Some needed just a minor boost — like enough cash to pay a utility bill or make next month's car payment...Others confronted life-threatening crises, such as escaping domestic violence, finding a stable place to call home or caring for a sick child.

In total, more than 6,000 women sought and received help through the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania's "United for Women" funding initiative that began five years ago, the nonprofit grantmaker announced.

 

 

The initiative, a program of United Way's Women's Leadership Council , aims to help women who are struggling financially overcome or avoid crisis. Its coverage area spans Allegheny, Westmoreland, Fayette and southern Armstrong counties.

Last year alone, the United for Women initiative reached more than 2,300 people in need — including 945 women who avoided homelessness or found permanent housing, 1,671 women who received financial assistance and 434 women who needed help finding a job or advancing a career, officials said. More than 20 percent of the women assisted were veterans.

As a broader organization, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania focuses on regional efforts to improve lives of children, families, the elderly, veterans and individuals with disabilities and strives to create "long-lasting change for the betterment of community."

 

Read the full article by Natasha Lindstrom on TribLive