Families Forward

Families Forward exists to prevent and end family homelessness by providing access to housing and resources that create lasting stability.

What started out in 1984 as a humble effort to house families experiencing homelessness in two farmhouses and five rented apartments, has since grown into one of Orange County’s most impactful nonprofits. Families Forward is nimble and first provides housing solutions for families, including emergency motel stays, brief interim housing support, rapid re-housing assistance and affordable housing, because families come to us with varying needs. Once housing is stabilized, a "care team" engages to provide comprehensive support services that include a food pantry, mental health counseling, career coaching, life-skills and personal finance education, and supplies for low-income families with children heading back-to-school and preparing for the holidays. Families Forward provides homeless families, or families at risk of homelessness, with tools and education to maintain self-sufficiency, including money management skills to reduce debt, increase income and/or establish savings. We are proud that Families Forward has earned Charity Navigator's top 4-star ratings for the past 14 years, placing us in the top 2% of rated charities nationwide. Thanks to Families Forward's exemplary management of resources, an extensive volunteer corps and thousands of food and product donations, 90% of financial contributions directly fund programs and services to our clients.

Tackling the pervasive issue of homelessness for families with children, in 2023 Families Forward improved the lives of over 14,000 people. At Families Forward we see an Orange County where every family has a home and the opportunity to thrive. It is our belief that by linking support with accountability, families can help themselves regain and maintain financial self-sufficiency. From providing housing and food assistance, to career coaching, mental health counseling, and financial literacy education, we’re as committed to strengthening overall wellbeing as we are to ensuring everyone has a place to call home. Families Forward incorporates a holistic family care model that recognizes the connection between poverty, housing, health, and food security. Due to a severe lack of affordable housing in Orange County, demand for our services continues to grow.

During our 2023 Fiscal Year Families Forward successfully prevented or ended homelessness for 724 families (2,502 children and their parents) and provided services to over 14,325 individuals. The comprehensive services offered by Families Forward include: a Housing Program providing housing navigation and case management for families experiencing homelessness; Prevention & Diversion services aimed at preventing at-risk families from losing their current housing situation; Mental Health Counseling which addresses mental and behavioral health issues; Career Coaching, providing one-on-one assessment and coaching focused on obtaining and/or increasing income, and additional supportive services, including an on-site food pantry and educational workshops. Families Forward also offers seasonal programs during Back to School and the holidays.

Clients may access a myriad of services—food, housing assistance, counseling, and career coaching—at our program centers in Irvine or Santa Ana. By alleviating the need to travel or solicit multiple organizations for assistance, Families Forward aids the overall health, stability, and long-term success of the families served.

The recent OC Grand Jury Report findings show that over 23,000 children in Orange County are currently experiencing homelessness. Last year, 3,177 families experiencing a housing crisis called our agency in need of assistance. Of these families, 649 were literally homeless. The number of unhoused children and families has skyrocketed in Orange County. Unfortunately, there is little to no homeless prevention funding (rental assistance) since the emergency pandemic funding has expired. We have more families needing housing assistance now than during the pandemic. With an overwhelming number of families at risk of losing their housing, we continue to seek new avenues of funding to sustain services and keep families safely housed. We are focused on prevention, actively collaborating with our government and philanthropic partners to develop innovative homeless prevention strategies including a guaranteed basic income pilot.

We have experienced a record need in our Food Pantry from those experiencing food insecurity. This increase in volume has resulted in our inability to keep food on our shelves. To better serve the families and individuals who need our food pantry most, we are reimagining our food distribution model as well as continuing to engage with our community and look for additional partnerships to help supply for critical food to our community.

In addition to the high cost of living and stagnant wages driving families into homelessness, the lack of affordable housing continues to be our greatest challenge. To combat this, we are actively collaborating with housing partners and developers to increase the number of affordable housing units available to our clients. Through a partnership with C&C Development, Valencia Garden, in the city of Orange, is now home to 62 previously homeless families and individuals. Families Forward has access to 40 of these units for client families in our Affordable Housing Program and provides onsite supportive services to the entire community. A similar partnership, the Cartwright community in Irvine, will be opening in late 2024.

Families Forward now owns or is in partnership with 137 affordable housing units, 62 of which are directly owned and operated by Families Forward. Currently, 465 children and adults are safely housed in these 137 units. Families Forward expects to have access to 150 units by 2025.  

Orange County, CA

The number of unhoused children and families has skyrocketed in Orange County. Unfortunately, there is little to no homeless prevention funding since the federal emergency pandemic funding has expired. We have more families needing housing assistance now than during the pandemic and with an overwhelming number of families at risk of losing their housing, the need for supportive services and resources is greater now more than ever. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 12.4% of Orange County’s children are living in poverty. At Families Forward we see an Orange County where every family has a home and the opportunity to thrive.

In 2023 Families Forward:
• Helped to end or prevent homelessness for 724 families
• Provided 44,180 meals to food insecure individuals through our food pantry.
• Provided 99 parents, children, and teens mental health counseling support.

As a result of the high cost of living and stagnant wages driving families into homelessness (many for the first time), we are facing a housing crisis like never before. In 2023, renters had to earn an astounding $51.39 an hour just to afford the average rent in our county. The soaring cost of basic and essential needs has made it nearly impossible for many families to keep a roof over their heads. To combat this problem, we continue to actively collaborate with housing partners and developers to increase the number of affordable housing units available to our clients. Families Forward owns or is in partnership with 137 affordable housing units, 62 of which are directly owned and operated by Families Forward. Currently, 465 children and adults are safely housed in our affordable housing units. We are proud to share that, in partnership with CalOptima Health and the City of Tustin, Families Forward has purchased a parcel of land to build up to eight units for families, further expanding our affordable housing portfolio. Families Forward expects to have access to 150 units by 2025. Through increasing affordable housing opportunities and providing supportive services, Families Forward is committed to ending family homelessness in Orange County.

As most people are aware, there is a critical lack of affordable housing in Orange County. Families earning less than the median income in Orange County are spending at least 78% of their income on rent, leaving 22% or less for all other living expenses, including food, transportation, or medical care. When I first began volunteering with Families Forward, I saw firsthand the need for supportive services for these vulnerable families. I saw families that were just like mine, but due to an unforeseen financial crisis, were unable to keep their housing. Becoming involved with Families Forward has allowed me to lend my own area of expertise to an organization that is on the leading edge of effective solutions for families. By increasing the inventory of affordable housing for families and providing seamless services through county-wide collaborations, we can achieve our vision for every child in Orange County to have a safe place to sleep tonight, and every night. Each family housed through Families Forward achieves not just a safe place to sleep, but access to electricity so children can do homework, clean bathrooms to regularly shower and a kitchen to provide healthy meals. As Board Chair, I am also proud to share that Families Forward was named Nonprofit of the Year for Assembly District 74, nominated by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris as well as earning Nonprofit Hero at the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce Celebrate Resilience 2020 Awards. In addition, Families Forward was honored by the California Association of Nonprofits as the 2020 Nonprofit of the Year. Due to Families Forward's exemplary management of resources, an extensive volunteer corps, and thousands of in-kind donations, 90% of financial contributions directly fund programs and services for our clients.