ICAN in Utah County
ICAN addresses intergenerational poverty at its root by empowering families to build the relationships, resilience, and social capital they need to:
- Reduce reliance on public assistance over time
- Create conditions for long term economic stability
- Strengthen family resilience across generations
- Generate measurable economic returns for the community
- Build lasting impact for children and families
See the ICAN Qualifications to determine whether a family may be eligible for introduction to the program.
How Does ICAN Work?
Families are paired with a Resource Integration Coach, or RIC, who helps them:
- Identify what is getting in the way of stability and create a plan to move forward through trusted relationships, practical support, and intentional next steps.
- Build a stronger network by connecting with people who know them, believe in them, and are invested in their progress. This may include crisis supports, landlords, employers, educators, community leaders, and other trusted partners.
- Move from crisis toward stability, resilience, and upward economic mobility through one relationship and one step at a time.
The Benefits Cliff: How ICAN Families Plan to Cross It
One of the most persistent barriers to economic mobility is the point at which earning more income triggers the loss of public assistance faster than wages can compensate — this is known as the benefits cliff.
ICAN helps families plan for the benefits cliff through:
- Coordinated planning, timing support, and deliberate coaching around income growth and resource transitions.
- A clear goal of helping families work toward a point where income can replace benefits, choices expand, and reliance on public assistance decreases over time.
- Stabilizing the family now so children have a stronger opportunity to break cycles of intergenerational poverty.
Housing Stability: The Foundation for Everything Else
The Utah County Human Services Division administers a Housing Stability grant that provides short term housing assistance to families experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing stable housing.
Families receiving housing support through this grant are also active ICAN participants.
Stable housing creates the foundation families need to make progress in employment, education, financial stability, and overall resilience.
Funded by a TANF grant through the Department of Workforce Services.
Partner with Us!
ICAN grows stronger with every partner that joins the network. Utah County Human Services is actively building relationships with employers, landlords, community organizations, and service providers who want to be part of a connected, high-impact approach to community well-being, as a trusted partner in a system that delivers real, lasting results.
If your organization wants to bring resources, relationships, or expertise to ICAN families, we want to hear from you.
