Lift Inc

LIFT'S MISSION IS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY BY INVESTING IN PARENTS.

FOUNDED IN 1998, LIFT 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, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) IMPROVING CREDIT, ELIMINATING DEBT, OR SECURING A LIVING WAGE - THAT PUT THEIR FAMILIES ON THE PATH TO 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 MODEL AIMS TO MITIGATE AND ULTIMATELY CHANGE THE ACTIONS OF SYSTEMS THAT CREATE BARRIERS TO SUCCESS BY ADVOCATING FOR POLICY THAT CENTERS THE VOICES OF LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. OUR SYSTEMS CHANGE GOALS STEM FROM THE HUMANITY THAT UNDERPINS OUR DIRECT SERVICE MODEL AS THE ACTION TANK FROM WHERE WE SHARE OUR LEARNING, INSIGHTS, BEST PRACTICE, AND RESPONSIVE INNOVATION 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 POLICY THAT BUILD FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR FAMILIES AND TO DECREASE THE BANDWIDTH TAX ON PARENT'S TIME, ATTENTION, AND COGNITION CAUSED BY COMPLEX SYSTEMS. LIFT'S NEW STRATEGIC PLAN BUILDS ON OUR DIRECT SERVICE TO ACHIEVE POPULATION-LEVEL IMPACT THROUGH 1) STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS THAT DEMONSTRATE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SECTOR STRATEGIES TO 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.