Families Forward
Until every family has a home
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Data collected by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition in 2019 indicates that Orange County needs approximately 112,996 more affordable housing units to keep up with the growing problem of cost of living increases and stagnant wages for low-income families. Researchers also estimate that a single parent must earn approximately $27.62 per hour or work 105 hours a week at minimum wage to afford a one-bedroom apartment in Orange County. Families Forward receives nearly 2,000 requests for assistance every year. Approximately 58% of these calls are from families at risk of homelessness and 42% are from families who are already sleeping in cars, storage units, and other spaces not meant for human habitation. Our hope is to ensure that these families avoid and overcome the reality of homelessness as they increase their earning potential and progress towards market-rate housing.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Housing Program
The Housing Program supports families in becoming stable and self-sufficient. Families experiencing homelessness are placed in one of Families Forward's 90+ owned or partner units*, helping to integrate each family into their neighborhood. Effort is made to place families in their preferred communities and school districts so that children’s lives maintain consistency and experience less disruption. Families budget and pay a portion of their income towards rent to reinforce fiscal responsibility and accountability. After addressing the immediate need of housing, families work with Case Managers to create individualized plans that help them meet their goals and address specific needs. Through a comprehensive array of services such as counseling, food, life-skills education and career coaching, families gain skills and access tools needed to make permanent changes and prevent future incidents of homelessness.
*Families Forward plans to reach 100 units by 2023.
Homeless Prevention Services
With the rising cost of housing and wages not keeping pace, Families Forward has continued to see high demand for assistance from families throughout the county. Since 1984, our Homeless Prevention programs have provided comprehensive support to low-income families who are at-risk of becoming, or are, homeless and assist them in achieving stability. Through Families Forward’s various safety-net services, at-risk families are given access to assistance such as our on-site food pantry, counseling, career coaching, and life skills education. Through the support of our dedicated and trained volunteers, Families Forward also provides individualized phone referrals to families seeking assistance if their needs cannot be met through Families Forward.
Where we work
Awards
2020 Nonprofit of the Year 2020
California Assembly District 74
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of households that obtain/retain permanent housing for at least 6 months
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Homeless people
Related Program
Housing Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Includes prevention services.
Number of children and youth who have received access to stable housing
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Infants and toddlers, Children and youth
Related Program
Housing Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of people within the organization's service area accessing food aid
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Homeless Prevention Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Number of job skills training courses/workshops conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Housing Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In the 2017/2018 year, Families Forward moved to a one-on-one career coaching method and lessened the workshops. The metrics show the unduplicated individuals served through one-on-one and workshops.
Total number of counseling sessions performed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Homeless Prevention Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
More than 21,000 volunteer hours are contributed each year.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of phone calls/inquiries
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This number includes phone call requests for services.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We expect to achieve the following quantifiable outcomes):
1. 250 homeless Orange County families with minor age children (approximately 750 individuals) receive housing assistance
2. 85% of those served secure and maintain stable housing after program completion
3. 75% of parents increase/maintain their annual income to maintain stability for their children
Families Forward's Housing Program assists families in achieving self-sufficiency and housing stability with the aim of ending family homelessness in Orange County.
While our comprehensive Housing Program enables us to respond to the reality of family homelessness in Orange County, Families Forward acknowledges that any long-term solution to homelessness must include an increase in the overall supply of permanent affordable housing. Families Forward currently owns or has formalized access to 56 affordable unites with that number expected to double by 2023. This will assist Families Forward in achieving its goal of preventing and ending family homelessness in Orange County.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Families Forward's Housing Program provides housing and supportive services to families in Orange County with dependent children who are experiencing or at-risk of becoming homeless. Families Forward participates in the Orange County Continuum of Care (CoC), a public-nonprofit partnership that ensures a comprehensive, regional coordination of efforts and resources to prevent or end family homelessness.
Families Forward's Housing Intake Coordinator works through the CoC to assess a family's degree of vulnerability. Those who qualify are enrolled in the county-wide Coordinated Entry System (CES), prioritized according to need, and reassigned to various housing agencies within Orange County.
