Success Story

2005 Casey Foundation Families Count: Family Strengthening Awards

About the Awards
Each year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation rewards four Goodwill member agencies for having exemplary programs that connect families with the services and resources necessary to overcome barriers to economic and social success. The purpose of the Casey Family Strengthening Awards is to recognize, reward and share best practices for carrying out the second strategy of the Goodwill Industries 21st Century Initiative: Take a whole-family approach to help people achieve success in the workplace.

Refugee Self-Sufficiency Program
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey
Astoria, NY

The Refugee Self-Sufficiency Program serves low-income, limited English-speaking refugees, immigrants, and asylees in New York City’s Midwood, Brooklyn and Pelham, Bronx communities. The program provides English as a Second Language classes, computer literacy, and comprehensive employment support for adults. With a whole family approach, the program also offers family counseling, parenting classes, wellness and financial planning classes, onsite childcare, citizenship training, self-sufficiency training and interpreter services. Transportation assistance, work clothing, and links to a referral network of over 25 programs and agencies serving refugees, immigrants and asylees are also offered by this program in order to further help the families connect to their new communities. During its five years of operation, the program has assisted nearly 7,000 individuals and their families.

Families Together Program
Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan
Traverse City, MI

Most of the people enrolled in the Families Together Program are chronically homeless, victims of domestic abuse, or both.  Single and two-parent families are eligible. The program is located in Goodwill Inn, a homeless shelter operated by the Goodwill. Individual youths, veterans, and people recently released from jails, prisons, and mental health facilities also receive services. In addition to providing emergency shelter for the homeless, the program refers them to support services and agencies; provides health services and referrals; offers transportation assistance, including vehicles for eligible families; establishes transitional and permanent housing; and provides school supplies and holiday needs for their children. Intensive case management is a priority, and this has contributed to a 90 percent permanent housing placement rate for families enrolled in the program. The demand for these services has grown in rural northern Michigan – the program helped 49 families in 2004, up from 24 in 2002.

Back on Track Program
Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin Counties
San Francisco, CA

The Street to Work Program focuses on young people, ages 18-30, who are at risk of incarceration following convictions for low-level narcotics sales. Through a unique, first-of-its-kind partnership with the District Attorney’s office, eligible young people are offered a Deferred Entry of Judgment, in exchange for participation in a rigorous 12-month career development program. The arrangement keeps a felony conviction off their records. By providing participants with a means of avoiding a first felony conviction, and the consequent obstacles to future educational and employment opportunities, the program effectively alters a destructive pattern that young people’s future options, weakens family ties, and destabilizes communities. Its keeps young parents out of jail or prison, and keeps children out of foster care. Through a network of partner agencies, the program provides education and employment support, life skills training, mandatory community service, and community-based mentoring. During its first year of operation, Street to Work helped 87 individuals and their families.

The Crossroads Program
Rehabilitation Center
Shreveport, LA

The Crossroads Program is designed to help individuals who have multiple challenges in their lives that are preventing them from obtaining and retaining employment. Through both referrals and walk-ins, the program enrolls individuals who are homeless, victims of domestic violence, previously incarcerated, have a history of substance abuse, or are people with mental or physical disabilities. A referral network that encompasses over 50 agencies, enables the Crossroads Program to provide counseling, shelter, financial literacy, GED preparation, childcare, and employment preparation and placement. The program’s approach includes the development of a family-centered plan for each participant to identify needs and arrange for the appropriate services for each member of the family. In 2004, the program added a youth component in order to serve previously incarcerated youth and their families. In 2004, the Crossroads Program assisted over 500 families.