Presidential 2016: LIFT- Helping Americans Realize Big Dreams & Better Futures

Thanks to the persistence of social innovators across the country, every day we see strategies that are working and delivering results in a rapidly changing world. This ongoing blog series highlights the voices of our Coalition of more than 70 social innovators and their solutions to our country’s most pressing social problems, as well as examples of how this powerful work can be transformed into national change. Today we will hear from Molly Day, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Growth at LIFT, about how they empower families to break the generational cycle of poverty through a holistic model that offers personal, social, and financial supports.

October 26, 2016 | Molly Day, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Growth at LIFT

Marbella is one of LIFT’s parents. When her daughter Sarai was almost two, and she was pregnant with her second child Pedro, Marbella was struggling to find child care that would allow her to work more hours at the restaurant where she’s worked part-time for the last 13 years. The Bronx resident came to LIFT because she was frustrated by a constant cycle of making trade-offs. It’s exactly how she and her sister grew up, and she wanted something different for her children.

After we helped Marbella address some of her basic needs, we started talking to her about her future. What did she want – and need – for her kids?

The answer was easy: an education – more specifically, college. Marbella makes less than $400 each week, but because she knew what a game changer a degree would be, she saved enough to open up two 529 College Savings Accounts for Sarai and Pedro – accounts LIFT matched several times over.

Opening those accounts did more than establish a base for her children’s college educations; they helped change the way Marbella thought about her future.

For the full story, read on here. Follow along and share your thoughts with #AFPresidential16.

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