About Project Access

Project Access is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit corporation founded in 1999. KDF partners with Project Access to create a variety of service programs to bring health, education, and vocational resources to low-income families, children and seniors living in our affordable rental housing developments. The goal of the services provided by Project Access is to keep family members employed, children in school, and seniors active.

Project Access presently serves the residents of over 2,100 KDF apartment units through its on-site resource centers. While the mission of an affordable housing non-profit may be fulfilled by simply producing affordable housing, the Foundation for Social Resources clearly understands the challenges and needs of the low income population, and believes that they can do more to set them on the path to security and stability. By definition, residents of affordable housing communities are persons and families whose income does not exceed 60% of median income. Most are struggling families, starting new careers, starting new families, and often time starting over in a new country. Despite the fact that one or both parents in the home work multiple jobs and pay rent, this population is often described as "the working poor" - they simply do not have enough to go around. They live on a tightrope day to day, making choices that attempt to balance their needs for transportation, housing, education, nutrition and health care with the knowledge that they do not have sufficient funds to meet all the family needs. In recognition of this, Project Access was founded to help bridge this gap - to meet the needs of low income families with a more holistic approach - bringing needed education, health and social services to residents of these communities in their backyards - overcoming the common barriers to service and providing the tools necessary for these families and individuals to improve their lives and the futures of their children.

Mission:

To be the leading provider of vital health, education and employment services to families, children and seniors living in low-income housing communities. Our goal is to help keep family members employed, children in school, and seniors active.

Vision:

Project Access envisions that all residents of affordable housing communities have the opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency and maximize their full potential.

Guiding Principles:

RESPECT AND SUPPORT
Project Access equally values each individual’s contribution and participation in the delivery of our mission to assist and encourage low-income families and seniors of affordable housing to achieve self-sufficiency through access to onsite education, health and social services.

EMPOWERMENT
Project Access creates a positive environment by providing the resources that allow opportunities for success.

INTEGRITY
Project Access operates with a high level of integrity through our steadfast commitment to high-quality services, genuine passion for the work we do and a responsible approach to accountability with our partners.

TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION
At Project Access, we foster a team environment through communication and inter-dependence which allows us to maximize collaborative partnerships with service providers, volunteers and supporters in the communities we serve.

Project Access’ bilingual Service Coordinators offer a variety of programs and services to address individual and community needs, such as:

HEALTH
Health & Nutrition Programs
Health Insurance Application Assistance
Prenatal & Maternal Education
Child & Family Safety
Onsite Community Health Fairs

EDUCATION FOR YOUTH
School Readiness for Preschool-Age Children
After-School Tutoring & Enrichment Programs for Youth
Teen Programs

INDEPENDANT LIVING FOR SENIORS
Transportation Assistance
Social & Recreational Activities

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR ADULTS
Employment Readiness & Job Search Assistance
Financial Literacy & Self-Sufficiency
Parenting Education
English as a Second Language (ESL)

TECHNOLOGY
Computer Access & Training

OTHER SERVICES
Information & Referral to Offsite Services
Community-Building Events
Translation & Interpretation
Scholarships

EVALUATING SUCCESS
Project Access continually evaluates four core services to determine efficiency and effectiveness: The After-School programs, Annual Health Fairs, ESL classes, and Senior Socialization Services. Participants of our services often receive pre/post tests to identify significant changes in academic/behavior grades for youth, health and wellness of families, integration of English-speaking skills for adults, and socialization for seniors. In addition, community surveys are administered annually to ascertain the changing needs of our communities; satisfaction surveys are also administered thereafter.