At United Against Poverty, our purpose is to inspire and empower individuals to lift themselves and their families to economic self-sufficiency. Through our 19 years of growth as an organization, we have certainly come to find that there is no silver bullet or one size fits all blueprint to solve for individual and family poverty. We are offering a hand up and not a hand out. In 2021, the UP Center served just over 8,500 community members through access to our Member Share Grocery Program; our Crisis Stabilization Program; our UP Education Program; and our flagship program, STEP (Success Training Employment Program). STEP is an adult workforce training program designed to help individuals overcome barriers to employment.
At UP, we believe in the power of our programs and our partnerships. With that being said, we recognize that for so many across our county, especially those that would benefit MOST from our programs, they simply cannot make it to the UP Center because of one of the biggest barriers impoverished families face, is transportation.
Our proposed solution is the Going UP Bus, a 15-passenger van that will provide pick up and drop off services for adults who are committed to changing their lives through our on-campus programs and off- campus partnerships. Additional uses of the Going UP Bus will include providing access to on-campus training through our Education Program, GED classes and mental health support groups, in addition to
a wide variety of workshops covering topics such as financial literacy, parenting, health and computer skills. The Going UP bus also will offer transportation to off-site, paid on-the-job training provided by our employer partners such as the Treasure Coast Builders Association and Cleveland Clinic.
The Going UP Bus impacts three key stakeholder populations: 1) our county’s individuals and families living at or below the poverty level as well as our working poor; 2) our nonprofit partners, who recognize the value of UP’s programs and encourage their clients to participate; 3) our county’s employers. The pandemic has left businesses struggling or closing their doors because they simply cannot find and retain talent. More graduates of our STEP program and workforce initiatives creates a much-needed workforce solution.
UP has three key goals or expected outcomes for the Going UP Bus project: During Year 1, we will see 50 additional graduates of our STEP program. During Year 2, that number will increase to 75. During Year 1, we will partner with the Treasure Coast Builders Association (TCBA) to graduate 30 adults from paid training bootcamps facilitated by TCBA businesses. During Year 2, that number will increase to 45. With the addition of the Going UP Bus, our Education Program will see a 25% increase in the number of adult participants.
The two-year budget for this Impact 100 grant includes the purchase of the Going UP Bus, hiring a new staff member to coordinate the calendar and drive, in addition to costs associated with vehicle maintenance and marketing of this new initiative.
This Impact 100 grant will become sustainable through our current funding sources (grants, major donors, events and mailers). It also positions UP to create stronger alliances in our community, which is a strength we believe many new potential funders will support.