Interfaith Family Services

ADULT EDUCATION: CAREER SERVICES Homeless and working poor families cannot break the cycle of poverty without earning A LIVING wage. That is why we provide wage-elevating vocational trainings and career development services at no cost to families. We cover the cost of GED and ESL classes, as well as short-term (8-12 week) vocational and licensure trainings, which are available onsite. We also pay for items such as gas vouchers and bus passes to eliminate the transportation barrier. We provide professional clothing through our onsite Hope Boutique to assist with interviews and job search. Clients are provided with the tuition and transportation funding they need to complete vocational training, a degree for which they are four or fewer classes short, or a certification test. We also arrange volunteerism in fields that compliment clients career paths. Families participate in job search 40 hours a week until employment is secured. Last year, we experienced outstanding results with 97% of Interfaith families graduating with employment at an average wage of $17.59 per hour, despite the post COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the job market/economy. 80% of families saved an average $995.05. 94% of families exited the program with permanent housing. Success is expected to last as 89% of 2021 graduates remained employed and 53% continue to save or reduce debt one year later. As a result, we save Dallas taxpayers approximately $5 million each year.

YOUTH SERVICES:Program for School-Aged Children: Interfaith has a 37-year history of helping homeless children defy the odds through its Hope & Horizons Afterschool and Summer Program. Individual contributions and grants from foundations, churches and nonprofits underwrite our afterschool and summer program for school-aged children. During the school year, Hope & Horizons takes place Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 6:30 pm. During the summer, Hope & Horizons takes place from 7:00 am to 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Last year, an outstanding 85% of children in the Hope & Horizons Program exited with one or more grade level improvement in reading, and 81% improved one or more grade levels in math. The success is expected to endure as nearly 85% of 2020 students remained on the A or B honor roll one year later. Additionally, 85% exited the program with increased confidence and aspirations.

FINANCIAL COACHINGInterfaith clients are required to complete on average 10 financial coaching sessions. Our financial coaching program is supported by two groups: our paid success coaches (case managers) and our volunteer financial coaches. Our full-time success coaches conduct the first four financial coaching sessions. First, they pull and review credit reports. Second, they help the client develop a reasonable budget. Third, savings and debt-reduction plans are established. Lastly, a post-Interfaith budget is created after graduation. Thereafter, clients are transitioned to a weekly, one-hour financial coaching session with volunteer financial coaches for the remainder of the program. 97% of clients were employed at exit with an average wage of $17.59 per hour. They achieved an average savings of $995.05. 82% exited with debt-reduction averaging $1570.67. The success is expected to last as 89% of 2021 graduates continue to save or reduce debt one year later. Additionally, 89% of 2021 graduates remain employed one year later and 92% live without the aid of section 8 housing one year later. As a result, we save Dallas taxpayers approximately $5 million each year.We served 178 families (including 300 youth clients) through our transitional housing program and non-residential program. 100% of these families entered the program living at or below the federal poverty line.