WANDA - Women and Allies

10/13/2026

"The Price of Access: The EcoMOMics™ of Care"
Written by Danika Dellor

Health insurance is a safety net that protects individuals from big, unexpected financial losses. Whether families can actually access this service effectively, without draining precious time and financial resources, is another question.

After reading Veronica’s story for this month’s newsletter, I found myself thinking about what it really costs to access health insurance. She had consulted financial advisors and even taken classes to prepare herself financially. Then, when she gave birth to her daughter, lack of adequate health insurance coverage forced her to put childbirth and other birthing support on a credit card. Six years later, she is still working to pay down that debt, while building savings and planning for their future.

Her experience brought me right back to the birth of my own daughter. My insurance provider still owes me money from that birth nine years ago.

Read Danika's full piece: https://bit.ly/4hqUFQg

10/05/2026

On Saturday, September 12 we hosted WANDA’s Community Celebration bringing together alumnae, current WANDA moms, our team, partners, donors, families, and friends to celebrate the success of our WANDA Moms.

We honored each graduate with a traditional purple WANDA shawl, gifts, and a certificate of completion. We heard from Board Member Elizabeth Ronn and San Mateo County Board of Supervisor for District 4 Lisa Gauthier, who shared her personal journey of navigating life as a single mother herself. Lisa’s testimony served as inspiration to fight through your struggles and find the strength to become something great.

“Sometimes life is a jungle gym, you start in one place and life will take you to a different location. I had twists and turns, detours, and a few ‘Lord, is this really my direction?’ But that's why I'm so honored to stand here today, because I know what it means to invest in yourself, to bet on your future, and to keep going even when the path hurts,” shared Lisa.

We are so proud of our WANDA Moms and alumnae who continue to prioritize investing in themselves and their families.

10/02/2026

WANDA Mom Spotlight
Veronica, Cohort 18

The life I live today is a reflection of the incredible people who have empowered me to expand my goals and create a successful life for me and my daughter. My faith, coupled with their outpouring of love and support, gives me the strength and confidence to go after my dreams.

Through WANDA, I have not only found a community of women who are also single moms and experiencing similar things in their life and career, but I have created meaningful friendships that I know will last a lifetime.

Read Veronica's full story: https://womenandallies.org/2026/09/wanda-mom-spotlight-veronica-cohort-18/

WANDA Mom Spotlight: Veronica, Cohort 18 The life I live today is a reflection of the incredible people who have empowered me to expand my goals and create a successful life for me and my daughter. My faith, coupled with their outpouring of love and support, gives me the strength and confidence to g...

08/12/2026

For decades, conversations about economic mobility have centered on income. We have measured success by whether families earn more, whether wages increase, or whether someone crosses an arbitrary income threshold. Those measures matter, but they have never told the whole story.

The Aspen Institute's Financial Security Program recently published Essential Wealth: A New Benchmark for Financial Security, introducing a framework that asks a different question. Rather than measuring whether families have enough income to get by, the report focuses on whether they have accumulated the wealth necessary to withstand setbacks, pursue opportunities, and plan confidently for the future. The report finds that only 26 percent of U.S. households have reached what it defines as "essential wealth," while three out of four households have not.

Read more of "Beyond Income: The EcoMOMics™ of Essential Wealth" by WANDA Executive Director Danika Dellor ➡️ https://bit.ly/4yQGAlM

08/07/2026

💜 💚 Thank you, Sobrato Philanthropies ❤️ 🩶

We are pleased to announce that Sobrato Philanthropies awarded WANDA a standard operating grant supporting our work under its Thriving Communities Economic Mobility strategy that is increasing the share of households that can meet their financial needs. We are thrilled to accept this award and Sobrato’s continued support of WANDA’s mission.

08/03/2026

WANDA Mom Spotlight: Amber Gougis, Cohort 18

"My experience growing up with a single mother has heavily influenced my financial education and the path I’d like to take in parenting my daughter. As a child, I witnessed my mother’s perseverance and determination as she worked to move us from a small trailer home to a bigger house with better resources.

Despite her success, finances and money management were not topics that we discussed regularly in our home, and once we became more financially stable, we often went out and bought things whenever we pleased rather than sticking to a budget.

My WANDA experience has been very valuable. The program has connected me with a wonderful group of women with whom I can relate, and taught me concrete skills to better manage my money so that I can pursue my dream of being a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)."

Read more of Amber's story at https://bit.ly/3Sb5V9z.

07/17/2026

We are currently recruiting for our upcoming financial literacy program!

If you're a single mother who is looking to increase your earning potential and build assets to provide financial stability for you and your family, join our info session on Monday, July 27 from 5:30pm-6:15pm to learn more about our program!

When you join WANDA, you will:

💜 Learn to set personal goals, boost your financial literacy, advance your career, and sharpen key life skills
💜 Connect with a supportive community of like-minded, achievement-oriented women with similar challenges and goals
💜 Graduate from WANDA with up to $6000 to invest in education, retirement, or home ownership
💜 Gain access to WANDA’s large network of peers, mentors, and partner organizations
💜 Pass the knowledge and skills you acquire along to your children

Learn more and register to attend the info session today: https://bit.ly/4bOsg0j

07/08/2026

We are proud to share the impact of our partnership with MidPen Housing, a leading nonprofit affordable housing provider in Northern California. Through this collaboration, WANDA has expanded its reach across multiple MidPen residential communities in Santa Clara County and beyond, connecting more single mothers with the tools, resources, and support they need to build long-term financial stability and invest in their futures.

Through WANDA’s facilitated sessions on credit, debit, and budgeting, these women, on average, have increased their credit scores by 44 points and seen salary increases of $8,570 over one year. Collectively, these moms are on track to invest a total of $132,000 in assets.

“Participating in this program was a great opportunity to prove to myself I can manage my money better because it motivated me to actually save money. It doesn’t matter how much money you are earning; you are always able to save something to reach our goals and also set better long and short term goals and go for it!” —MidPen Participant

07/02/2026

WANDA Mom Spotlight: Siobhán, Cohort 18

"Joining WANDA was one of the first steps I took towards regaining my independence and setting myself and my children up for success after my divorce this year...

Now as I enter into this new stage of my life, I am ready to take charge of my finances and future. I have a background in education and outdoor recreation, but to expand my learning and revenue, I am actively pursuing my real estate license in the hopes of purchasing my own property and educating my family and my children so they can afford a home in the future."

Read Siobhán's inspiring story: https://bit.ly/4eTxBr1

06/02/2026

🌟 WANDA Instructor Spotlight: Mansi Goel

As an instructor with WANDA, watching single mothers actively commit to working on themselves through the challenges they face, exploring their authenticity, finding empowerment, and reclaiming their true selves, has been a gift and a privilege to Mansi Goel.

Mansi has a background in tech and spent 10 years at Google before retiring as the Global Head of Product Policy and becoming a leadership coach. The professional development she had access to had helped her grow and succeed, which inspired her to help other women reach for their dreams.

Read Mansi's full spotlight: https://bit.ly/49qrU1U