GREY SPACES Unraveling the Social Safety Net: A Human and Economic Peril Part III

by Allison Williams, Melinda Monroe, and Pat Holterman-Hommes
Originally published on LinkedIn on October 10, 2025

Grey. What comes to mind when you hear that word?

With our latest blog post, leaders from Wyman, Nurses for Newborns, and Youth In Need explore what it means to work and live in Grey spaces… the spaces between stark, clean, black-and-white, universal truths where solutions and decisions feel obscured, hazy, cloudy, and less than obvious.

Grey spaces surround us daily, shaping our work, and the experiences of the children, teens and families we serve. The current government shutdown is yet another reminder of how complex and uncertain these spaces can be with decisions far beyond our control rippling into the lives of those we support. More than ever, we are called – required – to lean into them, navigate their uncertainty, and find clarity in the unclear.

Each of our organizations has defined one of our particular Grey area we are navigating below — and we want to hear from you. How do you experience the Grey in your work or life? Does this topic resonate with you?

Wyman
For over 15 years, young people in Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program (TOP) have been building important life and leadership skills, developing healthy relationships, and engaging with their communities making a difference in the lives of others. Through partnerships with 70+ organizations, TOP supports 24,000 young people across the county each year. Right now, uncertainty – the Grey— in federal policy and funding shifts is threatening services for 15,000 of these young people. Research in positive youth development is clear: consistency and stability are critical for lasting impact. In this increasingly Grey landscape, how do we best support our partners to ensure reliable services that young people need and deserve? We know that investments in teen development benefit young people AND ultimately their communities…how much darker does the Grey become when we halt these smart investments?

Youth In Need
Empowering and equipping children, youth, and families to find hopeful futures is never black and white. Whether we’re helping a family who’s been separated by foster care to reunify, or giving housing and support to a pregnant teen, we try to create the conditions that make success probable, but positive outcomes are never inevitable. We lean into the Grey areas with our clients, working side by side in partnership. In the nonprofit world, funding insecurity is nothing new, so as an organization, we lean into the ambiguity with an abundant world view, because the only thing certain is that we will be here for the young people who need us.

Nurses for Newborns
Grey matters to Nurses for Newborns because of, well, Grey matter. The single most critical time of human brain development is from conception to age 2, including the formation and connection of the cells (grey and white matter) that set our potential. And in human development, great change aligns with great vulnerability. It is frustrating for our team that US health care dollars are spent out of alignment with how taxpayer dollars could reap the biggest return on their investment.

Why not move mountains to fund access to pre-natal, post-natal, and routine health care for moms (including a strong Medicaid program)?
Why underfund programs that provide infants with access to health care, community resources, good nutrition, experiential opportunities, emotional support, and behavioral health?

So yes, Grey matters when needs, values, and access are misaligned.

Families and Young People
Our three organizations work directly with parents, caregivers, and youth from infants through young adulthood. The people we serve have faced financial, social, and emotional upheaval caused by the pandemic, longstanding economic and systemic inequities, and the ripple effect of shifting federal priorities. What were once clear paths have become murky. Brightly lit futures are now shadowy at best. These Grey spaces look and feel like:

“Will my baby have access to food, healthcare and enriching experiences when they matter the most?”
“What if funding for preschool and foster-care services goes away?”
“How will my teen navigate the challenge of growing up without the connections, relationships and supports they need?”

Now, we want to hear from you. What Grey areas are emerging in your work or life? How are you navigating these uncertainties and conversations?

Share your perspectives and let’s explore these Grey spaces together.

Read more in this series

Unraveling the Social Safety Net: A Human and Economic Peril

Unraveling the Social Safety Net: A Human and Economic Peril Part II