We often talk about single mothers, but what about fathers?

In 2006, the state of New York piloted a program to increase employment and earnings of noncustodial parents, most of whom were fathers. The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance worked with nonprofit organizations in four New York cities – Buffalo, Jamestown, Syracuse, and New York City – to deliver job training and other support services to low-income parents behind in their child support.

Participants not only experienced gains in wages, but also increased child-support payments.

Read the program evaluation, “Strengthening Familes Through Stronger Fathers,” written and conducted by the Urban Institute.

What are some lessons we can learn about tackling poverty from this pilot program?  Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Photo courtesy of Tony Alter  via Creative Commons license.

Last week, United Way had the opportunity to present SparkPoint to a national audience, including United Way personnel from Delaware, Orange County and Portland, as well as representatives from Citi Foundation, City College of San Francisco, and Everett Community College and Highline Community College, both located near Seattle, Washington.

More than thirty people toured the SparkPoint San Mateo Center at Skyline College, one of four SparkPoint Centers in the Bay Area, which focus on helping families move out of poverty and achieve lasting financial stability.

In the short video below, SparkPoint San Mateo Center Director William Watson explains how bundled services help clients to address everyday crises, so they can focus on improving their financial situation over the long term.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Guests, many of which are considering launching or expanding programs like SparkPoint in their home towns, got to hear firsthand about the benefits and challenges of the SparkPoint model from United Way and Skyline staff, as well as Jewish Vocational Services and the San Mateo Workforce Investment Board, which all partner to provide services at the SparkPoint San Mateo Center.

This is the fifth SparkPoint tour that United Way has hosted during the last year, as community organizations from around the country – and as far away as Denmark – continue to express interest in the SparkPoint model.

To learn more about the SparkPoint, visit www.sparkpointcenters.org.

View photos from the tour on Flickr.

Article cowritten with Skyline Shines.

SparkPoint American Canyon Center hosted a community open house celebration last Thursday evening to celebrate its one-year anniversary.   With more than 100 guests in attendance, festivities spilled out onto the sidewalk. Volunteers from UPS were on hand to welcome guests, serve food and drink, and help with the “wheel of fortune” game.

SparkPoint American Canyon Center is one of four SparkPoint Centers in the Bay Area that work with families to help them achieve lasting financial stability.  United Way and our partners plan to build nine SparkPoint Centers throughout the Bay Area within the next two years.

“We extend our appreciation to all of our clients and partners who have made the first year of SparkPoint American Canyon Center a big success,” said Sherry Tennyson, executive director of the American Canyon Family Resource Center which houses SparkPoint. “We are committed to continuing to work hard to serve our community even better in the years to come.”

Three SparkPoint clients shared their experiences about the support they received at the Center, which served more than 280 clients in its first year.  Stephanie, a mother of three, said, “At SparkPoint, I found a place that helped me learn to help myself.  I’m more confident about my finances; I’ve improved my resume and my credit scores.  I keep coming back for all the support they give to me and my family.  I recommend SparkPoint to everyone I meet.”

Click to view a short video of Stephanie, Scott and Rhonda sharing their stories. 

Click on the photo gallery below to view scenes from the celebration.

Learn more at www.sparkpointcenters.org.

As part of FedEx’s 6th annual Cares Week, a team of 45 FedEx employees from around the Bay Area helped United Way host a community resource fair at the SparkPoint Oakland Center on September 24.

The volunteers completed a wide range of tasks to support the event, which was held at Lion Creek Crossings, the housing complex which is home to SparkPoint Oakland Center.  FedEx volunteers: 

• assembled more than 250 food baskets and backpacks, which were distributed to low-income families.
• knocked on doors throughout the housing complex to encourage residents to attend the resource fair.
• distributed information about United Way programs, such as SparkPoint, 211,Earn It! Keep It! Save It!, and BankOn Oakland.
• served up root beer floats and passed out balloons to families.
• gathered surveys from residents, which will inform SparkPoint’s efforts to serve the community.

United Way’s Sparkpoint Oakland Center is one of several one-stop centers in the Bay Area that offers a full-range of personalized mentoring and financial coaching services. Each center helps families to create a step-by-step plan that tackles their unique financial challenges, and connects them to services that help them move up the career ladder, build assets and manage their credit. The SparkPoint Oakland Center has served more than 400 people since it opened in 2009.

In celebration of FedEx’s 6th annual Cares Week, thousands of employees from more than 30 cities across the country and over 40 countries around the world came together to give back to their communities and volunteer for special services and events. During the week of September 20, FedEx team members participated in thousands of local projects celebrating the spirit of volunteerism, collaboration and community.

United Way’s SparkPoint Oakland Center recently served its 300th client.  To celebrate their success, SparkPoint staff, volunteers and clients gathered at the Center for an evening of food and fun.  Click below to see a photo slide show from the celebration.

This exclusive event was especially for SparkPoint members – clients who have utilized at least two services at the Center.  For all clients, SparkPoint strongly encourages taking advantage of multiple services, since clients who use at least two services are three times more likely to achieve a financial goal than clients who use only one.

SparkPoint also provides all members with a personal coach to help clients set and achieve long-term financial goals.  The coaches serve as financial advisors, providing a personalized connection to services, as well as the guidance and support members need to achieve long-term goals.

Learn more about SparkPoint here.