Lift

Founded in 1998, Lift, Inc is a national nonprofit on a mission to break the cycle of poverty by investing in parents. Decades of inequity and underinvestment in communities have kept low-income families trapped in a cycle that, like wealth, is passed down from generation to generation. All families deserve a better future - no matter their race, ethnicity, or zip code. Lift builds families' well-being, financial strength, and social connections to Lift two generations at once - an investment of hope, money, and love. Rooted in a relationship filled with dignity and trust, Lift's one-on-one coaching program empowers parents to set and achieve goals - such as going back to school, improving credit, eliminating debt, or securing a living wage that put their families on the path to (continued on schedule o)economic mobility. As part of its investment in families, in 2018, Lift launched the family goal fund which provides direct, unrestricted cash to families. Lift reduces stress and increases financial slack by giving cash directly to parents so that they don't have to choose between their emergency needs and long-term goals. As parents persist through Lift's two-year program, they receive a total of $1,200, distributed in three-month intervals to stay on track to reach their goals. Lift believes that parents know their families' needs better than any program could, and their evidence shows that parents use these funds to reinvest in themselves, their families, and their goals. Lift's direct service coaching model operating in chicago, los angeles, new york, and Washington d.c. changes lives. And, now through new, successful capacity-building partnerships and advocacy efforts, we are poised to shift how social service and other systems function for the millions of families living in poverty nationwide. Our systems change goals stem from the humanity that underpins our direct service model as the foundation from where we generate our learning, insights, best practice, and responsive innovations like giving cash. Lift uses impact data alongside parent voice and experience to mitigate, and ultimately change, the actions of systems and policies that drain hope, harm communities, and limit access and success. At federal, state, and city levels, our goals include changing practice, systems, and policies that build financial and social capital for families. Lift's strategic plan builds on our direct service to achieve population-level impact through 1) strategic partnerships that effectively shift public sector practice to better support parent's economic mobility, and 2) advocacy work to shift narratives, educate policymakers, and promote policies that reduce poverty.lift has service sites in chicago, los angeles, new york city, and Washington d.c., and partners with health systems, colleges, and local and national governments to adopt its approach across the country. Learn more at whywelift.org