“A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.”
While we know that many in our community are struggling to make ends meet, we also know that in order to break that cycle people must be informed about how to handle their finances. This can start with our youth in teaching them the value of money and how to manage it to educating a seasoned workforce about how to financially prepare for the future.
What we do
Our Financial Management Impact Council delivers income management tools, mentoring, and programs for the entire community by meeting families “where they are.”
Impact Council:
Our Financial Management Impact Council, a multi-sector volunteer committee of nonprofit, government, education, and business leaders who are experts in and/or are passionate about supporting financial stability in our community. They want to see that throughout the Wabash Valley, households of all income levels have access to and can utilize the tools and assistance opportunities to allow them to build their financial stability.
The impact council is creating initiatives and investing in our community to bring successful results to their agreed-upon specific outcome targets in support of the overall United Way community goal.
Objective: Increase financial management skills throughout the community by expanding tools, mentoring and programs that meet individuals and families “where they are.”
Strategies
Expand Financial Management Programming Settings & Deliveries
Youth Education on Basic Budget Skills
Reduce “Financial Crisis Event” Impact on Struggling Families
Expand communication of and access to Financial Management Skill-Building Resources and Mentors
Measures
Number of individuals completing financial mentoring programs
Credit score improvement
Debt / savings improvement
Financial Management Impact Council Solutions
Financial Skills Development Grant
The Financial Management Impact Council has announced the recipients of its first grant, the Financial Skills Development Award. This grant focuses on expanding financial literacy training, coaching, and/or mentoring in the Wabash Valley. The United Way is awarding over $99,000 to three organizations for a one-year program. The awarded programs include:
Purdue Extension, Vermillion County – The project will utilize the Your Money, Your Goals Toolkit to train 100 community partners in the region to help them become mentors for economically vulnerable people. This program will then have its newly trained mentors reach at least twenty individuals, training them in financial management and success. There will also be several single-session workshops for those interested in learning.
Reach Services, Inc. – Reach Services in partnership with Regions Bank and their Next Step financial training program will be providing financial classes for low to moderate-income individuals who struggle with financial challenges living from paycheck to paycheck or struggling to live with their limited resources. Reach will also offer guest speakers providing a series of basic financial classes to teach and give power to struggling families in our community.
YMCAs of the Wabash Valley – The YMCA will use the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University curriculum to help individuals and families learn and adopt proven methods for achieving financial freedom. The YMCA will offer a minimum of three 10 week courses and help a minimum of 60 people through this program.
Financial Management Impact Council Members - Development Team
Composed of volunteers who are passionate and/or experts in the field of financial management and financial education. They are responsible for developing ideas to make progress towards their agreed upon measurements.
Jennifer Jones – Co-Chair
Sackrider & Co.
Ashley Wadsworth – Co-Chair
Vigo County Public Library
Gordon Afdahl
Retired – Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Katrina Babb
Indiana State University
Carole Barr
WICAA
Rhett Beaumont
Lummus Technology
Mike Collins
Northwestern Mutual
Cindy DeHart
Vigo County School Corp.
Summer Long
The Hometown Savings Bank
Pam Malone
Ivy Tech
Brian Mimms
Fifth Third Bank
Erica Myers
Indiana State University
Gregg Neumann
Rose-Hulman
Brock Oxford
Spyglass Investments Management
Seth Passfield
The Hometown Savings Bank
Jon Scherle
First Financial Bank
Brett Taylor
Vigo County School Corp.
Financial Management Impact Council Members - Resource Team
Composed of volunteers who provide financial oversight for the resources entrusted to the impact council.
Leslie Ellis
TH City Controller – Chair
Laura Griffin
Terre Haute Savings Bank
Pamela Malone
Ivy Tech Community College
Emily Murray
Council on Domestic Abuse
Roxann Scott
First Farmers Bank & Trust
Rob Stevens
Sony DADC
Jason Trainer
Indiana State University
