Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care Wa s h i n g to n , D C FAMILIES COUNT celebrates Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care, one of four organizations recognized in 2007 for helping America’s most vulnerable children have what they need most: strong, capable and economically successful families.
LISTENING TO FAMILIES Families who need suppor t in reaching their goals will tell you exactly what they need. You just have to listen hard enough. This philosophy is the driving force behind Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care, the groundbreaking Washington, DC, agency that since 1988 has used health care as the entr y point for helping thousands of immigrant families acquire the skills, supports and connections they need to succeed. María Gómez, Mary’s Center’s founder, president and CEO, began listening as a teenager emigrating from Colombia. She listened hard to her mother and other parents as they struggled in an unfamiliar culture.
FAMILIES COUNT
As they always have, Gómez and her fellow health professionals transform what they hear into a clinic that provides health care and more in low-income neighborhoods, primarily to immigrant families. “We’re not just health specialists,” Gómez says. “We feel a responsibility to give mothers and families every opportunity to succeed.” Mary’s Center first meets the most pressing health issues of mothers, mothers-to-be and their families. Next, staff engage families in programs that give them the additional supports they need to be civically engaged and economically stable. “We involve parents in developing every program,” says Gómez. “Parents really want to build a support system among themselves.” The results form an impressive list of community-inspired initiatives: services for women suffering from depression complicated by language and cultural barriers; playgroups for mothers and children; an Even Star t family literacy program incorporating parenting education; and support for teens at-risk for unplanned pregnancies. The Mama & Baby Bus mobile unit brings health, dental care and outreach expertise into neighborhoods that have limited access to those services. A home-based child care licensing program equips mothers to develop a source of income for their families while they expand the community’s day care options and safety for their own children.
C H I L D R E N D O W E L L W H E N T H E I R FA M I L I E S D O W E L L , A N D FA M I L I E S D O B E T T E R
Care that Crosses Thresholds
At intake, Mary’s Center pairs parents with case managers
to discuss all the issues impacting their families. “Many times they come for a reason that goes beyond health,” says Gómez. “Sometimes there is enormous stress in the family because a new baby means another mouth to feed.” Case management may lead to the Healthy Start Healthy Families program, in which support workers go into homes where families can put new information to use immediately. These specially trained staff work with families to set goals and establish routines to meet them. From “baby-proofing” a home to brainstorming job options, workers empower parents to improve their family’s well-being. Mary’s Center has achieved stellar outcomes for its families. Birth weights and immunization rates among children exceed regional and national averages, while rates for child abuse and neglect are lower. To serve more families, Mary’s Center opened a second DC location in 2005. Soon the Center will expand into Maryland and Virginia, reaching the many immigrant families moving to the suburbs for more affordable housing. Mary’s Center is saving lives, creating stronger communities, one family at a time.
MARY’S CENTER FOR MATERNAL
C O M I N G TO M A R Y ’S C E N T E R For 14 years, Fathema Johra told her sons they would some day leave Bangladesh to join their father
AND CHILD CARE FACT SHEET CONTACT: María Gómez, RN, MPH President & CEO
but then the reality of life in a different culture set in. When Johra became pregnant again, Alamgir
Capital One Consumer Health Foundation
ADDRESS: 2333 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009
in America. Last year, that day arrived. Mohammed Alamgir beamed as his family stepped off the plane,
MAJOR FUNDERS:
TELEPHONE: 202-420-7002 FAX: 202-797-2314
turned to Mary’s Center for help.
E-MAIL: info@maryscenter.org
From their first appointment, Johra and Alamgir felt
WEB SITE: www.maryscenter.org
DC Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation Freddie Mac Foundation March of Dimes of the National Capital Area Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation The Moriah Fund
embraced. In one place, they could access primary and prenatal health care and language acquisition help
The Summit Fund of Washington U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Venture Philanthropy Partners
for the entire family. They welcomed home visits, and family support worker Bethany Sanders was soon checking in regularly. Sanders helped the family enroll the children in school. When baby Amir arrived prematurely, she found subsidized health care options. “Bethany is always there for us,” says Alamgir. “She shows us how to take the best care of our baby. Without her, we’d have $75,000 in hospital bills.” Such debt would have crippled the family’s chances of long-term success. Instead, the older boys now thrive at school, and Johra is building new skills and earning power in the child care licensing classes. “They are good people,” she says of Mary’s Center. “They give us hope.”
