For millions of American families, food insecurity has little to do with whether someone is working. It has everything to do with whether work pays enough, stays consistent, and comes with the stability needed to plan for basic needs. This is the reality Lemontree, a nonprofit food assistance platform, confronts every day — and it's a reality that overlaps closely with the workplace and employment challenges Empower Work exists to address.

Black History Month is an important time to celebrate the achievements and triumphs of the Black community. This year’s focus for Black History Month is Black Health and Wellness which calls for workplaces to respect and prioritize the health and safety of Black employees. Workplace health and safety conditions have been an issue that the Black community has fought for since long before our time. Among these activists were the unsung Black women who fought for Labor Rights - women like Coretta Scott King, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Lucy Parsons, Sylvia Woods, and Dora Lee Jones. Although workplace equity still has a long way to go, we have a movement and a legacy to be inspired by, thanks to the Black women activists who paved the way.

As we recognize Labor Day 2021, 18 months have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged across the world and upended workplaces here at home. At Empower Work, we talk directly every day with workers who reach out for support in moments of distress, and we’ve exchanged nearly 200,000 messages since March 2020. Through thousands of vulnerable moments shared, we have a unique view into what people are facing—and what we can do to support them.

A few takeaways from our first 100,000 conversations about work difficulties. Seeing the cumulative data along with personal stories from people who have used Empower Work, I’m floored. Our timely intervention is leading to demonstrably more positive economic and emotional outcomes for underserved workers after livelihood-threatening experiences.