Too often, social service programs don’t address root causes of poverty and instead focus only on addressing immediate needs—such as food insecurity or homelessness—rather than innovate long-term solutions. The kind of change we want isn’t just solving problems as they come; it’s families and communities breaking free from poverty, permanently. Through RDI, we gather better data to create a fuller picture of what truly helps communities succeed. Our goal is to reshape the policies and narrative around social services and economic inequities. We will continue innovating and scale up what works until no child is born into poverty, and no adult is condemned to it.

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All the statistics that we capture throughout our programming are a result of RDI. Our data systems and dashboards are so innovative that the NYS Office of Mental Health asked us to share them at statewide conferences. We also have hired a mixed methods researcher, trained in analyzing the impact of data not easily quantified—such as overall wellness—who developed templates to evaluate existing and pilot programs. Future plans include an “innovation lab” to share best practices across the nonprofit sector. 

 

Our team will never be satisfied with the status quo. We will keep innovating and taking informed risks—with data and clients’ voices as our guide—to determine the way forward. 

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Photo: Capturing and reviewing data is critical to ensuring we serve people in ways that truly move the needle.