Financial Literacy for Everyone

The knowledge, attitude, and skills necessary to make sound financial decisions based on one’s current circumstances can be challenging for anyone. For a family or senior living on a very limited income, financial management can be incredibly daunting knowing how little room there is for error. One wrong decision can have catastrophic consequences, even landing someone on the streets.

To ensure Mercy Housing residents have the skills and tools necessary to build a stable financial future, we provide several programs and resources at our properties through our Resident Services Program. Resident Services Coordinators work one-on-one with families to create a monthly budget, help with accessing benefits or Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), and support job readiness. Volunteers and partners with financial expertise offer classes and workshops on topics such as budgeting, credit, and savings. We use Your Money, Your Goals, an evidence-based curriculum from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and have trained all our staff in the Bridges Out of Poverty framework to better understand how best to support our residents. These resources and the encouragement of our staff can have far-reaching impact on families.