Center for Strong Families

WELCOME TO THE CENTER FOR STRONG FAMILIES

No family should struggle to make ends meet. Yet, 1 in 3 working families in Pierce County can’t afford the basics.  Fortunately, United Way of Pierce County and community partners are developing a plan to help families in need by providing the tools and resources they need to thrive.

When we help families in our local community avert financial crisis, and improve financial stability, we can prevent much more costly consequences that affect our entire community.

In 2016, we launched an innovative model that brings together a strong network of partners to implement proven strategies to address struggling families called United Way of Pierce County’s Center for Strong Families. By focusing on improving the financial bottom line for low- to moderate-income families so they can become more self-sufficient, more families are able to increase their income, decrease expenses, build credit and acquire assets.

2023 Highlights

Our Center for Strong Families (CSF) network highlighted the resilience of Pierce County families. Our 22 coaches provided tools and resources to enhance resilience, connecting families to living-wage careers, solid financial plans, and strategies to reduce debt and build assets. Our seven CSFs, created through unique collaborations among Pierce County agencies, are dedicated to improving financial stability for community members.

BUILDING CAPACITY

United Way provides the following support services to improve the service delivery of providers and outcomes for clients:

• Grants that help community organizations establish, staff and run the Center for Strong Families in neighborhoods that need them, covering everything from start-up funds to operating costs
• Technical assistance and training to help staff reach out to potential clients and offer effective coaching and job counseling
• Data collection tools that help tailor support for individual clients and inform the work at large
• Professional networking support in the form of national and regional meetings, collaborative groups and an online library of resources on similar integrated service delivery models

United Way also plays a critical role in establishing and maintaining quality standards of service and holding programs accountable for results. Each site uses a shared client data-base system to record services and outcomes. As part of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Financial Opportunity Centers (FOC) network, the Center for Strong Families sites have joined a growing national professional network of nearly 100 centers in 46 cities and 14 rural communities across the country. United Way and national LISC program managers track the progress of each operating site and establish performance benchmarks. Based on the results, United Way is able to provide technical assistance when it will be most effective.

A PROVEN MODEL

The Center for Strong Families model is commonly referred to as Integrated Service Delivery an evidence-based approach that is being funded by a number of national organizations including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and the U.S. Department of Labor due to the impact it has had on outcomes of families. An independent study has found that Financial Opportunity Center clients, who access a range of services, have more success meeting their financial goals than people in programs offering employment assistance alone. Clients are more likely to be employed year-round, reduce non-asset related debt, and build positive credit histories (Economic Mobility Corporation, 2016).

WORKING COLLABORATIVELY

The Center for Strong Families is the result of unique collaborations of Pierce County agencies. The model incorporates common goals, best-practice service provision, and a partnership approach. Each Center for Strong Families is being developed organically according to local community’s needs and assets, but partners at each site share a commitment to core concepts.

Anyone can refer a client to the CSF network. We encourage clients to select a location closer to their home to reduce barriers. Once a week, the responses will be forwarded to the appropriate site for action. Each month, the CSF director will follow up with the site management team.

The Network 

Sites & Targets