THE FAMILY CONNECTION CENTER INC

OPEN DOORS RECEIVED FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH TANF TO SUPPORT OUR CIRCLES INITIATIVE. THIS FUNDING IS GUARANTEED FOR THREE YEARS AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING THE PROGRAM REMAIN VIABLE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. THE SECURE FUNDING ALLOWED OPEN DOORS TO FOCUS ON SERVICE DELIVERY AND ALIGNMENT WITH THE NATIONAL CIRCLES USA MODEL TO STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAM. OUR CIRCLES COORDINATOR ARRANGED A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH CLEARFIELD JOB CORPS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT TO TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS WHO ARE ALREADY STRIVING TO IMPROVE THEIR EDUCATION AND FIND A CAREER PATH. SERVING THIS POPULATION WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR OPEN DOORS AND THERE WERE MANY SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES. THE SUCCESSES INCLUDED SERVING 45 YOUNG PEOPLE, AT LEAST TWO OF WHOM WENT ON TO OBTAIN JOBS AT 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER CERTIFYING IN THE PROGRAM. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THAT MOST OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE RETURN HOME FOR THE SUMMER OR AFTER GRADUATION, SO OPEN DOORS IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM WITH VOLUNTEER MENTORING, TO HELP EVEN MORE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS EXCEL AND REACH THEIR EDUCATION AND CAREER GOALS. THE PARTNERSHIP WITH CLEARFIELD JOB CORPS HELPED OPEN DOORS ACHIEVE ITS CONTRACT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. IN ADDITION TO STRENGTHENING THE CIRCLES SELF-SUFFICIENCY INITIATIVE, OPEN DOORS ALSO STRENGTHENED ITS OTHER SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING MORE CASE MANAGEMENT TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WHO WANT TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOR THE BETTER. OPEN DOORS STARTED ALLOCATING FUNDING FOR CONCRETE SERVICES (SUCH AS RENT OR UTILITY ASSISTANCE) DIFFERENTLY, MAKING MORE OF THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO WORKED ON GOALS TO IMPROVE THEIR EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT, AND INCREASE THEIR INCOME. AFTER THE LARGE INCREASE IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP WITH RENT ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID- 19 PANDEMIC, THE DAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY LARGELY SAW OPEN DOORS AS A RENT RELIEF ORGANIZATION, BUT THAT IS NOT THE MISSION OF OPEN DOORS, EVEN THOUGHT THE AGENCY STEPPED UP TO HELP PEOPLE EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES DURING THE PANDEMIC. TURNING MOST AGENCY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES BACK TOWARD THE AGENCY MISSION TO STRENGTHEN FAMILIES AND HELP PEOPLE BECOME SELF-RELIANT, AND CHANGING THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION, WAS A BIG TASK. OPEN DOORS HAS BEEN LARGELY SUCCESSFUL IN THIS REGARD BY PUTTING MORE TIME AND RESOURCES INTO SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, FOCUSING LESS ON EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND GIVING RESOURCES TO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS COMMITTED TO JOINING OUR LONGER-TERM PROGRAMS TO REALLY IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. FOOD INSECURITY IS INCREASING AT AN UNPRECEDENTED PACE DUE TO ECONOMIC FACTORS INCLUDING INCREASES IN FOOD PRICES AND IMMIGRATION BY REFUGEES. WHILE THIS GROWTH IN NEED HAS STRAINED FOOD BANK RESOURCES ACROSS THE STATE OF UTAH AND IN DAVIS COUNTY, OPEN DOORS ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE, SERVING OVER 8,000 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF NEARLY 3,000 INDIVIDUALS OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. WITH FOOD DONATIONS REMAINING ALMOST LEVEL IN COMPARISON TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR, SERVING SO MANY PEOPLE IS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT. OPEN DOORS OBTAINED MORE VOLUNTEERS, IMPROVED EFFICIENCY, AND STARTED EXPLORING ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL RETAIL FOOD DISTRIBUTION. BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THE AGENCY STARTED GEARING UP TO TEST A NEW MODEL OF MOBILE FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE AT MORE LOCATIONS IN A MORE ECONOMICAL MANNER WHILE TAKING THE STRAIN OFF OF DAILY FOOD DISTRIBUTION AT OPEN DOORS WAREHOUSE. ONE OF OPEN DOORS BIGGEST SUCCESSES THIS YEAR WAS IN THE HOMELESS-TO- HOUSING PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BECOME HOUSING READY SO THEY CAN GET INTO A RENTAL UNIT WITH OPEN DOORS PAYING THE DEPOSIT AND FIRST MONTH'S RENT. OPEN DOORS PROVIDES ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND A DIMINISHING PERCENTAGE OF THE RENT PAYMENTS OVER AN AVERAGE OF SIX MONTHS UNTIL THE RENT IS TAKEN OVER BY THE TENANT. OUT OF TWENTY-SIX HOUSEHOLDS WHO EXITED THE HOMELESS-TO-HOUSING PROGRAM, ONLY ONE RETURNED TO HOMELESSNESS, WITH TWENTY-FIVE HOUSEHOLDS TAKING OVER THEIR RENT PAYMENTS AND REMAINING SAFELY AND SECURELY HOUSED. THIS IS A 96% SUCCESS RATE, HIGHER THAN OPEN DOORS HAS EVER SEEN, AND IS THE BEST OUTCOME IN THE STATE OF UTAH THIS YEAR FOR THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM. OPEN DOORS ALSO ASSISTED WITH THE WINTER RESPONSE CODE BLUE PROGRAM TO SHELTER PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DURING FREEZING COLD TEMPERATURES. WHILE OPEN DOORS SUCCESSFULLY HOUSED MANY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THIS PAST WINTER BY PUTTING THEM INTO HOTELS OR MOTELS FOR THOSE COLD NIGHTS, THE DRAIN ON TIME AND RESOURCES, AND THE POOR ALIGNMENT WITH THE AGENCY MISSION, WERE CHALLENGING, AND CAUSED THE AGENCY, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, TO AVOID ENGAGING IN SO MANY CRISIS AND EMERGENCY PROGRAMS AND INSTEAD TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMITMENT TO FOCUS ON PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WHICH REALLY CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES AND HELP THEM GET OUT OF POVERTY AND/OR HOMELESSNESS. OPEN DOORS MAIN FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM IS THE RESPITE NURSERY, WHICH GIVES GUILT-FREE BREAKS TO PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN BY ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE UP TO THREE HOURS PER WEEK OF FREE CHILDCARE AT OUR SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE FACILITY WHILE PARENTS, PRIMARILY MOTHERS, ENGAGE IN SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES. SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, OPEN DOORS HAS EXPERIENCED A DECREASE IN SERVICE LEVELS IN THE NURSERY, BUT BY THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, THE AGENCY INCREASED ITS MARKETING AND PARTNERSHIPS, USING STAFF AND BOARD MEMBER RESOURCES AND CONNECTIONS. THE RESULT WAS AN ASTONISHING INCREASE IN SERVICE DELIVERY TO FAMILIES, INCLUDING NEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER USED THE OPEN DOORS NURSERY BEFORE. OPEN DOORS DID NOT DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN SEEN COMPARED TO THE FIRST PART OF THE YEAR, BUT THAT IS THE GOAL FOR THE COMING YEAR. AS A RESULT OF USING THE RESPITE NURSERY, 94% OF PARENTS REPORTED A DECREASE IN STRESS, AND 93% OF PARENTS REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE IMPROVED RELATIONSHIPS IN THEIR FAMILIES AFTER USING THE NURSERY.