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.
EMPLOYMENT COACHING
All centers offer one-on-one employment coaching based on job readiness, interests, current skills, soft-skills training, hard-skills training, or other post-secondary education and/or career advancement resources.
FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND COACHING
All Centers offer one-on-one financial coaching, which focuses on solving specific problems or crises, such as high debt or eviction prevention, and then working on long—term economic interventions through a coaching relationship.
INCOME SUPPORTS ACCESS
Each center offers a wide range of assistance to clients looking to complete online applications and assist clients with navigating various agencies that administer benefits.
2022 Highlights
- The Center for Strong Families network expanded service to East Pierce County, with a tremendous community presence during its open house, at the Sumner-Bonney Lake Support Center.
- CSF continued partnership with Siemer Institute and Tacoma Housing Authority to promote and innovative coaching model, receiving support of $125K for two years.
- CSF distributed personal translation devices to 13 coaches to empower communication with clients in 39 languages.
- CSF designed new professional certification training for Employment Coaches, to be implemented in the new year.
- UWPC was awarded $360K in American Rescue Plan Act funding to shore up network providers with training and technical assistance and continue programming at our 4 sites located within the City of Tacoma.
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.
The Network
Sites & Targets
Milgard Work Opportunity Center
Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region is an anchor organization in the area, serving low-income neighborhoods throughout greater Tacoma since 1921
Targets; Training Program Participants, Walk-ins
Address: 714 S 27th Street, Tacoma, WA98409
Phone Number: 253-573-6500
Email:
Hilltop Center for Strong Families
Sound Outreach provides guidance, direction and support to all those in need, with focus on economically vulnerable populations in Pierce County.
Targets: Tool Center Participants, Walk-ins
Address: 1106 Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Tacoma, WA 98405
Phone Number: 253-593-2111
Email: info@soundoutreach.org
Clover Park Technical College offers more than forty programs in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, health sciences, human services, business, hospitality, science, technology, engineering, transportation and trades.
Targets; Workforce Funded Students (primarily WorkFirst and Worker Retraining)
Address: 4500 Steilacoom Blvd SW, Lakewood, WA 98499
Phone Number: 253-589-5800
Email: admissions@cptc.edu
Bethel Center for Strong Families
Bethel Center for Strong Families is operated by Sound Outreach and provides East Pierce County residents access to high quality one-on-one career and financial coaching over an extended period of time.
Targets: East Pierce County Residents, Walk-ins
Address: 18020 B St. E, Spanaway, WA 98387
Phone Number: 253-593-2111
Email: info@soundoutreach.org
Sumner-Bonney Lake Center for Strong Families is operated by Sound Outreach and provides East Pierce County residents access to high quality one-on-one career and financial coaching over an extended period of time.
Targets: East Pierce County Residents, Walk-ins
Address: 1508 Willow St., Sumner WA 98390
Phone Number: 253-593-2111
Email: info@soundoutreach.org
Tacoma Community House- is a nationally-respected, community-based service center for immigrants, refugees, and long-time South Sound residents.
Targets: Immigrants and Refugees
Address: 1314 S. L St., Tacoma, WA 98405
Phone Number: 253-383-3951
Email: info@tacomacommunityhouse.org
Tacoma Housing Authority / Siemer Institute
THA provides high quality, stable and sustainable housing and supportive services to people in need. It does this in ways that help them prosper and help our communities become safe, vibrant, prosperous, attractive and just.
Tacoma Housing Authority also participates in a two-generation approach — which aims to address the needs of parents and their children simultaneously — are designed to reduce the number of families in poverty.
This program works by connecting low-income families with early childhood education, job training and other tools to achieve greater financial stability while also equipping parents and children with the supports and skills needed to thrive. Siemer Institute has partnered with UWPC and Tacoma Housing Authority to deliver service.
Tacoma Housing Authority
Targets: THA Housing Authority Clients/FSS Clients
Address: 1724 44th St., Tacoma, WA 98404
Phone Number: 253-207-4400
Email: customercare@tacomahousing.org
Siemer Institute
Targets: Academic Success for Children
Address: 1234 E. Broad St. Columbus, Ohio 43205
Email: info@siemerinstitute.org
SUPPORTERS
Special thanks to our Funding Partners:
Bamford Foundation
Bank of America Foundation
Banner Bank
City of Lakewood
City Of Tacoma
Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC)
Key Bank
Kaiser Permanente
MultiCare Health
Pierce County Human Services
Seattle Credit Union
Siemer Institute
State Farm/Citi Foundation
Union Bank
Umpqua Bank
US Bank
Whisper Foundation
Windows of Hope
Workforce Central
Virginia Mason