SECURING OUR FUTURE is an initiative in partnership with Birth 22 United for Brighter Futures and the Citizens Advisory Committee on Health & Human Services (CAC/HHS) that seeks to create pathways for economic mobility for families with children ages 0-18 who are living below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) with a special emphasis on families that are 100% or below FPL and have the ability to work.

Our History

On December 14, 2017 the Citizens Advisory Committee on Health & Human Services (CAC/HHS) along with many other organizations from various sectors of the community came together to discuss ways to maximize the effectiveness of a System of Care in order to reduce poverty in Palm Beach County. During the meeting, participants discussed the poverty objective outlined in the Health and Human Services Element of Palm Beach County’s Comprehensive Plan. Participants also discussed the development of a community plan to reduce poverty using a systems thinking approach as well as the eight steps to leading change outlined by John Kotter.

Our Vision

A System of Care that maximizes economic mobility for targeted families.

Our Mission

To collaborate with stakeholders to create an ecosystem that supports innovative systemic change leading to increased economic mobility for low-income families.

Our Goals

To reduce poverty by 10% over the next 10 years by moving 188 households (with children ages 0 – 18) beyond the federal poverty threshold (and eventually the living wage or ALICE threshold) every year for the next decade.

To advance economic mobility by removing systemic barriers and enhancing access to effective and essential health and human services.

OUR Guiding Principles

We believe that:

All workers should be able to earn a living wage and be provided an opportunity to develop their skills over time to facilitate upward mobility.
Structural and Institutional racism must be dismantled in order to address the economic disparities that currently exist.
Elected officials, institutional leaders, employers, nonprofits, foundations, workers and other members of society all play a role in individuals entering and staying in the workforce.
All residents should have the opportunity to work to their fullest potential, earn a decent income as a primary way to meet their personal, social and economic responsibilities.
Businesses and other organizations play a critical role in providing quality work and providing opportunities for upward mobility.
Employment support benefits should provide enough economic stability for families to stabilize and advance economically and live in dignity.
justice icon All workers should be able to earn a living wage and be provided an opportunity to develop their skills over time to facilitate upward mobility.
briefcase icon Structural and Institutional racism must be dismantled in order to address the economic disparities that currently exist.
money icon Elected officials, institutional leaders, employers, nonprofits, foundations, workers and other members of society all play a role in individuals entering and staying in the workforce.
building icon All residents should have the opportunity to work to their fullest potential, earn a decent income as a primary way to meet their personal, social and economic responsibilities.
people icon Businesses and other organizations play a critical role in providing quality work and providing opportunities for upward mobility.
trend icon Employment support benefits should provide enough economic stability for families to stabilize and advance economically and live in dignity.

OUR Model

Framework for Achieving Economic Mobility through Gainful Employment

1. Provide support benefits to help families meet their basic needs and increase financial stability while improving individual life skills, building human and social capital and creating opportunities for personal and professional growth.
2. Develop partnerships that strengthens the local ecosystem to offer skill building, mentorship and career exposure for youth and adults to facilitate more on-ramp quality employment opportunities.
3. Develop a local, state and federal policy agenda that reduces barriers to employment for low-income households and vulnerable populations.

Download the 'Securing Our Future' PDF.

Our Strategy

This phase involves assessing the assets and needs of the Health and Human Services System of Care. Research is gathered on local conditions as it relates to employment, healthcare, transportation, food, housing, crime, education, childcare etc. This information will provide key stakeholders (businesses, nonprofits, governmental entities, churches etc.) a realistic picture of the gaps that exists within the HHS system. This information is needed to establish collective goals and objectives and to strategically allocate resources to fill the gaps.
This phase involves bringing institutional leaders from various sectors together to develop a shared vision for the community. During this phase, disaggregated data is provided to the leaders along with a framework for advancing economic mobility.
During this phase, governmental entities, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations and community leaders will come together to develop a comprehensive plan which includes a governance structure that will facilitate pathways for economic mobility. These leaders will be identified as local champions for the plan and will work together to address systemic challenges that they may encounter.
This phase involves host hosting multiple events, developing a website, sharing videos, marketing materials etc… in order to engage additional stakeholders in this collective effort. During this phase, interested families, community organizations, businesses and volunteers will be information that enables them to easily connect to this collective effort.
This phase involves strategically allocating resources to implement the comprehensive plan. During this phase, organizational leaders are working together across sectors seamlessly to deliver, effective and sustainable interventions that helps low income individuals enter into employment and earn higher wages.
During this phase, an evaluation protocol will be developed and implemented to better understand effective short-term predictors of mobility from poverty. This information would be used to strategically invest more in the things that work and less in the services that are ineffective. An ongoing process will be developed to identify short-term predictors. The information gathered from this phase will also be used to inform institutional leaders and other stakeholders in an effort to increase understanding, reaffirm investments and shift narratives about what is needed to for low-income individuals to advance economically.

Our Strategy

magnifier iconResearch and Assessment
This phase involves assessing the assets and needs of the Health and Human Services System of Care. Research is gathered on local conditions as it relates to employment, healthcare, transportation, food, housing, crime, education, childcare etc. This information will provide key stakeholders (businesses, nonprofits, governmental entities, churches etc.) a realistic picture of the gaps that exists within the HHS system. This information is needed to establish collective goals and objectives and to strategically allocate resources to fill the gaps.
thought iconEstablish the Shared Vision
This phase involves bringing institutional leaders from various sectors together to develop a shared vision for the community. During this phase, disaggregated data is provided to the leaders along with a framework for advancing economic mobility.
clipboard iconDevelop the Strategic Plan
During this phase, governmental entities, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations and community leaders will come together to develop a comprehensive plan which includes a governance structure that will facilitate pathways for economic mobility. These leaders will be identified as local champions for the plan and will work together to address systemic challenges that they may encounter.
arrows iconCommunicate the Strategic Plan
This phase involves host hosting multiple events, developing a website, sharing videos, marketing materials etc… in order to engage additional stakeholders in this collective effort. During this phase, interested families, community organizations, businesses and volunteers will be information that enables them to easily connect to this collective effort.
interaction iconMobilization Phase
This phase involves strategically allocating resources to implement the comprehensive plan. During this phase, organizational leaders are working together across sectors seamlessly to deliver, effective and sustainable interventions that helps low income individuals enter into employment and earn higher wages.
bullseye iconEvaluation Phase
During this phase, an evaluation protocol will be developed and implemented to better understand effective short-term predictors of mobility from poverty. This information would be used to strategically invest more in the things that work and less in the services that are ineffective. An ongoing process will be developed to identify short-term predictors. The information gathered from this phase will also be used to inform institutional leaders and other stakeholders in an effort to increase understanding, reaffirm investments and shift narratives about what is needed to for low-income individuals to advance economically.

Contact Us

Palm Beach County
Community Services
810 Datura Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
561-355-4700

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.