Families are our first support system – but they shouldn’t be our last.
Housing, education and workforce training, and health care are critical for family stability and economic opportunity. Yet too many families face barriers to accessing the supports they need to thrive. Our goal is to connect low-income families with tools and resources that create pathways to economic mobility.
Areas of focus include:
Child & Youth Opportunity
Newborns are tomorrow’s graduates, community role models, and leaders – but they need support through early childhood to position them for education and life success. RLDF will support organizations who provide access to prenatal, infant, and early childhood health supports; maternal and infant home visiting programs, and high quality, affordable early childhood education and care.
As children move into adolescence, we must nurture the growth and development of young people. RLDF will support organizations with expertise and successful track records in providing adolescent mental health services, as well as programs that pair youth with adult mentors that put young people on a path to personal and professional success.
Parental Opportunity
Children thrive when their home lives are stable, their families are nurturing and ensure their safety, and they are supported by a caring community. We support organizations with a track record of providing career and technical education, as well as the support of high school and college degree attainment – with a particular focus on resources for sole-caregiver homes. Second, RLDF will support a select number of parenting education programs with demonstrated track records of success.
Financial Opportunity
Poverty is a leading barrier to children and adults achieving their full potential. Low-income families are often excluded from opportunities that allow them to develop wealth and financial security. We support organizations and efforts that help these families create pathways to economic mobility, financial independence and stability. RLDF will support programs that help these families manage money and create wealth, build credit, reduce debt, and access stable housing and home ownership.
“I wanted to give back what everyone had given me and my family.”
Richard L. Duchossois
