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$	Financial Freedom

In the spring of 2008 Second Chance launched a new program designed to increase the financial self-sufficiency and stability of STRIVE program graduates and Second Chance housing residents. This class will help the participants, upon obtaining employment, with:

• Developing and managing their household budget
• Creating a routine for regularly paying monthly bills
• Becoming familiar with the concept of a credit score
• Researching and strengthening their credit history
• Understanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Filing taxes

Effective financial services will assist participants in sustaining a self-sufficient life pathway and avoiding financial crises in the future that could cause homelessness, contribute to substance abuse, or provoke temptation to commit criminal offenses.

Second Chance's "Financial Freedom" program offers 16 hours of instruction. Between five and eight hours of the course is classroom instruction provided by Wells Fargo Bank volunteers using their Hands on Banking curriculum. The remaining hours consist of a combination of one-on-one and group counseling. In addition, Second Chance works with a variety of banks and organizations to provide participants with information on low cost banking and financial services.

Services offered include:

• Classroom instruction Managing Your Money, Borrowing Money, Buying a Home, and Planning for your Future.
• Workshops on Taxes and EITC, Banking, Budgeting, Credit and Debt, Depository Savings, and Establishing a Small Business
• One-on-one counseling for making timely bill payments, reviewing and establishing bank accounts, and obtaining credit reports and discussing options for improving credit, resolving credit disputes, and managing credit and debt.

Financial Freedom is open to all employed STRIVE graduates and residents of Second Chance housing.

Register today by contacting Dena Lewerke at Second Chance at 619-234-8888, ext. 151 or DLewerke@secondchanceprogram.org.

This program is made possible through the support of the following sponsors:

A program presented by: