Volunteers needed to assist with free tax preparation sites around the city. For more information, check our calendar event.

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The Family Strengthening Coalition-2009

History-

The Family Strengthening Coalition began in 2000 as a collaborative effort to increase community attention on issues facing families and catalyze better results for those families.  There were many successes – thousands of people participating in Family Strengthening Summits and other family-friendly events, thousands of families connected to free tax preparation and earned income tax credit (EITC) resources, hundreds more empowered through Family Circles, dozens of organizations winning Families Count Awards, and dozens of organizations more effectively collaborating to help families. 

However, much has changed in Indianapolis since 2000.  United Way moved on to other initiatives including family financial stability.  A new mayor is pursuing other means of helping Indianapolis families, including the First Lady’s support of Save Earn Learn:  Indy’s Campaign for Financial Fitness.  The Annie E. Casey Foundation and Central Indiana Community Foundation launched Making Connections Indianapolis (www.mcindy.org) to focus on results-based family success efforts.  And, many other local organizations have picked up the cause of helping families and giving voice to their hopes and concerns as individual organizations and partnership building. 

Because of these changes, The Indianapolis Foundation, an affiliate of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, and Annie E. Casey Foundation will not be providing financial or staff support to the Family Strengthening Coalition after the end of 2008.  Clarian Health will provide fiscal and administrative support of the Indianapolis Asset Building Coalition, a component of the FSC through March 30, 2009.  Specific programmatic transitions include the following.

2009 Changes:

• The Indianapolis Asset Building Coalition continues to meet the first Tuesday of every month.  The City of Indianapolis applied on behalf of the IABC and received $105,000 from the Internal Revenue Service to provide volunteer tax preparation for tax season 2009.   The Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee has agreed to serve as fiscal agent for this multi tax site expansion.  Clarian Health will continue to provide fiscal and administrative support to the IABC during through tax season 2009. 
• The Family Time Toolkit is being adopted by the Indiana Partnerships Center.  The Center will train people to help families use the toolkit.
• The Family Meal Time project will be adopted as part of the ongoing services of the Marion County Health Department. 
• Joni Albright will continue part-time to help with the transition of the projects and staff  the Asset Building Coalition. 

How to Volunteer- 

The Family Strengthening Coalition was a partnership of volunteers brought together and supported by foundations, the United Way of Central Indiana, the City of Indianapolis, and community based organizations.  Past and recent past volunteers (and funders) are acknowledged and thanked for contributing volunteer hours and support.  The Indianapolis volunteer community has a rich and generous history and it is anticipated that support of family strengthening will remain even in the absence of a formal coalition.  The funders, past FSC steering coalition members, and the many families that were touched hope that volunteers will continue dedication to the success of Indianapolis families through these  programs. 

• If you would like to be a Family Time Toolkit trainer, contact Jackie Garvey at jgarvey@fscp.org.
• If you would like to know more about the Marion County Health Department Community Programs and the Family Meal Time initiative, contact Joan Trendell at jtrendel@hhcorp.org.
• If you are interested in volunteering for Save Earn Learn:  Indy’s Campaign for Financial Fitness or would like to help market free tax preparation services and asset building to low to moderate income families, disabled, elderly or English as a second language, visit www.uwci.org/volunteer.   This project is a great way to directly share your time and talents with Indianapolis families.
• If you are interested in free tax preparation for your family, call 211 for tax site locations and hours. 

More Information- 

For more information about the Family Strengthening Coalition, the Indianapolis Asset Building Coalition, or Save Earn Learn:  Indy’s Campaign for Financial Fitness contact Joni Albright at jalbrig1@clarian.org or 962-5766.

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