Families Forward is matched with families from the Coordinated Entry System. Each qualified family is assigned a care team that includes a family navigator, case manager, housing resource specialist and career coach. Those in need of emergency shelter receive up to one week of motel vouchers while Families Forward prepares an interim unit. Once in interim housing, the family works with their care team to locate a permanent housing solution and overcome barriers, such as unemployment, eviction history, or poor credit.
The Housing Program is designed to assist families for a short period of time, averaging 4-6 months, as they regain independence and take steps toward stability. During this time, families have access to a wide range of supportive services, including weekly food pantry visits, counseling, career coaching, school supplies in August, food for holiday meals and gifts leading up to the holidays. Clients who are rapidly rehoused into a permanent unit receive decreasing rental assistance and, after the family becomes economically self-sufficient, case managers continue to check in with the family for up to one year to ensure housing stability.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Families Forward has a diverse and experienced team that includes a 26-member board of directors, approximately 70 staff members, and 2,000 volunteers. Our team works with homeless families to identify goals and create individual plans that focus on a family's unique attributes and build accountability into their work toward stability. We address employment and incomes, encouraging clients to improve their financial situations and create a finance plan that will enable long-term success. By working with families to provide tools and a plan for the future, we create a stronger community for all of us. Families Forward successfully collaborates with many Orange County organizations that include Orange County United Way, Commission to End Homelessness, Children and Families Commission and many other partner agencies and foundations.
Providing supportive services to improve lives, Families Forward also reaches out to low-income families to help reduce the pressures that can cause homelessness and help families maintain stability. Through various safety-net services, clients are provided access to our on-site food pantry, counseling, career coaching, and financial and life skills education. The goal of the program is to help families recover from a financial crisis so they can maintain self-sufficiency.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In less than 5 years, Families Forward has grown the number of its available affordable housing units in Orange County from 27 to 56 to 88, enabling us to offer more long-term solutions for families transitioning from homelessness to affordable housing to market-rate housing rentals in Orange County. We've also expanded our landlord and developer partnerships that will lead to more available affordable housing units designated for homeless parents and children. These include Chelsea Investment Corporation's new apartment community that contains 10 units set aside for Extremely Low and Very Low Income (<50% AMI) homeless families and National Community Renaissance (CORE) with at least 10 designated units of affordable housing for income-qualifying homeless families.
Families Forward has also risen to the challenges presented by the pandemic, serving more than 12,000 people through our food pantry. We also increased our overall success rate for long-term family stability. Every year, the county-wide Continuum of Care evaluates Families Forward and other continuum partners to determine agency effectiveness in serving homeless individuals and families. The continuum determined that, of those who successfully exit homelessness in partnership with Families Forward, 98% did not re-enter the homeless service provider system and remained successfully housed one year later.
Families Forward additionally offers a Prevention program that serves as a model for others in the county. Our team of trained volunteers returns 100% of the calls received from families in a housing crisis. This team offers over-the-phone case management, referrals, and limited financial assistance designed to prevent families from entering homelessness and remain stably housed.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals, To inform our Strategic Plan
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, Some clients are in crisis and not in a position to share their story.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Families Forward
Board of directorsas of 02/08/2024
Ms. Karin Pearson
Capital Group
Term: 2020 - 2024
David Snow
Distinguished Professor, University of California, Irvine
Ryan Warne-McGaw
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Jon Radus
Fullerton Police Department
Debbie Thomsen
Community Volunteer
Victor Cao
California Apartment Association
Karin Pearson
Capital Group
Martha Bayer
Community Leader
Tristen Cali
Pacific Premier Bank
Nancy Chase
Community Leader
Dennis Deslatte
Community Leader
Peter Hering
Rutan & Tucker, LLP
Nicholas Meraz
Community Leader
Kitty Shen
Community Leader
Dr. Vinita Speir
Pacific Women's Healthcare Associates
Susan McMclintic
Community Leader
Christy Mokrohisky
Providence
Danyell Alders
AvalonBay Communities
Bhavna Mantha
Aspisero Inc.
Debbie Chamkasem
Experian
Mayra Cerda
Community Leader
Bradley Comp
Ayco, A Goldman Sachs Company
Yann de Fabrique
Irvine Company
Judy Cooper
Community Leader
James Kim
Lewis Group
Michael Kaufman
Community Leader
Joseph Rasuli
U.S. Bank
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/30/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.