SELF (Supports to Encourage Low-income Families)

"As Butler County's community action agency, Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) exists to enhance the quality of life for county residents by impacting the causes of poverty and empowering individuals to achieve, sustain, and advocate self-sufficiency." In fulfilling its mission, SELF strives to perform the following roles at the highest standards of excellence: -To be an advocate for the needs of the community and the development of individual potential. -To be a facilitator in linking individual needs to the full network of services available. -To be a provider of quality services. -To be a trusted and respected partner with individuals and organizations in addressing the needs of the community. Clients have called SELF "a bridge" to self-sufficiency and "an anchor in a storm." SELF strives to uphold the original mission of community action as established in President Lyndon Johnson's "War on Poverty" in the mid-60s - "a hand-up not a hand-out." SELF emphasizes employment and education and works to lessen the barriers for low-income families to obtain and maintain self-sufficiency.