Where Does CSL Go Next?
April 1, 2022 | By: CSL President and CEO, Doug Cowan
A natural human question is, “where do we go next?” In fact, it’s a question that has defined all of human history. We do something, and we ask what’s next. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the “what’s next” was handed to us. CSL found great purpose and resolve in helping families recover from the pandemic. As I write this, we’re two years into unprecedented amounts of relief for families.
Thankfully, we see an end to the pandemic of COVID-19. So, this naturally begs the questions of “what’s next?”
It’s important to note CSL will continue to embrace its 106-year legacy as an emergency services provider. Strong communities must have strong social services. Strong social services are open, available, and responsive to community needs. To put it succinctly, CSL will be there for whatever and whoever walks through our front door, and to be effective, we need a vast array of programs and opportunities to help families.
Part of my role at CSL that I relish most is pushing us in new directions. There are many euphemisms to describe the pandemic and ensuing aftermath, but I like “The Great Reset.” The world is going through a major reset, with some of that for good, and maybe some not so good.
Where can CSL reset? Here are a few great opportunities that are already in our sights:
Cultural Connections
Panel discussion during Women’s History Month for CSL’s 2022 Experience Community series featuring Merideth, Jennifer, Rose, Wanda, and Karen.
CSL has not historically been closely-connected to communities of color, immigrant communities, the LGBTQ+ community, and other minority and marginalized communities. This isn’t to suggest we haven’t had our doors open wide for everyone, it’s just to say we need to be more intentional in creating connections to all groups of people. We’ve started down this path with some courageous conversations, and public engagements at CSL’s BlendWell Community Cafe. Stronger connections yield stronger trust, and CSL needs to enjoy the trust of all people in order to fully engage with families and communities.
Eviction Response and Prevention
During the pandemic, eviction was one of the most-discussed societal challenges, and countless resources have been invested in keeping families stably housed. I’m not suggesting there is never a time or place for eviction, but it’s a very, very serious proposition; one society should not take lightly. Up until a couple decades ago, a family could be evicted, then just move somewhere, and start over. Now, in about 45 seconds, eviction records can easily be found on the internet, and a landlord can simply move to the next rental candidate.
We know what happens when a family is evicted; it starts a downward spiral towards homelessness. Kids fail academically when they have to switch schools and experience instability. We know all the societal repercussions, but we allow the practice to continue. In Jackson County, more than 9,000 evictions were filed in 2019. CSL is administering about $40,000,000 in federal emergency rental assistance, and we need to use these resources to dramatically decrease the number of evictions in 2022 and 2023. We’ve committed at least $5,000,000 to our partners at United Way for direct intervention in the Jackson County courthouses.
We must also work to reform how evictions are handled from a legal perspective. Communities often bemoan the number of homeless people on the streets, but we can’t seem to understand that we have laws on the books (like eviction) that plunge people into homelessness. We can’t have it both ways.
Housing Production and Management
There is a great “missing middle” in today’s housing market. It seems that anything that is built today is deemed “luxury” or it’s built with government subsidies so that it can be “affordable.” Affordable housing has a tough time getting traction because of NIMBY (Not In My Backyard). Builders and developers have major cost escalations to deal with, and I think our nonprofit industry can learn from great things happening right now on how we can truly reduce the production cost of housing to provide naturally affordable housing (rather than just using government subsidies).
CSL also has a great chance to manage rental units to provide a pathway to permanent housing for neighbors experiencing homelessness, people living in motels, families that are doubled-up, unaccompanied minors, people experiencing domestic violence, folks that can’t find housing post-eviction, and families with utilities that are shut off.
If you look at many of the adverse experiences children and families have, it centers around a lack of safe and stable housing. Without that secure housing, families can’t build strong relationships, obtain long-term employment, and don’t develop long-standing and nurturing relationships at schools.
Coaching
CSL has embraced the coaching model since 2016, but we need to expand it further. I read in the book Toxic Charity that we can’t simply serve people out of poverty; we must develop people and their potential. To develop someone takes a long-term relationship built on trust and amplified with goals and support.
CSL Senior Financial Coach, Korey Nissen, works with CSL neighbor to set up and understand her new bank account.
The problem in our industry is that it is an expensive business model. Organizations typically haven’t been able to invest in dozens and dozens of frontline coaches. We need to continue to expand our coaching ranks, and create deeper connections with families. We should aim to be connected with them for at least 18 months, if not upwards of five years. Real, lasting change takes real, lasting commitment, and significant relationships.
Wealth- and Asset-Development
Low-income families don’t typically have access to tools for wealth- and asset-development. Poverty economy jobs usually skip over benefits. As a result, families don’t invest in their physical and mental health like they should because of a lack of insurance. Not having a retirement fund means that families aren’t likely saving for an eventual retirement, and they don’t get the benefit of receiving a contribution from their employer.
CSL has a phenomenal opportunity to create asset-development tools for families, like matched savings funds. We can also help families develop wealth (and potentially reduce their monthly housing costs) through real estate by helping families enter into homeownership. All of this pairs well with our Small-Dollar Lending Program, as we move families from toxic lending schemes to viable banking and credit products.
Workforce Development
Larry Austin, CSL Vocational Rehabilitation program participant earns Missouri Rehabilitation Association’s Client of the Year award in 2021.
The working world is changing so fast that my head is still spinning. But, I know that adults who need retraining and reskilling need help to reach their goals. CSL occupies a great niche in the market that complements our public education systems. We expect to enroll 200 adults in our Bridges to Career Opportunities program this year, and another 75 adults will receive help from our Vocational Rehabilitation work. I can see a day in the near future where we have 500+ adults a year going through this life-changing work.
Next Steps
Much of the work listed above helps us get to root causes of poverty, instead of just putting band-aids on problems. Some guiding principles we can look at:
Deeper and more meaningful connections to people and to our communities, and involving our neighbors in the planning and execution of our work more than ever
Upstream interventions delivered at much cheaper price points than downstream recalibrations
Increased advocacy around important issues like eviction
Our Board of Directors is in the middle of a strategic planning process that will help plot the next steps we take at CSL, and we expect to share that with you in the latter part of 2022. The things I’ve written above are some of the things we have in development at CSL, are starting to roll out in the community, or reflect tremendous growth opportunities. In this season of the “in-between” I wanted to share my perceptions of where our work is going at CSL. It’s a bright future, and we need your bright ideas and insights.
In our post-pandemic world, you might be struggling with the question of “what’s next?” The next things at CSL are big, bold, and will move our communities forward. Some of our best opportunities haven’t been discovered yet. These are the things that keep me excited about CSL, as I start my 13th year with this great organization. We’re in a new world, one that we can shape and mold to be better for all people. I hope you find inspiration with our boundless opportunities.
