Our Story

UpTogether was founded as Family Independence Initiative (FII) in Oakland, California in 2001 after our founder saw firsthand the faults of the United States social services system. He was frustrated watching the same families cycle in and out of social service agencies, while the financial resources designed to support them did nothing to build their economic or social mobility. 

As the son of a hardworking single mother who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, he saw that his mother, a talented dressmaker who worked hard to “make it” in the U.S., wanted more access and opportunity for him and his sister. He was certain there was a better way to invest in people’s initiative than what his mother had experienced. He also knew firsthand the harmful stereotypes and belief systems that perpetuated biased practices and policies, undermining the pride of those being “helped” and their chances for success. 

Our founder believed if families had access to resources and community support, they would decide for themselves how to implement them—as his mother had—and they could move up, together, out of poverty. He founded FII based on this philosophy. 

In 2021, we changed our name from FII to UpTogether to more clearly convey our purpose and engagement with community.