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Economically Vibrant Communities
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Creating opportunities for all people to secure safe and affordable housing, acquire skills and training to maintain employment and be successful, contributing citizens.
   
The New Haven region has the 7th greatest income disparity in the nation when comparing the poverty in our central city (and increasingly in our inner ring communities of West Haven , East Haven and Hamden ) with the wealth of our outer ring suburbs. While jobs are growing in low-wage sectors and shrinking in high-wage industries, the cost of housing is increasing. Today a worker needs to earn approximately $35,000 annually to afford a two-bedroom apartment. The average number of homeless in New Haven each night is 1,200.
United Way is committed to helping close this economic gap by working with partners to create a region where everyone has the opportunity to secure, safe and affordable housing, the skills and training needed to succeed in decent paying jobs and the means to be self-sufficient. United Way investments in innovative supportive housing solutions, job training, youth employment, and community conversations about what it takes to be a competitive region not only improve the lives of individuals and families but also strengthen our entire region.
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| Strategy for Change: Economic Opportunity |
Goals
- Increase the number of people employed in jobs that provide a livable wage.
- Increase the number of youth, adults, and special populations that have the skills and education, including literacy, numeracy, and English-language skills, to be successful.
- Increase the number of jobs for youth.
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Desired Interim Results
- Individuals have greater access to a streamlined system of effective employment and training services, and to supportive services (e.g., transportation and child care).
- People have the personal management skills to gain and maintain employment.
- Public and private employers throughout the region are supported in their efforts to hire and retain youth and populations with employment barriers.
- Youth have access to jobs, internships and apprenticeships in the public and private sector.
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Strategies
- STEP (Support Team for Educational Progress) Summer Program Services designed to create a seamless transition process for students returning from a secure or residential facility to their family, community and traditional school setting.
- Job Development Project. Job placement services designed to help homeless men 1) acquire pre-employment training/services; 2) employment referrals/placement; 3) motivational support services before, during and after employment placement.
- Right to Work and Learn Program . Assistance for adults with severe mental illness to help them secure educational and employment opportunities and enable them to develop a career and to realize their potential.
- Employment Support through Family Literacy English-language/literacy training, job training, and child care placement assistance for immigrants and refugees.
- Economic Development Program Financial literacy, job readiness, micro loans for starting a small business and free tax assistance to empower the Latino community of Fair Haven.
- Workforce Development Program Job training, peer mentorship & supervision, academic support, college prep, career mapping and workforce readiness for New Haven youth.
- Stepping Stone Transitional Housing Services to help residents develop a new self-image and to teach them skills, behaviors and attitudes to help them break the cycle of poverty.
- Employability Skills Placement Project Employability skills training to economically disadvantaged residents of greater New Haven who are unemployed or underemployed.
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| Strategy for Change: Housing |
Goals
- Increase the number of families and individuals living in safe, affordable and decent housing.
- Increase access to affordable, supportive housing for families and individuals with special needs and disabilities.
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Desired Interim Results
- People in the region have improved access to financial assistance to help them secure and maintain stable housing.
- People in crisis have access to emergency shelter services.
- Emergency shelters help individuals make the transition to stable housing.
- Regional and state policymakers take action to remove barriers to safe, affordable and decent housing.
- All the municipalities in the region have plans for providing additional affordable and supportive housing.
- Case managers have the education and training to provide effective and coordinated services.
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Strategies
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- Columbus House Shelter Case Management Services.. Case management services to single adult women and men who are homeless.
- Homelessness Intervention Program. Housing security deposit assistance program, self-sufficiency guidance and landlord mediation.
- Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven , Emergency Shelter Shelter helping women and children recovering from domestic violence.
- Support to Homeowners and Nonprofit Developers to Create and Sustain Affordable Housing. Improving access to financial assistance for developers to create affordable housing; improve access to financial assistance for homeowners to remain in homes that they can afford; and continue advocating to encourage regional and state policymakers to take action to remove barriers to affordable housing.
- Access to Housing for AIDS Patients A social service advocate who will serve as a point of convergence for discharge preparedness and to aid in the successful transition to community of people with AIDS and no homes.
- Life Haven, Inc., Emergency Shelter A transitional emergency supportive shelter for women and children.
- Supportive Housing Program for Families A two-year supportive housing program that gradually builds independence of women with families.
- Housing for Individuals with Special Needs à
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