1999 Best Practices
Success Stories

Program Name:	Family Self-Sufficiency/ Move-to-Work Program
Program Focus:	Empowerment
Geographic Area:	Northwest/Alaska

State:	Washington
City:	Vancouver

Executive Summary
Low-income families in Vancouver, WA, are learning the skills they need to say "good-bye" to welfare and "hello" to self-sufficiency. In February 1993, the Vancouver Housing Authority (VHA) established its Family Self-Sufficiency/Move-to-Work (FSS/MTW) Program to do just that! This program is part of a nationwide welfare reform initiative seeking to increase family incomes to reduce the federal burden of providing operating subsidies to local housing authorities.

"Through our community-wide network," said Glenda Galaba, the Move-to-Work resource developer, "we are supporting local families and their efforts to learn basic life skills, develop self-esteem, and gain the confidence to become self-sufficient." Vancouver’s MTW program empowers its participants through a diverse, community-wide network that organizes activities and provides services for participants and their entire families. In return, each participant establishes a five-year goal plan and actively pursues academic, volunteer, or employment opportunities in and around the community.

According to Galaba, gaining credibility as a successful program within the community was initially a challenge for the MTW Program. "We took it one day at a time, concentrated on doing the best job that we could and aggressively publicized our successes," said Galaba. "And today, we work very closely and have excellent working relationships with other social service agencies and many local businesses."

Community partners in this enterprise include the Private Industry Council, Clark County schools, DSHS, Women in Action, the YWCA, the Salvation Army, a local beauty college, employment agencies, retail stores, restaurants and government organizations. Additional program support comes from interns and VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) workers. Through this broad network, the VHA is educating the greater Vancouver community about the value of self-sufficiency programs as a viable means to empowering low-income families.

Helping families secure well-paying jobs is only a piece of the program’s success. "It is our goal for participants to have a high school or GED diploma and go on to college, trade school, or on-the-job training programs," said Galaba. More than 30 percent of MTW Program graduates are now homeowners and many others are actively saving toward a down payment on their own home.

Vancouver’s MTW Program stands apart from other self-sufficiency programs because it incorporates every aspect of assistance a resident may need to help them become self-sufficient. Successful participants use escrow accounts to move out of subsidized housing and purchase homes of their own once they complete their contract.

Partners: The Private Industry Council, Clark County schools, DSHS, Women in Action, the YWCA, the Salvation Army, a local beauty college, employment agencies, retail stores, restaurants and government organizations, interns, and VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) workers.

Financing: Various Sources.

Point of Contact: Glenda Galaba, Phone: (360) 993-9545, E-mail: ggalaba@vahausa.com