housing conditions to provide safe and secure homes to those in need.
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Friends for Financial Freedom
This program, which is operated by United Way, teaches individuals basic financial education and provides case management to give them a “hand up” instead of a “hand out.”
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Hattiesburg Area Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity addresses the needs of adequate housing in our area by offering people the life-changing opportunity of home ownership.
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Housing Consortium
This program is made up of a collection of local non-profit groups that are working to improve community blocks of housing.
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R³SM (Recover, Rebuild, Restore Southeast Mississippi)
R³SM is committed to repairing and rebuilding homes that have been damaged by natural disaster.
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.