WHEN THEY LIVE IN SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITIES
“We reach mothers and families early in their American experience and build on their eagerness to succeed. They’re here for the reasons immigrants have always come — for a better future.” – María Gómez, President & CEO, Mar y’s Center for Maternal and Child Care
THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION 701 St. Paul St., Baltimore, MD 21202 410.547.6600 fx 410.547.6624 www.aecf.org
F A M I L I E S C O U N T : T H E N AT I O N A L H O N O R S P R O G R A M
2007 HONOREES
celebrates organizations that improve the odds for vulnerable children by helping them have what they need most — strong, capable and economically successful families.
ECD/HOPE (Enterprise Corporation of the Delta/ Hope Community Credit Union), Jackson, MS
The 50 organizations honored since the program began in 2000 connect families to the resources, suppor ts and oppor tunities they need to succeed. F AMILIES C OUNT honorees provide compelling evidence that we can change the outcomes for children in some of the nation’s toughest communities when we build on their families’ strengths.
Family Service Association of San Antonio, Inc., San Antonio, TX Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care, Washington, DC Southern Good Faith Fund, Pine Bluff, AR
To learn about previous honorees, please visit www.aecf.org Millions of low-income families continue to find it extremely difficult to get by and get ahead, even as they work harder and longer than ever before. Their communities too often lack the most basic elements that allow parents to fulfill family aspirations: strong social networks, good schools, safe streets, responsive services, affordable housing, and jobs that provide adequate support and opportunities for advancement. These families are not without hope because they are not without champions — the people and organizations working side by side with them every day. The FAMILIES COUNT honorees remind us that the continuing challenge for our nation is less about know-how than it is about will — the willingness to care enough and do enough so that all families can realize their dreams for their children.
Cover photo © Jim Graham: At Mary’s Center, Dr. Karen Mazie shows Eulalia Flora and her daughter Jennifer that good health and early learning go hand-in-hand. Interior photo © Jim Graham: Toddler Amir Alamgir is growing up strong thanks to his parents, Mohammed and Fathema, and the support of the Healthy Start Healthy Families home visitation program.
FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION of San Antonio, Inc. S a n A n to n i o , T X FAMILIES COUNT celebrates Family Service Association, one of four organizations recognized in 2007 for helping America’s most vulnerable children have what they need most: strong, capable and economically successful families.
OPEN DOORS FOR FAMILIES During informal chats with parents, Nancy L. Hard, president and CEO of Family Service Association of San Antonio, Inc., is often reminded of the varied paths that families follow to arrive at the agency. Whether parents first come seeking marriage counseling, high-quality child care or help keeping an elderly relative at home, they often become involved in much more. “There’s no wrong door to come in,” Hard says. “When families seek our assistance, we address their primary reason for contacting us. But we quickly make sure we are helping them gain strength by connecting them to any number of services, whether for them or other family members.”
By offering a menu of 14 programs, Family Service can
Founded more than a century ago, Family Service is woven
tailor services to each family’s needs and goals. Parents
deeply into the fabric of the city. From six neighborhood
attend educational programs to improve their parenting
locations and 38 school campuses, the agency expects to
skills, while their children learn strategies to succeed in
serve some 50,000 families, including hundreds affected
school. Non-parent guardians find help and connection to
by Hurricane Katrina, this year alone.
other family heads in programs designed just for them. Parents dealing with stress during dif ficult times find counseling for themselves and healing suppor t for their children. In all kinds of situations, families turn to Family Service to connect to resources that will help them move
a long-term pledge,” Hard says. “Our tagline, ‘We’re the family you can always count on,’ sums up our dedication to strengthening families and reflects the commitment we make to them.”
FAMILIES COUNT
forward.
“When we touch a family for the first time, we’re making
“We believe in helping with a hand up — as opposed to a hand out. We look to empower families by recognizing what they bring to the table and helping them use their strengths to build a better future. – Nancy L. Hard, President & CEO, Family Ser vice Association of San Antonio, Inc.
