Join Us
If you’re like us, you want to help people become the best versions of themselves. You want families to be happy and strong. You want people to be engaged and productive at work. You don’t want parents and children to suffer.
We’re fighting to get struggling, working families on a path to financial stability through livable wage jobs, quality, affordable childcare, and basic supports.
You can’t reach your peak without a strong foundation.
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[Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological review, 50(4), 370.]
Start with the BASICS
Struggling, working families (ALICE) live paycheck to paycheck. Many adults work 2-3 part time jobs—juggling multiple shifts just to make ends meet. But sometimes working parents still have to make horrible choices between paying the rent and feeding their children. Cars break down. Medical bills pile up. These families are just one emergency away from financial ruin.
Your donations are a buffer from financial disaster. You help make working families’ paychecks stretch a little bit longer. Your gifts provide extra help with rent, food, utilities, legal advocacy, and shelter from violence. You provide the foundation for people to grow.
Basic Needs Funding
| Organization | Funded Program |
| American Red Cross-Northwest Indiana Chapter | Disaster Cycle Services |
| Caring Place, Inc. | Safe Emergency Shelter |
| Catholic Charities | Safe Haven Homeless Prevention (Rent/Mortgage and Utilities), Community Emergency Fund |
| Food Bank of Northwest Indiana | Pantry Packs |
| Greater Hammond Community Services | Food Pantry, Rapid Re-Housing |
| Haven House, Inc. | Domestic Violence Shelter |
| Healthlinc | Legal Services Medical-Legal Partnership |
| Indiana Legal Services | Basic Legal Services |
| Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana | Feeding struggling people |
| Northwest Indiana Community Action | Resource Connections |
| The Salvation Army | Comprehensive Emergency Services |
| St. Jude House, Inc. | Domestic Violence Shelter |
| Welcome Network | Immigrant asylum seeker welfare program |
Set Children up for Success: QUALITY Child Care and Out-of-School Care
Our goal is to make quality child care and out-of-school care available when working parents need it AND at a price they can afford. Quality, affordable child care and out-of-school care set the next generation up for success in school and work.
Your donations find solutions for child care deserts, develop strategies for back-up and sick care, and create child care grants for struggling, working parents.
Child Care Funding
| Organization | Funded Program |
| Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana | Ultimate Club Experience--Summer Kidstop at the Cedar Lake, Lake Station, Merrillville, and Hammond Clubs |
| Crossroads YMCA | Before and after-school care in Hammond |
| Tradewinds Services, Inc. | Summer Day Camp,Summer Child Care for 3-5 year olds, extended child care for families working longer hours |
| Life Church International | Full time childcare for struggling, working families |
“Level Up ” to LIVABLE WAGE JOBS
Hard-working ALICE parents are stretched thin—money wise and time wise. They work multiple jobs on multiple shifts just trying to provide for their families. At the same time Northwest Indiana employers need resilient, skilled workers for good-paying, livable wage jobs. But, there’s a disconnect. ALICE workers need support navigating the transition between enduring their lower-paying jobs and learning new skills that lead to new, better-paying employment.
The “Level Up” Program: Creating Pathways to Better-Paying Jobs started in fall 2019. Now, Family Career Navigators meet struggling workers where they are, help them set educational and career goals, connect their families to available basic supports, including financial skills like budgeting, debt reduction and home ownership. Your contributions help navigators provide coaching, accountability (and cheerleading) for motivated families who want to improve their lives.
Livable Wage Jobs Funding
| Organization | Funded Program |
| Tradewinds Services, Inc. | Transportation for clients to jobs |
Create Stability through Financial Wellness
Financial well-being is: having control over day-to-day, month-to-month finances; having capacity to absorb a financial shock, being on-track to meet your financial goals; and having financial freedom to make choices that allow you to enjoy life.[1]
ALICE families know how to persevere. They can keep their heads above water. But that’s not living. With your help, we can provide financial literacy coaching and accountability for struggling, working families. And, we can help them navigate all of the resources from government, local financial institutions, and nonprofits that incentivize savings, home ownership and debt reduction.
This is key. Your gifts are a “hand up” to a better life.
[1] Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Financial Stability Funding
| Organization | Funded Program |
| Northwest Indiana Community Action | Funded Individual Development Accounts |