Belief Changes Everything: Why Josie Woody Sees Herself in Save the Family’s Mission

Save the Family helps families during the most difficult chapters of their lives — not by doing the work for them, but by believing in their potential and providing the support to move forward. For Josie Woody, she can relate.

Years ago, Josie was a married, stay-at-home mom with young children — one still in preschool – navigating the challenges of being a young mother during a time of financial uncertainty. Determined to create a more stable future, she made the decision to go back to college while raising her kids.

“It wasn’t easy,” she recalls. “I was juggling school, parenting, and financial stress. There were moments where everything felt fragile.”

Josie may not have had Save the Family by her side back then, but she had a support system of her own — parents, friends, and student loans.

Later, she had the encouragement from the man who would become her second husband. He believed in her potential, even when she wasn’t sure she believed in herself. That belief became the foundation for a career she never imagined was possible.

What began as returning to school turned into a long, successful career — first with the Department of Defense and later with Boeing, where Josie built a reputation as a trusted leader, and a respected and liked colleague, working on military helicopter programs.

“I did things I never, ever thought I could accomplish,” she says. “But someone believed in me — and that, that changed everything.”

It’s why Save the Family’s mission continues to resonate with her.

A Model That Made Sense

Josie was introduced to Save the Family in 2009 and from the beginning, she was drawn to the way the organization worked — not as a temporary fix, but as a long-term investment in families.

“I heard it described to me as a hand-up, not a handout,” she says. “And that’s stayed with me.”

Save the Family’s approach — combining housing with accountability, wraparound services, and a clear pathway to self-sufficiency — mirrored Josie’s own experience. She understood what it meant to need support while still doing the work yourself.

“I believe deeply in accountability,” she says. “Families aren’t just given housing and left on their own. There’s a program to follow. There’s structure. You have to show that you want to be successful — and Save the Family is there to walk with you while you do that.”

That philosophy resonated, and Josie continued to support Save the Family year after year. Eventually, the organization’s leadership saw in her what she saw in the families they serve — commitment, follow-through, and heart.

She was asked — more than once — to join the board.

Seeing the Impact Up Close

Josie has now served on the Save the Family board for seven years, with more than 15 years of total involvement. Over that time, what has kept her engaged isn’t just strategy or outcomes — it’s the people.

She remembers attending Family Success Night, the celebration marking families who completed the program and moved on to permanent stability.

“Hearing those stories — what families lived through, what they overcame — it stays with you,” she says. “Watching someone overcome so much and keep moving forward — that’s what keeps me coming back.”

Recently, the impact hit even closer to home. Josie learned that members of Save the Family’s sister board, ARM (the Affordable Rental Movement) were former Save the Family clients — and survivors of domestic violence.

“I didn’t know,” she says. “One of them shared her story with me, and I was in tears. This work changes lives.”

Why She Stays

For Josie, Save the Family represents something powerful: compassion paired with accountability. And for Josie, helping ensure families have the stability they need to heal, grow, and thrive isn’t just a role she plays as a board member — it’s a reflection of her own story.

That’s why, after more than 15 years, she’s still here.