FAMILY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
By Jane Lorton
By Jane Lorton
REAL Services was designated as
the Community Action Agency for Northern Indiana by Governor Robert Orr in
1985. REAL Services worked with then
Notre Dame professor Dr. Rod Ganey to conduct a study to help steer the
implementation of this new effort, and as a result, the Family Development
Program was born The funds made available were intended to be used to impact
the causes of poverty, not the symptoms; this program emphasizes a move away
from a passive role as caretaker of the poor and toward an active role in
helping equip people to achieve independence of the welfare system. The
following story is just one of many that sheds light on the positive and
powerful success of the Family Development Program at REAL Services, Inc.
Yesenia is a young woman featured
in the latest issue of REAL Connections Magazine, Fall 2015. At the time the story was written she was a
Family Development client. She was working
part-time, attending college classes, and mother of 2 children. As she shared her story: “I experienced a
life-changing event, so I moved to South Bend to be near my parents.” However,
she soon found herself with few resources so when she sought help through the
Energy Assistance Program at REAL Services, she discovered the Family
Development Program. Because she wanted
to be able to support her children she knew she needed a better education. As a part of this program, educational
opportunities were offered; she was able to learn more job skills, she learned
about finance and budgeting, reading and understanding credit reports,
nutrition, parenting skills, time management, and career guidance to name a
few. Yesenia was very motivated and
worked tirelessly in each area required.
Family Development is a holistic program and with the help of case
managers, the clients and families are able to keep moving forward. Goal setting and regular meetings are vital
in this progression. Yesenia, with the
help of her case manager, opened an Individual Development Account. She deposited funds in this account on a
regular basis and she enrolled in Bethel College. That was then.....
And now…
Photo by Peter Ringenberg for Bethel College |
Yesenia was featured in Bethel
College's Magazine, June 2016 as she walked in Bethel College's adult and
graduate studies commencement ceremony.
After she completes a summer internship she will receive her Bachelor's
Degree. Of significance, Yesenia has no
college debt since she faithfully deposited funds in her Individual Development
Account. (An Individual Development
Account is a special savings account matched by federal and state dollars. The goal of the IDA program is to help
low-income individuals and families build wealth as a path out of poverty. In order to open and IDA account the participant
must have a job, earn income and their income must be less than 200% of Federal
poverty guidelines. Participants are
required to attend financial education classes.
The monies saved in the IDA must be used to buy a home or rehabilitate
the home they already own, pursue a higher education for themselves or a
dependent, or open a small business.)
Yesenia credits REAL Services and
its Family Development Program along with the support of her family for
successfully reaching this milestone in her life. Other participants reaching milestones since
2015 include: 15 participants became financially self-sufficient; 7
participants used IDA funds to pay for an education; 3 purchased homes in our
community, and one participant started a new business with IDA funds: all
because they discovered and were fully engaged in the Family Development
Program at REAL Services.
According to the Coordinator of
the Family Development Program, LaTasha Bosse, the Family Development Program
helps to stabilize families; families and individuals become empowered to get
off government programs. “The entire
community is improved because our participants leave this program needing less
and less public assistance and in some cases they no longer rely on government
subsidies at all. The program invests in
people in poverty and teaches them how to improve their life skills which in
turn provides more economic stability for the community. More people are able
to give back, shop, save. Children learn
from their parents and Family Development teaches adults to build upon their
strengths, this empowering model can be used at home to change the family
dynamics toward ending generational poverty.”
Congratulations Yesenia! I am proud of you and REAL Services for bringing the Family Development class to St. Joseph County.
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