Project Uplift Program Overview

A Made Up Mind Programs Included in Our Resource Center includes access to:  • Full­time support staff  • Computers and printers  • Internet access  • Telephones  • Fax machines and more.

Free and Subsidized Child Care Assistance

A Made Up Mind Resource Center provides free childcare through the use of scholarships for clients while they access workshops and support services within the center.    This service is available for infants to children 12 years of age, and proof of guardianship is required. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.  A Made Up Mind provides year-round STEM education enhancement for at risk and economically disadvantaged children. Our program is housed within the framework of a licensed after school and full day summer/track out child care center.
Not only do high quality out-of-school opportunities yield academic benefits, but they also contribute greatly to the overall health and welfare of children. According to a 2010 report by Child Trends (a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center that studies children at all stages of development) , "adolescents in high-quality (out-of-school) programs were more likely to avoid risky behavior, to have better performance in school, and to have greater social competence, over and above the control variables, than those in no program."

Support Groups

The Resource Center also provides emotional support, assistance with problem solving, a Career Readiness Support group, a Next Steps Workshop that assists women in creating their own action plans for their major goals moving forward, Healthy Boundaries, goal setting and referrals to external resources.  Please note: It is the policy of A Made Up Mind to only link to resources developed by our trusted partners or otherwise vetted by our staff. No unsolicited links will be posted unless it is to a resource that has an existing relationship or partnership with AMUM and receives the approval of our program staff.

Family Law Support

Family Law Support staff and volunteers educate women about the family court process and domestic relations laws.  Sessions include one - on - ­one appointments to provided individual family law information, review and document preparation. If you are seeking information on divorce, legal separation, legal decision making, parenting time and or child support please stop by to learn more. 

Food Sustainability Support - Harvest Share Program

Every time you work in the garden you are allowed to harvest and take home any food you will eat.  This is judged by the honor system.  The garden will collect a monthly membership of $25 from each member household.  The membership fee amount remains low in order to encourage participation of low-income households in sustainable living and gardening ( Fee can be paid using SNAP Benefits ).  Members are expected to work at least 4 hours a month to qualify for a share the harvest donation.

The garden operates through shared garden plots. Gardening with a group allows for a larger variety and yield.  Specific vegetables and layout are designed each year depending on share the harvest members and may alter from year to year.  All members participate in planting and maintenance of shared garden plots and overall garden infrastructure.  All gardening takes and harvests are shared equally. As part of this garden membership we have a goal of approximately 10% of the food grown to be given to local churches and food banks. 

Project Uplift: Home Ownership

Many individuals and families in low-to moderate-income households across the nation are wary of the home buying process, and feel that home ownership, a fundamental piece of the American Dream, is out of reach for them.

Our Home ownership Program, a core focus of Project Uplift programming, is designed to empower individuals and families for whom home ownership would be difficult, if not impossible. The program supports the creation or promotion of affordable housing by decreasing homelessness and creating and providing low cost rentals and owner occupied spaces to participants.

Project Uplift is committed to helping people in underserved neighborhoods become homeowners and community stakeholders. Our financial well being coaches support clients on the journey to home ownership, helping them get the funding they need to own a home without resorting to sub-prime loans.

The process starts with a home buyers workshop that provides an overview of the process. From there, our certified coaches walk clients through the loan packaging process and provide them with the tools and resources to fund a home purchase. Our home ownership counseling program helps clients overcome a variety of common barriers to home ownership, including bad credit, lack of down payment, existing debt, and money management issues. Home ownership uplifts communities and creates engaged stakeholders— the net worth of the typical homeowner ranges between 31 and 46 times that of the net worth of the typical renter. We provide services or technical assistance such as credit counseling, home buyer and home maintenance counseling, financial planning or other financial services related to home ownership targeted to low- to moderate-income individuals/families.