As the City of Boulder’s Family Resource Center, EFAA began facilitating Getting Ahead this year. Getting Ahead is a national, evidence-based program that helps people in poverty build their resources for a more prosperous life for themselves, their families, and their communities.

The 16-week course includes topics like the causes of poverty, the “hidden rules” of economic classes, and building your future story.

“[Before Getting Ahead] I thought to myself, what if what I’m going through isn’t as bad? But I learned everyone is different, and learned to say that I am struggling. I am going through this. It helped me become more comfortable with my situation, and allowed me to learn how to ask for help,” said Mai, who graduated from Getting Ahead last year.

Margie, a case manager at EFAA, is a course facilitator. She has been teaching Getting Ahead for years, and her favorite part of the course is seeing how its participants help each other. “Participants contribute so much. They’ll start talking about their situations and realize others have gone through the same. Then, they will come up with solutions together.”

This year, EFAA’s Getting Ahead cohort will help sixteen people find the resources and strength they need to pull themselves out of poverty. “They walk away with a lot more resources… more knowledge as to how to solve their problems, where to go to get help. They’re not alone in this. It gives them the feeling that hey, someone else is experiencing the same thing. They get to see their situation from a different point of view,” said Margie.