Sometimes, the best way to help kids succeed in school is by helping the whole family. Thanks to our partnership with the Siemer Institute for Family Stability, United Way of Salt Lake is working closely with Salt Lake Community Action Program (SLCAP) on the Family Financial Stability Partnership – an effort to keep families in their homes, thus reducing student mobility and helping families avoid future crises.
Here are a few stories from the SLCAP case manager on how our partnership is changing families’ lives.
by Seyha Ros
Case Manager, Salt Lake Community Action Program & Head Start
The SMITH family come to our program in November 2014.They were living in a motel when we got the referral from Granite Park Jr. High. The family got evicted from their home because they were not able to pay the rent due to other expenses. This family, with 4 children (age from 14- 8 year old), have two children with health problems and did not have Medicaid or food stamps. We were able to get the family contacted with the Midtown Clinic to get some assistance. We also found a temporary place for them and helped with the deposit and rent for November and December. They were able to get some furniture and Christmas help with the LDS bishop and we also did a HEAT application for the family. The family is now living in a townhome that has 3 rooms and they are able to pay the rent without assistance.
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Another family, who was referred from Granite Park Junior High, recently moved from New Mexico to Utah in search of better job opportunities. The family has 2 boys and 2 girls, ages 9-15, and the two oldest children have learning disabilities. Due to the commute, the children had been missing school. We helped the family alleviate the primary goal of getting an apartment close to the school. There were many obstacles in helping the family find an apartment, however, we were able to help them pay for the deposit and the first month’s rent, as well as half of the rent portion for the month after. Currently, the family has been paying rent without any assistance for the past two months and have signed up for financial and tenant classes to have a better grasp on budgeting and renter’s rights. This great family is doing much better compared to just four months ago. They have a stable home for their children and they are working to find a second income to help keep the family stabilized. Over all, they have shown that they have perseverance and they are working hard towards self-sufficiency!
