#GiveTogetherNow is a rapid-response effort to get cash assistance into the hands of families most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. She's had no luck filing for unemployment and the stimulus check has yet to show up. Families can use this money for whatever is most pressing in their unique situation—to cover childcare, to pay the electric bill, to get food or medicine. The Family Independence Initiative (FII) offers a way to re-imagine how to support struggling families. The Family Independence Initiative is a nonprofit, community-based organization that is considered an on-the-ground social laboratory for new strategies to tackle poverty. The Family Independence Initiative is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization Close this module. Family Independence Initiative (FII) leverages the power of information to support economic and social mobility for families nationwide. Rather than impose solutions or fixes on behalf of others, FII proves that documenting and investing in the initiative and ingenuity of low-income families and communities is the most effective way forward. Results from our COVID-19 relief efforts are now available. The Family Independence Initiative is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Boston, MA 02116 Learn how you can be a part of the GreenLight Boston community. My goals were just something I rarely spoke of. All Rights Reserved. Families work together and on their own to set goals and find solutions to the problems they face – from child care, to savings, to affording tuition. They set personal goals for their families and obtain cash payments for reporting monthly progress, such as raising children’s grades, improving their credit score, or building their savings. Learn more at fii.org The Family Independence Initiative was formed to test a theory that low-income people can advance together by re-igniting the resource sharing, mutual support, and role modeling that historically has helped immigrant and socially excluded minority families exit poverty. Contending that no one gets out of poverty alone, Miller wanted to enroll families in groups so that they could turn to each other for help, instead of to a caseworker or a program. They also complete surveys about their activities and finances. All Rights Reserved. FII is changing this resource gap for low-income families by partnering with, learning from, and investing directly in families. Why can't we do this? At its core, the Family Independence Initiative approach is both radical and as old as our republic. As a nation, we have missed an opportunity to invest directly in the initiative and strength of low-income families working toward economic mobility. Bridges to Success and Family Independence Initiative demonstrate significant impact. At the same time, government officials at the federal, state, and local levels are facing a fiscal crisis, moving to curtail spending on many social programs in the face of a weakened economy and reduced tax revenues.