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
When neighbors connect to each other, they create a
stronger community that benefits them all. That’s the premise behind The Neighborhood Place, Family Service’s new center that is bringing together a striking array of services and educational and recreational programs in one place, serving three of San Antonio’s most vulnerable neighborhoods. Working closely with members of these communities, Family Service has transformed a former elementary school into a local hub where parents can readily access everything from counseling and fitness classes to health screenings and immunizations. Ser vices and information throughout the Center address issues identified by families, such as high incidence of child abuse and juvenile diabetes and low literacy rates. “It’s a place where neighbors gather, based on the age-old concept that neighbors come together and work with each other to do whatever’s needed, whether it was a barn raising or bringing in the crops,” says Nancy L. Hard, president and CEO. “The Neighborhood Place offers a way for community members to reach out to each other, while helping improve their own lives and those of their families.”
C H I L D R E N D O W E L L W H E N T H E I R FA M I L I E S D O W E L L , A N D FA M I L I E S DO BETTER WHEN THEY LIVE IN SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITIES
FAMILY SER VICE ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO, INC.
GAINING STRENGTH BY SEEKING HELP Like many Family Service Association parents, Angelica Solano first approached the agency a decade ago because of one challenge — her son’s behavioral issues — and subsequently became involved in other programs and services to strengthen her family. At the time, Angelica was separated from her husband, Arnulfo, and working two jobs to keep her family together. Daunted by the challenge of raising two young
FACT SHEET CONTACT: Nancy L. Hard President & CEO
MAJOR FUNDERS: Bexar County City of San Antonio
ADDRESS: 702 San Pedro Avenue San Antonio, TX 78212 TELEPHONE: 210-299-2400 FAX: 210-299-4498 E-MAIL: support@family-service.org WEB SITE: www.family-service.org
Goldsbury Foundation H-E-B Grocery Company Kronkosky Charitable Foundation San Antonio Independent School District State of Texas United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County University of Texas Health Science Center
children alone, Angelica enrolled in classes to learn
United Services Automobile Association
new parenting skills. The experience proved to be the
Valero Energy Corporation
beginning of positive changes to come for her family. Seeing the improvement in his children’s behavior, Arnulfo began to participate in the parenting program and subsequently agreed to seek marriage counseling with Angelica through Family Service. The Solanos worked through their differences and recommitted to their marriage. Today, they have four children, ranging in ages from 7 to 17, all of whom are doing well in school and involved in sports and other school activities. “They showed us how to become a family and showed us how to care for one another and relate to each other in a healthy way,” Angelica says. “Family Service was the glue that kept us together.”
THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION 701 St. Paul St., Baltimore, MD 21202 410.547.6600 fx 410.547.6624 www.aecf.org
F A M I L I E S C O U N T : T H E N AT I O N A L H O N O R S P R O G R A M
2007 HONOREES
celebrates organizations that improve the odds for vulnerable children by helping them have what they need most — strong, capable and economically successful families.
ECD/HOPE (Enterprise Corporation of the Delta/ Hope Community Credit Union), Jackson, MS
The 50 organizations honored since the program began in 2000 connect families to the resources, suppor ts and oppor tunities they need to succeed. F AMILIES C OUNT honorees provide compelling evidence that we can change the outcomes for children in some of the nation’s toughest communities when we build on their families’ strengths.
Family Service Association of San Antonio, Inc., San Antonio, TX Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care, Washington, DC Southern Good Faith Fund, Pine Bluff, AR
To learn about previous honorees, please visit www.aecf.org Millions of low-income families continue to find it extremely difficult to get by and get ahead, even as they work harder and longer than ever before. Their communities too often lack the most basic elements that allow parents to fulfill family aspirations: strong social networks, good schools, safe streets, responsive services, affordable housing, and jobs that provide adequate support and opportunities for advancement. These families are not without hope because they are not without champions — the people and organizations working side by side with them every day. The FAMILIES COUNT honorees remind us that the continuing challenge for our nation is less about know-how than it is about will — the willingness to care enough and do enough so that all families can realize their dreams for their children.
Cover photo © Bob Daemmrich: This year, Family Ser vice will suppor t 50,000 families — like Arnulfo and Angelica Solano and their children (from left) Eulalio, Kimberly, Marcus and Juan — as they take their next steps to success. Interior photo © Bob Daemmrich: Family Service has helped Antonio Rios III show his son, Antonio IV, that a classroom can be a pathway to a brighter future.
