Chattanooga, TN – March 7, 2025 – The City of Chattanooga's Office of
Family Empowerment (OFE) proudly announces its recognition as a Bronze Tier
of Excellence agency in the National Community Action Partnership's
Pathways to Excellence Program. This achievement distinguishes the Office
of Family Empowerment as the only Community Action Agency in the state of
Tennessee to attain this level of recognition, demonstrating its commitment
to providing high-quality services to the community.
The Pathways to Excellence Program is a rigorous process that evaluates
Community Action Agencies based on 35 Standards of Excellence. By achieving
Bronze Tier of Excellence status, the Office of Family Empowerment has
demonstrated that it has taken the initial steps toward excellence,
including:
- Formalizing its commitment to pursue excellence through a Board
Resolution. - Establishing a Core Agency Excellence Team and an Excellence Point of
Contact.
- Completing an Agency Profile and the Standards of Excellence eCourse.
- Participating in meetings with NCAP staff to confirm the achievement of
key activities.
"We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to excellence and so
excited to be on this journey," said Rachel Howard, Director of OFE. "This
achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our staff and Board
and our commitment to providing the highest quality services to the
families of Hamilton County."
The Bronze Tier of Excellence agency has supported Hamilton County
residents with the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which aids
families who meet income requirements to cope with increasing home energy
expenses. In the last year, OFE provided over $2.8 Million in assistance to
approximately 4,000 Hamilton County families. In their first week of the
2024-2025 fiscal year:
- They distributed approximately 2,800 applications.
- Processed close to 200 applications.
- Spent roughly $139,000 in energy bill assistance.
- Prevented 97 home energy disconnections in residential homes.
- Provided 45 families with free car seats & safety checks with the
partnership of Family Forward.
OFE is also home to the Family Support Program, in which Family Support
Specialists work closely with families to provide individualized coaching,
resource navigation, and need-based financial assistance to families
seeking to improve their economic stability. In FY24, this program assisted
93 families in increasing their overall economic stability.
The Office of Family Empowerment is committed to continuing its journey
toward excellence by working this year to achieve the Silver Tier of
Excellence award, which is the next level of achievement in the Pathways to
Excellence Program.
In honor of the Bronze Tier of Excellence achievement, OFE would like to
invite the public to celebrate this milestone and tour the OFE work suites:
Bronze Tier of Excellence Celebration Event:
When: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Time: 12:00-1:30 pm
Where: Family Justice Center, 5705 Uptain Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411
About the Office of Family Empowerment
The mission of the Office of Family Empowerment (OFE) is to change the
lives of Hamilton County residents by collaborating with our partners to
provide support and coaching to help individuals achieve well-being and
economic independence.
About the National Community Action Partnership
The National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) is a national, 501(c)3
nonprofit membership organization that provides technical assistance,
training, and other resources to Community Action Agencies, nonprofit and
public groups funded by the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), a
federal program that allocates funding to states to connect Americans to
greater opportunity.
