Empower Work is honored to be named an awardee of the $60 million Workplace Innovation Now (WIN) Challenge, receiving a grant for our partnership with SkillUp Coalition to scale an innovative solution to help women thrive and everyone win in a rapidly changing workplace.

CTIA Wireless Foundation announced its Catalyst 2026 Winners, recognizing Empower Work as an innovator in mobile-first solutions that enhance lives. Catalyst is a competitive grants program for social entrepreneurs using next-generation wireless technology to deliver solutions to the challenges impacting American communities. We are thrilled to support over half a million people navigating tough work challenges. People like HB; a working mom who felt unhappy and stuck at her job, and reached out to a peer counselor through text.

No matter what career stage you’re in, finding the right job for you can seem like a daunting task. Whether you’re fresh out of college looking for your first career step, reevaluating your profession in your mid-career, or just lost your job and are looking for a redirection, career uncertainty can feel overwhelming and it can be hard to stay motivated. In this case, it’s important to know how to find a job that feels right.

Empower Work is thrilled to welcome two new members to our Board of Directors, Megamo Nesbit and Adam Rosenzweig, at such a pivotal time for the organization.

The need for Empower Work is growing. And so are we. Since launching in 2018, we’ve served over half a million people with 90% reporting improved mental health and agency after a conversation with a peer counselor. As we look ahead at an uncertain economic and political landscape, strengthening our board and team—with workers we serve at the center—helps us rise to meet the challenges ahead and ensure everyone has the ability to thrive across the country.

Ashley is a career and leadership coach and founder of the coaching practice Unstuck Collective. She brings 10 years of experience in Human Resources, with a strong background in organizational dynamics, performance strategy, and systems thinking. Through her coaching, she helps people navigate difficult workplace challenges, recognize their own agency, and make intentional changes to build the careers and lives they want.

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.