PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE ADOPTS NEW 3-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN

People Helping People (PHP) recently completed an extensive assessment of its goals,
results, services, and client and community needs in order to establish a plan of action for the
next three years.  This strategic plan is used to guide the work and evaluation of staff.
The adopted three-year strategic plan includes a few minor revisions to both the organization’s
mission and vision to better reflect PHP’s advocacy within the community in order to advance
policies and services that will assist those with limited financial resources to become self-
sufficient.

PHP’s vision is that all men, women and children in our service area have the opportunity to
attain self-sufficiency with dignity, are able to fulfill their potential, and live in a healthy
community.

The mission of the agency is to improve the lives of men, women, and children in the Santa
Ynez Valley, Los Alamos, and surrounding communities by addressing emergency and basic
needs, furnishing comprehensive integrated family and individual support services, and acting
as a catalyst for positive community change.

The specific goals and objectives to be accomplished during the next three years were
specifically informed by PHP’s research of their service area’s changing demographics,
evaluation of the current work of the organization and the needs expressed in surveys of
clients, agency work partners, and general community members.

In terms of demographics, it was noted that the number of children who qualify for free or
reduced lunch at local schools due to low incomes earned by families has increased 65% in the
last decade with Solvang furnishing such lunches to 55% of their students and Los Alamos to
83%.  At Santa Ynez High, nearly 25% of students qualify for the lunches, a 100% increase in the
last decade. (Statistics furnished by CA Dep’t. of Education.)

While the numbers of families in the Santa Ynez Valley living below federal poverty standards is
approximately 12% and is below the County average, Los Alamos has over 20% of families living
in poverty and both valleys combined have a very large number of families (27%) living below
“near poverty” levels. Near poverty is considered to be 150% of federal poverty standards, e.g.,
$40,000 annually for a family of four, which qualifies a family for government and other
assistance such as CalFresh and the PHP Food Program.  Note that of clients surveyed by PHP,
65% have an annual household income of $30,000.

From the surveys conducted by PHP, the agency learned that it was doing many things well.
Those surveyed said that PHP is meeting a majority of key service needs; their services are well
known, easy to access, and of high quality; customer service is excellent, and PHP provides
excellent volunteer opportunities.  However, some critical areas require attention.
Major service areas that still need to be addressed that appeared concurrently on customer and
community member surveys included low cost quality early care, affordable housing, food
security, and afterschool youth programs.

Underlying the plan’s specific objectives and tasks that are focused on continuing what is right
and making improvements that address identified gaps in the organization’s work are some
basic yet important strategies.  These strategies include improving the organization’s long-term
financial stability to increase the organization’s sustainability; placing the goal of sustainability
on an equal footing with meeting service needs; with financial resources scarce, maximizing the
use of donated goods and services and nurturing faith based, corporate, government and non-
profit partnerships; in the pyramid of services, basic needs come first; and recruit, maintain,
and inspire a highly productive and motivated workforce.

New fiscal related work to be accomplished during the strategic plan period includes increasing
fundraising revenues, developing and implementing a process to build a long term endowment,
and increasing PHP’s operating reserves to be used in an emergency.

Service improvements that will receive attention include continued advocacy for the
development of housing that is affordable to the local workforce; developing and implementing
a “family, friends, and neighbors” education program  designed to build skills in child care
providers that will result in more children ready to learn and successful in Kindergarten;
increasing food supply to reduce food insecurity (not knowing where at least 1 meal each
month will come from); reducing drug and alcohol use by youth; and improving high school
graduation and college bound rates for “at risk” and minority youth.

Becky Barieau, PHP Board President, said that “the PHP strategic plan is a working blueprint
rather than a research document designed to sit on a shelf.  It is intended to directly guide our
work and sharpen the focus of Board Members and staff on those things that work and those
that are possible to improve for the benefit of our clients and the entire community for whom
we work and depend upon for support.  We review and evaluate our progress on a regular
basis.  Working on this process and document is time extremely well spent.”

People Helping People is a 501 c-3 non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives for
better in the Santa Ynez Valley, Los Alamos and surrounding areas. To learn more about PHP, its
programs, and ways that you can help, please visit the PHP web site at www.syvphp.org or call
686-0295.