ECD/HOPE (Enterprise Corporation of the Delta/ Hope Community Credit Union) Jackson, MS FAMILIES COUNT celebrates ECD/HOPE, one of four organizations recognized in 2007 for helping America’s most vulnerable children have what they need most: strong, capable and economically successful families.
INVESTING IN FAMILIES Ask any family that’s turned to ECD/HOPE for support and they’ll tell you—this is not your typical lending institution. Across urban and rural areas of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, ECD/HOPE brings a combination of heart and financial savvy to help low-income families create better futures. “We’ve assisted more than 25,000 people through loans, credit counseling, business planning and other services,” says President and CEO Bill Bynum. “For families who never thought they’d qualify for a mor tgage, it changes ever ything. They’re not just buying homes. They use that equity to send their children to
college or start a business. They establish a financial safety
to low-income families. By joining forces, these two
net in case of emergency. Many of these people have built
economic engines have generated more than $300 million
on those assets and moved their families to a better
in financing to help families and communities thrive.
station in life.” “People everywhere have the same needs and desires, but Enterprise Corporation of the Delta was founded in 1994
some lack access to tools such as capital and expertise,”
to raise the prospects of families through community
says Bynum. “Our goal is to provide those tools to families
development that would result in good jobs and needed
in distressed communities and help them realize the same
services. A year later, Hope Community Credit Union
dreams we all have.”
FAMILIES COUNT
began as a small church project, offering financial services
“Every day we’re inspired by seeing parents strengthen the quality of life for themselves and their children. It’s exciting to help people with limited opportunities climb up the assets ladder.” – Bill Bynum, President & CEO, ECD/HOPE
Strengthening lives and communities
While serving Delta families directly,
ECD/HOPE also works to create the community conditions that support family success over the long haul. ECD/HOPE has nurtured a network of banks, corporations, nonprofits and faith-based organizations to drive community investment and economic growth. Leveraging federal tax credits and other sources, these partners have created affordable housing, new jobs and small businesses that stabilize and strengthen both families and neighborhoods. These community-wide relationships proved invaluable when hurricanes ripped through the Gulf region in 2005. The day after Katrina hit, ECD/HOPE swung into action, setting up a relief fund, helping families obtain emergency funds from government sources, and providing zero-interest bridge loans until other sources of funding came through. As families received aid, ECD/HOPE called on its experience in financial education to help them manage their funds. With unwavering commitment, ECD/HOPE also mobilized all of its connections, throughout the Delta and beyond, to start the hard work of rebuilding communities and lives. “We were able to scale up quickly thanks to the lessons we’ve learned over the years of working with families in this region,” says Bynum. “Now we’ve extended our reach and relationships to new areas. We’re helping more families than ever and making a real difference in thousands of people’s lives.”
C H I L D R E N D O W E L L W H E N T H E I R FA M I L I E S D O W E L L , A N D FA M I L I E S DO BETTER WHEN THEY LIVE IN SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITIES
ECD/HOPE FACT SHEET
A POSITIVE INFLUENCE Elizabeth Vannor-Wimberly will buy her first home next year. Her 18-year-old son Jeffery hopes to buy his own house not long after that. Both of them credit ECD/HOPE with providing the tools and support to make it possible. “At ECD/HOPE, you don’t just make deposits,” says Elizabeth. “They take the time to explain things and help you to reach your
CONTACT: Bill Bynum President and CEO ADDRESS: P.O. Box 22886 Jackson, MS 39225
Entergy Corporation Episcopal Church Pension Fund Ford Foundation F.B. Heron Foundation
TELEPHONE: 866-843-3358 FAX: 601-944-0808 E-MAIL: info@ecd.org
goals. It motivates you to meet people like yourself there who are overcoming the same challenges. I
MAJOR FUNDERS:
WEB SITE: www.ecd.org
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation Mississippi Development Authority Charles Stewart Mott Foundation U.S. Department of the Treasury, CDFI Fund
know that if they can do it, so can we.”
Union for Reform Judaism
As Elizabeth and Jeffery grow their savings accounts
Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
at ECD/HOPE, they’re also preparing for the future by learning about personal finance: homebuyer training for Elizabeth, money management and credit counseling for Jeffery. Their efforts underscore what a family with opportunities, hope and direction can accomplish. Just a few years ago, Elizabeth was concerned about Jeffery’s future. He had left high school and was losing sight of his goals before he joined Café Reconcile in New Orleans, which teaches at-risk youth the food-service industry. Now a mentor at the café, Jeffery intends to get his diploma, attend culinary school and open his own restaurant one day. In the meantime, the family is already working with ECD/HOPE to map out the resources and financial support to achieve those goals.
THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION 701 St. Paul St., Baltimore, MD 21202 410.547.6600 fx 410.547.6624 www.aecf.org
F A M I L I E S C O U N T : T H E N AT I O N A L H O N O R S P R O G R A M
2007 HONOREES
celebrates organizations that improve the odds for vulnerable children by helping them have what they need most — strong, capable and economically successful families.
ECD/HOPE (Enterprise Corporation of the Delta/ Hope Community Credit Union), Jackson, MS
The 50 organizations honored since the program began in 2000 connect families to the resources, suppor ts and oppor tunities they need to succeed. F AMILIES C OUNT honorees provide compelling evidence that we can change the outcomes for children in some of the nation’s toughest communities when we build on their families’ strengths.
Family Service Association of San Antonio, Inc., San Antonio, TX Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care, Washington, DC Southern Good Faith Fund, Pine Bluff, AR
To learn about previous honorees, please visit www.aecf.org Millions of low-income families continue to find it extremely difficult to get by and get ahead, even as they work harder and longer than ever before. Their communities too often lack the most basic elements that allow parents to fulfill family aspirations: strong social networks, good schools, safe streets, responsive services, affordable housing, and jobs that provide adequate support and opportunities for advancement. These families are not without hope because they are not without champions — the people and organizations working side by side with them every day. The FAMILIES COUNT honorees remind us that the continuing challenge for our nation is less about know-how than it is about will — the willingness to care enough and do enough so that all families can realize their dreams for their children.
Cover photo © Trevor Dixon: At ECD/HOPE’s New Orleans branch, Rosalind Washington (right) helps clients like Dwana Makeba find ways to grow their assets and secure their family’s finances. Interior photo © Trevor Dixon: Jeffery Vannor and his mother, Elizabeth Vannor-Wimberly, meet outside the New Orleans ECD/HOPE office they visit regularly to make deposits in their IDAs and learn personal finance skills.
Southern Good Faith Fund P i n e b l u f f, A R
FAMILIES COUNT celebrates Southern Good Faith Fund, one of four organizations recognized in 2007 for helping America’s most vulnerable children have what they need most: strong, capable and economically successful families.
MOVING FAMILIES FORWARD In the rural communities of the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta, lowincome parents have a tough time creating the life they want for their families. Since 1988, the innovative Southern Good Faith Fund (SGFF) has helped thousands of parents develop the skills, self-confidence and economic stability to change this picture and move their families forward. “Ever ything we do is geared toward helping families achieve their own American dream, whether it’s buying a house, going to college, starting a business— or all of the above,” says President Angela Duran.
SGFF works closely with families to identify their life goals and then suppor ts them ever y step of the way through FAMILIES COUNT
four programs: Asset Builders, the Business Development Center, Career Pathways and Public Policy. In Asset Builders, families not only develop new resources through matched savings in Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), but also learn how to protect those savings and make them grow. Workshops on budgeting, credit repair, investing and home ownership turn even small beginnings into tangible gains. Through a special SGFF program, families start saving in similar IDAs, called SEED accounts, for their preschoolers’ college and other goals. SGFF’s Business Development Center gives entrepreneurs suppor t in launching or expanding a business as one strategy to create a financial foundation for their families. In one year alone, over 800 participants found technical assistance, workshops on management and planning, and access to financing. In the process, many of them brought new services into low-income neighborhoods and created new jobs for other parents.
