Most people seek our help to meet immediate and basic needs. Many stay to engage in our client-centric services to achieve their goals of long-term financial stability, provide opportunity for their children, and find community connection.

But a recent IOCP community needs assessment shows concerning trends: out of 27,280 households in our service area, 5% (1,364) struggle to meet basic needs and 4% (1,091) are at risk. Our goal is to expand services to meet more of the need, and we have assessed our infrastructure and developed expansion plans to position ourselves to for an ambitious growth plan.

IOCP is operationalizing a multiyear (2022-2027) Strategic Plan that sharpens our focus to achieve an overarching goal: get those who access services what they need when they need it in alignment with our mission, vision, and resources. The plan is therefore focused on putting clients at the center of everything we do and completes work in five key areas: being client-centric, reimagining core services, leveraging technologies, broadening communications, and using resources strategically.

Our most recent focus areas include:

• Increasing access to our food shelf by expanding the number of days and hours it is open as well as enlisting more volunteers to deliver goods to households that cannot shop in person.
• Expanding housing programs by providing services at additional units of Permanent Supportive Housing and exploring the potential to add other assistance services.
• Deepening mental health services for children and families by embedding a full-time clinician from Washburn Center for Children into our programs with a focus on youth and parents.
• Hiring new staff to spearhead and launch a new transportation assistance program to provide information and guidance about car maintenance and funds and information for auto purchase.
• Implement a financial stability initiative to build financial literacy among client households.

Below you’ll find stories of how our compassionate community has stepped up to help neighbors in need.