Increasing Family Income, Wealth, and Employment
People living in the urban neighborhoods of Indianapolis need resources to help them get jobs, manage their finances, and gain access to credit, information, and services that can help them advance in life. That’s why LISC became involved with the Centers for Working Families (CWF), a national model developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to help the working poor develop, grow, and protect their assets. CWFS are neighborhood-based one-stop shops offering access to such family support services as job training and placement, help with job retention skills, and training in financial management and investing.Currently, there are CWFs in five Indianapolis neighborhoods.
• Hawthorne Center for Working Families--West Indianapolis
• Oasis of Hope Center for Working Families--Martindale-Brightwood
• John H. Boner Center--East 10th Street
• Southeast Community Services--Fountain Square
• Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center--West Indianapolis
To date, the program has served over 600 families who have received a whole array of “bundled” services, including employment assistance, financial coaching, and strategic and practical support to help break through the barriers of poverty.
The Jobs Pipeline, a partnership with Making Connections Indianapolis, an initiative funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is another strategic part of CWF. The program aims to quickly connect job-ready individuals with gainful employment opportunities. Through Jun 2009, the Jobs Pipeline helped find employment for 320 people with an average hourly wage of $9.74. About 60% of the jobs offered benefits. Perhaps most impressive of all, and a testament to the success of the program: 80% of these employees were still on the job after 90 days, and 75% had retained their jobs after 180 days, and 62% were still employed after one year.