Helping Wisconsin Families Make Ends Meet: Inside the Work of an Economic Support Specialist

She’s been helping Wisconsin families for nearly a decade. Misha Dancing Waters guides them through programs like SNAP, Head Start, and childcare assistance. Dancing Waters is an economic support specialist with AFSCME Council 32, and her role is more important than ever with the uncertainty around these programs right now. And she says most of the families she meets are working hard but still struggling to make ends meet.

We’re here to help people get through, to remind them they’re not alone.

– Misha Dancing Waters, Economic Support Specialist

---

Listen to an interview with Misha on Mornings with Pat Kreitlow, at the halfway point, here:

[podcast src="https://civicmedia.us/shows/mornings-with-pat-kreitlow/2025/11/06/the-real-helpers-hour-2"]

“We can help families in a number of ways,” she explains. “Health insurance through BadgerCare, food support through SNAP, childcare help so parents can work. There’s a lot available, but it’s complicated to navigate.”

Dancing Waters works through the Capital Consortium, which serves counties across Southern Wisconsin. Many families find her office through food banks, community organizations, or simply word of mouth. 

“Sometimes it starts with a phone call,” she says. “Other times people walk into the lobby because a friend told them, ‘Go there—they can help.’”

The work is deeply detailed. Dancing Waters and her colleagues verify identity, employment, and income through state and federal databases. It’s the way to ensure only eligible residents receive aid. 

“Before I did this job, I had no idea how complex it all was,” she shares. “There’s a lot of integrity in the system. Fraud isn’t happening the way people think it is – most families we serve are truly eligible.”

But behind every form and verification, there’s also a story. 

“People come to us overwhelmed,” Dancing Waters says. “We ask personal questions, and it can be intimidating. But once we start talking, it becomes more than just checking boxes. We’re listening, connecting people to resources, helping them piece life together.”

Many of the families she serves are working, and often more than one job. But they’re still struggling to afford food or childcare. 

“There’s this misconception that people on assistance don’t work,” she says. “That’s just not true. Most of our food share recipients are employed. They’re just not earning enough to make it.”

And Dancing Waters sees her role as more than administrative. She says it’s really about empowerment. 

“I come from a teaching background,” she explains. “I want people to leave feeling informed, confident, and hopeful, knowing there are things they can do and support they can access.”

Now as Wisconsin families brace for uncertainty amid program shutdowns, Dancing Waters remains focused on helping people find a path forward. 

“At the end of the day,” she says, “we’re here to help people get through, to remind them they’re not alone.”