METROPOLITAN FAMILY SERVICE

AARP Foundation Experience Corps is a national program housed locally at Metropolitan Family Service. This intergenerational volunteer tutoring program engages adults 50 and older to work 1:1 with kindergarten through 3rd grade students to help them reach critical literacy benchmarks by the third grade.. Findings show significant gains in reading and behavior. Mentors commit to serving throughout the entire school year, 4-10 hours per week and:
-Serve in neighborhood schools
-Work one-to-one and in small groups
-Support children in K-3rd grade
-Focus on developing literacy skills
-Build self confidence in the children served
-Receive excellent training and ongoing support

Parent coaches provide home visits to families to strengthen parenting skills, communication and understanding of child development, utilizing an evidence-based parent education curriculum. Coaches link families to community resources and opportunities.

Staff and volunteers are linked with older adults and people with disabilities who need transportation services to remain independent in their homes. Volunteers provide minor home repair to older adults living in their own homes. This program makes it possible for people to age with dignity and feel connected to their community.

- WAYS TO WORK is an economic empowerment program with a focus on working programs that provides financial education and below market rate loans to purchase, repair or refinance a car for work, childcare and school related transportation. combines low-interest car loans with financial education, budget consulting, and personalized management. Ways to Work is integrated as part of comprehensive individual and/or family stabilization plans alongside other key social services MFS offers, such as case management and parent education.

- Financial coaching provides individual coaching to help people build credit and manage debt

- WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT helps low income women participate more fully in the economy by providing culturally responsive career planning and job readiness training.

- SF2020 YOUTH INTERNSHIP: MFS is part of Successful Families 2020, a collaborative partnership with local culturally specific organizations. High school age youth participate in activities which invest in their community through work based learning, connecting to local professional mentors, gaining economic empowerment skills and participating in career exploration experiences.

- WAYS TO SAVE (Individual Development Accounts- IDA) are savings accounts that make it possible for low-and moderate-income Oregonians to build assets by making monthly savings deposits that are matched 3:1.

- SAVERLIFE is a matched savings program open to people at 80% median income or less.

- CREDIT COACHING: In partnership with Prosper Portland, MFS provided one-on-one coaching to small business owners whose credit scores affect their ability to borrow and grow their businesses.

Ready, Set, Go! is a culturally responsive early childhood education and parent engagement program providing low resourced families with access to high quality learning environments led by expert staff. Ready Set Go is offered in 5 schools in partnership with school districts.

Family Resource Coordinators navigate health, education, and other human service systems for families with children age 6 and under so they can get the resources they need to be successful. Coordinators then follow up with families and providers to ensure services have been successfully accessed and have met the families' needs for stability, health and school readiness.

MFS operates 5 school-based food pantries, 3 open markets, after school meal sites, summer meal sites, school community gardens and 2 harvest share programs through the Oregon Food Bank, all bringing fresh produce and healthy food to our community. Last year, MFS served nearly 1.6 million pounds of food to over 8,500 people through our school-based food distributions, while we taught and learned from over 400 students and adults enrolled in our cooking and nutrition education classes.

Connects pro bono professionals with nonprofits that need expertise with short term, high impact capacity building projects.

CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) Oregon is committed to improving the financial health of low income working families and individuals.

CASH Oregon provides low income families and individuals from every community and background in Oregon with the tools and resources to begin building solid financial futures. In partnership with AARP Tax-Aide, CASH Oregon supports Earned Income Tax Credit outreach and free tax preparation programs. In addition, through our strategic partnerships with financial service organizations around the State, including Innovative Change$, we facilitate easy access to financial education and services.