Mission
To be the leading provider of vital health, education and employment services to families, children and seniors living in low-income housing communities. Our goal is to help keep family members employed, children in school, and seniors active.
Vision
Project Access envisions that all residents of affordable housing communities have the opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency and maximize their full potential.
Guiding Principles
Respect and Support
Project Access equally values each individual’s contribution and participation in the delivery of our mission to assist and encourage low-income families and seniors of affordable housing to achieve self-sufficiency through access to onsite education, health and social services.
Empowerment
Project Access creates a positive environment by providing the resources that allow opportunities for success.
Integrity
Project Access operates with a high level of integrity through our steadfast commitment to high-quality services, genuine passion for the work we do and a responsible approach to accountability with our partners.
Teamwork and Collaboration
At Project Access, we foster a team environment through communication and inter-dependence which allows us to maximize collaborative partnerships with service providers, volunteers and supporters in the communities we serve.
History
What is Project Access?
Project Access is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that was founded in 1999. The seniors and families served by Project Access are “low-income”– that is, with incomes at or below 60% of the area median; and a substantial number are “very low-income” – often with incomes below $10,000 per year. Project Access runs resource centers at more than 40 low-income properties throughout California and provided direct services to more than 10,000 people in need in 2011.
How does Project Access accomplish its goals?
Project Access works with affordable housing developers/owners in a partial fee-for-service relationship to bring free services to residents and in some cases, those living within the overall community. This partial financial commitment and in-kind donation of space allows Project Access to bring additional resources together to develop comprehensive programs at our Resource Centers. Project Access’ bilingual Service Coordinators offer a variety of programs and services to address individual and community needs, such as:
HEALTH
Health & Nutrition Programs
Health Insurance Application Assistance
Prenatal & Maternal Education
Child & Family Safety
Onsite Community Health Fairs
EDUCATION FOR YOUTH
School Readiness for Preschool-Age Children
After-School Tutoring & Enrichment Programs for Youth
Teen Programs
INDEPENDENT LIVING FOR SENIORS
Transportation Assistance
Social & Recreational Activities
CAPACITY BUILDING FOR ADULTS
Employment Readiness & Job Search Assistance
Financial Literacy & Self-Sufficiency
Parenting Education
English as a Second Language (ESL)
TECHNOLOGY
Computer Access & Training
OTHER SERVICES
Information & Referral to Offsite Services
Community-Building Events
Translation & Interpretation
Evaluating Success
Project Access continually evaluates four core services to determine efficiency and effectiveness: The After-School programs, Annual Health Fairs, ESL classes, and Senior Socialization Services. Participants of our services often receive pre/post tests to identify significant changes in academic/behavior grades for youth, health and wellness of families, integration of English-speaking skills for adults, and socialization for seniors. In addition, community surveys are administered annually to ascertain the changing needs of our communities; satisfaction surveys are also administered thereafter.