Howell, MI — April 22, 2026 — Livingston County United Way’s Women United hosted its highly anticipated Power of the Purse event on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, bringing together 190 women for an evening of fun and philanthropy in support of a meaningful cause.

This engaging and impactful event united the community for a night of connection, generosity, and celebration, benefiting the Great Start Livingston Collaboration’s Help Me Grow program. The program serves families with children from birth to age five by providing free developmental screenings, parenting resources, and access to specialized services. Its mission is to promote early literacy, healthy development, and overall well-being so that children and families can thrive.

“We can’t thank the Women United team and all the volunteers enough for their hard work in raising $21,000 for a program that is so beneficial to our community,” said Carrie Newstead, Executive Director of Livingston County United Way. “We also extend our sincere gratitude to our co-host, Citizens/Hanover Insurance, without whom this event would not have been possible.”

Robin Schutz, Coordinator for Great Start Livingston Collaborative, shared, “Great Start Livingston is deeply grateful for our partnership with Livingston County United Way and truly honored to be selected by Women United as the Power of the Purse recipient. This event exceeded every expectation. The funding will allow us to continue offering access to Help Me Grow through the summer, ensuring developmental screenings, care coordination, and family resources remain available to Livingston County families when they need them most. We are proud to be part of a community that invests so meaningfully in its youngest children.”

For more information about Women United, please contact Carrie Newstead at 810-494-3000 or cnewstead@lcunitedway.org.

For more information about Great Start Livingston Collaborative, please contact Robin Schutz at 517-540-6829 or robinschutz@livingstonesa.org.