Imagine if you faced a daily struggle to find food, safe and stable housing, or medical care for you and your children. Most Americans will never know what life is like for those living below the poverty line. However, for anyone living in poverty, finding the necessities of life is an everyday reality.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
In Jacksonville, one out of every six children will grow up in poverty, with 12–14% of citizens earning less than a living wage. Many of these families have jobs and want to get out of poverty, but they lack access to the basic resources that could help them make the transition to a financially stable life.
The help we provide to families in Jacksonville is not a “handout.” Instead, through counseling, education, and access to comprehensive resources, we assist those living in poverty as they move toward financial stability. The goal of 1,000 in 1,000 is to help 1,000 people move out of poverty every 1,000 days. With your support, we can achieve this goal!
CASE STUDIES
SASHA
Sasha is a single mother of two. When she joined the 1,000 in 1,000 program at Family Foundations, she was earning only $10,000 per year. Her high debt and low credit score added to her burdens. She was determined to work with Family Foundations to build a better life for her family.
Her hard work paid off. She landed a great job as a customer service representative and within 18 months had increased her annual income to $38,500. She wanted to use her income correctly by diligently paying down her debt and settling accounts that had gone into collections. She also worked with her financial counselor to dispute incorrect items on her credit report.
Through hard work and perseverance, she improved her credit score by almost 200 points!
CRISSY
Crissy exemplified motivation throughout the 1,000 in 1,000 program. When she entered, she was struggling financially and her debt grew every month. Her financial problems kept her from focusing on work and being a good parent.
Chrissy started with her certified Financial Counselor who helped her identify her goals and a plan of action starting with a monthly. Once she was paying all her bills on time, she turned her attention to learning how to be a better parent.She had never set a schedule for her son, and they had no consistent meal times or homework routines. In the Family Foundations’ parenting class, she learned the importance of structure and implemented it into her daily life.
Her supervisors at work noticed her efforts and saw improvement in her work. They rewarded her with a much-deserved promotion. Today, she is enrolled in college and hopes to get her Bachelor’s degree.
Bill
Bill is a single father with sole custody of his two children. He had been convicted of a minor charge while he was in his teens. Even with a Bachelor’s degree, he found it almost impossible to find work. Through the 1,000 in 1000 program, he enrolled in the Commercial Driving Program at Florida State College at Jacksonville.
Family Foundations assisted him in identifying potential employers, and he was frank about his background in all his interviews. His initial certification helped him gain employment that almost doubled his income from $13,080 to $25,000.
He received his final certification in late 2013 and his income increased to $35,000, allowing him to provide safe housing for his family.
*names have been changed