About
Partners
Fueling the Future targets adults in low-income families of elementary-aged children receiving weekend “backpack” food subsidies in Muscatine County and engage them in a six-week intensive “earn while you learn” upskill training.
This multi-stepped pilot will provide stabilization of emergent family issues; education for the custodial adults in high demand jobs; long-term advancement of skilled workers in the community; and a stronger next-generation Iowa workforce.
This innovative, cross-platform program will create a multi-generational shift equipping children to achieve academically, coupled with parents’ modelling educational and economic success resulting in a broadened, trained workforce for area employers.
The program’s ultimate goal is to reduce barriers faced by low income families to enable custodial parents to achieve non-credit postsecondary credentials and high-demand jobs through interconnected stabilization, barrier reduction, education, and workforce efforts.
Often, we treat emergent issues, in this case hungry children, without disrupting the root cause.
Most secondary education for adults is six months or longer in duration. They say “time is money”; but for those in poverty, time is a luxury of money. People living day to day will often not choose to engage in lengthy coursework because they are unable to maintain housing with varying/disrupting income streams, they have inconsistent transportation options, and lack of flexible, affordable quality daycare and work schedules. This uncertainty creates reluctance to participate in educational opportunities without additional supports and prevents participation in joining the ranks of skilled workforce.
Coupling household stabilization, with compressed educational attainment, and initial employment with network support will lead to a higher likelihood of sustained success.
Watch this video to see the impact of the program on a Muscatine family.
Funders
Often, we treat emergent issues, in this case hungry children, without disrupting the root cause.
That ends with Fueling the Future.
Our Mission
Create multi-generational success for hungry children and their families through interconnected short-term family stabilization efforts, including barrier reduction, parent education, and employment support.
A Few Stats
-
13.5% of Muscatine County households are food insecure.
-
11.8% of the county lives in poverty.
-
200+ Muscatine children in K-5th grade take home weekend food backpacks to stem their hunger.
-
37% of county households are unable to consistently meet basic needs like housing, food, health care and transportation.
Earning
At the end of the condensed 6-week welding certificate program through Muscatine Community College, a Fueling the Future student will have a job waiting for them, and in many cases earn
$17 an hour.
Employers
Join these employers who are hiring Fueling the Future welders, CNC operators, CNAs, and Pharmacy Techs.
Interested in becoming a partner? Call Dr. Naomi DeWinter, President of Muscatine Community College, at 563-288-6001 to learn more.
Speakers
Interested in having a speaker at your event, organization, or meeting to talk more about Fueling the Future or other related community-building work? Contact us today.
Learn more in this 1-minute video:
This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $900,000 with more than 10% financed by other sources, not including in-kind donations of time, expertise, subsidies, and supplies. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
Fueling the Future