Karen Mecham designed the Understanding Self-Reliance Program, a life skills and self-reliance training program. The Understanding Self-Reliance Program provides four classes focusing on the four steps to becoming self-reliant:

1) Creating a safety net – Participants will learn what self-reliance is and what it is not. The class goals are that participants will understand the five basic items they need to become self-sufficient: adequate income, housing, healthcare, childcare, and transportation. They will learn how to increase their earning power through advanced education or job training.

2) Using money wisely - Successful participants will complete a spending plan for their household that is efficient and effective. They will understand the basic principles of saving and spending so they can determine what income is adequate to provide the basics for their family.

3) Developing a goal plan - Participants will create a one-year goal plan focusing on the goals that will make the biggest impact on their family’s self-sufficiency. They will set goals that are realistic and create the supporting steps to attain the goal by a pre-determined deadline.

4) Finding a great mentor - Participants will learn the principles of mentoring and how to attract and retain supportive mentors. They will know what they can expect for a mentor as well as their responsibilities as a mentee.

Housing Opportunties, Inc. is able to provide the Understanding Self-Reliance Program free of charge to participants through a generous grant from Advanta Bank. In addition, in-kind donations from Fat Cats Bowling and Pizza, CK Media, Indulgent Foods, Neways International and Sweet’s Quality Candies were given as graduation gifts to the mothers and their children.