From poverty to independence: Panel explores the roots of social mobility including guaranteed income and financial coaching

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Xiente, a Philadelphia nonprofit focused on helping families move out of poverty through programs like guaranteed income, subsidized housing and financial coaching, held its “Prosperity Breakfast” on Thursday, discussing economic mobility and long-term financial stability.

Held at Billy Penn Studios, the sold-out event brought together national and local experts for  conversations about poverty, housing, workforce development and the systems that either help or hinder families with their finances.

Michelle Carrera Morales, Xiente’s outgoing executive director who oversaw the launch of the new programs, told the group that those programs were born out of rising economic inequality.

“I think that in this nation we talk about the American dream and it has been lost,” she said. “Many of our families have lost that simple ability to dream. I think we take that for granted.”

Moderated by Sarah Glover, vice president of news and civic dialogue at WHYY, the panel featured Félix Quiñones, who will serve as Xiente’s interim CEO; Soneyet Muhammad of Episcopal Community Services; Olivia Montana an economic mobility mentoring specialist at the South Hills Interfaith Movement; and Brendan Perry, director of Padua National at Catholic Charities Fort Worth.

Throughout the discussion, panelists emphasized that helping families achieve economic mobility requires more than short-term assistance. Instead, they argued for long-term relationships built on trust, flexible funding and individualized support.

Quiñones said that many seeking help from Xiente come to the organization for financial guidance, but raise concerns that reveal deeper challenges like domestic violence or legal issues.

“It will end in some completely different area,” Quiñones said, adding those are often the issues where trust must be built before families can begin addressing other aspects of economic mobility.

Panelists repeatedly stressed that pathways out of poverty require a long-term process that involves coaching, relationship building and support systems that can respond to setbacks along the way.

Montana described working with participants to build financial skills and confidence over time. Rather than solving problems for families, coaches help them learn how to plan for the future and navigate challenges independently.

One participant entered the program hoping to save hundreds of dollars each month but had little understanding of where her money was going, Montana said. Through coaching, she developed a realistic savings plan, eliminated debt and became more proactive in preparing for emergencies, Montana said.

“A lot of participants, individuals and families are operating from a stress response,” Montana said. “When I’m coaching a participant in that first year, I’m often very much guiding them in how to break down their goals.”

That perspective is reflected in Xiente’s Prosperity Project, which provides participants with individualized support through what the organization calls economic mobility concierges. The organization’s approach combines financial coaching, housing assistance, direct cash support and connections to education, employment and legal resources.

In recent years, Xiente has expanded those efforts through a guaranteed income pilot that provides selected families with monthly cash payments and through its Mi Casa housing initiative, which seeks to use affordable housing as a foundation for long-term economic mobility.

Soneyet Muhammad, who leads economic mobility initiatives at Episcopal Community Services, said organizations must recognize that families often arrive carrying years of disappointment and distrust from systems that have failed them.

Muhammad said creating lasting change requires relationships with families that go beyond what she calls a “transactional relationship.”

“They have been disappointed. They have been let down by the system,” Muhammad said.

Perry, a leader with the Padua national network, focused on how successful economic mobility programs can be replicated in other communities. While research and evidence are important, he said organizations must also understand how programs fit local needs and whether they have the capacity to implement them effectively.

“The gap between evidence and implementation or practice can be really big sometimes,” Perry said. “You could have the best designed program with a really well thought through theory of change and a really rigorous study highlighting and illuminating the impacts, but if you don’t have the tools or know-how to scale that program, it’s going to stay with one organization in one place.”

Perry added that successful economic mobility efforts require balancing fidelity to proven models with flexibility to adapt programs to the unique needs of local communities.

The breakfast also served as a moment of transition for the organization. Carrera Morales announced that she is stepping down from her role and that Quiñones will serve as interim CEO. During her remarks, Carrera Morales reflected on six years leading Xiente through the COVID-19 pandemic, a major rebranding effort and the launch of its economic mobility initiatives.

Three years ago, the organization adopted the name Xiente, derived from the Spanish word “siente,” meaning “to feel.” Carrera Morales said the name reflects the lived experiences of many staff members and the families they serve.

“We know personally what it feels to be poor,” she said. “We know what it feels to climb that ladder. We know how long that ladder can get.”

Editor’s Note: This article has been edited to reflect Olivia Montana’s role at the South Hills Interfaith Movement and the correct spelling of Brendan Perry’s name and his position at Padua National at Catholic Charities Fort Worth.