TANF Summit

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Successful Strategies to Move TANF Participants
Towards Self-Sufficiency

• TANF Summit
• December 13, 2006

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PathWaysPA Mission

• Assist low-income women, teens, children and
  families achieve economic independence and
  well-being.

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Pennsylvania Self-Sufficiency Project

• Assist low-income families build paths out of
  poverty by providing training, research and
  advocacy to offer ways in which self-sufficiency
  can be achieved.

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Working hard should move families out of poverty,
not keep them poorComparing the income of a
minimum wage worker to the self-sufficiency
standard clearly shows that a minimum wage job is
not a ticket to self-sufficiency.-Secretary
Estelle RichmanJune 22, 2006
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Pennsylvania Self-Sufficiency Standard

• Demonstrates the wages a family needs, based on
  the family composition and location, in order to
  meet their basic needs without any public or
  private assistance (such as Food Stamps or shared
  housing).

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It is not acceptable that in this great nation,
you can work full time and still live below the
poverty level. If the cost of food, clothing,
shelter and other basic necessities continue
rising, how can our citizens afford to support
themselves? Do we make them choose between a hot
meal and gas for the car?-Governor Ed Rendell
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Painful Facts

• Cash assistance grant is not good enough for any
  child.
• Raise the minimum wage
• Employment and training programs must give
  participants the tools and habits they need to
  get into jobs that can be the start of a career
  with opportunities for advancement.
• Ensure that low income working individuals have
  access to supports that will improve their
  economic well-being.

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PathWaysPAsSelf-Sufficiency Tools and Resources
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Online Self-Sufficiency Budget Worksheet
The Worksheet uses a familys real costs to
determine what wages they need to earn as they
transition to work, or to increase their earnings
to meet their basic needs, considering the kinds
of work supports available to them.
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How Can the Worksheet be Used?

• Long-term planning
• Career planning
• Demonstrates how wages affect the supports
  available.
• Links to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to
  Social Services (COMPASS)
• Online application for work supports

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Getting Ahead Family Financial Resources Packet
A comprehensive packet of materials outlining the
broad array of economic supports, such as tax
credits, financial supports, available to working
families.
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How Can the Packet be Used?

• Independently
• In conjunction with the Self-Sufficiency Budget
  Worksheet
• In conjunction with the Paths to Self-Sufficiency
  booklet

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Paths to Self-Sufficiency
An easy to use reference guide that provides
working families with strategies to achieve
self-sufficiency.
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How Can Paths be Used?

• Career Planning Tool
• In conjunction with the Packet and Budget
  Worksheet

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Earned Income Tax Credit
A refundable federal tax credit for working
families. Eligible taxpayers may qualify for a
refund, even if taxpayer owes no money.
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How Can Tax Materials be Used?

• Promoting valuable tax credits for working
  families
• Host a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Site (VITA)

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Create Financial Options

• Accessing VITA services
• Accessing work supports (e.g. food stamps,
  Medicaid, Childrens Health Insurance Program)
• Planning and participation in asset-building
  activities
• Accessing resources which lead to economic
  stability (e.g. rainy day funds, low-interest
  weatherization loans)
• Making informed decisions at which training most
  likely leads to Self-Sufficiency Wages
• Making sound career choices based on wage
  adequacy, job mobility, employee benefits and
  retention

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PathWaysPA
Jacquie Patterson Director of Self-Sufficiency
Projects jpatterson_at_pathwayspa.org www.pathwayspa.
org [phone]