BY SUZY STUMP for WEEKLY VOLCANO 9/26/25 |
When Tacoma’s Greater Tacoma Convention Center opens its doors on October 4, it will not just be another Saturday filled with conferences and trade shows. Instead, it will be the birthplace of a movement that is equal parts television, community rally, and real-world problem solving. Opportunity Knocks Live—a one-day event inspired by the hit PBS series Opportunity Knocks—will bring together nonprofits, financial institutions, and volunteers to provide real, immediate help to families living paycheck to paycheck.
For creator and executive producer Jamie (Chase) Strayer, the event is deeply personal. Strayer spent 17 years as a single mother in Tacoma before launching a national television series designed to show struggling families that there are solutions and resources within reach. “I know how hard it can be to work every day and still feel like you’re not getting ahead,” she said. “Opportunity Knocks Live is about making sure every family has access to the opportunities I had in Tacoma—because with the right opportunities your life can change in a single day.”
Strayer’s journey to national recognition started far from the bright lights of television. She began her career working alongside not-for-profit credit unions and nonprofits that helped families break free from payday loans, predatory car financing, and crushing credit card debt. She saw first-hand how removing financial barriers allowed people to breathe again, and once they could breathe, they could build better lives. “That need to make help visible is what led to Opportunity Knocks,” she explained. “Reality television became the tool because people believe what they see.”
Her gamble paid off. Opportunity Knocks went on to be named America’s Best Feel-Good Show by the Academy of Reality Television in 2024, beating out heavyweight contenders like Shark Tank and The Voice.
On October 4, Tacoma families will get to “live the show.” Opportunity Knocks Live is expected to welcome up to 1,000 people for a full day of free, hands-on support. Unlike traditional resource fairs where attendees leave with pamphlets and good intentions, this event is designed for immediate impact. On site, families will be able to eliminate payday loans, apply for utility assistance, talk with free lawyers, lower credit card and car loan payments, apply for free car repairs, get help with rent or stopping eviction, secure affordable childcare, receive grants for gas and groceries, and build resumes and interview for jobs. All of this takes place while children enjoy free, fun-filled childcare activities and families share a complimentary lunch. For four Tacoma families, the event will also mean being filmed for the PBS series, sharing their stories with a national audience.
Strayer’s conviction that poverty is not permanent is rooted in stories she has carried with her since the beginning. One that stands out is from the Reyes family in El Paso, Texas. On the verge of losing their home, a credit union helped save their house, and from there, mother Patricia Reyes launched a business and gained U.S. citizenship. “For the first time, I don’t feel ashamed asking for help,” Reyes told Strayer. “I feel proud, because I’m a role model for my kids.”
It’s these stories that convince Strayer the work matters. “That’s when I knew this wasn’t just a TV show—it was changing lives,” she said. Statistics back up the sentiment. On average, families featured in Opportunity Knocks report an 88-point jump in credit scores, a 55 percent reduction in debt, nearly $18,000 increases in annual income, and significantly lower stress.
Tacoma was not chosen at random for the national launch of Opportunity Knocks Live. The city’s nonprofit sector is strong, its community tight-knit, and its leadership supportive. “Tacoma is a place where families work hard, neighbors support one another, and the community is ready to show the nation what’s possible when opportunity is within reach,” Strayer said.
Local leaders have embraced the initiative. Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello and Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards are honorary co-chairs of the event, and both will declare October 4 as “Opportunity Day” in their proclamations at the opening ceremony.
One of the things that sets Opportunity Knocks apart is its refusal to deal in platitudes. Attendees will not just hear “hang in there” or “budget better.” They will walk out of the Greater Tacoma Convention Center with payday loans erased, child care secured, groceries in hand, or a job offer pending. “This is not an event that people leave with advice,” Strayer emphasized. “Opportunity Knocks is a day of action. The resources will be there to get it done that day.”
That action-oriented focus is part of what has made the series—and now the live event—so effective. In a nation where one in three Pierce County families can’t afford the basics, the need is overwhelming. But the message Opportunity Knocks carries is simple: you are not alone, and you deserve support. Strayer admits there were moments she considered giving up, but her children kept her motivated. “There are a lot of parents in Tacoma praying for life to give them an opportunity to create a better situation for their kids,” she reflected. “Many people are motivated to not give up because they know they deserve better. Everyone deserves opportunities.”
She has also learned something unexpected: that even when people hesitate to ask for help, they will do it when survival is on the line. “If most people just ask for help sooner, their situation can be saved. The right time to ask for help is right now,” she said.
When the lights go down at the end of the October 4 event, Strayer will measure success not just in numbers but in moments: a mother keeping her lights on, a father buying his son new shoes, a family walking out of the Convention Center with dignity and hope. “On a personal level, success looks like a mom, just like I was years ago, being able to keep the lights on, pay rent, and buy her son a new pair of shoes and in three months making $18,000 more a year. Tacoma is just the beginning. If Opportunity Knocks Live works here, Strayer envisions it as a model for other cities across the nation. The combination of television storytelling and boots-on-the-ground support may be unconventional, but the goal is clear: to change the conversation about poverty, one family at a time.”
Opportunity Knocks Live Event Details:
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Location: Greater Tacoma Convention Center
Admission: Free with registration
