Stable Families

United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s Stable Families program works with community partners to identify families who are at risk of losing their homes. Through short-term intervention, Stable Families ensures families have resources to address critical bills and opportunities to increase earnings.

At the same time, caring case managers work with families to assess their housing situation to make sure that they are planning expenses to stay in their home and keep their kids in school. We know the best way to help families thrive is to look at the situation holistically, so by helping to stabilize the family’s financial foundation and ensuring the children have a consistent school experience, it becomes a solution for whole-family success.

In 2022, United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s Stable Families program worked with 434 families in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky; 99% of them avoided a disruptive move; 74% were able to maintain stable housing for 12 months; 46% increased their income.

Since the program’s inception in 2009, Stable Families has grown from serving 60 families in its first year to more than 400 annually.

United Way of Greater Cincinnati Stable Families ensures that families have:

• Necessary financial assistance that gives emergency resources to fulfill critical bills.
• Specialized career coaching that creates opportunities to increase earnings.
• Caring case managers work with families for 18 months to assess their housing situation to make sure that they are planning expenses to stay in their home and keep their kids in school.

With critical support from the Siemer Institute, United Way of Greater Cincinnati raises and contributes matching dollars that support Stable Families at Brighton Center and Santa Maria Community Services. A significant portion of the funding provides direct assistance for families to address their needs. Other funds support coaches that work directly with families.

When housing conditions declined rapidly at her apartment on Ross Avenue, Legal Aid introduced Tronyse to case managers at Santa Maria Community Services–a United Way Stable Families agency–to assist her with her housing issues. Powered by the knowledge she gained by attending SMCS Rent Wise: Tenant Education Class, Tronyse was able to find new affordable and quality housing.

After moving into a better home, Tronyse, with the support of Stable Families, began focusing more on her own upward movement. She signed up for Dohn's 22+ Adult Diploma program to obtain a high school diploma and graduated in a few short months. Encouraged by how proud her children were of her recent graduation, she asked how to get certified in the health care field with a certificate in Phlebotomy.

A Santa Maria connection to Project Lift, a new United Way initiative, helped Tronyse get her tuition covered to attend classes. After a few more months, she graduated from her second educational program in less than one year.

Armed with her diploma and certification, Tronyse began working for Cincinnati Public Schools and plans to use her Phlebotomy certificate to work in a health care setting during the summer months when she is off from CPS. Tronyse says of her accomplishments, "I'm super proud of myself. I just needed that extra push."