Bridge Forward Initiative
Bridge Forward Initiative Facts
There are thousands of women and families in Erie working hard to raise their children and live their lives. They are teachers’ aides, healthcare workers, retail managers, nursing students, childcare providers, and small business employees. They are the backbone of our local economy, but often manage their family paycheck to paycheck. A temporary setback or unexpected bill can often set off a series of destabilizing events, resulting in chronic instability for these women and their families. Since our founding in 1953, we have provided emergency financial assistance as we could afford. The purpose of this Bridge Forward is to create a sustainable process for delivering targeted intervention at the precise moment when help matters most. The Bridge Forward will create an accessible, rapid application process, in concert with formal case management support focused on stabilization, to more effectively deploy assistance. Emergency assistance delivered quickly and respectfully communicates a powerful message—we see you, and your effort matters. Women who receive this type of intervention are far more likely to regain stability within weeks rather than years. A bridge, not a bailout, is often all that is required
Since 1953, CCCAS has been helping people with emergency needs, starting with food vouchers that the founders provided to local grocery stores.
In the last two years, and more noticeably in the last year, CCCAS offered one-time assistance to:
433 with rent/security deposit –Preventing evictions - total dollars $25,6378
450 with utility bills, preventing shutoffs – total dollars $45,451
70 with bus passes for transportation needs, able to get to work/appointments – total dollars $6109
55 with food gift cards – total dollar $2010.
Over 90% of those seeking assistance were women, and of those, 87% were single mothers and the sole source of income.
The statistics in Erie continue to be alarming:
Overall Poverty Rates: In the city of Erie, roughly 16% of women live below the federal poverty line.
Childhood Poverty: Roughly 44% of youth under 18 in Erie live in poverty, which disproportionately affects families headed by single women.
Poverty among women in Erie is a critical issue, with approximately one in six women living below the poverty level. Poverty is both a cause and a consequence of domestic violence, leading to chronic homelessness and instability for women and families.
The statistics in Erie continue to be alarming:
Overall Poverty Rates: In the city of Erie, roughly 16% of women live below the federal poverty line.
Childhood Poverty: Roughly 44% of youth under 18 in Erie live in poverty, which disproportionately affects families headed by single women.
We are fortunate to have strong and collaborative approaches to ending chronic homelessness, such as the Triangle of Hope. This Bridge Forward seeks to PREVENT women and families from falling into permanent instability. Across our community, there are women doing everything right: Working full-time jobs. Raising children. Attending school at night. Paying rent on time and showing up every day with determination and resilience. By every outward measure, they are “doing okay.” Until one unexpected bill changes everything. Car trouble, a child gets sick, work hours are cut, a landlord raises the rent. For women living paycheck to paycheck—especially single mothers and caregivers—there is no cushion. No backup savings. No family wealth to lean on. One emergency expense of $800, $1,200, or $2,000 can trigger a cascade of consequences: late rent, eviction notices, utility shutoffs, damaged credit, job loss due to lack of transportation, and ultimately homelessness. Bridge Forward is a one-time, fully vetted financial assistance program designed specifically for women who are otherwise stable but facing a temporary financial crisis. The goal is simple and powerful: close the short-term gap before it becomes a long-term catastrophe.
The funds are always paid directly to the vendor (utility or landlord), so there is no concern about misappropriation.
It is tremendous to be able to help these women get back to “normal,” albeit one that teeters on the brink at times, yet one that moves forward as moms, employees, daughters, and contributing members of the Erie community.
Without this slight but powerful assistance, there is no “Bridge Forward,” only a cascading negative impact on the women, the children, their health, and the Erie community.
In addition to funding these bills, this grant will also provide additional services through professional case management, which will take that extra step of suggesting support and resources to keep the journey across the bridge moving smoothly.