Charter Oak Communities Teams with Family Centers for Self-Sufficiency Program
Charter Oak Communities and Family Centers recently launched a new program that would give Stamford families receiving Section 8 benefits the tools they need to lead more self-sufficient lives.
Called the Stamford Family Self-Sufficiency Program, the initiative is funded by a federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant obtained by the Charter Oak Communities and services will be administered by Family Centers. The five-year program allows Family Centers to offer self-sufficiency oriented support at housing complexes operated by Charter Oak and other locations in the Stamford community. Services will include counseling, goal planning, job-skills training, life skills, and family support.
"We're extremely pleased to build upon our relationship with Charter Oak Communities to offer this program, which will improve the lives of local families," said Donna Spellman, Family Centers' director of Self-Sufficiency and Independent Living. "Because we're able to offer our services anywhere in the community, we're able to work each resident on an individual basis to identify their goals and offer support as they move toward a greater sense of self-sufficiency."
As part of the Stamford Family Self Sufficiency Program, Charter Oak Communities and Family Centers will also work with partner agencies in the area to identify potential employment, educational, homeownership, childcare, transportation and self-improvement opportunities for participating families. Bilingual computer training courses will also be offered.
And to further encourage self-sufficiency and financial development, Charter Oak Communities has established special savings accounts for the program's participants. Similar to a 401k savings plan, families have the option of contributing to these accounts to save for approved self sufficiency related activities like homeownership, vehicle payments, education and tuition fees, childcare and other related activities. All funds saved into these accounts will be available to residents at the conclusion of the five-year program.
"Rather than raising the cost of rent when a family's economic situation improves, a percentage of each family's income will be put into an escrow account," said Vincent Tufo, executive director of the Charter Oak Communities. "We're in the business of encouraging independent living, and money saved into these accounts will be a wonderful reward for families that complete the program."
The Stamford Family Self-Sufficiency Program is open to all residents living in federally funded units in Stamford. To be considered, interested families must be in good standing with Charter Oak Communities and complete a face-to-face needs assessment a Family Centers Resident Services Coordinator.
Charter Oak Communities is a national model and leader in its ongoing efforts to transform itself from a traditional public housing authority to a diversified provider of housing and community development services in Stamford. Due to a massive revitalization of the city's public housing complexes, Charter Oak's client population has shifted from an exclusively low- and moderate- income base of families, elderly and the disabled to a broader base encompassing all income groups. The organization's emerging portfolio incorporates a revitalized stock of assisted housing, market-rate rental housing and various homeownership opportunities, as well as services that support our residents in this transformation. For more information, visit www.charteroakcommunities.org.
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