C H I L D R E N D O W E L L W H E N T H E I R FA M I L I E S D O W E L L , A N D FA M I L I E S D O B E T T E R
Pathways to economic success
In an unusual partnership with employers and community
colleges, SGFF helps parents follow career pathways to higher earnings, better benefits and career advancement. “The Career Pathways program guides each parent to form goals based on his or her skills, interests and education,” says Duran. To keep training relevant, SGFF and community colleges bring together employers in high-demand fields such as health care, education and manufacturing to identify the core competencies required at each job level. Community colleges then create the education programs to support parents in developing these competencies as they advance. Because of this careful groundwork, courses and jobs reinforce each other and lead to the next level of responsibility. More than 80 percent of Career Pathways graduates, some 800 to date, have gone on to employment or continuing degree programs. Thanks to such positive outcomes, SGFF has worked with the state, which has invested $16 million, to replicate the Career Pathways model at 10 additional two-year colleges throughout Arkansas. As families use all these supports to succeed, SGFF learns from their achievements to advocate for changes in public policy. “We build our programs to help families one by one,” says Duran. “But we also look for lessons that will help us strengthen families statewide and nationwide.”
BUILDING A BETTER LIFE Just a few years ago, the dream of owning a home felt out of reach to Thomas and Tisha Arnold. Their credit was shaky, student loans and bills were piling up, and their first child was on the way. Then they
SOUTHERN GOOD FAITH FUND FACT SHEET CONTACT: Angela Duran President
MAJOR FUNDERS:
ADDRESS: 2304 West 29th Avenue Pine Bluff, AR 71603
Arkansas Department of Workforce Services
found out about SGFF’s Asset Builders.
TELEPHONE: 870-535-6233
“When you’re making an hourly wage, you don’t
FAX: 870-535-0741
hear about investing in yourself,” says Tisha. “You don’t see how putting $20 a month in a matching fund adds up over time. But when you learn how it works and fulfill your savings goals, you make wiser decisions. It opens a new world.”
E-MAIL: info@southerngff.org WEB SITE: www.southerngoodfaith fund.org
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Charles A. Frueauff Foundation F.B. Heron Foundation Foundation for the Mid South Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Small Business Administration Walton Family Foundation W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Through Asset Builders, the Arnolds opened Individual Development Accounts and started saving diligently. Classes in money management also helped bring them closer to their goal. By the time their second daughter arrived, the Arnolds had started looking for their first house. Today they are proud homeowners — and they’re passing on the lessons they’ve learned. “We’re already teaching our five-year-old daughter about money, and we’re planning to enroll both children in the savings program,” says Thomas. “We want to get them started early so they can do even better than we did.”
WHEN THEY LIVE IN SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITIES
“Our families and partners trust us because we get results. They see how we’re helping people improve their lives. That gives us the credibility to effect change on an even wider scale.” – Angela Duran, President, Southern Good Faith Fund
THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION 701 St. Paul St., Baltimore, MD 21202 410.547.6600 fx 410.547.6624 www.aecf.org
F A M I L I E S C O U N T : T H E N AT I O N A L H O N O R S P R O G R A M
2007 HONOREES
celebrates organizations that improve the odds for vulnerable children by helping them have what they need most — strong, capable and economically successful families.
ECD/HOPE (Enterprise Corporation of the Delta/ Hope Community Credit Union), Jackson, MS
The 50 organizations honored since the program began in 2000 connect families to the resources, suppor ts and oppor tunities they need to succeed. F AMILIES C OUNT honorees provide compelling evidence that we can change the outcomes for children in some of the nation’s toughest communities when we build on their families’ strengths.
Family Service Association of San Antonio, Inc., San Antonio, TX Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care, Washington, DC Southern Good Faith Fund, Pine Bluff, AR
To learn about previous honorees, please visit www.aecf.org Millions of low-income families continue to find it extremely difficult to get by and get ahead, even as they work harder and longer than ever before. Their communities too often lack the most basic elements that allow parents to fulfill family aspirations: strong social networks, good schools, safe streets, responsive services, affordable housing, and jobs that provide adequate support and opportunities for advancement. These families are not without hope because they are not without champions — the people and organizations working side by side with them every day. The FAMILIES COUNT honorees remind us that the continuing challenge for our nation is less about know-how than it is about will — the willingness to care enough and do enough so that all families can realize their dreams for their children.
Cover photo © Bob Daemmrich: At SGFF’s Business Development Center, entrepreneurs learn ways to star t and grow their own businesses. Pictured from left: Danielle Jackson, Allyson Hay, Oscar Bullard, Latisha Bullard, Cherrie Bradley and Abraham Moore. Interior photo © Bob Daemmrich: The Arnold family, Thomas, Tisha and their two daughters, Aiyana (left) and Tahlia, gathers in front of the home they bought with help from SGFF’s Asset Builders program.