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Creating Opportunities to Lift CT Families Out of Poverty

Bank accounts. Good credit scores. Timely debt payments. For the nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households that are unbanked or underbanked and the 40% of Connecticut households struggling to make ends meet [1], these financial milestones may be out of reach. Individuals working less than full-time and/or minimum wage jobs, combined with increased living costs, often struggle to afford basic necessities such as safe housing, reliable transportation, medical care, and nutritious food.  Saving for the future is an impossible task when there isn’t enough in the wallet to cover day-to-day living expenses.

On October 10, 2019, LISC Connecticut brought a dozen partners to Rhode Island to learn about the power of Financial Opportunity Centers (FOCs) – LISC’s one-stop-shop model for financial counseling, benefits enrollment, and jobs access with the goal to lift individuals and families out of poverty. Our colleagues at LISC Rhode Island coordinated site visits to two of their FOC partner sites: Amos House and Genesis Center. Both programs shared their perspective on how LISC’s model has made a difference in their work and their clients’ lives. Take Meko Lincoln.

Meko is an FOC participant at Amos House. In one year, Meko completed a transitional housing program, opened a bank account and paid $1,500 in traffic fines, was hired by Amos House as part of the maintenance team, purchased a car and paid the registration and insurance, and is working towards certification as a peer recovery (addiction) counselor. FOCs are more than just the services they offer: they build confidence and hope for participants to accomplish previously unattainable goals and dreams.

The [FOC model] approach blends education and moves to action in a thoughtful and intentional manner. I found the site visits to [...] be extremely beneficial in providing a comprehensive overview of the program.
— Betty Weintraub, Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority

Betty Weintraub of the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority attended the exploratory site visit and was impressed by the LISC model and its outcomes. “The [FOC model] approach blends education and moves to action in a thoughtful and intentional manner.  This empowers the individuals to gain work and financial skills that ultimately supports their self-sufficiency.  I found the site visits to Amos House and the Genesis Center in Providence to be extremely beneficial in providing a comprehensive overview of the program.”

With generous funding from Citi Community Development, LISC Connecticut is meeting with potential site partners and funders to determine the feasibility and sustainability of establishing a network of FOCs in markets including Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, and Waterbury. If you would like to learn more about the FOC model and partner site requirements, please contact Farhana Arif. If you could like to discuss investment opportunities to help establish the FOC network, please contact Kasey LaFlam.

Thank you to LISC Rhode Island, Amos House, and Genesis Center for hosting us, and to our Connecticut partners for taking time to attend the site visit to learn more about FOCs.

[1]ALICE: A Study of Financial Hardship in Connecticut, 2018 Report. Connecticut United Ways.