Good Neighbor Podcast: Orange County

From Crisis To Stability With Family Assistance Ministries

• Rachel Fyffe & Anna Conti

Share episode

Need is rarely simple. When housing, food, health, and transportation pressures stack, a bag of groceries or a night of shelter can’t carry the whole load. We sit down with Anna Conti of Family Assistance Ministries (FAM) to explore how a whole-person model—pairing food and housing with personalized coaching, prevention, and case management—creates lasting stability for neighbors across South Orange County.

Anna shares why FAM spreads food access across multiple locations, offers short-term and long-term housing, and invests in prevention through rental and utility assistance. She breaks down a common misconception: that direct aid alone is the solution. Instead, she explains how supportive services act as the bridge from surviving to stabilizing, helping people rebuild routines, navigate complex systems, and strengthen income over time. With leadership experience in domestic violence and anti–human trafficking response, Anna brings a clear, grounded perspective on what it takes to move families from crisis to independence.

We also talk about the realities nonprofits face: rising demand, tighter resources, and the need for strong communication. Anna outlines how FAM uses intentional content strategy and smarter tools to reach more people, and why community involvement remains essential. Beyond the work, she reflects on balance, rest, and intentional travel—reminders that sustainable change is built on steady habits. If you’re looking for real solutions that go beyond a quick fix, this conversation offers a practical roadmap and an invitation to help. Visit: https://lovefam.org/
If our conversation resonates, subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review. Your support helps more families find food, housing, coaching, and a clear path to independence.

SPEAKER_00:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Rachel Fife.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Now, if you find yourself or know of someone who is in need of food, shelter, and personal personalized coaching on their journey to independence, well, this resource is really closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Anna Conti, with Family Assistance Ministries, better also known as FAM. Anna, how are you doing today?

SPEAKER_01:

Good. Thank you so much, Rachel. And thank you for having me. I'm so glad to be here.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, we're really excited, and we're really excited to learn about FAM and what the what what the organization is all about. So tell us about it.

SPEAKER_01:

Would love to share more. So Family Assistance Ministries, as you said, most people call us FAM, is an interfaith nonprofit based in San Comene, serving South Orange County. Our mission is simple. We do help people in need with food, shelter, and personalized coaching so they can become stable and self-sufficient. We do this across multiple locations through different programs because the need doesn't show up just in one way. On the food side, we provide food assistance across four locations. So access is easier and closer to home. On the housing side, we also do short-term, transitional, and long-term housing. We do a lot of prevention. We provide financial assistance as well as rental and utility assistance. What makes VM distinct I'd say we're we're not built around one service, we're built around the whole person. Because in real life, challenges don't show up one at a time. Housing, food, health, transportation, finances, they stack. So our model is integrated. We meet urgent needs and we help people stabilize.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow, that's wonderful. Well, how did you get into this kind of this business and this organization?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, um, I've I've always looked for a meaning in my work, and over time I've realized I'm most fulfilled in the helping field. I'm not someone who can stay on the sidelines when people are struggling. Um, I'm drawn to work that's practical and connected to real outcomes for real people. Um, after holding executive leadership roles in California and Washington state, leading organizations focused on domestic violence and combating human trafficking response or combating human trafficking, um, I joined Families Assist Ministries because the model reflects real life. People need help at different stages, and support has to meet the whole person, not just the moment. That's really why I got into the field. And over time, uh, I've seen something clearly that housing and income and stability are rarely just the surface level problems, um, as they're layered, as I mentioned. So I wanted to do work that doesn't just relieve the moment, but actually helps people rebuild stability.

SPEAKER_02:

That's wonderful. So now what do you think are maybe some miss or misconceptions in your industry?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh, one common misconception is that food and shelter alone is a solution. Um, those are essential, but they're often the starting line, not the finish line. Uh, without supportive services, people can cycle back to crisis uh because the underlying barriers haven't changed. Um, another misconception I would share is that supportive services are extra. I'd say they're not, um, having been in the field for a while. They're the bridge between surviving and stabilizing. They help people rebuild routines, navigate complex systems, strengthen income and household stability, and uh sustain progress over time.

SPEAKER_02:

Wonderful. Well, we know marketing is the heart of every business. So, how are you getting the word out there, letting people know about the organization and the services available?

SPEAKER_01:

We do have an amazing marketing manager. I would say share that, that uh takes on all of our communications and marketing uh on a regular basis. It has gotten a lot easier with the um uh you know technology advancement and development. You're able to automate some things and and we're intentional about communication and content strategy, so it's been overall perfecting and refining our processes and things that we do.

SPEAKER_02:

Wonderful. Now, have you ever thought about doing your own podcast?

SPEAKER_01:

I have. I have not um worked up the nerve to do it yet. I've seen my colleagues and peers do it, but I have, and uh that is in the works in the future, that's one of my goals.

SPEAKER_02:

Wonderful. Well, outside of work, what do you like to do for fun, Anna?

SPEAKER_01:

I'm pretty low-key, I have to say. Um, I I love low-key stuff because uh there's a lot that goes into the week. Um, so I'm fine with something as simple as reading a book, going to a movie. Um, what I have started to do and have been intentional about more, one of my goals is to travel more. Um, because we we always kind of push it off and push it off and and don't do it. And I've noticed myself doing that, and I said, no, I need to start. So um, so me and my husband started to travel more, and we went this this year for a really nice family vacation.

SPEAKER_02:

That's great. So, Anna, please tell our listeners one thing they should remember about family assistance ministries.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, what I would say is uh overall that family assistance ministries, uh it's it's not just a one-time service or emergency level need service. It is an investment in self-sufficiency. Uh, assistance matters, but independence is the outcome we're working toward. So supportive services and direct services, case management, um, investment in an individual or family is you know can be costly. It's coaching, problem solving, uh, practical resources that help someone stay stable when they rebuild. And because we rely on support from the community, it's important to know, you know, with the nonprofit uh funding climate right now that demand is high, uh, resources are tighter, and it's harder for many organizations to keep up pace. Um, so our goal is always to focus on uh self-sufficiency and getting families to be independent, successful, and thrive in our community. Um, and helping someone build that stability to move forward is is a rewarding experience to see. Wow, that's great.

SPEAKER_02:

How can our listeners learn more about fam?

SPEAKER_01:

Um one thing that they can do is go on our website. Um it's www.lov.org. Um, they can also um email us at infoinfo at lovefam.org or contact us by phone at uh 949-492-8477.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, Anna, I really appreciate you being on the show, and I wish you and the organization really so much success and the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you so much, Rachel.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnporgecounty.com. That's gnporangecounty.com or call 714 941 8862.