Family Services
During the past 40 years, there has been a dramatic shift in the status of African American families. 40 years ago, 75% of African American children were born to married couples; today nearly 70% of African American children are born out of wedlock.
CFUF has taken the position that it is important for low-income parents to have the same services available to them as to middle class, non-minority individuals contemplating a marital relationship. Unfortunately, high quality services are both culturally irrelevant and expensive for the clients we serve. So, working in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, CFUF was contracted by the State of Louisiana to develop a curriculum called Exploring Relationships and Marriage with Fragile Families (ERM). This program is a culturally relevant and sensitively presented training designed to inform low income families.
Our leadership in ERM, propelled us into a position as a national player in the policy arena, helping shape policy around low-income parents. From there, we again partnered with the Casey Foundation and the Federal Government and were selected as a national Building Strong Families demonstration site.
We are currently addressing the other key issue facing low income men and women who are trying to build a healthy relationship: economic self sufficiency. Stress relating to finances is a key reason that marriages and relationships fail in all socio-economic levels. CFUF has secured funding to explore employment and related serviced for couples in our BBSF program. We are the only organization in the country that links these two programs together. We help low income couples strengthen their personal relationship and address the economic health of their relationship at the same time.