Network & Give Back Recap
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Reflecting on the Power of the Purse 2026
Some events leave you energized by the power of connection. Others leave you reflecting on the challenges that still exist in our communities. The very best events do both.
The 15th Anniversary Power of the Purse hosted by United Way Women United was one of those events.
On June 11th, more than 900 women and allies gathered for a morning of networking, inspiration, philanthropy, and action. As I looked around the room, I was inspired by the incredible turnout, and by the many advocates, business leaders, and community champions who continue to show up for women.
For nearly a decade, Untapped Potential has proudly supported this fundraiser. Each year, our mentors attend alongside us, helping our women returners build confidence, expand their networks, and practice one of the most important career skills of all: working the room.
This year, we had our largest attendance yet.
A heartfelt thank you to our mentors who invested their time and energy to support our community. Watching experienced professionals engage in meaningful conversations, make introductions, and encourage women navigating career transitions reminded me exactly why mentorship matters. Opportunity often begins with a conversation.
Meet our Mentors ( Filter Role by "POP"). Become a Mentor.
As a social enterprise focused on helping experienced professionals return to meaningful work after caregiving, we spend much of our time advocating for women to have a seat at the table in Corporate America. We help talented professionals reconnect with their careers, articulate their value, and find pathways back to meaningful employment.
But events like Power of the Purse remind us that workforce participation is only one piece of a much larger story.
Before a woman can think about career advancement, leadership opportunities, or professional development, she must have access to the basics: housing, childcare, transportation, food security, healthcare, and education.
That is why the work of Women United is so important.
This year's event raised more than $300,000 to support initiatives including ALICE and #860Rides, helping local women and families move toward greater financial stability and economic opportunity.
ALICE—Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—represents households that earn above the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford life's necessities. These are working families doing everything "right" and still finding themselves one unexpected expense away from crisis.
The statistic shared at the event was staggering: 39% of Connecticut households live below the ALICE threshold.
Think about that for a moment.
Nearly four out of every ten households in our state face financial challenges that can affect everything from childcare decisions to educational opportunities to workforce participation.
For many women, these realities create barriers long before a résumé is written or an interview is scheduled.
The keynote speaker, Stephanie Land, brought these realities to life in a deeply personal and moving way.
Many know Stephanie as the bestselling author of Maid, which later became one of Netflix's most-watched series. Her story chronicles the experience of navigating poverty as a single mother while striving to create a better future for herself and her daughter.
There were moments during her remarks when you could feel the entire room holding its breath.
Stephanie shared that one of her motivations for writing her story was simple but powerful. She said, "I wanted the world to know that single moms are good moms."
She spoke candidly about the bureaucracy, judgment, and stigma that often accompany attempts to access assistance programs. She reminded us that the barriers facing families in need are not only financial—they are often emotional, systemic, and deeply rooted in assumptions about who deserves support.
Her reflections extended beyond food and shelter. Drawing from themes explored in her more recent book, Class, she challenged us to consider who has access to education, opportunity, and pathways for advancement.
One thought stayed with me throughout the morning.
What if?
What if Stephanie had never encountered the educators who encouraged her writing?
What if no one had told her that her words were valuable?
What if no one had recognized her potential?
Would the world have ever discovered her story?
The event reminded me of a favorite sentiment from Tariq Meyers: "Talent potential is uniformly distributed. Opportunity is not."
Throughout the morning, I found myself reflecting on those words. The women and families supported by United Way's programs are no less capable, ambitious, or deserving than anyone else. What often stands between potential and success is access—to education, transportation, childcare, stable housing, professional networks, and opportunity itself.
That is why Power of the Purse matters. It aligns with our mission here at Untapped Potential. It is more than a fundraiser. It is an investment in creating pathways to opportunity, helping to close critical gaps so more women and families can realize the potential that has been there all along.
We often say, "It takes work to return-to-work." The philanthropy of United Way is work as well. The work doesn't end when the breakfast concludes or the auction closes. Real change happens when the conversations continue, connections deepen, and individuals choose to stay engaged long after the applause fades. The progress we celebrate today is the result of countless hours of dedication from volunteers, donors, advocates, and community leaders working together toward a shared purpose.
A heartfelt thank you to breakfast co-chairs Carla Nunziante of Hartford HealthCare and Wendi Maruschock of The Hartford for helping lead this milestone event. Their leadership and commitment were evident throughout the morning.
And to the incredible team at United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut—thank you for creating an event that inspired hundreds of attendees to take action while making every detail feel effortless.
As mothers, mentors, leaders, and community members, many of us understand the work required to bring together an event of this magnitude. The impact extends far beyond a single morning.
The conversations continue.
The connections continue.
The giving continues.
Let's do the work.
Want to Make an Impact?
There is still time to support this important work.
Consider making a donation or joining Women United, a community of women united to end poverty and create opportunities for local women and families.
To donate to Event https://e.givesmart.com/events/LKj/ or in general...
To join Women United: UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL & NORTH EAST CONNECTICUT - 2025-26 Women United Annual Membership
Together, we can ensure more women have access not only to a seat at the table—but to the resources, support, and opportunities that make that seat possible.
