The Idaho Housing and Finance Association, in conjunction with other service providers, recently developed a HERO (Human Employment Resource Options) team in Lewiston to provide opportunities for participants in IHFA's Family Self-Sufficiency program to enter/re-enter the workforce or make progress in the working world.

Through HERO, FSS caseworkers and other case managers familiar with these individuals become advocates, meeting with employers to discuss potential partnerships with area training and employment-readiness resources. The goal is to help employers retain employees and help FSS and other participants become employed.

"We search the community's employment needs and then match up those requests with resources in the HERO program who can provide the needed employee training or support services," explained Debbie Winchester, Family Self-Sufficiency specialist in IHFA's Lewiston branch office.

Kinney, in the FSS program since March of 2002, and Allen, an FSS participant since July 2003, are believers.

In Kinney's case, Workforce Training through Lewis-Clark State College provided computer classes. Working with the Small Business Development Association and Winchester, Kinney start his own business, Kinney's Autoworks. He also won a $5,000 Financial Assistance for Resident Entrepreneurs (FARE) grant in July with Winchester's help in putting together the application. "Debbie Winchester is my biggest asset," Kinney said. "She's very knowledgeable and always puts her clients first."

With the FSS program and HERO, free Finally Home! home ownership classes didn't hurt, either. Kinney has turned his attention toward home ownership, hopefully within the next year, he said. "Both my wife and I are pushin' our mid-40s and still renting. We need to smooth out a few things like our credit, but when that is taken care of, the ultimate goal is to get a home of our own," Kinney said.

As for Susan Allen, the opportunity to work with the resources within HERO has been very beneficial. When Allen first joined the FSS program, she was receiving Temporary Assistance for Families in Idaho (TAFI) and essentially had no defined work goals. "Since then, I've really been able to focus myself," she said. Allen has obtained family-sustaining employment and that has led to other opportunities.

Working through the SL Start/Workfirst, Job Education Training (JET) program and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) at the Lewiston Job Service, Allen is taking courses to position herself for future employment in her chosen field. She wants to work in a medical office. Allen is attending a Medical Coding class, which could lead to a higher-paying job. "It gets difficult at times combining school, work and raising a family, but the payoff is just down the road," Allen explained.

Winchester began thinking about the HERO program in 1996, during the state's welfare reform. However, a chance mention of the idea last May really gave the idea wings. "I was having lunch with Dan Faller of LCSC's Workforce Training when I mentioned it, and he loved it and wanted to know how we could make it a reality. HERO began by presenting the idea to local social service agencies and received glowing reviews from all of them," said Winchester.

"We met with about 23 employers in our first big meeting, and will continue to meet with a minimum of one to two area employers per month, explaining our programs and assuring them that our workers make awesome employees," Winchester added. Nine HERO participants also attended the meeting.

In addition to IHFA's Family Self-Sufficiency program, resources in the HERO program include Workforce Training through Lewis-Clark State College, SL Start/Workfirst Program, Adult Basic Education, the Community Action Agency, the Center for New Directions, Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Department of Health and Welfare/211 Program.

IHFA's Family Self-Sufficiency Program is voluntary for Section 8 families and helps Idaho households become economically independent. Households receive help in setting and achieving their goals for employment and economic independence within five years, using a combination of education, job training, career counseling and other support services.

Since the Family Self-Sufficiency program's inception in 1995, the association has signed contracts with 720 Idaho families to participate in the program, and 157 have graduated with 74 of those families becoming homeowners. Currently, 230 families are enrolled in the program.

To find out more about the HERO program, contact Winchester at (208) 743-0251. For more information on the Family Self-Sufficiency program, contact an IHFA regional branch office listed below, the Boise office at (208) 331-4796 or toll free at (800) 458-2791, or visit www.ihfa.org/rental_family.asp.

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