For more than thirty years the mission of the Opportunity Council has been to help low-income residents of Bucks County overcome the barriers which prevent them from becoming self-sufficient. This mission includes advocacy for eradicating poverty by addressing the unmet needs of people and finding innovative approaches to attack the causes of poverty. Established in 1965 as part of the Federal Economic Opportunity Act, the Opportunity Council has continually selected programs based upon their applicability to help disadvantaged people lead successful lives in their community. The agencyand#8217;s initial focus on empowerment and responsibilities of citizenship has been augmented by the provision of services that meet an individualand#8217;s basic needs such as housing, food, energy assistance and transportation. Over the years, and in response to emerging trends, the Council has designed and delivered programs that focus on prevention of homelessness and attainment of long-term self-sufficiency. To this day, the agencyand#8217;s orientation continues to be on the development of programs with a long-term community impact. The mission of the agency is to help low-income families of Bucks County reach or maintain financial self-sufficiency. A key service to accomplish this goal is a case management program that is both individualized and specialized. Clients are motivated by Self-Sufficiency Specialists in moving them from being the recipients of emergency services to enrollment in a self-sufficiency program with an ultimate goal of being free of all governmental subsidies. The Self-Sufficiency Specialists are particularly accountable to the client and#8211; leading and motivating the client to achieve their full potential. The Specialist is a straightforward partner in the delivery of services, working with the client to bring about change and#8211; a change which enables the client to meet their self-sufficiency needs more effectively. The client is accountable for their identified goals and action steps and the decisions they make relevant to those goals and action steps. The agency can objectively link the service delivery to measurable client outcomes, therefore, return-on-investment can be clearly articulated. Since 1997, seventy-five families have graduated from the Counciland#8217;s Self-Sufficiency Program. These families of 240 people are entirely free from government subsidies. Our return-on-investment for this program exceeds 150%. Their stories of achievement provide heartwarming commentary that the Opportunity Council helps to build the County of Bucks one successful family at a time!

“Our mission is to reduce poverty and partner with our community to promote economic self-sufficiency.”