Metropolitan Family Service

DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024 THE AGENCY SERVED 24,000 CLIENTS. OF THOSE, 69 PERCENT ARE CLIENTS OF COLOR. THE AGENCY:HELPS YOUTH AND FAMILIES LIVING IN LOW RESOURCED COMMUNITIES VIA COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROGRAMS, SCHOOL-BASED INTERGENERATIONAL TUTORING/MENTORING, AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITES. THE AGENCY HAS CREATED STABLE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OVER 25 SCHOOLS ACROSS 7 DISTRICTS OVER THE PAST 19 YEARS.SUPPORTS FAMILIES VIA EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING/KINDERGARTEN-READINESS PROGRAMS; PARENTING, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS. THIS YEAR APPROXIMATELY 250 FAMILIES WERE SERVED.COLLABORATES WITH CULTURALLY-SPECIFIC PARTNERS TO PROVIDE IN-DEPTH WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO FAMILIES VIA THE ALBINA-ROCKWOOD PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE. THIS YEAR APPROXIMATELY 90 FAMILIES WERE SERVED.PROVIDED MORE THAN 24,000 RIDES TO OLDER AND DISABLED ADULTS.RESULTS OF OUR ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM: SERVICES ARE INTEGRATED ACROSS CORE PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE RESULTS FOR FINANCIAL STABILITY & OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS. THE AGENCY HELPED BOOST FAMILY INCOME BY AN AVERAGE OF $1,774 LAST YEAR BY CONNECTING FAMILIES TO EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS. THIS YEAR, 400 PEOPLE WERE SERVED THROUGH ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING GROUP AND 1:1 FINANCIAL COACHING, BUDGETING, ASSET BUILDING (LOW COST AUTO LOANS AND INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNTS), DEBT MANAGEMENT AND CREDIT INFORMATION. IN SEPTEMBER 2019, MFS EXPANDED ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SERVICES THROUGH A MERGER WITH CASH OREGON, A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN SINGULARLY FOCUSED ON HELPING PEOPLE WITH FREE TAX PREPARATION. MFS MERGED WITH CASH OREGON IN ORDER TO ADD TO THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SET OF SERVICES AT MFS THROUGH ADDING CAPACITY TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REQUIRED TO FILE TAXES, BUT WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RETURNS THROUGH EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS AND CHILD TAX CREDITS. THE MERGER ADDED 11,489 SERVICE USERS WHO ARE NOW SUPPORTED AROUND THEIR TAX PREP NEEDS.OFFERS SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION. LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 24,000 RIDES TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, THE GROCERY STORE OR SOCIAL OUTINGS WERE PROVIDED FOR AROUND 1,000 ISOLATED OLDER AND DISABLED ADULTS.DISTRIBUTED ALMOST 1 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD ACROSS 30,000 PANTRY VISITS AT OUR SCHOOL-BASED FOOD PANTRIES AND MARKETS LAST YEAR.