In Spring 2026, United Way was pleased to administer the United to Help Our Neighbors Program - meeting emergency needs for residents across Barry, Barton, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, and Newton counties in Missouri. The State of Missouri awarded these funds under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families aid. This intermittent program (previously available in 2024) was designed to help our community families experiencing temporary hardships and it focused on parents and newly independent young adults.
In just two months, United Way as able to help 52 families facing hardships with rent, utilities, and transportation costs.
We want to thank the state of Missouri for helping meet the needs of families in our local Southwest Missouri community. We also had assistance from area community workers and we thank them for their part in this effort.