Our latest State of the Community focuses on the new Family Cohort—an exciting evolution of Beyond Housing’s work helping families achieve greater economic mobility and long-term success.
Designed to help more families build stronger futures through opportunity, partnership, and commitment, the Family Cohort is a major step forward within Beyond Housing’s broader community development strategy, which includes housing, education, health, economic development, municipal government, and more.
One Family. One Plan. One Team.
Beyond Housing launches a new Family Cohort designed to help select families accelerate success through deeper, coordinated support.
Beyond Housing is launching the 2026 Family Cohort, a new initiative designed to help select families achieve life-changing outcomes for themselves, their children, and future generations through a deeper, more coordinated partnership.
The initiative reflects a simple belief: meaningful change happens when opportunity is matched with commitment.
“We want families to feel supported as they pursue the future they want for themselves and their children,” said Beyond Housing Chief Transformation Officer Carrie Collins. “Whatever they dream of achieving—greater income, better health, starting a business, buying a home, earning a degree, helping their children succeed—we want to help them achieve it.”
Collins understands many of the challenges families face firsthand. While speaking to a room of families invited to learn more, she shared her own experience as a young mother struggling to make ends meet despite working and appearing to have everything under control from the outside.
“When I started making progress is when I connected with people who knew people,” Collins told families. “And that’s who we hope to be for you all today.”
A Deeper Investment in Select Families
With the Family Cohort, Beyond Housing is making a deeper investment in families who are ready to make a deeper investment in themselves.
Through dedicated staff support, coordinated resources, expanded partnerships, and priority access to opportunities, the organization is committing significant time and resources to helping participating families pursue long-term success. In return, families are asked to remain engaged, communicate openly, and actively work toward the goals they set for themselves.
“This is a true partnership,” Collins told attendees during recent information sessions. “This is not about perfection. It’s about effort, communication, openness, and consistency. Real progress takes time and partnership.”
What Makes the Family Cohort Unique
The Cohort’s mantra of “One Family, One Plan, One Team” points to more coordinated, personalized services and support.
Unlike traditional programs that address challenges one at a time, the Cohort brings housing, education, employment, financial capability, health resources, and other supports together through one coordinated team working around each family’s goals.
Participants will work alongside a Family Empowerment Partner to identify goals, develop a personalized plan, navigate opportunities, and adjust as life circumstances change. Regular one-on-one meetings and check-ins will help families stay focused on their goals and address barriers as they arise.
In addition to receiving priority access to Beyond Housing’s full range of services—from financial coaching to homeownership support, college access programming, workforce development, health resources, youth programs, and more—families will also benefit from new opportunities through Beyond Housing’s growing network of community and employer partnerships.
“This first Cohort is just the beginning,” said Corey Dickens, Beyond Housing’s Senior Director of Housing. “We see incredible potential in the families we’ve invited to apply, and our hope is that their success inspires many more families to pursue their goals and apply in the years ahead.”
The First Cohort Begins
During two recent information sessions, families gathered to learn more about the initiative and what participation would involve. The families in attendance were personally selected by Beyond Housing staff to apply based on the progress and commitment they have already shown.
The sessions emphasized that the Family Cohort is not simply another program, but a long-term partnership built on trust, communication, and shared commitment.
“We want you to feel like five years from now, ten years from now, you look back on your experience with this, and you won’t feel that Beyond Housing did something for you, but that Beyond Housing helped you do something for yourself,” said Collins.
Applications for the inaugural Cohort are open through June 26. Families selected for participation will be notified by July 10 and will gather for a kickoff celebration on July 18.
