People living in the urban neighborhoods of Indianapolis need resources to help them get jobs, manage their finances, and gain access to credit, information, and services that can help them advance in life. That’s why LISC became involved with the Centers for Working Families (CWF), a national model developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to help the working poor develop, grow, and protect their assets. CWFS are neighborhood-based one-stop shops offering access to such family support services as job training and placement, help with job retention skills, and training in financial management and investing.
Currently, there are CWFs in six Indianapolis neighborhoods:
Flanner House of Indianapolis
Myron Richardson, Executive Director
(317) 925-4231
mrichardson@flannerhouse.com
Hawthorne Community Center
Diane Arnold, Executive Director
(317) 637-4312
darnold@hawthornecenter.org
John H. Boner Community Center
Terri Bailey, Deputy Executive Director
(317) 808-2306
tbailey@jhbcc.org
Martindale Brightwood Center for Working Families
Operating Partners
Jay Height, Executive Director
Shepherd Community
(317) 375-0203
jayh@shepherdcommunity.org
Tysha Hardy-Sellers, Executive Director
Edna Martin Christian Center
(317) 637-3776
tyshasellers@gmail.com
Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center
Clark Lienemann, Executive Director
(317) 236-7400
clienemann@maryrigg.org
Southeast Community Services
Terri Garcia, Executive Director
(317) 236-7400
tgarcia@southeastindy.org
To date, the program has served over 4800 families who have received a whole array of “bundled” services, including employment assistance, financial coaching, and strategic and practical support to help break through the barriers of poverty.
In 2010, the program received a major financial boost with funding from the federal Social Innovation Fund (SIF) in the amount of $500,000 along with $300,000 in local match funding from the Central Indiana Community Foundation, The Clowes Fund, State Farm, Staples Foundation, Making Connections Indianapolis and the Open Society Institute.