United Way of Kaw Valley project would support new moms in Douglas and Shawnee counties
United Way of Kaw Valley recently submitted a proposal seeking funding from the Kansas Health Foundation in response to
their Upward Mobility Blueprint. Our proposal, Advancing Community Connections, Equity,
and Systems of Support (ACCESS), is a regional initiative serving Douglas and Shawnee Counties. The project is designed to improve upward mobility for ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) single mothers, particularly during the vulnerable
postpartum period when financial pressures, notably housing instability and child care barriers, make it difficult to re-enter the workforce.
The ACCESS model builds on our Community Resource Navigation Program and our network of partners that use Find Help, a closed-loop referral platform, to provide coordinated care around health-related social needs and resource navigation. Community Resource Navigators and Community Health Workers from partner organizations will connect participants specifically to housing and child care supports and workforce opportunities while developing individualized action plans to address barriers to employment and upward mobility.
Local data demonstrates a clear need for this intervention, as four in ten households in both counties are ALICE households, with particularly high rates of hardship among single female-headed households. Housing costs, child care expenses, and income instability disproportionately impact these households and particularly families of color.
ACCESS aligns with the Kansas Health Foundation Upward Mobility Blueprint by strengthening workforce supports, improving system coordination, expanding access to child care, and reducing fragmentation in service delivery. Key partners include
- Douglas County Government
- Community Children’s Center
- Mirror, Inc.
- Topeka Doula Project
- The Early Childhood Collective/Doulas of Douglas County
- Capital Area Successful Start (CASS), an early childhood collaborative in Shawnee County.
Success of this initiative would be measured through service utilization, increased housing and child care stability, workforce participation, and long-term improvements in economic mobility and family well-being. The regional project aims to serve approximately 50 households over a 12-month period.
From a state-level perspective, this project is part of Kansas United Way’s Community Resource Navigation Collaborative, convened by United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties. Our participation and data sharing within this group will help develop a broad, statewide blueprint for Community Resource Navigation among United Ways. In this way, our efforts and impact extend beyond the scope of Douglas and Shawnee counties.
The budget includes funding for our Douglas County Rural Navigator, housing and child care funds directly available to our navigators, gift card incentives for participants to share their experiences through interviews, communications and marketing materials, and indirect costs to support United Way. The total request for one year is $199,602.
We should be notified in September if our proposal has been funded.
July 17, 2026